NameCensus.

UK surname

Radcliffe

From a place name meaning "red cliff" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near a red cliff.

In the 1881 census there were 3,033 people recorded with the Radcliffe surname, ranking it #1,479 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,321, ranked #2,050, down from #1,479 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Anglesey, Oldham and Cheshire East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Radcliffe is 3,868 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.5%.

1881 census count

3,033

Ranked #1,479

Modern count

3,321

2016, ranked #2,050

Peak year

1911

3,868 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Radcliffe had 3,033 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,479 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,321 in 2016, ranked #2,050.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,868 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Radcliffe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Radcliffe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Radcliffe 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 1,729 #1,670
1861 historical 2,030 #1,426
1881 historical 3,033 #1,479
1891 historical 3,357 #1,425
1901 historical 3,671 #1,531
1911 historical 3,868 #1,342
1997 modern 3,326 #1,939
1998 modern 3,382 #1,978
1999 modern 3,486 #1,948
2000 modern 3,512 #1,933
2001 modern 3,398 #1,944
2002 modern 3,450 #1,960
2003 modern 3,336 #1,978
2004 modern 3,342 #1,982
2005 modern 3,259 #1,998
2006 modern 3,226 #2,027
2007 modern 3,250 #2,035
2008 modern 3,268 #2,041
2009 modern 3,353 #2,040
2010 modern 3,442 #2,031
2011 modern 3,422 #2,014
2012 modern 3,376 #1,995
2013 modern 3,389 #2,027
2014 modern 3,403 #2,031
2015 modern 3,360 #2,033
2016 modern 3,321 #2,050

Geography

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Where Radcliffes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Anglesey, Oldham, Cheshire East, Rochdale and Wiltshire. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Anglesey 001 Isle of Anglesey
2 Oldham 017 Oldham
3 Cheshire East 026 Cheshire East
4 Rochdale 014 Rochdale
5 Wiltshire 021 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Radcliffe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Radcliffe

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Radcliffe is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Radcliffe is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Radcliffe

The surname Radcliffe has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the place name Radcliffe, which is found in several areas of the country, including Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Greater Manchester.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Radeclive" and "Radecliue." These spellings suggest that the name may have been derived from the Old English words "read" (meaning red) and "clif" (meaning cliff or slope), possibly referring to a red cliff or hillside.

In the 12th century, the name was recorded as "Raddeclive" and "Radeclyve," and by the 13th century, it had evolved into the more recognizable form of "Radcliffe." The various spellings and variations of the name reflect the changes in language and pronunciation over time.

One notable individual who bore the Radcliffe surname was Sir John Radcliffe (1650-1714), a renowned physician and founder of the Radcliffe Library and the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford. Another prominent figure was Thomas Radcliffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex (1526-1583), who served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the literary world, Ann Radcliffe (1764-1823) was a pioneering writer of Gothic fiction, known for her influential novels such as "The Mysteries of Udolpho" and "The Italian." Her works significantly contributed to the development of the Gothic genre.

Sir George Radcliffe (1593-1657) was a notable English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. He was a staunch Royalist and played a significant role in the events leading up to the conflict.

Another individual of note was Alexander Radcliffe (1775-1840), a British explorer and cartographer who surveyed and mapped large portions of North America, including the Canadian Arctic and the Great Lakes region.

