NameCensus.

UK surname

Northam

A locational surname referring to someone from the northern part of a hamlet or town.

In the 1881 census there were 546 people recorded with the Northam surname, ranking it #6,327 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 608, ranked #8,623, down from #6,327 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Mid Devon and Taunton Deane.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Northam is 694 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.4%.

1881 census count

546

Ranked #6,327

Modern count

608

2016, ranked #8,623

Peak year

1998

694 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Northam had 546 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,327 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 608 in 2016, ranked #8,623.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 691 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Northam surname distribution map

The map shows where the Northam surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Northam surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Northam over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 319 #7,273
1861 historical 419 #6,133
1881 historical 546 #6,327
1891 historical 548 #6,901
1901 historical 639 #6,730
1911 historical 691 #6,145
1997 modern 665 #7,542
1998 modern 694 #7,523
1999 modern 686 #7,633
2000 modern 681 #7,654
2001 modern 666 #7,652
2002 modern 674 #7,736
2003 modern 635 #7,970
2004 modern 630 #8,028
2005 modern 588 #8,396
2006 modern 597 #8,314
2007 modern 603 #8,319
2008 modern 615 #8,252
2009 modern 618 #8,400
2010 modern 613 #8,647
2011 modern 599 #8,708
2012 modern 598 #8,627
2013 modern 626 #8,448
2014 modern 637 #8,390
2015 modern 627 #8,428
2016 modern 608 #8,623

Geography

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Where Northams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Mid Devon, Taunton Deane, Southwark and West Devon. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 015 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Mid Devon 003 Mid Devon
3 Taunton Deane 013 Taunton Deane
4 Southwark 004 Southwark
5 West Devon 006 West Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Northam

These lists show first names that appear often with the Northam surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Northam

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Northam, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Northam surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Northam household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Northam is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Northam is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Northam falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Northam is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Northam, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Northam

The surname Northam has its origins in England and dates back to the early medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "norð" meaning north and "ham" meaning homestead or village, referring to someone who lived in a northern village or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name comes from the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Norham" in reference to a village in Northumberland, near the Scottish border. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show variations of the name such as "Northam" and "Northum" in various parts of England, particularly in counties like Hertfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. The name was often associated with specific place names like Northam in Devon, or Northam near Bideford, suggesting that the bearers of the name may have originated from or resided in these areas.

One notable early bearer of the surname was William de Northam, a 13th-century clergyman who served as the Bishop of Worcester from 1268 to 1285. Another was John Northam, a Member of Parliament for Somerset in the 1360s.

In the 16th century, the Northam family of Devon gained prominence, with members like John Northam (c. 1520-1585), a wealthy landowner and Justice of the Peace, and his son, John Northam (c. 1560-1630), who served as Sheriff of Devon in 1604.

Other notable Northams throughout history include Reverend John Northam (1601-1676), a Puritan minister in Massachusetts Bay Colony, and Thomas Northam (1735-1786), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War.

The surname Northam has also been associated with several place names, such as Northam in Devon, which was originally recorded as "Northam" in the Domesday Book, and Northam in West Sussex, which was recorded as "Northam" in the 13th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Northam families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Northam surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 228 Northams recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.49x.

County Total Index
Devon 228 20.49x
Gloucestershire 68 6.49x
Cornwall 34 5.62x
Surrey 31 1.19x
Middlesex 28 0.52x
Somerset 27 3.14x
Kent 17 0.93x
Yorkshire 14 0.26x
Leicestershire 12 2.02x
Essex 9 0.85x
Northamptonshire 9 1.79x
Dorset 8 2.28x
Glamorgan 8 0.86x
Derbyshire 7 0.84x
Hampshire 7 0.64x
Denbighshire 6 2.97x
Lancashire 6 0.09x
Shropshire 6 1.30x
Warwickshire 5 0.37x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.56x
Sussex 4 0.44x
Bedfordshire 2 0.72x
Cheshire 2 0.17x
Anglesey 1 1.06x
Hertfordshire 1 0.27x
Lincolnshire 1 0.12x
Oxfordshire 1 0.30x
Royal Navy 1 1.57x
Rutland 1 2.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Halberton in Devon leads with 34 Northams recorded in 1881 and an index of 1312.74x.

