NameCensus.

UK surname

Ovenden

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "at the upper end."

In the 1881 census there were 840 people recorded with the Ovenden surname, ranking it #4,490 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,137, ranked #5,181, down from #4,490 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes and Margate. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shepway, Ashford and Dover.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ovenden is 1,377 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.4%.

1881 census count

840

Ranked #4,490

Modern count

1,137

2016, ranked #5,181

Peak year

1911

1,377 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ovenden had 840 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,490 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,137 in 2016, ranked #5,181.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,377 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ovenden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ovenden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ovenden 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 519 #4,826
1861 historical 469 #5,536
1881 historical 840 #4,490
1891 historical 1,014 #4,099
1901 historical 1,232 #4,020
1911 historical 1,377 #3,493
1997 modern 1,253 #4,547
1998 modern 1,289 #4,615
1999 modern 1,259 #4,730
2000 modern 1,241 #4,768
2001 modern 1,229 #4,707
2002 modern 1,256 #4,716
2003 modern 1,198 #4,811
2004 modern 1,203 #4,802
2005 modern 1,155 #4,928
2006 modern 1,148 #4,941
2007 modern 1,162 #4,941
2008 modern 1,153 #5,002
2009 modern 1,170 #5,048
2010 modern 1,176 #5,129
2011 modern 1,168 #5,103
2012 modern 1,138 #5,136
2013 modern 1,147 #5,191
2014 modern 1,156 #5,177
2015 modern 1,147 #5,167
2016 modern 1,137 #5,181

Geography

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Where Ovendens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes, Margate, Hawkinge, Folkestone and Penshurst. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shepway, Ashford, Dover and Canterbury. 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 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Margate Kent
4 Hawkinge, Folkestone Kent
5 Penshurst Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shepway 011 Shepway
2 Ashford 002 Ashford
3 Shepway 012 Shepway
4 Dover 001 Dover
5 Canterbury 018 Canterbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ovenden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ovenden

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ovenden, 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 Ovenden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ovenden 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Ovenden is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Ovenden is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ovenden falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ovenden

The surname Ovenden has its origins in England, specifically from the southeastern county of Kent. This name is rooted in the Anglo-Saxon period, emerging sometime before the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name originally hails from a small settlement known as Ovenden in the parish of Wrotham, Kent. The etymology of Ovenden is grounded in Old English. The name itself is derived from the words "ofen" meaning an oven or a kiln, and "denu" meaning a valley. Therefore, Ovenden essentially means "the valley of the ovens."

Historical records of the surname Ovenden appear intermittently in medieval England. One of the earliest references can be found in the medieval tax records of the Subsidy Rolls, where an individual named Richard de Ovenden is recorded in Kent in the year 1292. This indicates the use of the toponymic surname, reflecting where a person hailed from.

Ovenden can be seen in various historical documents over the centuries. For example, a William Ovenden is mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Kent in 1390. Additionally, Agnes Ovenden is noted in the Calendar of Wills as early as 1440, providing testamentary evidence of the surname.

Throughout history, several notable individuals carried the Ovenden surname. One such person is John Ovenden (1623-1677), an English mathematician whose works contributed to the early study of trigonometry. Another prominent figure is Thomas Ovenden (1825-1894), a British artist known for his landscape paintings and contributions to Victorian art.

The name can be found in parish records, church registers, and land deeds. For example, the baptism of James Ovenden was recorded in the Kent parish register in 1591. This further confirms the localized presence and usage of the surname in Kent over the centuries.

In more recent history, Graham Ovenden (born 1943), a renowned British painter and photographer, has made significant contributions to contemporary visual arts. His works have been exhibited globally, affirming the cultural legacy of the Ovenden name.

As a surname, Ovenden remains relatively rare, maintaining a connection to its geographical and etymological roots. This enduring link to the valley of ovens speaks to the rich tapestry of local English history and the preservation of ancient toponymic surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ovenden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ovenden 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. Kent leads with 533 Ovendens recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.00x.

