NameCensus.

UK surname

Odlum

A surname of Irish origin possibly derived from O'Dolaimh meaning "descendant of Dolaimh".

In the 1881 census there were 33 people recorded with the Odlum surname, ranking it #28,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 114, ranked #28,515, up from #28,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bromley, Cheshire East and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Odlum is 120 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 245.5%.

1881 census count

33

Ranked #28,965

Modern count

114

2016, ranked #28,515

Peak year

1998

120 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Odlum had 33 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016, ranked #28,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 72 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Odlum surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Odlum surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Odlum 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 24 #29,038
1861 historical 14 #32,072
1881 historical 33 #28,965
1891 historical 49 #30,349
1901 historical 55 #28,064
1911 historical 72 #25,642
1997 modern 104 #26,351
1998 modern 120 #24,793
1999 modern 118 #25,227
2000 modern 106 #26,848
2001 modern 109 #26,059
2002 modern 113 #26,024
2003 modern 106 #26,775
2004 modern 103 #27,503
2005 modern 101 #27,854
2006 modern 107 #27,179
2007 modern 110 #27,087
2008 modern 110 #27,391
2009 modern 114 #27,363
2010 modern 113 #28,162
2011 modern 111 #28,294
2012 modern 112 #28,174
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 115 #28,439
2015 modern 115 #28,319
2016 modern 114 #28,515

Geography

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Where Odlums 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 Bromley, Cheshire East, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Bolton. 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 Bromley 009 Bromley
2 Bromley 004 Bromley
3 Cheshire East 033 Cheshire East
4 Rhondda Cynon Taf 029 Rhondda Cynon Taf
5 Bolton 004 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Odlum

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Odlum

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Odlum surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Odlum 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 includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Odlum 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

Odlum 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

Odlum falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Odlum 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 Odlum, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Odlum

The surname Odlum has its origins in the Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Dulliam or Ó Dulláin, derived from the word 'dall', meaning blind or defective in vision. It traces its roots back to medieval Ireland, particularly in counties such as Galway and Mayo, where it was relatively widespread.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. In 1309, it mentions an individual named Donnchadh O'Dulláin, who was a prominent leader and chieftain in the region.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Odlume, Odlum, and Odlame, as English scribes and record-keepers attempted to transliterate the Irish Gaelic pronunciation into written form.

In the 1659 Census of Ireland, several families bearing the surname Odlum were recorded in counties Galway and Mayo, indicating their continued presence in the region during that period.

Notable individuals with the surname Odlum throughout history include:

1. Edmond Odlum (1840-1910), an Irish-born merchant and philanthropist who co-founded the Odlum's Building and Loan Association in Waterloo, Iowa.

2. Eliza Odlum (1808-1901), a pioneer settler and early resident of South Australia, who documented her experiences in her memoir "A Woman's Wanderings in the British Possessions".

3. John Odlum (1818-1892), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada.

4. Michael Odlum (born 1964), an Irish musician and singer-songwriter, known for his work with the Celtic rock band The Hothouse Flowers.

5. William Odlum (1807-1885), an Irish-born businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Canada West (Ontario) and was involved in the construction of several significant public works projects.

The surname Odlum, while not among the most common Irish surnames, has a rich history rooted in the medieval Gaelic traditions of Ireland and has been carried by individuals who have made notable contributions in various fields across different parts of the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Odlum families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Odlum 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. Lancashire leads with 21 Odlums recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.50x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 21 5.50x
Cheshire 4 5.63x
Dorset 3 14.21x
Suffolk 3 7.66x
Devon 1 1.49x
Middlesex 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newton In Makerfield in Lancashire leads with 6 Odlums recorded in 1881 and an index of 512.82x.

Place Total Index
Newton In Makerfield 6 512.82x
Preston 6 58.77x
Layton With Warbreck 4 285.71x
Ardwick 3 87.21x
Dukinfield 3 91.46x
Ipswich St Stephen 3 4285.71x
Parkstone 3 1200.00x
Birtle Cum Bamford 1 400.00x
Devonport 1 129.87x
Heston 1 93.46x
Liverpool 1 4.31x
Tranmere 1 38.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ellen 2
Mary 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Caroline 1
Cathrine 1
Elizth.M. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Lillie 1
Margaret 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

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 Odlum households.

FAQ

Odlum surname: questions and answers

How common was the Odlum surname in 1881?

In 1881, 33 people were recorded with the Odlum surname. That placed it at #28,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Odlum surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016. That gives Odlum a modern rank of #28,515.

What does the Odlum surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin possibly derived from O'Dolaimh meaning "descendant of Dolaimh".

What does the Odlum map show?

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