NameCensus.

UK surname

Oxborough

An English locational surname derived from the place name Oxborough in Norfolk.

In the 1881 census there were 204 people recorded with the Oxborough surname, ranking it #12,682 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 455, ranked #10,716, up from #12,682 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Greenwich, Beccles and Swaffham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham, North Tyneside and Huntingdonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oxborough is 507 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 123.0%.

1881 census count

204

Ranked #12,682

Modern count

455

2016, ranked #10,716

Peak year

1999

507 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oxborough had 204 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,682 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 455 in 2016, ranked #10,716.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 298 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Oxborough surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oxborough surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Oxborough 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 103 #16,835
1861 historical 107 #20,008
1881 historical 204 #12,682
1891 historical 215 #14,155
1901 historical 263 #12,717
1911 historical 298 #11,505
1997 modern 459 #9,920
1998 modern 488 #9,780
1999 modern 507 #9,555
2000 modern 496 #9,689
2001 modern 484 #9,702
2002 modern 489 #9,789
2003 modern 487 #9,677
2004 modern 499 #9,539
2005 modern 470 #9,879
2006 modern 476 #9,836
2007 modern 483 #9,816
2008 modern 482 #9,913
2009 modern 484 #10,101
2010 modern 484 #10,288
2011 modern 463 #10,551
2012 modern 453 #10,598
2013 modern 451 #10,814
2014 modern 451 #10,882
2015 modern 457 #10,695
2016 modern 455 #10,716

Geography

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Where Oxboroughs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Greenwich, Beccles, Swaffham, Ashill and Rotherham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham, North Tyneside and Huntingdonshire. 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 Greenwich London (South Districts)
2 Beccles Suffolk
3 Swaffham Norfolk
4 Ashill Norfolk
5 Rotherham Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 011 Rotherham
2 Rotherham 013 Rotherham
3 Rotherham 021 Rotherham
4 North Tyneside 010 North Tyneside
5 Huntingdonshire 019 Huntingdonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Oxborough

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Oxborough

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Oxborough is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Oxborough 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

Oxborough 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 Oxborough 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 Oxborough, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Oxborough

The surname Oxborough originates from England and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "oxa" meaning ox and "burh" meaning a fortified place or town, essentially referring to a town or settlement where oxen were kept or traded.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Oxborough can be found in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1202, where it appears as "de Oxeburg." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with a specific place called Oxeburg or a variation thereof.

Throughout the centuries, the name has also been spelled in various ways, including Oxborough, Oxborough, Oxbrough, and Oxbrow, reflecting the evolution of English spelling and regional dialects.

In the 13th century, the Oxborough name appears in the Pipe Rolls for Cambridgeshire, where it is recorded as "de Oxeburgh." This indicates that the family may have had holdings or connections in that region during that time period.

One notable figure bearing the Oxborough surname was John Oxborough, a 16th-century English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed in 1585 for his faith during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent individual was Sir Henry Oxborough (1585-1654), a wealthy English landowner and Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire in the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, Thomas Oxborough (1703-1779) was a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings, including St. Michael's Church in Derby.

During the 19th century, James Oxborough (1820-1897) was a successful businessman and philanthropist from Nottinghamshire, known for his contributions to local charities and education initiatives.

More recently, Michael Oxborough (1929-2018) was a respected British historian and author, best known for his works on medieval English history and the Normans.

While the Oxborough surname may have originated from a specific location, it has since spread across various regions of England and beyond, carried by families and individuals who have contributed to various fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Oxborough families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oxborough 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. Norfolk leads with 74 Oxboroughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.61x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 74 23.61x
Suffolk 32 12.89x
Durham 22 3.63x
Yorkshire 17 0.84x
Essex 15 3.73x
Lincolnshire 9 2.76x
Rutland 7 46.76x
Kent 6 0.86x
Northumberland 6 1.98x
Channel Islands 5 8.28x
Middlesex 4 0.20x
Northamptonshire 4 2.09x
Nottinghamshire 3 1.09x
Surrey 3 0.30x
Devon 1 0.24x
Leicestershire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Beccles in Suffolk leads with 28 Oxboroughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 700.00x.

Place Total Index
Beccles 28 700.00x
Ashill 20 4347.83x
Great Yarmouth 17 65.49x
Swaffham 15 588.24x
Leyton 11 158.73x
Rotherham 10 87.80x
Hessle In Sculcoates 6 337.08x
Cornforth 5 279.33x
Ketton 5 641.03x
Kilverstone 5 8333.33x
St Peter Port 5 44.76x
Stockton On Tees 5 17.11x
Stranton 5 24.49x
Barton Bendish 4 1290.32x
Bradfield 4 701.75x
Clee With Weelsby 4 56.02x
Dallington 4 353.98x
Holbeach 4 110.19x
Redmarshall Carlton 4 1904.76x
Deptford St Paul 3 5.59x
Diss 3 111.52x
Longbenton 3 23.35x
Thetford St Peter 3 365.85x
Wallsend 3 31.19x
Wissett 3 1111.11x
Bishopwearmouth 2 3.84x
Foulden 2 625.00x
Greenwich 2 6.16x
Holverstone 2 20000.00x
Nottingham St Mary 2 2.81x
Penge 2 15.36x
Bermondsey 1 1.65x
Fakenham Magna 1 769.23x
Gaddesby 1 588.24x
Great Casterton 1 434.78x
Hammersmith London 1 1.99x
Hartlepool 1 11.60x
Littleham 1 32.26x
North Walsham 1 44.25x
Ovington 1 500.00x
Pickworth 1 833.33x
Plumstead 1 4.31x
Radford 1 7.16x
St George Hanover 1 3.76x
St Pancras London 1 0.61x
Stamford All Sts 1 54.95x
Thorpe Next Norwich 1 30.12x
Westminster St John 1 4.03x
York St Mary 1 11.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 12
Eliza 10
Mary 7
Sarah 6
Alice 4
Charlotte 4
Emily 4
Ann 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Jane 3
Maria 3
Anna 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Florence 2
Margaret 2
Catherine 1
Christiana 1
E. 1
Elice 1
Elizh.A. 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Gerty 1
Grace 1
Happy 1
Harriett 1
Jessie 1
Josephine 1
Laura 1
Letitia 1
Lorina 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Marianne 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Mealia 1
Millicent 1
Phoebe 1
Rebekah 1
Rosanah 1
Tirzah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Oxborough surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oxborough surname in 1881?

In 1881, 204 people were recorded with the Oxborough surname. That placed it at #12,682 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oxborough surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 455 in 2016. That gives Oxborough a modern rank of #10,716.

What does the Oxborough surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from the place name Oxborough in Norfolk.

What does the Oxborough map show?

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