NameCensus.

UK surname

Playdon

In the 1881 census there were 122 people recorded with the Playdon surname, ranking it #17,602 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 99, ranked #31,358, down from #17,602 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Upton Snodsbury, Pershore Holy Cross, Pershore St Andrew and Peopleton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Horsham, Worcester and Wychavon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Playdon is 204 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.9%.

1881 census count

122

Ranked #17,602

Modern count

99

2016, ranked #31,358

Peak year

1911

204 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2006

Key insights

  • Playdon had 122 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,602 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 99 in 2016, ranked #31,358.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 204 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Playdon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Playdon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Playdon 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 33 #27,390
1861 historical 69 #25,057
1881 historical 122 #17,602
1891 historical 136 #19,601
1901 historical 172 #16,643
1911 historical 204 #14,784
1997 modern 143 #21,761
1998 modern 149 #21,755
1999 modern 147 #22,110
2000 modern 142 #22,544
2001 modern 136 #22,855
2002 modern 136 #23,296
2003 modern 136 #23,045
2004 modern 133 #23,528
2005 modern 131 #23,737
2006 modern 130 #24,053
2007 modern 128 #24,632
2008 modern 120 #25,922
2009 modern 113 #27,520
2010 modern 113 #28,162
2011 modern 113 #27,967
2012 modern 97 #30,798
2013 modern 104 #30,076
2014 modern 101 #30,855
2015 modern 100 #31,005
2016 modern 99 #31,358

Geography

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Where Playdons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Upton Snodsbury, Pershore Holy Cross, Pershore St Andrew, Peopleton, St Philip and Jacob and Cheltenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Horsham, Worcester, Wychavon, Solihull and Cheltenham. 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 Upton Snodsbury Worcestershire
2 Pershore Holy Cross, Pershore St Andrew Worcestershire
3 Peopleton Worcestershire
4 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
5 Cheltenham Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Horsham 009 Horsham
2 Worcester 002 Worcester
3 Wychavon 007 Wychavon
4 Solihull 025 Solihull
5 Cheltenham 003 Cheltenham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Playdon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Playdon

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Playdon 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

Playdon 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

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

1881 census detail

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Playdon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Playdon 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 73 Playdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.98x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 73 46.98x
Warwickshire 22 7.33x
Gloucestershire 18 7.71x
Aberdeenshire 6 5.44x
Middlesex 1 0.08x
Staffordshire 1 0.25x
Yorkshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pershore Holy Cross in Worcestershire leads with 23 Playdons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2300.00x.

Place Total Index
Pershore Holy Cross 23 2300.00x
Aston 21 25.41x
Peopleton 15 13636.36x
Pinvin 10 8333.33x
Bishampton 8 4705.88x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 36.41x
Bristol St George 7 64.87x
Pershore St Andrew 7 813.95x
Aberdeen Old Machar 6 26.08x
Upton Snodsbury 5 3333.33x
Whistones 2 178.57x
Worcester St Peter 2 68.03x
Birlingham 1 714.29x
Bradford 1 3.50x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 12.85x
Cheltenham 1 5.56x
Handsworth 1 10.10x
Kemerton 1 500.00x
Old Stratford 1 58.82x
St Marylebone London 1 1.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 6
Annie 4
Elizabeth 3
Ellen 3
Kate 3
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Mary 2
Sarah 2
Selina 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Clara 1
Clarea 1
Emina 1
Ester 1
Flory 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lucretia 1
Nelly 1
Rachel 1
Rose 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
James 6
Alfred 5
Arthur 3
Francis 3
John 3
Thomas 3
Albert 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Frederick 2
Geo. 2
George 2
Auther 1
Chas. 1
Fredk.W. 1
Henry 1
Huburt 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Lester 1
Reginald 1
Sampson 1
Vincent 1
Walter 1
Willoughby 1

FAQ

Playdon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Playdon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 122 people were recorded with the Playdon surname. That placed it at #17,602 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Playdon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 99 in 2016. That gives Playdon a modern rank of #31,358.

What does the Playdon map show?

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