Place Total Index
Halberton 34 1312.74x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 21 21.27x
Bermondsey 14 8.80x
Clifton 14 26.42x
Inwardleigh 13 1382.98x
Pointington 12 5714.29x
Plumstead 11 18.09x
Plymouth St Andrew 11 12.83x
Exeter St Sidwell 10 39.25x
Leicester St Mary 10 20.89x
Stapleton 10 50.28x
Tiverton 10 52.16x
Awliscombe 9 918.37x
East Stonehouse 9 41.06x
Exeter St David 9 94.64x
Kettering 9 44.25x
North Tawton 9 263.16x
Stoke Climsland 9 233.16x
Westbury On Trym 9 25.34x
Bristol St James St Paul 8 22.88x
Hatherleigh 8 288.81x
Jacobstowe 8 1904.76x
Leyton Low 8 37.30x
Offwell 8 1311.48x
Swansea Town 8 10.48x
Yarcombe 8 625.00x
Bodmin 7 69.93x
St Kew 7 346.53x
Westminster St John 7 10.75x
Coldridge 6 714.29x
Denby 6 235.29x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 5.57x
Kingston On Thames 6 9.59x
Liskeard 6 59.23x
Madeley 6 35.44x
Paddington London 6 3.05x
Rackenford 6 909.09x
Wrexham Regis 6 40.00x
Exeter St Mary Major 5 74.52x
Newton Abbot St Mary 5 53.59x
Nuneaton 5 32.01x
Sherborne 5 48.40x
Southwark St Olave 5 122.55x
Stoodleigh 5 617.28x
Brighton 4 2.20x
Burlescombe 4 264.90x
Chew Magna 4 132.45x
Colyton 4 93.68x
Ilfracombe 4 34.93x
Nottingham St Mary 4 2.15x
St Austell 4 19.33x
Stoke Damerel 4 5.14x
Battersea 3 1.53x
Bow 3 201.34x
Chislehurst 3 30.67x
Cotleigh 3 967.74x
Droylsden 3 14.50x
Horton In Bradford 3 3.63x
Leeds 3 1.00x
Membury 3 254.24x
Northlew 3 215.83x
Southampton St Mary 3 4.35x
St Pancras London 3 0.70x
Black Torrington 2 125.00x
Bristol St Paul In 2 7.16x
Cheriton Fitzpaine 2 141.84x
Clifton 2 74.91x
Devonport 2 15.64x
Exeter St Olave 2 138.89x
Exeter St Paul 2 90.91x
Fordington 2 26.46x
Hammersmith London 2 1.52x
Hampstead London 2 2.40x
Kings Nympton 2 173.91x
Lewisham 2 2.06x
Okehampton 2 47.62x
Preston 2 1.18x
Sandford Orcas 2 425.53x
Westminster St James 2 3.64x
Yeovil 2 11.44x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Northam surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 20
Ellen 13
Jane 13
Annie 11
Eliza 9
Susan 9
Ann 8
Emily 6
Emma 6
Bessie 4
Edith 4
Florence 4
Hannah 4
Alice 3
Amelia 3
Elizth. 3
Eva 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Martha 3
Anna 2
Beatrice 2
Bertha 2
Caroline 2
Carrie 2
Catherine 2
Eleanor 2
F. 2
Grace 2
Jessie 2
Laura 2
Lillian 2
Lucy 2
Mabel 2
Maria 2
Sophia 2
Violleta 2
Anne 1
Elizath. 1
Elizth.A. 1
Elsie 1
Emile 1
Hanna 1
Ida 1
James 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Northam surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 40
William 33
Charles 22
James 16
Samuel 16
George 13
Thomas 12
Frederick 10
Albert 7
Arthur 5
Joseph 5
Frank 4
Henry 4
Robert 4
Wm. 4
Abraham 3
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Fred 3
Harry 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
Walter 3
Fredrick 2
Herbert 2
Philip 2
Reginald 2
Richard 2
Sydney 2
Bst. 1
Edmund 1
Edwd. 1
Eli 1
Geo. 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
J.Frank 1
Jack 1
Jno. 1
Josephine 1
Leonard 1
Louis 1
Mervyn 1
Phillip 1
Robt. 1
Simon 1
Stuart 1

FAQ

Northam surname: questions and answers

How common was the Northam surname in 1881?

In 1881, 546 people were recorded with the Northam surname. That placed it at #6,327 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Northam surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 608 in 2016. That gives Northam a modern rank of #8,623.

What does the Northam surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from the northern part of a hamlet or town.

What does the Northam map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Northam bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.