NameCensus.

UK surname

Odgers

An surname of Anglo-Saxon origin, possibly referring to an Odger or Edger, a maker of edges or blades.

In the 1881 census there were 546 people recorded with the Odgers surname, ranking it #6,327 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 341, ranked #13,425, down from #6,327 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stithians, Redruth and Illogan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and Swale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Odgers is 546 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 37.5%.

1881 census count

546

Ranked #6,327

Modern count

341

2016, ranked #13,425

Peak year

1881

546 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Odgers had 546 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,327 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 341 in 2016, ranked #13,425.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 546 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Odgers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Odgers surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Odgers 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 482 #5,171
1861 historical 400 #6,412
1881 historical 546 #6,327
1891 historical 506 #7,356
1901 historical 533 #7,697
1911 historical 501 #7,820
1997 modern 343 #12,349
1998 modern 354 #12,438
1999 modern 356 #12,456
2000 modern 355 #12,430
2001 modern 342 #12,566
2002 modern 345 #12,754
2003 modern 323 #13,161
2004 modern 330 #12,994
2005 modern 320 #13,243
2006 modern 318 #13,348
2007 modern 325 #13,291
2008 modern 327 #13,350
2009 modern 350 #12,972
2010 modern 353 #13,156
2011 modern 337 #13,463
2012 modern 331 #13,538
2013 modern 335 #13,604
2014 modern 338 #13,624
2015 modern 339 #13,493
2016 modern 341 #13,425

Geography

Back to top

Where Odgers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stithians, Redruth, Illogan, Gwennap and Camborne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and Swale. 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 Stithians Cornwall
2 Redruth Cornwall
3 Illogan Cornwall
4 Gwennap Cornwall
5 Camborne Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 049 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 052 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 046 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 044 Cornwall
5 Swale 005 Swale

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Odgers

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Odgers

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Odgers is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Odgers 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

Odgers 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 Odgers 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 Odgers, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Odgers

The surname ODGERS originated in England during the late Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English word 'odgere', meaning a maker or seller of edge tools and weapons. The name was initially concentrated in the eastern counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, areas with a strong history of metalworking and blade production.

During the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, many French-derived surnames were introduced, but the name ODGERS remained distinctly Anglo-Saxon in origin. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a certain Odgerus is listed as a landowner in Suffolk.

By the 13th century, variations of the name such as Odger, Odgar, and Odgere were found in various medieval records and tax rolls throughout East Anglia. The surname likely evolved from these early spellings over time.

In the 14th century, a notable bearer of the name was John Odgers, a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Norwich. His descendants continued to be influential in the region for several generations.

During the Tudor period, the name ODGERS spread beyond East Anglia to other parts of England. In the 16th century, a wealthy family of Odgers resided in the village of Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire. Their ancestral home, Odgers Manor, stood in the village until its demolition in the 19th century.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir William Odgers (1535-1619), a successful lawyer and judge who served as Recorder of London and Chief Baron of the Exchequer under Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the name ODGERS was found among early settlers in the American colonies. One of the first recorded instances was Richard Odgers, who arrived in Virginia in 1635.

During the Industrial Revolution, many ODGERS families were involved in the metalworking and manufacturing trades, reflecting the name's historic association with edge tool makers.

Some other prominent individuals with the surname ODGERS include James Odgers (1805-1888), a pioneer of the Australian wine industry, and Walter Blake Odgers (1865-1934), a respected English legal writer and scholar.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Odgers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Odgers 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. Cornwall leads with 404 Odgers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 66.64x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 404 66.64x
Middlesex 42 0.78x
Lancashire 24 0.38x
Durham 19 1.19x
Devon 18 1.61x
Denbighshire 17 8.40x
Yorkshire 7 0.13x
Glamorgan 3 0.32x
Kent 3 0.16x
Northumberland 3 0.38x
Hampshire 2 0.18x
Channel Islands 1 0.63x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Hertfordshire 1 0.27x
Oxfordshire 1 0.30x
Royal Navy 1 1.57x
Somerset 1 0.12x
Surrey 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Stithians in Cornwall leads with 46 Odgers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1377.25x.

