NameCensus.

UK surname

Padgham

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "homestead on the peaty ground."

In the 1881 census there were 279 people recorded with the Padgham surname, ranking it #10,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 305, ranked #14,576, down from #10,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Fletching, Beckley and Lamberhurst. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hastings, Ashford and Wealden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Padgham is 444 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.3%.

1881 census count

279

Ranked #10,230

Modern count

305

2016, ranked #14,576

Peak year

1911

444 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Padgham had 279 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,230 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 305 in 2016, ranked #14,576.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 444 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Padgham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Padgham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Padgham 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 167 #11,936
1861 historical 164 #14,188
1881 historical 279 #10,230
1891 historical 327 #10,379
1901 historical 376 #9,899
1911 historical 444 #8,598
1997 modern 371 #11,645
1998 modern 377 #11,894
1999 modern 385 #11,771
2000 modern 377 #11,903
2001 modern 364 #12,033
2002 modern 375 #12,018
2003 modern 363 #12,096
2004 modern 352 #12,399
2005 modern 338 #12,698
2006 modern 341 #12,684
2007 modern 344 #12,743
2008 modern 344 #12,874
2009 modern 345 #13,107
2010 modern 352 #13,187
2011 modern 356 #12,943
2012 modern 332 #13,501
2013 modern 327 #13,868
2014 modern 328 #13,951
2015 modern 309 #14,430
2016 modern 305 #14,576

Geography

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Where Padghams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Fletching, Beckley, Lamberhurst, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew and East Grinstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hastings, Ashford, Wealden and Scarborough. 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 Fletching Sussex
2 Beckley Sussex
3 Lamberhurst Sussex
4 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
5 East Grinstead Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hastings 006 Hastings
2 Ashford 006 Ashford
3 Wealden 017 Wealden
4 Ashford 009 Ashford
5 Scarborough 012 Scarborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Padgham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Padgham

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Padgham is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Padgham 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

Padgham falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Padgham

The surname Padgham is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Hampshire. It is derived from the Old English words "padd" meaning a small enclosed area or paddock, and "ham" meaning a homestead or village. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived in a small hamlet or village surrounded by paddocks or small enclosed fields.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Padgham can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive land survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Radulfus de Padgham, which indicates that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a Robertus de Padgham who held lands in the village of Padgham, near the town of Alton in Hampshire. This suggests that the surname may have evolved from a place name, as was common practice during that time period.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Padgeham, Padgham, and Padgam, reflecting the inconsistencies in written records and pronunciation variations.

One notable figure with the surname Padgham was Sir John Padgham (c. 1555-1636), an English soldier and Member of Parliament. He served as a captain in the English army during the Anglo-Spanish War and was later knighted for his military service.

Another individual of note was Richard Padgham (1670-1732), a British clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Christian's Pattern" and "The Doctrine of the Church of England."

In the 18th century, William Padgham (1711-1787) was a prominent English banker and landowner. He served as a director of the Bank of England and was known for his philanthropic efforts, including the establishment of a school in his hometown of Beccles, Suffolk.

John Padgham (1808-1892) was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including St. Paul's Church in Clapham and the Royal Dramatic College.

Additionally, Charles Padgham (1865-1941) was a British actor and playwright who appeared in numerous stage productions and authored several plays, including "The Lady of Leeds" and "The Wife's Stratagem."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Padgham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Padgham 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. Sussex leads with 131 Padghams recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.55x.

County Total Index
Sussex 131 28.55x
Kent 90 9.69x
Middlesex 18 0.66x
Surrey 12 0.90x
Gloucestershire 8 1.50x
Yorkshire 8 0.30x
Lincolnshire 5 1.15x
Essex 2 0.37x
Staffordshire 2 0.22x
Hampshire 1 0.18x
Lancashire 1 0.03x
Somerset 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Beckley in Sussex leads with 28 Padghams recorded in 1881 and an index of 2434.78x.

Place Total Index
Beckley 28 2434.78x
Northiam 18 1592.92x
Lamberhurstsussex 16 2666.67x
Lamberhurst 15 1293.10x
Bethersden 13 1368.42x
Wittersham 13 1566.27x
Tonbridge 11 32.85x
Brighton 9 9.72x
Fletching 9 439.02x
Cheltenham 8 19.43x
East Grinstead 8 123.08x
St Pancras London 8 3.65x
Brede 7 729.17x
Hackney London 7 4.59x
Hastings St Mary 7 61.30x
Camberwell 6 3.45x
Great Chart 6 869.57x
Pontefract 6 103.27x
Charlton Next Woolwich 5 51.65x
Lewisham 5 10.10x
St Mary Magdalen Lincoln 5 862.07x
Canterbury St Mary 4 64.21x
East Farleigh 4 256.41x
Hawkhurst 4 138.41x
St Peters 4 93.02x
Tenterden 4 122.32x
Cheriton 3 79.16x
Ewhurst 3 294.12x
Guestling 3 400.00x
Rye 3 68.81x
Snave 3 2727.27x
Brenchley 2 60.24x
Eastbourne 2 9.47x
Kennington 2 289.86x
Long Preston 2 303.03x
Norton In Moors 2 41.15x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 3.65x
Alverstoke 1 4.95x
Ashford 1 11.06x
Bermondsey 1 1.23x
Bromley 1 7.07x
Canterbury St Mildred 1 45.45x
Chelmsford 1 10.85x
Clapham 1 2.94x
East Ham 1 10.03x
Frant 1 30.77x
Guildford Holy Trinity 1 39.53x
Hampstead London 1 2.36x
Hastings Holy Trinity 1 29.59x
Maidstone 1 3.62x
Margate St John Baptist 1 5.88x
Sandhurst 1 91.74x
Smarden 1 94.34x
St George Bloomsbury 1 6.41x
St Marylebone London 1 0.69x
Stoke 1 15.97x
Stretford 1 5.63x
Walcot 1 4.29x
West Hoathly 1 69.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Thomas 17
Alfred 13
Charles 12
Henry 12
George 9
John 9
William 8
Edward 5
Albert 4
Harold 4
James 4
Harry 3
Spencer 3
Walter 3
Adolphus 2
Amos 2
Arthur 2
Augustus 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Richard 2
Benj.I. 1
David 1
Duncan 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Infant 1
Jack 1
Jesse 1
Montague 1
Reginald 1
Robt. 1
Willm. 1
Zachriah 1

FAQ

Padgham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Padgham surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Padgham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 305 in 2016. That gives Padgham a modern rank of #14,576.

What does the Padgham surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "homestead on the peaty ground."

What does the Padgham map show?

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