NameCensus.

UK surname

Packwood

A locational surname derived from a place named after a dense wood or forest.

In the 1881 census there were 607 people recorded with the Packwood surname, ranking it #5,775 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 606, ranked #8,646, down from #5,775 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Coleshill, Dean, Nether and Upper and Dudley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wyre Forest, Tewkesbury and Three Rivers.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Packwood is 776 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.2%.

1881 census count

607

Ranked #5,775

Modern count

606

2016, ranked #8,646

Peak year

1911

776 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Packwood had 607 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,775 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 606 in 2016, ranked #8,646.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 776 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Packwood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Packwood surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Packwood 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 473 #5,259
1861 historical 482 #5,418
1881 historical 607 #5,775
1891 historical 647 #5,998
1901 historical 732 #6,045
1911 historical 776 #5,597
1997 modern 696 #7,278
1998 modern 697 #7,498
1999 modern 693 #7,580
2000 modern 679 #7,671
2001 modern 657 #7,732
2002 modern 678 #7,702
2003 modern 661 #7,733
2004 modern 666 #7,705
2005 modern 646 #7,807
2006 modern 628 #8,016
2007 modern 656 #7,806
2008 modern 647 #7,942
2009 modern 647 #8,107
2010 modern 653 #8,212
2011 modern 633 #8,333
2012 modern 635 #8,220
2013 modern 631 #8,407
2014 modern 618 #8,601
2015 modern 614 #8,573
2016 modern 606 #8,646

Geography

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Where Packwoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Coleshill, Dean, Nether and Upper, Dudley, Wollaston and Rushden. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wyre Forest, Tewkesbury, Three Rivers and Bridgend. 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 Coleshill Warwickshire
2 Dean, Nether and Upper Huntingdonshire
3 Dudley Staffordshire
4 Wollaston Northamptonshire
5 Rushden Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wyre Forest 012 Wyre Forest
2 Wyre Forest 013 Wyre Forest
3 Tewkesbury 002 Tewkesbury
4 Three Rivers 001 Three Rivers
5 Bridgend 019 Bridgend

Forenames

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First names often paired with Packwood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Packwood

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Packwood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Packwood household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Packwood is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Packwood is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Packwood falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Packwood

The surname Packwood originated in England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "pac" and "wudu," meaning a pack (bundle) and wood, respectively. This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a wooded area where packs or bundles of goods were transported or stored.

One of the earliest known references to the name Packwood can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where a person named William de Pakwode is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the common practice of adding the prefix "de" to indicate a person's place of origin or residence.

The Packwood surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Packwood in Warwickshire and Packwood Haugh in Shropshire. These locations may have served as the original homesteads of families bearing this surname.

In the 14th century, the Packwood name appeared in various historical records, including the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a John de Pakwode was mentioned in 1317. This record provides evidence of the surname's use during this period.

Notable individuals with the Packwood surname include:

1. Sir John Packwood (c. 1520-1586), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament from Warwickshire. 2. Thomas Packwood (fl. 1640-1670), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works. 3. John Packwood (1648-1727), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Worcestershire. 4. Cyril Packwood (1892-1976), a British artist and illustrator known for his works depicting rural life in England. 5. Robert Packwood (born 1932), an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from Oregon from 1969 to 1995.

While the Packwood surname may have had variations in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the Old English language and the geographical areas of England where it first emerged.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Packwood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Packwood 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. Worcestershire leads with 150 Packwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.43x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 150 19.43x
Warwickshire 89 5.97x
Northamptonshire 71 12.77x
Leicestershire 45 6.87x
Bedfordshire 33 10.78x
Huntingdonshire 28 23.85x
Middlesex 25 0.42x
Lancashire 21 0.30x
Staffordshire 20 1.00x
Oxfordshire 17 4.66x
Surrey 15 0.52x
Cheshire 12 0.92x
Herefordshire 11 4.54x
Glamorgan 9 0.87x
Nottinghamshire 8 1.00x
Devon 7 0.57x
Gloucestershire 7 0.60x
Derbyshire 6 0.65x
Somerset 5 0.53x
Yorkshire 5 0.09x
Cambridgeshire 4 1.07x
Radnorshire 4 8.39x
Sussex 4 0.40x
Midlothian 3 0.38x
Lincolnshire 2 0.21x
Shropshire 2 0.39x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.28x
Essex 1 0.09x
Norfolk 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. Coleshill in Warwickshire leads with 24 Packwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 502.09x.