Place Total Index
St Stithians 46 1377.25x
Camborne 43 172.14x
Gwennap 37 323.43x
Illogan 36 224.30x
Redruth 33 192.42x
Bersham 17 196.99x
Ludgvan 17 351.97x
Falmouth 14 65.24x
St Just In Penwith 13 110.54x
Newlyn 12 463.32x
St Pancras London 12 2.78x
Truro St Mary 12 235.76x
Callington 11 311.61x
St Erth 11 299.73x
Menheniot 10 396.83x
St Just In Roseland 10 377.36x
Dalton In Furness 9 36.69x
Helston 9 142.86x
Tudhoe 9 64.56x
St Winnow 8 384.62x
Islington London 7 1.35x
Poplar London 7 6.93x
Seaton Carew 7 218.75x
St Austell 7 33.78x
St Gluvias 7 206.49x
St Luke London 7 8.15x
Toxteth Park 7 3.25x
Barrow In Furness 6 6.94x
Maker 6 107.14x
Perranzabuloe 6 114.72x
Plymstock 6 102.74x
St Keverne 6 179.64x
Stoke Damerel 6 7.69x
Tywardreath 6 154.24x
Hampstead London 5 6.00x
Saltash 5 106.38x
St Ive 5 128.53x
St Merryn Trevose 4 13333.33x
Budock 3 65.79x
Charlton Next Woolwich 3 15.74x
Chirton 3 16.64x
Hawsker Cum Stainsacre 3 170.45x
Llantrisant 3 12.77x
Lostwithel 3 174.42x
Norton In Malton 3 46.66x
Rame 3 192.31x
St Clement 3 47.39x
Chelsea London 2 1.24x
Kenwyn 2 12.62x
Madron Penzance 2 9.07x
Mawnan 2 208.33x
Perranarworthal 2 98.52x
Perranuthnoe 2 121.21x
Portsea 2 0.93x
Stretford 2 5.72x
Tanfield 2 10.55x
Tavistock 2 15.75x
Antony 1 17.09x
Camberwell 1 0.29x
Crewkerne 1 10.93x
Devonport 1 7.81x
Kea 1 22.12x
Kensington London 1 0.34x
Kingsbury 1 71.94x
Linkinhorne 1 23.70x
Liskeard 1 9.86x
Manningham 1 1.53x
Marazion 1 136.99x
Oxford St Clement 1 11.98x
Phillack 1 12.77x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 1.16x
Plympton Maurice 1 47.39x
Royal Navy 1 1.83x
Ryhope 1 9.04x
St Breward 1 75.19x
St Hilary 1 56.82x
St Michaelinthe Vale 1 17.67x
Thelwall 1 109.89x
Tormoham 1 2.12x
Watford 1 3.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 44
Mary 36
Eliza 17
Jane 14
Emma 8
Grace 8
Emily 7
Sarah 7
Annie 6
Caroline 6
Frances 6
Martha 6
Ann 5
Edith 5
Ellen 5
Harriet 5
Maria 5
Susan 5
Beatrice 4
Catherine 4
Elizth. 4
Julia 4
Minnie 4
Amelia 3
Bessie 3
Charlotte 3
Kate 3
Nanny 3
Rebecca 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Elisabeth 2
Fanny 2
Flora 2
Hannah 2
Isabella 2
Johanna 2
Margret 2
Nellie 2
Prudence 2
Rhoda 2
Sophia 2
Tamson 2
Angelina 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Eliz.Ann 1
Elizth.A. 1
Ventorie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 42
William 38
James 23
Thomas 14
George 10
Joseph 9
Richard 9
Edward 7
Nicholas 7
Charles 6
Edwin 6
Robert 5
Alfred 4
Henry 4
Samuel 4
Arthur 2
David 2
Ephraim 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Jacob 2
Matthew 2
Samuell 2
Walter 2
Bennet 1
Bennett 1
Claude 1
Daniel 1
Enrique 1
Fred. 1
Fredric 1
Hercules 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jeconiah 1
Jennings 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1
Johnny 1
Jonah 1
Jonas 1
Mark 1
N. 1
Nich. 1
Paul 1
Rd. 1
Robt.Henry 1
Sam. 1
Zacharias 1

FAQ

Odgers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Odgers surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Odgers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 341 in 2016. That gives Odgers a modern rank of #13,425.

What does the Odgers surname mean?

An surname of Anglo-Saxon origin, possibly referring to an Odger or Edger, a maker of edges or blades.

What does the Odgers map show?

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