NameCensus.

UK surname

Ogden

From a place name meaning "oak valley" in Old English, referring to someone who lived in such a valley.

In the 1881 census there were 8,483 people recorded with the Ogden surname, ranking it #500 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,275, ranked #920, down from #500 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, Oldham and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ogden is 10,226 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.2%.

1881 census count

8,483

Ranked #500

Modern count

7,275

2016, ranked #920

Peak year

1911

10,226 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ogden had 8,483 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #500 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,275 in 2016, ranked #920.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 10,226 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Ogden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ogden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ogden 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 5,711 #486
1861 historical 5,571 #493
1881 historical 8,483 #500
1891 historical 8,649 #508
1901 historical 9,666 #543
1911 historical 10,226 #480
1997 modern 7,798 #831
1998 modern 7,981 #838
1999 modern 8,048 #839
2000 modern 8,013 #837
2001 modern 7,820 #839
2002 modern 7,842 #858
2003 modern 7,598 #861
2004 modern 7,641 #859
2005 modern 7,460 #869
2006 modern 7,414 #876
2007 modern 7,471 #877
2008 modern 7,497 #880
2009 modern 7,568 #896
2010 modern 7,736 #893
2011 modern 7,565 #901
2012 modern 7,376 #901
2013 modern 7,459 #906
2014 modern 7,494 #909
2015 modern 7,412 #908
2016 modern 7,275 #920

Geography

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Where Ogdens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Manchester, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Ashton-under-Lyne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, Oldham, Rochdale and Bradford. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
5 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 033 Wigan
2 Oldham 007 Oldham
3 Rochdale 023 Rochdale
4 Oldham 011 Oldham
5 Bradford 023 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ogden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ogden

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ogden is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ogden is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ogden falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ogden

The surname Ogden has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "og" and "denu," meaning "ridge" and "valley," respectively, suggesting that it may have referred to a person living near a ridge or valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Oggedene." This entry refers to a place name in Lancashire, England, which later evolved into the modern-day town of Ogden.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "Oggedene," "Oggeden," and "Ogden." These variations likely resulted from different regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Ogden was Roger de Ogden, who lived in the late 13th century and held land in Ogden, Lancashire. Another notable figure was John Ogden, born around 1609 in England, who later became one of the founders of the town of Fairfield, Connecticut, in the American colonies.

Throughout history, there have been several prominent individuals bearing the Ogden surname. One such person was Samuel Ogden (1718-1778), a colonial leader and judge in New Jersey, who played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War. Another was David Ogden (1707-1800), a lawyer and politician who served as the first Attorney General of New Jersey.

In the literary world, John Ogden (1785-1854) was a British poet and essayist known for his works on religious and social topics. Closer to our modern times, Robert Ogden (1792-1865) was a prominent English businessman and philanthropist who founded the Ogden Trust, which supported education and social welfare initiatives.

The surname Ogden has also been associated with notable places, such as Ogden, Utah, a city named after Hudson Ogden, an early settler in the region. Similarly, the Ogden River in Utah bears the same name, reflecting the influence of the Ogden family in the area.

