NameCensus.

UK surname

Oatham

In the 1881 census there were 36 people recorded with the Oatham surname, ranking it #28,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 229, ranked #17,878, up from #28,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hackney, South Cambridgeshire and Basildon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oatham is 236 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 536.1%.

1881 census count

36

Ranked #28,559

Modern count

229

2016, ranked #17,878

Peak year

1998

236 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oatham had 36 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 229 in 2016, ranked #17,878.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 81 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Oatham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oatham surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Oatham 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 8 #31,867
1861 historical 15 #31,942
1881 historical 36 #28,559
1891 historical 72 #27,804
1901 historical 81 #25,130
1911 historical 80 #24,821
1997 modern 215 #16,844
1998 modern 236 #16,304
1999 modern 234 #16,506
2000 modern 233 #16,524
2001 modern 224 #16,716
2002 modern 226 #16,939
2003 modern 210 #17,559
2004 modern 216 #17,331
2005 modern 209 #17,629
2006 modern 208 #17,835
2007 modern 214 #17,688
2008 modern 217 #17,693
2009 modern 219 #17,960
2010 modern 231 #17,711
2011 modern 228 #17,673
2012 modern 223 #17,852
2013 modern 229 #17,816
2014 modern 231 #17,813
2015 modern 230 #17,795
2016 modern 229 #17,878

Geography

Back to top

Where Oathams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hackney, South Cambridgeshire, Basildon, Bromley and Havering. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hackney 024 Hackney
2 South Cambridgeshire 010 South Cambridgeshire
3 Basildon 012 Basildon
4 Bromley 014 Bromley
5 Havering 029 Havering

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Oatham

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Oatham

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Oatham, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Oatham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Oatham 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Oatham is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Oatham is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Oatham falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Oatham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Oatham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oatham 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. Middlesex leads with 36 Oathams recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.25x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 36 10.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 15 Oathams recorded in 1881 and an index of 76.18x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 15 76.18x
Bethnal Green London 14 91.80x
Bow London 7 156.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 3
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Bertha 1
Cristina 1
Eliza 1
Mary 1
Sarah 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
Edward 3
Charles 2
Henry 2
Samuel 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Ernest 1
George 1
James 1
Robert 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Oatham households.

FAQ

Oatham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oatham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 36 people were recorded with the Oatham surname. That placed it at #28,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oatham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 229 in 2016. That gives Oatham a modern rank of #17,878.

What does the Oatham map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Oatham 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.