NameCensus.

UK surname

Rawden

Of British origin, an old habitational name for someone from any of various places with that name.

In the 1881 census there were 168 people recorded with the Rawden surname, ranking it #14,380 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 191, ranked #20,194, down from #14,380 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, Rauceby, North and Birstall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Lindsey, South Kesteven and Babergh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rawden is 234 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.7%.

1881 census count

168

Ranked #14,380

Modern count

191

2016, ranked #20,194

Peak year

1999

234 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rawden had 168 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,380 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016, ranked #20,194.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 226 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rawden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rawden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rawden 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 122 #14,966
1861 historical 143 #15,906
1881 historical 168 #14,380
1891 historical 224 #13,760
1901 historical 210 #14,677
1911 historical 226 #13,840
1997 modern 217 #16,761
1998 modern 232 #16,508
1999 modern 234 #16,506
2000 modern 229 #16,695
2001 modern 227 #16,573
2002 modern 217 #17,388
2003 modern 203 #17,967
2004 modern 206 #17,883
2005 modern 206 #17,786
2006 modern 193 #18,675
2007 modern 198 #18,600
2008 modern 202 #18,528
2009 modern 202 #18,896
2010 modern 208 #18,956
2011 modern 199 #19,346
2012 modern 193 #19,665
2013 modern 195 #19,857
2014 modern 196 #19,961
2015 modern 194 #19,994
2016 modern 191 #20,194

Geography

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Where Rawdens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, Rauceby, North, Birstall, Batley and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Lindsey, South Kesteven, Babergh, York and Gedling. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 Rauceby, North Lincolnshire
3 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Lindsey 017 East Lindsey
2 South Kesteven 015 South Kesteven
3 Babergh 003 Babergh
4 York 023 York
5 Gedling 012 Gedling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rawden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rawden

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

Rawden is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Rawden

The surname Rawden is of English origin, with roots traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a habitational name, derived from a place called Rawden or Rawden Hill in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The name is thought to originate from the Old English words "ra" and "denu," meaning a rough or wild valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rawden can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "de Roudon." This suggests that the name was already well-established by that time. In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "Rawedene," "Rawdon," and "Raudon," reflecting the variations in spelling common during that era.

The Rawden surname has a strong association with the village of Rawdon, located in the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough in West Yorkshire. This connection is evident in historical records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions the manor of "Raudene" in Yorkshire.

Among the notable individuals bearing the Rawden surname throughout history are:

1. William Rawden (c. 1460 - c. 1540), a member of the gentry from Yorkshire, who served as a Justice of the Peace. 2. Sir Marmaduke Rawdon (1582 - 1646), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Ripon in the early 17th century. 3. Sir George Rawdon (1604 - 1684), an English baronet and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1649. 4. John Rawdon (1720 - 1793), an Irish-born British Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and was later appointed Governor of Barbados. 5. Francis Rawdon-Hastings (1754 - 1826), an Anglo-Irish soldier and statesman who served as Governor-General of India and was later created the 1st Marquess of Hastings.

The Rawden surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Rawden Cottage in Yorkshire, Rawden Hall in Lancashire, and Rawden Manor in Suffolk. These place names further solidify the connection between the surname and its geographical origins.

While the Rawden surname may not be among the most common in England today, its rich history and deep roots in the Yorkshire region make it a fascinating subject for those interested in the study of surnames and their origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rawden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rawden 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 75 Rawdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.63x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 75 28.63x
Yorkshire 50 3.08x
Devon 13 3.81x
Middlesex 9 0.55x
Cambridgeshire 7 6.74x
Northamptonshire 7 4.54x
Nottinghamshire 4 1.81x
Hertfordshire 1 0.89x
Lancashire 1 0.05x
Sussex 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Batley in Yorkshire leads with 13 Rawdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 84.25x.

Place Total Index
Batley 13 84.25x
Haydor 12 5714.29x
Newton Abbot St Nicholas 9 1285.71x
North Rauceby 9 6000.00x
Heckmondwike 8 153.26x
Stamford St George 8 677.97x
Wyberton 8 2222.22x
Brightside Bierlow 7 21.98x
Holy Trinity 7 17.92x
Osbournby 7 2500.00x
Stamford Baron St Martin 7 843.37x
Thorney 7 608.70x
Hammersmith London 6 14.87x
Dewsbury 5 30.03x
New Sleaford 5 297.62x
Kelby 4 6666.67x
Culverthorpe 3 6000.00x
Helpringham 3 566.04x
Morley 3 35.55x
Spalding 3 57.69x
Altofts 2 111.73x
Askham 2 1666.67x
Clerkenwell London 2 5.17x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 7.61x
Soothill 2 34.07x
Thornton Le Fen 2 1000.00x
Waddington 2 416.67x
West Clayton 2 246.91x
Aldenham 1 97.09x
Berry Pomeroy 1 175.44x
Donington 1 106.38x
Grantham 1 29.33x
Halton East 1 625.00x
Hameringham 1 1000.00x
Hartfield 1 114.94x
Heckington 1 100.00x
Holy Trinity 1 138.89x
Howell 1 2000.00x
Little Harwood 1 285.71x
Nocton 1 285.71x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.75x
Orston 1 370.37x
Swineshead 1 116.28x
Tathwell 1 416.67x
Threckingham Swaton 1 625.00x
Twickenham 1 14.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 12
Sarah 11
Ann 6
Eliza 4
Annie 3
Hannah 3
Lucy 3
Betsy 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Jane 2
Louisa 2
Agnes 1
Alvena 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Dina 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Georgiana 1
Harry 1
Helen 1
Hetty 1
Lavina 1
Lizzie 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 14
John 12
George 9
Edward 6
Joseph 5
Thomas 5
Henry 3
Samuel 3
Charles 2
Frank 2
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Ben 1
Benjm. 1
Chas. 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
James 1
Jos. 1
Leonard 1
Martin 1
Rd. 1
Richard 1
Sam 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Rawden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rawden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 168 people were recorded with the Rawden surname. That placed it at #14,380 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rawden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016. That gives Rawden a modern rank of #20,194.

What does the Rawden surname mean?

Of British origin, an old habitational name for someone from any of various places with that name.

What does the Rawden map show?

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