NameCensus.

UK surname

Oldknow

In the 1881 census there were 176 people recorded with the Oldknow surname, ranking it #13,930 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 210, ranked #18,965, down from #13,930 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Duffield, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Horsley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, Warrington and Amber Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oldknow is 259 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.3%.

1881 census count

176

Ranked #13,930

Modern count

210

2016, ranked #18,965

Peak year

1911

259 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oldknow had 176 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,930 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 210 in 2016, ranked #18,965.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 259 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Oldknow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oldknow surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Oldknow 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 142 #13,428
1861 historical 192 #12,423
1881 historical 176 #13,930
1891 historical 213 #14,269
1901 historical 245 #13,298
1911 historical 259 #12,585
1997 modern 227 #16,267
1998 modern 236 #16,304
1999 modern 231 #16,646
2000 modern 237 #16,331
2001 modern 243 #15,791
2002 modern 241 #16,243
2003 modern 231 #16,504
2004 modern 224 #16,918
2005 modern 218 #17,170
2006 modern 208 #17,835
2007 modern 211 #17,856
2008 modern 212 #17,950
2009 modern 209 #18,493
2010 modern 212 #18,726
2011 modern 212 #18,575
2012 modern 201 #19,147
2013 modern 221 #18,252
2014 modern 211 #19,002
2015 modern 205 #19,269
2016 modern 210 #18,965

Geography

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Where Oldknows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Duffield, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Horsley, St Werburgh and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolsover, Warrington and Amber Valley. 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 Duffield Derbyshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Horsley Derbyshire
4 St Werburgh Derbyshire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolsover 001 Bolsover
2 Warrington 021 Warrington
3 Amber Valley 001 Amber Valley
4 Warrington 002 Warrington
5 Amber Valley 007 Amber Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Oldknow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Oldknow

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Oldknow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Oldknow 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Oldknow 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

Oldknow 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

Oldknow falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Oldknow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oldknow 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. Derbyshire leads with 84 Oldknows recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.08x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 84 31.08x
Nottinghamshire 30 12.89x
Yorkshire 21 1.23x
Leicestershire 15 7.84x
Lancashire 9 0.44x
Staffordshire 6 1.03x
Lincolnshire 2 0.72x
Middlesex 2 0.12x
Shropshire 2 1.34x
Worcestershire 2 0.89x
Hampshire 1 0.28x
Northamptonshire 1 0.62x
Royal Navy 1 4.86x
Surrey 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alfreton in Derbyshire leads with 15 Oldknows recorded in 1881 and an index of 182.70x.

Place Total Index
Alfreton 15 182.70x
Nottingham St Mary 15 24.92x
Horsley 13 797.55x
Duffield 12 563.38x
Castle Donnington 9 566.04x
Holbrook 9 1475.41x
Leeds 9 9.32x
Wombwell 9 180.36x
Hazelwood 8 3636.36x
Radford 8 67.68x
Litchurch 6 55.15x
Denby 5 602.41x
Smalley 5 1041.67x
Snenton 5 54.70x
Tutbury 5 352.11x
Barrow Upon Soar 4 253.16x
Derby St Alkmund 3 37.04x
Derby St Werburgh 3 19.22x
Oldham 3 4.54x
Butterworth 2 40.08x
Cheetham 2 13.09x
Heanor 2 49.51x
Kidderminster Borough 2 15.15x
Manningham 2 9.49x
Nottingham St Nicholas 2 63.09x
Ripley 2 59.88x
Salford 2 3.32x
Shrewsbury St Mary 2 33.96x
Aldershot 1 8.44x
Barnetby Le Wold 1 200.00x
Barnsley 1 5.67x
Fenton 1 476.19x
Islington London 1 0.60x
Lambeth 1 0.66x
Leicester St Margaret 1 2.14x
Loughborough 1 11.51x
Moulton 1 111.11x
Pentrich 1 65.79x
Royal Navy 1 5.69x
St Pancras London 1 0.72x
Whittington 1 84.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Ann 7
Elizabeth 7
Alice 5
Sarah 5
Anne 4
Emily 4
Clara 3
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Martha 3
Annie 2
Betsy 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Jane 2
Rachel 2
Rebecca 2
Amelia 1
Beatrice 1
Clare 1
Esther 1
Harriett 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Malindell 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Miriam 1
Nellie 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 12
Henry 7
Joseph 7
James 6
Arthur 5
Samuel 5
George 4
Christopher 3
Thomas 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Harry 2
Richard 2
Charles 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Geo.E. 1
Harold 1
J.A. 1
Jno. 1
R.C. 1
Thos 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Oldknow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oldknow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 176 people were recorded with the Oldknow surname. That placed it at #13,930 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oldknow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 210 in 2016. That gives Oldknow a modern rank of #18,965.

What does the Oldknow map show?

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