County Total Index
Kent 533 19.00x
Middlesex 97 1.18x
Sussex 93 6.71x
Surrey 30 0.75x
Essex 24 1.48x
Yorkshire 15 0.18x
Durham 12 0.49x
Buckinghamshire 8 1.61x
Hertfordshire 8 1.41x
Lancashire 8 0.08x
Devon 4 0.23x
Royal Navy 3 3.06x
Hampshire 2 0.12x
Northumberland 2 0.16x
Cheshire 1 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.09x
Oxfordshire 1 0.20x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Penshurst in Kent leads with 63 Ovendens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1334.75x.

Place Total Index
Penshurst 63 1334.75x
Tonbridge 49 48.42x
Margate St John Baptist 44 85.65x
Newchurch 32 3516.48x
Folkestone 30 55.13x
Islington London 21 2.63x
Charlton 19 101.99x
Brighton 18 6.44x
Woodnesborough 18 700.39x
Frant 16 162.93x
Rotherfield 15 122.85x
Bridge 14 580.91x
Ashford 13 47.58x
Hackney London 13 2.82x
Maidstone 12 14.36x
Ramsgate 12 26.20x
Speldhurst 12 83.97x
West Ham 12 3.35x
Hammersmith London 11 5.43x
Bearsted 10 591.72x
Wingham 10 307.69x
St Pancras London 9 1.36x
Canterbury St Andrew 8 672.27x
Canterbury St Dunstan 8 165.29x
Cheshunt 8 40.38x
Cowden 8 437.16x
Croydon 8 3.60x
Ivychurch 8 1095.89x
Beckenham 7 19.08x
East Peckham 7 120.07x
Eltham 7 42.58x
Piddinghoe 7 1111.11x
St Peters 7 53.93x
Sutton At Hone 7 120.27x
Wycombe 7 18.89x
Ashurst 6 952.38x
Buckland In Dover 6 64.52x
Canterbury St Paul 6 119.05x
Challock 6 600.00x
East Grinstead 6 30.57x
Hampstead London 6 4.68x
Hythe St Leonard 6 60.54x
Paddington London 6 1.98x
Withyam 6 101.18x
Woodford 6 32.64x
Buxted 5 92.08x
Dover St Mary Virgin 5 18.41x
Headcorn 5 119.05x
Kensington London 5 1.09x
Lewisham 5 3.34x
Leyton Low 5 15.15x
Saltwood 5 255.10x
Sittingbourne 5 22.56x
St Lawrence 5 25.92x
Strood 5 31.23x
Westoe 5 3.61x
Bishopwearmouth 4 1.90x
Bow London 4 3.82x
Bromley London 4 2.21x
Canterbury St Margaret 4 263.16x
Coulsdon 4 54.95x
Dewsbury 4 4.79x
Hartfield 4 91.12x
Loose 4 97.09x
Monkton 4 380.95x
Newington 4 1.32x
Orpington 4 46.57x
Ratcliffe London 4 8.81x
Sibertswold 4 270.27x
Stoke Damerel 4 3.34x
Thornhill 4 16.82x
West Derby 4 1.40x
Battersea 3 0.99x
Bromley 3 7.02x
Enfield 3 5.56x
Newhaven 3 26.64x
Plumstead 3 3.21x
Royal Navy 3 3.58x
Stockton On Tees 3 2.54x
Sutton 3 769.23x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 62
George 39
Thomas 30
John 28
Henry 26
Charles 21
Edward 21
Alfred 19
Arthur 13
Walter 13
Albert 11
Herbert 10
James 10
Frank 9
Ernest 8
Frederick 7
Joseph 7
Harry 6
Richard 6
Edgar 5
Edwin 4
Jesse 4
Stephen 4
Elias 3
Wm. 3
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Orlando 2
Osborne 2
Percy 2
Robert 2
Benjn. 1
Caleb 1
Christopher 1
Clarence 1
Ephraim 1
Fredk 1
Fredk. 1
Fredric 1
Fredrick 1
Henreitta 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
Jobe 1
Joshua 1
Leolin 1
Louis 1
Wm.T. 1

FAQ

Ovenden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ovenden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 840 people were recorded with the Ovenden surname. That placed it at #4,490 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ovenden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,137 in 2016. That gives Ovenden a modern rank of #5,181.

What does the Ovenden surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "at the upper end."

What does the Ovenden map show?

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