UK surname
An English surname derived from a place name in Lancashire.
In the 1881 census there were 98 people recorded with the Ogdon surname, ranking it #19,999 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 57, ranked #34,511, down from #19,999 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Wirksworth and Digby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ogdon is 294 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 41.8%.
1881 census count
98
Ranked #19,999
Modern count
57
2016, ranked #34,511
Peak year
1861
294 bearers
Map years
2
1851 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Ogdon surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Ogdon surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 159 | #12,400 |
| 1861 | historical | 294 | #8,571 |
| 1881 | historical | 98 | #19,999 |
| 1891 | historical | 86 | #25,951 |
| 1901 | historical | 71 | #26,277 |
| 1911 | historical | 71 | #25,742 |
| 1997 | modern | 42 | #33,459 |
| 1998 | modern | 47 | #33,197 |
| 1999 | modern | 48 | #33,233 |
| 2000 | modern | 48 | #33,288 |
| 2001 | modern | 45 | #33,401 |
| 2002 | modern | 44 | #33,790 |
| 2003 | modern | 43 | #33,951 |
| 2004 | modern | 44 | #34,053 |
| 2005 | modern | 41 | #34,478 |
| 2006 | modern | 45 | #34,491 |
| 2007 | modern | 51 | #34,272 |
| 2008 | modern | 53 | #34,315 |
| 2009 | modern | 56 | #34,278 |
| 2010 | modern | 58 | #34,346 |
| 2011 | modern | 49 | #34,868 |
| 2012 | modern | 42 | #35,269 |
| 2013 | modern | 48 | #35,012 |
| 2014 | modern | 53 | #34,753 |
| 2015 | modern | 55 | #34,620 |
| 2016 | modern | 57 | #34,511 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Wirksworth, Digby, Wellingore and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 2 | Wirksworth | Derbyshire |
| 3 | Digby | Lincolnshire |
| 4 | Wellingore | Lincolnshire |
| 5 | Bradford | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Ogdon surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ogdon, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Ogdon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Ogdon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Ogdon is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ogdon is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Ogdon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Ogdon is an English name that originated in the Yorkshire region of England in the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "og" meaning oak tree and "dun" meaning hill or down, indicating that the name may have referred to someone who lived near an oak-covered hill or a place with a similar name.
One of the earliest documented references to the Ogdon surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded landowners and tenants in England after the Norman Conquest. The name was likely established as a hereditary surname by the 13th or 14th century, when it became common practice to adopt surnames.
In the 16th century, records show an Ogdon family living in the village of Ogden, near Halifax in West Yorkshire. It is possible that the surname was initially derived from this place name, which itself may have originated from the Old English words "og" and "dun."
Notable individuals with the surname Ogdon throughout history include:
1. John Ogdon (1937-1989), a renowned English pianist and composer known for his interpretations of Romantic and 20th-century works. He won the prestigious Moscow Tchaikovsky Competition in 1962.
2. Elizabeth Ogdon (c. 1560-1625), an English woman who was tried and executed for witchcraft during the Pendle witch trials in Lancashire in 1612. Her case drew significant attention and controversy at the time.
3. Sir William Ogdon (1675-1744), an English politician and Member of Parliament who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1723.
4. Thomas Ogdon (1786-1856), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in Manchester and the surrounding areas.
5. James Ogdon (1805-1876), an English industrialist and cotton manufacturer who established successful mills in Lancashire and played a significant role in the region's textile industry during the Industrial Revolution.
While the Ogdon surname has roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, due to migration and family ties.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ogdon surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lincolnshire leads with 33 Ogdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.59x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lincolnshire | 33 | 21.59x |
| Derbyshire | 25 | 16.71x |
| Durham | 24 | 8.44x |
| Yorkshire | 8 | 0.84x |
| Lancashire | 4 | 0.35x |
| Surrey | 3 | 0.64x |
| Devon | 1 | 0.50x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wellingore in Lincolnshire leads with 26 Ogdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 10000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Wellingore | 26 | 10000.00x |
| Wirksworth | 20 | 1470.59x |
| Bishopwearmouth | 9 | 36.87x |
| Kelloe | 8 | 2580.65x |
| St Nicholas Lincoln | 7 | 479.45x |
| Sutton In Keighley | 7 | 1296.30x |
| Barton Upon Irwell | 4 | 46.84x |
| Stockton On Tees | 4 | 29.18x |
| Battersea | 3 | 8.53x |
| Gateshead | 3 | 14.09x |
| Hartington Upper | 3 | 422.54x |
| Bradford | 1 | 4.36x |
| Derby St Alkmund | 1 | 22.32x |
| Exeter St Edmund | 1 | 232.56x |
| Matlock | 1 | 49.75x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Ogdon surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Ogdon surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Ogdon households.
FAQ
In 1881, 98 people were recorded with the Ogdon surname. That placed it at #19,999 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 57 in 2016. That gives Ogdon a modern rank of #34,511.
An English surname derived from a place name in Lancashire.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ogdon bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.