NameCensus.

UK surname

Podd

An anglicized form of a locational surname, perhaps referring to someone from a place with ponds or pools.

In the 1881 census there were 215 people recorded with the Podd surname, ranking it #12,249 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 333, ranked #13,670, down from #12,249 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Holbrook and Tuddenham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tunbridge Wells, Hambleton and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Podd is 390 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.9%.

1881 census count

215

Ranked #12,249

Modern count

333

2016, ranked #13,670

Peak year

1998

390 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Podd had 215 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,249 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 333 in 2016, ranked #13,670.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 359 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Podd surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Podd surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Podd 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 156 #12,552
1861 historical 260 #9,516
1881 historical 215 #12,249
1891 historical 282 #11,597
1901 historical 359 #10,242
1911 historical 356 #10,148
1997 modern 366 #11,781
1998 modern 390 #11,563
1999 modern 388 #11,696
2000 modern 373 #11,996
2001 modern 370 #11,904
2002 modern 374 #12,040
2003 modern 363 #12,096
2004 modern 359 #12,222
2005 modern 351 #12,343
2006 modern 346 #12,539
2007 modern 349 #12,622
2008 modern 346 #12,813
2009 modern 374 #12,343
2010 modern 368 #12,750
2011 modern 358 #12,883
2012 modern 341 #13,217
2013 modern 350 #13,186
2014 modern 354 #13,153
2015 modern 348 #13,221
2016 modern 333 #13,670

Geography

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Where Podds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Holbrook, Tuddenham, Ipswich St Clement and Warren House and Bures, Lamarsh, Alphamstone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tunbridge Wells, Hambleton, Cornwall, West Devon and Ipswich. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Holbrook Suffolk
3 Tuddenham Suffolk
4 Ipswich St Clement and Warren House Suffolk
5 Bures, Lamarsh, Alphamstone Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tunbridge Wells 001 Tunbridge Wells
2 Hambleton 005 Hambleton
3 Cornwall 067 Cornwall
4 West Devon 002 West Devon
5 Ipswich 002 Ipswich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Podd

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Podd

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

Podd 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

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

Meaning and origin of Podd

The surname Podd is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from an Old English word "pudd" or "pudde," which referred to a small enclosure or pound for confining stray animals. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for someone who worked as a pounder or keeper of such enclosures.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Podd can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, where a person named William Pudde is mentioned. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also contain references to individuals with the surname Podd, including a Hugo Podde and a Radulphus Pudde, both from Oxfordshire.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appeared in various forms, such as Pudde, Pode, and Pude, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common in those times. Some examples include Willelmus Pudde from the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 and Johannes Pode from the Court Rolls of Berkshire in 1381.

The Podd surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Podd's Piece in Hertfordshire and Podd Farm in Somerset. These place names likely derived from individuals with the surname Podd who were landowners or resided in those areas.

Among notable individuals with the surname Podd throughout history, one can mention:

1. John Podd (c. 1510 - 1556), an English Protestant reformer and martyr who was burnt at the stake during the Marian Persecutions. 2. Sir Henry Podd (1584 - 1645), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire during the reign of King Charles I. 3. Elizabeth Podd (1670 - 1735), an influential Quaker minister and writer from Yorkshire, known for her teachings on spiritual matters. 4. William Podd (1718 - 1777), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. 5. James Podd (1796 - 1868), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the former Victoria Theatre.

The Podd surname continues to be present in various parts of England, particularly in counties like Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Somerset, where it has deep historical roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Podd families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Podd 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 121 Podds recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.94x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 121 46.94x
Essex 36 8.62x
Norfolk 13 3.99x
Middlesex 12 0.57x
Kent 11 1.52x
Lancashire 11 0.44x
Surrey 6 0.58x
Glamorgan 3 0.81x
Leicestershire 1 0.43x
Midlothian 1 0.35x
Oxfordshire 1 0.77x
Royal Navy 1 3.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holbrook in Suffolk leads with 15 Podds recorded in 1881 and an index of 2678.57x.

Place Total Index
Holbrook 15 2678.57x
Sternfield 13 7647.06x
Tuddenham St Martin 13 5000.00x
Heigham 12 68.69x
Ipswich St Clement 12 183.21x
Lowestoft 12 98.52x
Hoo 9 7500.00x
Lamarsh 9 4500.00x
Newchurch 9 43.80x
West Ham 9 9.76x
Aldeburgh 8 522.88x
Deptford St Nicholas 7 122.16x
Feering 6 1090.91x
Ipswich St Mathew 6 83.10x
Ipswich St Nicholas 6 422.54x
Alphamstone 5 2777.78x
Ipswich St Margaret 5 57.14x
Ipswich St Stephen 5 1136.36x
Hammersmith London 3 5.75x
Ipswich St Mary At Elms 3 365.85x
Llandaff 3 24.47x
Newington 3 3.84x
Stutton 3 769.23x
Benhall 2 444.44x
Bow London 2 7.42x
Bowers Gifford 2 1428.57x
Debenham 2 232.56x
Deptford St Paul 2 3.59x
Kensington London 2 1.70x
Mucking 2 1111.11x
Woolwich 2 7.50x
Bermondsey 1 1.59x
Bromley London 1 2.15x
Dorchester 1 136.99x
East Ham 1 12.90x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.88x
Enfield 1 7.20x
Flowton 1 833.33x
Framlingham 1 54.64x
Hadleigh 1 40.00x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 151.52x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 1 41.84x
Kingston On Thames 1 4.04x
Knodishall 1 312.50x
Lambeth 1 0.54x
Leicester All Sts 1 21.69x
Leiston 1 56.50x
Middleton 1 833.33x
Mile End Old Town 1 2.99x
Newton In Makerfield 1 13.00x
Norwich St Andrew 1 178.57x
Preston 1 1.49x
Royal Navy 1 4.64x
Saxmundham 1 104.17x
St Stephen Coleman 1 178.57x
Tottenham 1 2.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 15
John 11
Henry 8
Alfred 7
George 7
Thomas 7
Benjamin 5
Robert 4
Samuel 4
Arthur 3
Edward 3
James 3
Jeremiah 3
Walter 3
Charles 2
Edmund 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Partridge 2
Wm. 2
Ada 1
Albert 1
Daniel 1
Ed. 1
Ephraim 1
Fred 1
Fredk 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Joseph 1
Nelson 1
Phillip 1
Richard 1

FAQ

Podd surname: questions and answers

How common was the Podd surname in 1881?

In 1881, 215 people were recorded with the Podd surname. That placed it at #12,249 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Podd surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 333 in 2016. That gives Podd a modern rank of #13,670.

What does the Podd surname mean?

An anglicized form of a locational surname, perhaps referring to someone from a place with ponds or pools.

What does the Podd map show?

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