The Radcliffe surname has been borne by many other notable figures throughout history, including politicians, academics, military leaders, and artists, reflecting its widespread distribution and long-standing presence in various parts of England and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Radcliffe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Radcliffe 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. Lancashire leads with 1,391 Radcliffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.45x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,391 3.45x
Yorkshire 778 2.31x
Isle of Man 440 69.82x
Cheshire 153 2.04x
Middlesex 146 0.43x
Glamorgan 77 1.30x
Devon 47 0.67x
Kent 38 0.33x
Staffordshire 31 0.27x
Warwickshire 31 0.36x
Surrey 28 0.17x
Wiltshire 24 0.80x
Lanarkshire 21 0.19x
Nottinghamshire 19 0.42x
Essex 18 0.27x
Cornwall 16 0.42x
Cumberland 16 0.55x
Worcestershire 14 0.32x
Gloucestershire 13 0.20x
Berkshire 12 0.47x
Durham 12 0.12x
Northumberland 12 0.24x
Bedfordshire 11 0.63x
Hampshire 11 0.16x
Derbyshire 10 0.19x
Midlothian 10 0.22x
Westmorland 10 1.34x
Fife 9 0.45x
Leicestershire 9 0.24x
Norfolk 9 0.17x
Anglesey 7 1.16x
Somerset 7 0.13x
Sussex 7 0.12x
Monmouthshire 6 0.24x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.15x
Hertfordshire 3 0.13x
Lincolnshire 3 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.28x
Royal Navy 3 0.74x
Denbighshire 2 0.16x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.27x
East Lothian 2 0.44x
Flintshire 2 0.22x
Northamptonshire 2 0.06x
Suffolk 2 0.05x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.03x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.07x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.07x
Channel Islands 1 0.10x
Merionethshire 1 0.16x
Oxfordshire 1 0.05x
Shropshire 1 0.03x
West Lothian 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 160 Radcliffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.31x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 160 12.31x
Ashton Under Lyne 146 16.59x
Saddleworth 141 54.35x
Andreas 91 532.48x
Huddersfield 83 16.94x
Maughold 71 146.00x
Chadderton 63 32.00x
Manchester 61 3.37x
Toxteth Park 57 4.18x
Dukinfield 48 13.87x
Blackburn 46 4.29x
Malew 45 81.74x
Halifax 44 8.91x
Liverpool 42 1.72x
Lezayre 38 134.37x
Elland Cum Greetland 36 23.76x
Everton 36 2.80x
Patrick 34 110.68x
Castleton 33 8.21x
Salford 33 2.79x
Leeds 32 1.69x
St Pancras London 31 1.13x
West Derby 31 2.63x
Warley 30 30.86x
Burnley 29 8.55x
Sowerby In Halifax 29 26.37x
German 28 81.47x
Onchan 28 15.42x
Ovenden 27 18.04x
Rotherham 25 13.19x
Kirkdale 24 3.54x
Middleton In Oldham 24 19.88x
Newchurch 23 6.98x
Pendleton In Salford 23 4.79x
Great Harwood 22 30.22x
Islington London 20 0.61x
Chorlton On Medlock 19 2.97x
Bride 18 209.06x
Habergham Eaves 18 4.89x
Tottington Lower End 18 9.41x
Wuerdle Wardle 17 13.91x
Gorton 16 4.23x
South Crosland 16 45.19x
Soyland 16 39.65x
Great Bolton 15 2.81x
Holbeck 15 6.73x
Kensington London 15 0.80x
Royton 15 12.18x
Tranmere 15 5.45x
Wardleworth 15 6.52x
Cheetham 14 4.66x
Hipperholme Cum 14 9.47x
Lathom 14 28.79x
Lonan 14 36.68x
Bootle Cum Linacre 13 4.07x
Braddan 13 37.77x
Douglas 13 142.54x
German Peel 13 35.82x
Pemberton 13 8.10x
Stayley 13 15.18x
Stoke Damerel 13 2.63x
Arbory 12 87.40x
Stockport 12 3.11x
Aston 11 0.47x
Ecclesall Bierlow 11 1.61x
Haughton 11 18.72x
Llansannor 11 506.91x
Rastrick 11 11.78x
Rushen 11 25.81x
Bilston 10 4.50x
Birmingham 10 0.35x
Crompton 10 8.72x
Holy Trinity 10 1.24x
Nantwich 10 11.49x
Paddington London 10 0.80x
Rusholme 10 9.31x
Spotland 10 2.23x
St Giles In Fields 10 8.54x
Heckmondwike 9 8.32x
Pendoylan 9 196.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 210
Elizabeth 142
Sarah 136
Jane 81
Alice 79
Ann 78
Margaret 62
Ellen 53
Hannah 53
Annie 48
Eliza 35
Emily 35
Martha 35
Emma 33
Esther 33
Catherine 32
Ada 25
Clara 21
Anne 18
Edith 18
Eleanor 16
Charlotte 15
Florence 15
Maria 15
Louisa 14
Elizth. 13
Harriet 13
Susannah 13
Amy 12
Caroline 12
Betty 11
Frances 11
Agnes 8
Ethel 8
Grace 8
Isabella 8
Mabel 8
Rebecca 8
Beatrice 7
Bessie 7
Lucy 7
Ruth 7
Susan 7
Catharine 6
Christian 6
Constance 6
Gertrude 6
Amelia 5
Margt. 5
Nancy 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 227
William 176
James 150
Thomas 129
Joseph 72
Charles 57
Robert 52
Henry 48
George 45
Richard 39
Samuel 33
Arthur 29
Walter 25
Alfred 22
Fred 21
Edward 20
Wm. 20
David 14
Frederick 13
Daniel 12
Thos. 12
Albert 11
Ernest 11
Frank 11
Harry 11
Francis 10
Herbert 10
Benjamin 8
Edwin 8
Harold 7
Geo. 6
Percy 6
Tom 6
Edgar 5
Joe 5
Joshua 5
Squire 5
Alexander 4
Allen 4
Enos 4
Jas. 4
Jno. 4
Louis 4
Mark 4
Nathaniel 4
Ralph 4
Reginald 4
Saml. 4
Horace 3
Jonas 3

FAQ

Radcliffe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Radcliffe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,033 people were recorded with the Radcliffe surname. That placed it at #1,479 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Radcliffe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,321 in 2016. That gives Radcliffe a modern rank of #2,050.

What does the Radcliffe surname mean?

From a place name meaning "red cliff" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near a red cliff.

What does the Radcliffe map show?

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