While the surname Ogden has evolved over centuries and spread across different regions, its roots can be traced back to the valleys and ridges of England, where it originated as a descriptive name for individuals living in those geographic locations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ogden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ogden 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 5,328 Ogdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.44x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 5,328 5.44x
Yorkshire 1,650 2.02x
Cheshire 413 2.27x
Lincolnshire 217 1.64x
Middlesex 141 0.17x
Derbyshire 117 0.90x
Durham 82 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 56 1.07x
Staffordshire 55 0.20x
Northamptonshire 41 0.53x
Surrey 34 0.08x
Leicestershire 33 0.36x
Warwickshire 30 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 26 0.23x
Kent 25 0.09x
Essex 24 0.15x
Hampshire 17 0.10x
Norfolk 17 0.13x
Gloucestershire 16 0.10x
Lanarkshire 15 0.06x
Worcestershire 13 0.12x
Caernarfonshire 11 0.33x
Devon 10 0.06x
Berkshire 9 0.15x
Somerset 9 0.07x
Shropshire 8 0.11x
Westmorland 8 0.44x
Wigtownshire 8 0.73x
Oxfordshire 7 0.14x
Suffolk 7 0.07x
Pembrokeshire 6 0.23x
Denbighshire 5 0.16x
Hertfordshire 5 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.06x
Cumberland 3 0.04x
Flintshire 3 0.14x
Rutland 3 0.49x
Angus 2 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.12x
Isle of Man 2 0.13x
Midlothian 2 0.02x
Sussex 2 0.01x
Bedfordshire 1 0.02x
Northumberland 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 857 Ogdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.09x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 857 27.09x
Ashton Under Lyne 307 14.33x
Manchester 283 6.42x
Chadderton 241 50.30x
Salford 205 7.11x
Failsworth 189 84.29x
Castleton 169 17.27x
Middleton In Oldham 156 53.08x
Keighley 131 15.02x
Bury 125 11.17x
Hulme 117 5.72x
Heap 107 20.58x
Spotland 106 9.73x
Dukinfield 101 11.99x
Newton 99 13.11x
Royton 95 31.69x
Tonge 86 41.82x
Pendleton In Salford 83 7.11x
Ardwick 82 9.28x
Openshaw 79 17.21x
Saddleworth 79 12.51x
Halifax 78 6.49x
Newchurch 78 9.73x
Haworth 76 39.07x
Barton Upon Irwell 70 9.49x
Pilkington 62 16.65x
Todmorden Walsden 57 21.71x
Hopwood 56 43.71x
Radcliffe 56 11.85x
Bradford 52 11.34x
Wardleworth 52 9.28x
Leeds 51 1.10x
Hyde 49 9.11x
Moss Side 48 9.31x
Stansfield 48 15.94x
Brightside Bierlow 47 2.93x
Little Bolton 45 3.57x
Droylsden 44 13.76x
Preston 44 1.68x
Bingley 43 8.25x
Manningham 43 4.26x
March 42 23.98x
Midgley 42 48.15x
Ovenden 42 11.53x
Barrowby 41 179.67x
Gorton 39 4.23x
Broughton In Salford 38 4.24x
Cheetham 38 5.20x
Ashton In Makerfield 37 13.26x
Chorlton On Medlock 37 2.38x
Crompton 37 13.26x
Prestwich 37 15.13x
Langfield 36 25.14x
Barnsley 34 4.03x
Cowling 34 64.07x
Blackburn 33 1.27x
Idle 33 8.70x
St Pancras London 33 0.50x
Pendlebury 32 15.46x
Stayley 31 14.88x
Kearsley 30 14.55x
Southowram 30 12.01x
Farnworth 29 4.94x
Ecclesall Bierlow 28 1.68x
Glossop Dale 28 4.62x
Skircoat 28 8.68x
Newcastle Under Lyme 27 5.47x
Stockport 27 2.88x
Thornton In Bradford 27 9.91x
Blackley 26 15.13x
Warrington 26 2.24x
Walmersley Cum 25 15.96x
Warley 24 10.15x
Golborne 23 18.01x
Aston 22 0.38x
Clayton Le Moors 22 11.57x
Crumpsall 22 9.52x
Elton 22 6.50x
Atherton 21 5.89x
Toxteth Park 21 0.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 691
Sarah 447
Elizabeth 353
Ann 215
Hannah 167
Alice 166
Jane 158
Ellen 142
Martha 121
Emma 114
Annie 108
Eliza 99
Margaret 84
Emily 81
Betty 57
Harriet 57
Clara 48
Maria 47
Ada 44
Frances 43
Edith 40
Catherine 34
Florence 31
Lucy 30
Bertha 29
Charlotte 29
Esther 29
Fanny 27
Susannah 27
Louisa 25
Anne 22
Elizth. 22
Caroline 21
Rachel 21
Amy 20
Grace 20
Amelia 19
Betsy 19
Nancy 19
Agnes 18
Isabella 17
Susan 17
Matilda 16
Rebecca 15
Selina 15
Gertrude 14
Harriett 14
Lydia 14
Minnie 14
Sophia 14

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 600
James 421
William 376
Thomas 264
Joseph 215
George 155
Samuel 151
Charles 98
Henry 97
Robert 91
Richard 80
Alfred 78
Walter 58
Edward 55
Arthur 50
Harry 46
Herbert 46
Albert 45
Fred 45
Frederick 43
Abraham 34
Frank 34
Edwin 32
Wm. 32
Ernest 30
Thos. 28
Amos 26
Edmund 25
David 24
Benjamin 23
Tom 19
Peter 16
Ralph 16
Jonathan 14
Isaac 13
Jno. 12
Daniel 11
Francis 11
Paul 11
Andrew 10
Jas. 10
Fred. 9
Jonas 9
Matthew 9
Sam 9
Saml. 9
Alexander 8
Squire 8
Frederic 7
Jacob 7

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 Ogden households.

FAQ

Ogden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ogden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 8,483 people were recorded with the Ogden surname. That placed it at #500 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ogden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,275 in 2016. That gives Ogden a modern rank of #920.

What does the Ogden surname mean?

From a place name meaning "oak valley" in Old English, referring to someone who lived in such a valley.

What does the Ogden map show?

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