NameCensus.

UK surname

Readshaw

In the 1881 census there were 114 people recorded with the Readshaw surname, ranking it #18,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 216, ranked #18,613, down from #18,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ilkley, Alston and Middleton-in-Teesdale. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Middlesbrough, County Durham and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Readshaw is 221 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 89.5%.

1881 census count

114

Ranked #18,324

Modern count

216

2016, ranked #18,613

Peak year

2010

221 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Readshaw had 114 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016, ranked #18,613.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 218 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Readshaw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Readshaw surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Readshaw 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 108 #16,308
1861 historical 199 #12,062
1881 historical 114 #18,324
1891 historical 157 #17,778
1901 historical 172 #16,643
1911 historical 218 #14,177
1997 modern 199 #17,668
1998 modern 202 #17,991
1999 modern 208 #17,808
2000 modern 201 #18,152
2001 modern 197 #18,108
2002 modern 207 #17,911
2003 modern 192 #18,568
2004 modern 183 #19,251
2005 modern 191 #18,707
2006 modern 185 #19,204
2007 modern 184 #19,485
2008 modern 193 #19,077
2009 modern 212 #18,328
2010 modern 221 #18,205
2011 modern 219 #18,145
2012 modern 210 #18,604
2013 modern 207 #19,093
2014 modern 208 #19,194
2015 modern 212 #18,842
2016 modern 216 #18,613

Geography

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Where Readshaws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ilkley, Alston, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Bradford and Snaith. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Middlesbrough, County Durham and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Ilkley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Alston Cumberland
3 Middleton-in-Teesdale Durham
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Snaith Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Middlesbrough 018 Middlesbrough
2 County Durham 046 County Durham
3 Middlesbrough 006 Middlesbrough
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 040 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 042 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Readshaw

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Readshaw

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

Readshaw is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Readshaw falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Readshaw 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 Readshaw, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Readshaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Readshaw 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. Durham leads with 56 Readshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.44x.

County Total Index
Durham 56 15.44x
Yorkshire 37 3.06x
Isle of Man 11 48.59x
Cumberland 8 7.62x
Westmorland 6 22.40x
Warwickshire 5 1.63x
Middlesex 2 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stanhope in Durham leads with 23 Readshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 614.97x.

Place Total Index
Stanhope 23 614.97x
Middleton In Teesdale 15 1562.50x
Huddersfield 14 79.55x
Lonan 11 802.92x
Hunstonworth 9 4285.71x
Alston 8 414.51x
Bowling 6 50.13x
Draughton 6 8571.43x
Patterdale 6 2000.00x
Eggleston 4 1290.32x
Leamington Priors 4 52.91x
Edmondbyers 3 2000.00x
Linthrope 3 1304.35x
Goole 2 99.01x
Hook 2 75.19x
St Pancras London 2 2.04x
Adlingfleet 1 1250.00x
Bishopwearmouth 1 3.21x
Carleton In Pontefract 1 714.29x
Falsgrave 1 56.18x
Holwick 1 1000.00x
Sutton Coldfield 1 30.96x
Woodland 1 416.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Jane 6
Ann 4
Elizabeth 4
Sarah 4
Frances 3
Hannah 2
Isabella 2
Margaret 2
Ruth 2
Annie 1
Cathrin 1
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Jesse 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Marey 1
Margt. 1
Marther 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
Thomas 8
William 7
George 5
Jacob 5
James 3
Paul 3
Robert 3
Aaron 2
Albert 1
Alexandrew 1
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Jabez 1
Jason 1
Joe 1
Jonathan 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Stephenson 1
Wallace 1
Whitefield 1
Whitfield 1

FAQ

Readshaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Readshaw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 114 people were recorded with the Readshaw surname. That placed it at #18,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Readshaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016. That gives Readshaw a modern rank of #18,613.

What does the Readshaw map show?

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