NameCensus.

UK surname

Oxborrow

An English locational surname originating from a place named Oxborough in Norfolk.

In the 1881 census there were 279 people recorded with the Oxborrow surname, ranking it #10,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 325, ranked #13,930, down from #10,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bredfield, London parishes and Stanton All Saints and Stanton St John. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breckland, Suffolk Coastal and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oxborrow is 392 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.5%.

1881 census count

279

Ranked #10,230

Modern count

325

2016, ranked #13,930

Peak year

1911

392 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oxborrow had 279 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,230 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 325 in 2016, ranked #13,930.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 392 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Oxborrow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oxborrow surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Oxborrow 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 134 #14,033
1861 historical 139 #16,263
1881 historical 279 #10,230
1891 historical 295 #11,255
1901 historical 350 #10,439
1911 historical 392 #9,421
1997 modern 350 #12,172
1998 modern 354 #12,438
1999 modern 353 #12,522
2000 modern 354 #12,460
2001 modern 341 #12,588
2002 modern 337 #12,965
2003 modern 333 #12,875
2004 modern 331 #12,973
2005 modern 316 #13,351
2006 modern 316 #13,402
2007 modern 326 #13,260
2008 modern 320 #13,550
2009 modern 323 #13,720
2010 modern 330 #13,786
2011 modern 331 #13,641
2012 modern 327 #13,654
2013 modern 334 #13,648
2014 modern 327 #13,976
2015 modern 330 #13,774
2016 modern 325 #13,930

Geography

Back to top

Where Oxborrows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bredfield, London parishes, Stanton All Saints and Stanton St John and Framsden. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breckland, Suffolk Coastal, Mid Suffolk and Ceredigion. 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 Bredfield Suffolk
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Stanton All Saints and Stanton St John Suffolk
5 Framsden Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breckland 010 Breckland
2 Suffolk Coastal 007 Suffolk Coastal
3 Mid Suffolk 011 Mid Suffolk
4 Ceredigion 007 Ceredigion
5 Mid Suffolk 010 Mid Suffolk

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Oxborrow

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Oxborrow

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Oxborrow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Oxborrow household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Oxborrow 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

Oxborrow 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

Oxborrow falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Oxborrow

The surname Oxborrow has its origins in the medieval English counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it first appeared in records dating back to the late 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a now-lost place name that likely referred to a settlement or area near an oxbow-shaped bend in a river or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which lists one Adam Oxburrowe. This early spelling variation suggests that the name may have evolved from the Old English words "oxa" (ox) and "buru" (dwelling or enclosure), indicating a possible connection to a farmstead or settlement where oxen were kept.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, while the surname Oxborrow itself is not mentioned, there are references to several places with similar names, such as Oxenbrigge (now Oxbridge) in Hertfordshire and Oxeneford (now Oxford) in Oxfordshire, further supporting the theory of the name's locational origins.

Notable individuals with the Oxborrow surname throughout history include Richard Oxborrow (c. 1540-1612), a prominent English Catholic recusant who was imprisoned for his faith during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another notable figure was Thomas Oxborrow (1675-1742), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lancashire, whose family estate was located near the village of Oxborough.

Other noteworthy Oxborrows include John Oxborrow (1794-1878), a pioneering Methodist missionary who spent several decades proselytizing in the West Indies, and Emily Oxborrow (1859-1932), a renowned English painter and illustrator known for her vibrant landscapes and portraiture.

One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Sir Richard Oxborrow (1892-1967), a highly decorated British Army officer who served with distinction in both World War I and World War II, earning numerous military honors, including the Distinguished Service Order and the Military Cross.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Oxborrow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oxborrow 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. Suffolk leads with 172 Oxborrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.45x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 172 52.45x
Essex 35 6.59x
Middlesex 35 1.30x
Warwickshire 9 1.33x
Durham 8 1.00x
Surrey 7 0.53x
Kent 5 0.54x
Lancashire 3 0.09x
Cumberland 1 0.43x
Staffordshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stanton in Suffolk leads with 30 Oxborrows recorded in 1881 and an index of 3846.15x.

Place Total Index
Stanton 30 3846.15x
Framsden 15 2054.79x
Ipswich St Peter 13 294.78x
Islington London 13 4.98x
Brightlingsea 11 361.84x
Ipswich St Mathew 11 119.70x
Tuddenham St Martin 11 3333.33x
Framlingham 10 429.18x
Ipswich St Margaret 9 80.86x
Mickfield 9 3750.00x
Bredfield 8 2000.00x
Heworth 8 50.70x
West Ham 8 6.82x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 7 113.82x
Kensington London 7 4.68x
Witnesham 7 1489.36x
Aston 6 3.21x
Saffron Walden 6 106.76x
St George Hanover 6 17.07x
Hasketon 5 1111.11x
Ipswich St Helen 5 128.53x
Woodbridge 5 119.33x
Beccles 4 75.76x
Deptford St Paul 4 5.65x
Helmingham 4 1290.32x
Kirby Le Soken 4 526.32x
South Elmham St Peter 4 5714.29x
St Marylebone London 4 2.78x
Birmingham 3 1.33x
Halstead 3 48.39x
Little Bealings 3 1363.64x
Wickham Market 3 220.59x
Burgh 2 833.33x
Castleton 2 6.27x
Chelsea London 2 2.47x
Croydon 2 2.75x
Farnham 2 19.61x
St Giles Cripplegate 2 56.02x
Stonham Aspall 2 298.51x
Bowness 1 111.11x
Chester St Nicholas 1 263.16x
Earl Soham 1 175.44x
Forest Gate 1 135.14x
Godalming 1 12.11x
Greenwich 1 2.33x
Handsworth 1 4.46x
Ipswich St Clement 1 11.99x
Lambeth 1 0.43x
Lexden 1 46.95x
Mildenhall 1 28.74x
Shoreditch London 1 0.86x
Streatham 1 5.01x
Toxteth Park 1 0.92x
Wherstead 1 416.67x
Wissett 1 277.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Sarah 10
Alice 9
Elizabeth 9
Eliza 6
Emma 6
Annie 4
Ellen 4
Florence 4
Kate 4
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Katie 3
Rebecca 3
Ada 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
E. 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Jessie 2
Keziah 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Susanna 2
Vashti 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Augusta 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Blanch 1
Eleanor 1
Eleen 1
Elizh. 1
Georgiana 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Julia 1
L.A. 1
L.M. 1
Lillian 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 12
William 12
John 11
Arthur 8
Edward 8
Charles 7
Alfred 5
Edmund 5
James 4
Samuel 4
Thomas 4
Caleb 3
Ephraim 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
George 3
Harry 3
Albert 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
H. 2
Joshua 2
Walter 2
Benjamin 1
Bertie 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Edmond 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
G. 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Lewis 1
Morriss 1
Nathaniel 1
Percy 1
Sheppad 1
Sheppard 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Oxborrow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oxborrow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 279 people were recorded with the Oxborrow surname. That placed it at #10,230 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oxborrow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 325 in 2016. That gives Oxborrow a modern rank of #13,930.

What does the Oxborrow surname mean?

An English locational surname originating from a place named Oxborough in Norfolk.

What does the Oxborrow map show?

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