NameCensus.

UK surname

Portwood

An English locational surname referring to someone from a place near a port or harbor with a nearby wood.

In the 1881 census there were 82 people recorded with the Portwood surname, ranking it #21,957 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 145, ranked #24,293, down from #21,957 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Barkston and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dairsie Ceres and Dunino, Warrington and Manchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Portwood is 151 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.8%.

1881 census count

82

Ranked #21,957

Modern count

145

2016, ranked #24,293

Peak year

2015

151 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Portwood had 82 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,957 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 145 in 2016, ranked #24,293.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 118 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Portwood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Portwood surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Portwood 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 59 #22,756
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 82 #21,957
1891 historical 107 #22,967
1901 historical 118 #20,721
1911 historical 113 #21,168
1997 modern 133 #22,705
1998 modern 142 #22,406
1999 modern 146 #22,202
2000 modern 148 #21,971
2001 modern 142 #22,234
2002 modern 143 #22,595
2003 modern 138 #22,823
2004 modern 133 #23,528
2005 modern 130 #23,848
2006 modern 129 #24,165
2007 modern 136 #23,708
2008 modern 126 #25,131
2009 modern 133 #24,817
2010 modern 137 #24,907
2011 modern 135 #24,922
2012 modern 137 #24,731
2013 modern 146 #24,107
2014 modern 148 #24,075
2015 modern 151 #23,613
2016 modern 145 #24,293

Geography

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Where Portwoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Barkston, St Werburgh, Manchester and Doddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dairsie Ceres and Dunino, Warrington, Manchester and Bracknell Forest. 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 1
2 Barkston Nottinghamshire
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Doddington Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dairsie Ceres and Dunino Fife
2 Warrington 005 Warrington
3 Warrington 008 Warrington
4 Manchester 012 Manchester
5 Bracknell Forest 015 Bracknell Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Portwood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Portwood

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Portwood 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

Portwood 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

Portwood 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 Portwood is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Portwood, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Portwood

The surname Portwood is of English origin, derived from a geographical name referring to a location near a port or harbor. The name can be traced back to the 12th century in various parts of England, particularly in areas with significant maritime activity or trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Portwood can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1190, where a person named Richard de Portwode is mentioned. This spelling variation suggests that the name may have originated from a place called "Portwood" or a similar-sounding location.

During the 13th century, the surname appears in various medieval records, including the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a William de Portwode. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 also mention a John de Portwode, indicating the widespread distribution of the name across different regions.

The Portwood surname is believed to have evolved from the Old English words "port" and "wudu," which together mean "the wood near the port or harbor." This etymology suggests that the name may have originated from a wooded area situated close to a port or a coastal settlement.

Over time, the spelling of the surname has undergone various transformations, with variants such as Portewood, Portwode, and Portwude appearing in historical records before the modern spelling of Portwood became more standardized.

One notable bearer of the Portwood surname was Sir Henry Portwood (1569-1646), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Middlesex in the early 17th century. Another prominent figure was John Portwood (1682-1754), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

In the 18th century, the Portwood surname can be found in various parish records and registers, such as the baptismal record of William Portwood in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham, in 1730. Additionally, the marriage of Mary Portwood and John Bates was recorded in the parish of St. Giles, Cripplegate, London, in 1758.

Other notable individuals with the Portwood surname include Sir Roger Portwood (1703-1785), a British naval officer who served during the War of the Austrian Succession, and William Portwood (1855-1932), an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Portwood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Portwood 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. Lincolnshire leads with 26 Portwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.33x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 26 20.33x
Middlesex 18 2.25x
Cambridgeshire 9 17.77x
Essex 8 5.07x
Derbyshire 7 5.59x
Lancashire 4 0.42x
Nottinghamshire 3 2.78x
Norfolk 2 1.63x
Northamptonshire 2 2.66x
Yorkshire 2 0.25x
Leicestershire 1 1.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. March in Cambridgeshire leads with 9 Portwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 529.41x.

Place Total Index
March 9 529.41x
South Weald 8 592.59x
Barkstone 7 5000.00x
Manthorpe Cum Little 7 714.29x
Normanton 7 660.38x
Islington London 6 7.74x
Corby 4 1904.76x
Salford 4 14.33x
Foston 3 3000.00x
St Clement Eastcheap 3 15000.00x
Bow London 2 19.65x
Clarborough 2 246.91x
Grantham 2 119.76x
Headingley Cum Burley 2 39.22x
Northampton St Sepulchre 2 52.22x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 2 250.00x
St Marylebone London 2 4.68x
St Pancras London 2 3.11x
Chelsea London 1 4.15x
Eastwell 1 2500.00x
Great Hale 1 526.32x
Hackney London 1 2.23x
Morton In Gainsborough 1 400.00x
Newark Upon Trent 1 25.77x
Shoreditch London 1 2.88x
Spittlegate 1 56.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 8
John 7
Alfred 3
Charles 3
George 3
Arthur 2
James 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Henry 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Josiah 1
Saul 1
Thos. 1
Willm.Chas. 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Portwood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Portwood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 82 people were recorded with the Portwood surname. That placed it at #21,957 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Portwood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 145 in 2016. That gives Portwood a modern rank of #24,293.

What does the Portwood surname mean?

An English locational surname referring to someone from a place near a port or harbor with a nearby wood.

What does the Portwood map show?

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