NameCensus.

UK surname

Oldham

A locational surname referring to someone from Oldham, a town in Greater Manchester, England, derived from Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 5,288 people recorded with the Oldham surname, ranking it #842 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,006, ranked #1,353, down from #842 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Stockport and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tameside and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oldham is 6,690 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.3%.

1881 census count

5,288

Ranked #842

Modern count

5,006

2016, ranked #1,353

Peak year

1911

6,690 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oldham had 5,288 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #842 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,006 in 2016, ranked #1,353.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,690 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Oldham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oldham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Oldham 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 3,513 #809
1861 historical 3,539 #797
1881 historical 5,288 #842
1891 historical 5,760 #815
1901 historical 6,178 #896
1911 historical 6,690 #776
1997 modern 5,265 #1,239
1998 modern 5,409 #1,256
1999 modern 5,427 #1,261
2000 modern 5,347 #1,276
2001 modern 5,246 #1,268
2002 modern 5,380 #1,258
2003 modern 5,231 #1,264
2004 modern 5,196 #1,268
2005 modern 5,080 #1,286
2006 modern 5,060 #1,293
2007 modern 5,088 #1,298
2008 modern 5,110 #1,302
2009 modern 5,215 #1,305
2010 modern 5,344 #1,302
2011 modern 5,210 #1,317
2012 modern 5,019 #1,334
2013 modern 5,131 #1,332
2014 modern 5,134 #1,338
2015 modern 5,049 #1,347
2016 modern 5,006 #1,353

Geography

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Where Oldhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Stockport, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Manchester 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 Tameside and Rochdale. 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 Stockport Cheshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tameside 030 Tameside
2 Tameside 020 Tameside
3 Rochdale 023 Rochdale
4 Rochdale 022 Rochdale
5 Tameside 028 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Oldham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Oldham

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Oldham, 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 Oldham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Oldham 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, Oldham 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

Oldham is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Oldham 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 Oldham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Oldham

The surname Oldham is of English origin, deriving from the place name Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. The name Oldham is formed from the Old English words "eald" meaning "old" and "ham" meaning "home" or "homestead."

The earliest recorded use of the surname Oldham can be traced back to the late 12th century. One of the earliest known references to the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1194, where it is written as "de Oldeham." This suggests that the name was initially used to denote someone from the town of Oldham.

During the medieval period, the surname Oldham appeared in various documents and records, such as the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1246, where it is spelled "de Oldham." The name is also found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1332, indicating its continued use and presence in the region.

In the 16th century, the surname Oldham is recorded in the Parish Registers of Oldham, further solidifying its association with the town. One notable individual from this period is Hugh Oldham, born in Oldham around 1452, who became the Bishop of Exeter and served as the Lord Privy Seal under King Henry VII.

In the 17th century, the Oldham family gained prominence with John Oldham (1600-1636), an English satirical poet and translator. Another notable figure was Hugh Oldham (1619-1677), a Puritan minister and co-founder of Yale College in Connecticut, USA.

The 18th century saw the rise of Thomas Oldham (1718-1757), a British merchant and member of the East India Company, who was instrumental in establishing British trade relations with India.

In the 19th century, Thomas Oldham (1816-1878) was a renowned Irish geologist and director of the Geological Survey of India, while John Oldham (1779-1840) was a British mathematician and author of several influential works on mathematics and astronomy.

The 20th century brought forth notable individuals like Richard D. Oldham (1858-1936), a British geophysicist known for his contributions to the study of earthquakes, and John Oldham (1907-1976), an English poet and writer who was part of the literary movement known as "The Movement."

Overall, the surname Oldham has a rich history rooted in the town of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England, and has been associated with numerous individuals from various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Oldham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oldham 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 1,674 Oldhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.75x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,674 2.75x
Cheshire 989 8.73x
Yorkshire 577 1.13x
Nottinghamshire 444 6.42x
Warwickshire 244 1.88x
Middlesex 207 0.40x
Derbyshire 156 1.94x
Staffordshire 135 0.78x
Lincolnshire 96 1.17x
Surrey 89 0.36x
Leicestershire 82 1.44x
Northamptonshire 48 0.99x
Durham 45 0.29x
Glamorgan 42 0.47x
Peeblesshire 33 13.67x
Essex 32 0.32x
Cambridgeshire 31 0.95x
Gloucestershire 29 0.29x
Kent 28 0.16x
Hampshire 26 0.25x
Cornwall 24 0.41x
Northumberland 23 0.30x
Sussex 22 0.25x
Norfolk 21 0.27x
Devon 18 0.17x
Cumberland 17 0.38x
Midlothian 14 0.20x
Buckinghamshire 12 0.39x
Roxburghshire 12 1.29x
Worcestershire 12 0.18x
Hertfordshire 11 0.31x
Isle of Man 11 1.15x
Berkshire 10 0.26x
Huntingdonshire 10 0.98x
Channel Islands 5 0.33x
Monmouthshire 5 0.13x
Dorset 4 0.12x
Flintshire 4 0.29x
Oxfordshire 3 0.09x
Somerset 3 0.04x
Bedfordshire 2 0.08x
Royal Navy 2 0.33x
Shropshire 2 0.05x
Suffolk 2 0.03x
Wiltshire 2 0.04x
Ayrshire 1 0.03x
Herefordshire 1 0.05x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
West Lothian 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hyde in Cheshire leads with 244 Oldhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 72.98x.

