NameCensus.

UK surname

Ormshaw

In the 1881 census there were 33 people recorded with the Ormshaw surname, ranking it #28,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 122, ranked #27,255, up from #28,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Standish and Winwick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan and Chorley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ormshaw is 145 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 269.7%.

1881 census count

33

Ranked #28,965

Modern count

122

2016, ranked #27,255

Peak year

1911

145 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ormshaw had 33 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016, ranked #27,255.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 145 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Ormshaw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ormshaw surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Ormshaw 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 7 #32,070
1861 historical 38 #29,216
1881 historical 33 #28,965
1891 historical 53 #29,946
1901 historical 92 #23,800
1911 historical 145 #18,255
1997 modern 137 #22,301
1998 modern 128 #23,828
1999 modern 143 #22,521
2000 modern 134 #23,358
2001 modern 125 #24,011
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 125 #24,265
2004 modern 125 #24,443
2005 modern 124 #24,529
2006 modern 123 #24,873
2007 modern 125 #24,987
2008 modern 123 #25,505
2009 modern 125 #25,823
2010 modern 128 #26,036
2011 modern 124 #26,367
2012 modern 121 #26,829
2013 modern 133 #25,655
2014 modern 131 #26,089
2015 modern 124 #26,944
2016 modern 122 #27,255

Geography

Back to top

Where Ormshaws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Standish and Winwick. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan and Chorley. 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 Wigan Lancashire
2 Standish Lancashire
3 Winwick Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 024 Wigan
2 Wigan 032 Wigan
3 Wigan 008 Wigan
4 Wigan 026 Wigan
5 Chorley 008 Chorley

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Ormshaw

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Ormshaw

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Ormshaw surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Ormshaw household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Ormshaw 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

Ormshaw is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ormshaw falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Ormshaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ormshaw 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 29 Ormshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.08x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 29 8.08x
Flintshire 1 12.30x
Middlesex 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wigan in Lancashire leads with 9 Ormshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 179.64x.

Place Total Index
Wigan 9 179.64x
Lowton 8 3333.33x
Ashton In Makerfield 6 588.24x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 25.51x
Ince In Makerfield 2 119.76x
Northop 1 344.83x
Paddington London 1 8.99x
Sutton 1 83.33x
Westleigh 1 123.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Elizabeth 3
Catherine 1
Harriet 1
Louisa 1
M.A. 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Edward 3
James 2
William 2
Arnold 1
Henry 1
Mark 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1

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 Ormshaw households.

FAQ

Ormshaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ormshaw surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Ormshaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016. That gives Ormshaw a modern rank of #27,255.

What does the Ormshaw map show?

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