Place Total Index
Coleshill 24 502.09x
Rushden 23 309.14x
Wollaston 22 718.95x
Leicester St Margaret 21 13.14x
Stourbridge 20 100.70x
Kidderminster Borough 18 39.84x
Birmingham 16 3.22x
Dean 16 1616.16x
Dudley 14 14.92x
Pershore St Andrew 14 328.64x
Swineshead 14 2857.14x
Rugby 13 64.45x
Kings Norton 12 17.34x
Bury 11 1549.30x
Leamington Priors 10 27.26x
Leicester Black Friars 9 210.77x
Newton Nottage 9 319.15x
Salford 9 4.36x
Aston 8 1.95x
Cheadle 8 32.10x
Riseley 8 412.37x
Blisworth 7 327.10x
Bodicote 7 503.60x
Braunton 7 167.87x
Cheltenham 7 7.83x
Newington 7 3.21x
Rushock 7 1891.89x
Toxteth Park 7 2.95x
Upperswinford 7 107.20x
Burmington 6 1621.62x
Claines 6 28.32x
Earls Barton 6 126.58x
Houghton Conquest 6 476.19x
Upton Warren 6 909.09x
Westminster St John 6 8.33x
Coventry Holy Trinity 5 11.23x
Grafton Manor 5 4545.45x
Hallow 5 132.28x
High Littleton 5 318.47x
St Pancras London 5 1.05x
Staveley 5 30.43x
Whittington 5 666.67x
Bromsgrove 4 15.40x
Chester Holy Trinity 4 65.36x
Coventry St Michael 4 8.35x
Elmley Lovett 4 571.43x
Harborne 4 6.25x
Leek Lowe 4 15.07x
Leicester Newarke 4 116.96x
Leominster 4 39.88x
Llanbadarn Fawr 4 322.58x
Neithrop 4 32.60x
Norton 4 487.80x
Redditch 4 25.56x
Wilburton 4 373.83x
Brighton 3 1.49x
Croydon 3 1.88x
Daventry 3 38.12x
Everton 3 1.34x
Holme Pierrepont 3 666.67x
Holmer 3 68.81x
Kidderminster Foreign 3 27.50x
Kingswinford 3 4.14x
Kinver 3 52.17x
North Kilworth 3 329.67x
North Leith 3 8.19x
Ombersley 3 69.77x
Oxford St Aldate 3 78.13x
Paddington London 3 1.38x
Tardebigg 3 254.24x
Beeston 2 21.86x
Bermondsey 2 1.14x
Chelsea London 2 1.12x
Foxton 2 285.71x
Leicester St Mary 2 3.78x
Sheffield 2 1.07x
Tipton 2 3.27x
Worcester St Martin 2 19.21x
Wyton 2 408.16x
Yardley 2 10.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 53
Sarah 26
Elizabeth 20
Ann 14
Emma 14
Eliza 9
Annie 8
Ellen 8
Emily 8
Jane 7
Lucy 7
Charlotte 6
Harriett 6
Edith 5
Rebecca 5
Alice 4
Florence 4
Kate 4
Clara 3
Frances 3
Harriet 3
Lavinia 3
Maria 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Caroline 2
Christiana 2
Deborah 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Louisa 2
Madeline 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Phoebe 2
Rose 2
Susannah 2
Amel. 1
Amy 1
Bertha 1
Catherine 1
E.M. 1
Eleaner 1
Elizabth 1
Elizth. 1
Julia 1
Kath.H. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 57
John 35
George 29
Thomas 20
Joseph 15
Henry 11
Alfred 10
James 9
Samuel 9
Harry 7
Walter 6
Albert 5
Charles 5
Robert 4
Arthur 3
Benjamin 3
David 3
Edward 3
Frank 3
Calep 2
Edmund 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Fredrick 2
Haydn 2
Leonard 2
Reuben 2
Stephen 2
Willm. 2
Amos 1
Austin 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Fanny 1
Forester 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Hanson 1
J.W. 1
Jane 1
Jesse 1
Jonathan 1
Laban 1
Labon 1
Lawrence 1
Levi 1
Louis 1
Moses 1
Oswell 1
Reginald 1

FAQ

Packwood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Packwood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 607 people were recorded with the Packwood surname. That placed it at #5,775 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Packwood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 606 in 2016. That gives Packwood a modern rank of #8,646.

What does the Packwood surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place named after a dense wood or forest.

What does the Packwood map show?

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