NameCensus.

UK surname

Puddy

A humorous surname alluding to a person's plump or puffy physical stature.

In the 1881 census there were 348 people recorded with the Puddy surname, ranking it #8,791 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 525, ranked #9,654, down from #8,791 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Bedminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sedgemoor.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Puddy is 554 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.9%.

1881 census count

348

Ranked #8,791

Modern count

525

2016, ranked #9,654

Peak year

2011

554 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Puddy had 348 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,791 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 525 in 2016, ranked #9,654.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 513 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Puddy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Puddy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Puddy 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 286 #7,933
1861 historical 319 #7,987
1881 historical 348 #8,791
1891 historical 391 #9,044
1901 historical 462 #8,539
1911 historical 513 #7,687
1997 modern 506 #9,218
1998 modern 538 #9,073
1999 modern 533 #9,197
2000 modern 549 #8,956
2001 modern 525 #9,128
2002 modern 548 #9,000
2003 modern 542 #8,947
2004 modern 532 #9,083
2005 modern 506 #9,367
2006 modern 516 #9,258
2007 modern 522 #9,254
2008 modern 526 #9,271
2009 modern 541 #9,279
2010 modern 539 #9,510
2011 modern 554 #9,212
2012 modern 534 #9,391
2013 modern 521 #9,722
2014 modern 526 #9,731
2015 modern 533 #9,553
2016 modern 525 #9,654

Geography

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Where Puddys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, London parishes and Mark, Chapel Allerton, Weare, East Brent, South Brent. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sedgemoor. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Bedminster Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 Mark, Chapel Allerton, Weare, East Brent, South Brent Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sedgemoor 003 Sedgemoor
2 Sedgemoor 006 Sedgemoor
3 Sedgemoor 005 Sedgemoor
4 Sedgemoor 002 Sedgemoor
5 Sedgemoor 004 Sedgemoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Puddy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Puddy

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Puddy is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Puddy 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

Puddy falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Puddy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Puddy

The surname Puddy is believed to have originated in England in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is thought to be derived from an Old English word "pudd," meaning a small enclosure or pound for animals. This suggests that the name was likely occupational in origin, referring to someone who worked with or cared for animals in a pound or enclosure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, which mentions a John Puddy. The Puddy surname was also present in various parish records and tax rolls throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, primarily concentrated in the Midlands and southern counties of England.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in the form "Puddie" in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1542, indicating a slight variation in spelling. The Puddy name was also found in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1665, suggesting the family's presence in that region during the 17th century.

Historically, the Puddy surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One such person was Thomas Puddy, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in Dorset in the late 16th century. Another was John Puddy, a clergyman and author who published religious works in the early 18th century.

In the 19th century, a prominent figure with the Puddy surname was William Puddy, a renowned horticulturist and nurseryman from Somerset, England, who lived from 1793 to 1869. He was known for his expertise in growing and cultivating various plant species.

Another notable individual with the Puddy surname was Robert Puddy, a British soldier and explorer who served in India during the late 19th century. He was born in 1842 and is known for his contributions to the exploration and mapping of the Himalayas.

One of the earliest documented instances of the Puddy surname in North America dates back to the 17th century, with the arrival of William Puddy, who settled in Virginia in 1635. This suggests that the name was carried to the New World by early English colonists.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Puddy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Puddy 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. Somerset leads with 243 Puddys recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.47x.

County Total Index
Somerset 243 44.47x
Middlesex 34 1.00x
Gloucestershire 18 2.70x
Surrey 14 0.85x
Dorset 7 3.14x
Glamorgan 7 1.18x
Lancashire 7 0.17x
Kent 6 0.52x
Hampshire 5 0.72x
Cornwall 2 0.52x
Bedfordshire 1 0.57x
Devon 1 0.14x
Lincolnshire 1 0.18x
Staffordshire 1 0.09x
Warwickshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wedmore in Somerset leads with 61 Puddys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1713.48x.

Place Total Index
Wedmore 61 1713.48x
Mark 51 4015.75x
Burnham 45 1079.14x
South Brent 16 1739.13x
Bedminster 12 23.37x
Islington London 12 3.65x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 10 15.95x
Kensington London 9 4.77x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 11.71x
West Coker 8 720.72x
Clevedon 7 123.24x
Hindley 7 40.77x
Poole St James 7 83.63x
Huntspill 6 267.86x
Somerton 6 269.06x
Barwick 5 909.09x
Bath St James 5 87.72x
Bexley 5 48.83x
Ashcott 4 481.93x
Finchley 4 30.75x
Heston 4 35.49x
Roath 4 14.90x
Bristol St James St Paul 3 13.51x
Lambeth 3 1.01x
Llanwonno 3 14.12x
Southampton St Mary 3 6.86x
Bath St Peter St Paul 2 82.64x
Biddisham 2 1428.57x
Bristol St Paul In 2 11.27x
Hammersmith London 2 2.39x
Newington 2 1.59x
St Michael Carhayes 2 1333.33x
Weston Super Mare 2 14.49x
Aston 1 0.42x
Axminster 1 30.21x
Bleadon 1 138.89x
Brislington 1 98.04x
Bristol St James In 1 10.21x
Cannington 1 61.73x
Cannock 1 5.00x
Chelsea London 1 0.98x
Chilton Polden 1 243.90x
Compton Martin 1 208.33x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.12x
Dowlish Wake 1 250.00x
East Brent 1 120.48x
Grantham 1 14.14x
Hampstead London 1 1.89x
Holdenhurst 1 5.48x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.52x
Portbury 1 109.89x
Portishead 1 24.63x
Portsmouth 1 6.24x
St Marylebone London 1 0.55x
Stapleton 1 7.92x
Turvey 1 90.09x
Twerton 1 17.76x
Westbury On Trym 1 4.43x
Westonsuper Mare 1 90.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Ann 13
Sarah 12
Elizabeth 11
Annie 7
Eliza 7
Emma 7
Jane 5
Louisa 5
Amelia 4
Charlotte 4
Emily 4
Ada 3
Alice 3
Catherine 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Susan 3
Betsy 2
Dorcas 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Harriet 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Mabel 2
Martha 2
Rosa 2
Rosina 2
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Charlott 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Henrietta 1
Hester 1
Ida 1
Laurie 1
Leah 1
Lillie 1
Lily 1
Margt. 1
Virtue 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 22
George 18
William 12
Henry 11
Charles 8
James 8
Albert 7
Robert 7
Richard 6
Alfred 4
Edward 4
Sidney 4
Thomas 4
Walter 4
Frank 3
Fredk. 3
Arthur 2
Edgar 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Joseph 2
Lot 2
Oliver 2
Samuel 2
Amos 1
Auther 1
Chas. 1
Clara 1
E.C. 1
Edmund 1
Elijah 1
England 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredk.Davis 1
Fredrick 1
Gabriel 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Henery 1
Jeffry 1
Michael 1
Nathaniel 1
Noah 1
Rignald 1
Theophilus 1
Thos. 1
Willm.J. 1

FAQ

Puddy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Puddy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 348 people were recorded with the Puddy surname. That placed it at #8,791 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Puddy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 525 in 2016. That gives Puddy a modern rank of #9,654.

What does the Puddy surname mean?

A humorous surname alluding to a person's plump or puffy physical stature.

What does the Puddy map show?

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