Place Total Index
Hyde 244 72.98x
Manchester 187 6.83x
Nottingham St Mary 116 6.48x
Ashton Under Lyne 98 7.36x
Blackburn 96 5.92x
Stockport 96 16.46x
Castleton 77 12.66x
Oldham 77 3.92x
Bulwell 75 49.86x
Beeston 72 90.58x
Denton 68 50.38x
Heaton Norris 68 19.61x
Werneth 67 188.79x
Preston 57 3.50x
Gorton 56 9.78x
Macclesfield 55 10.92x
Bosden 54 155.31x
Glossop Dale 54 14.35x
Salford 48 2.68x
Almondbury 47 19.11x
Accrington 45 8.13x
Cheadle 43 19.87x
Chorlton On Medlock 43 4.44x
Bramhall 42 89.50x
Dukinfield 41 7.83x
Middleton In Oldham 41 22.45x
Tonge 40 31.30x
Aston 39 1.09x
Sheffield 38 2.35x
Bredbury 36 54.90x
Kensington London 36 1.26x
Leicester St Margaret 36 2.59x
Nether Hallam 35 5.09x
Peebles 32 44.85x
Newton 31 6.60x
Newton In Ashton Under 31 27.73x
Hulme 29 2.28x
Ardwick 28 5.10x
Bury 28 4.02x
Chadderton 28 9.40x
Haughton 28 31.51x
Godley 27 110.38x
Great Bolton 27 3.35x
Birmingham 26 0.60x
Pendleton In Salford 26 3.58x
Stoke Upon Trent 26 1.42x
Hunslet 25 3.15x
Coventry St Michael 24 5.77x
Huddersfield 24 3.24x
Liversedge 24 10.60x
Basford 23 7.21x
Brightside Bierlow 23 2.31x
Habergham Eaves 23 4.13x
Leeds 23 0.80x
Sutton In Ashfield 23 15.32x
Wardleworth 23 6.61x
Wisbech St Peter 23 14.11x
Chilwell 22 119.70x
Windle 22 6.42x
Oswaldtwistle 21 9.76x
St Pancras London 21 0.51x
West Derby 21 1.18x
Bethnal Green London 20 0.90x
Hollingworth 20 42.81x
Reddish 20 23.84x
Blackley 19 17.79x
Hurdsfield 19 27.25x
West Bromwich 19 1.92x
Clayton Le Moors 18 15.23x
Saddleworth 18 4.59x
Swansea Town 18 2.46x
Willesden 18 3.72x
Barnsley 17 3.24x
Burslem 17 3.43x
Lambeth 17 0.38x
Openshaw 17 5.96x
Radford 17 4.84x
Rugby 17 9.71x
Sculcoates 17 2.11x
Newark Upon Trent 16 6.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 382
Sarah 235
Elizabeth 221
Ann 104
Jane 102
Alice 96
Emma 87
Hannah 84
Annie 83
Eliza 78
Ellen 77
Martha 55
Emily 52
Margaret 46
Fanny 30
Maria 29
Edith 28
Louisa 27
Esther 26
Lucy 26
Florence 23
Ada 22
Harriett 22
Caroline 21
Charlotte 21
Frances 21
Harriet 21
Betty 19
Catherine 19
Kate 19
Anne 18
Clara 18
Betsy 17
Amelia 16
Nancy 12
Ruth 12
Isabella 11
Matilda 11
Agnes 10
Bertha 10
Rebecca 10
Rose 10
Amy 9
Ethel 9
Gertrude 9
Rachel 9
Susan 9
Elizth. 8
Henrietta 8
Lydia 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 304
William 278
James 204
Thomas 175
George 162
Joseph 132
Samuel 99
Charles 97
Henry 86
Arthur 67
Alfred 54
Edward 41
Frederick 35
Frank 33
Robert 33
Ernest 31
Harry 28
Richard 28
Albert 27
Edwin 26
Walter 24
Herbert 19
David 16
Fred 16
Tom 16
Wm. 16
Benjamin 13
Thos. 12
Joshua 10
Peter 10
Francis 8
Harold 8
Hugh 8
Alexander 7
Daniel 7
Eli 7
Isaac 7
Jas. 7
Jno. 7
Mark 7
Ralph 7
Allen 6
Fredrick 6
Geo. 6
Matthew 6
Sam 6
Saml. 6
Wilfred 6
Wright 6
Chas. 5

FAQ

Oldham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oldham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,288 people were recorded with the Oldham surname. That placed it at #842 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oldham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,006 in 2016. That gives Oldham a modern rank of #1,353.

What does the Oldham surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Oldham, a town in Greater Manchester, England, derived from Old English.

What does the Oldham map show?

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