NameCensus.

UK surname

Ringwood

A locational name derived from several places in England named Ringwood.

In the 1881 census there were 360 people recorded with the Ringwood surname, ranking it #8,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 364, ranked #12,748, down from #8,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Norfolk, Liverpool and Hartlepool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ringwood is 423 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.1%.

1881 census count

360

Ranked #8,596

Modern count

364

2016, ranked #12,748

Peak year

1911

423 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ringwood had 360 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 364 in 2016, ranked #12,748.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 423 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ringwood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ringwood surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ringwood 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 214 #9,898
1861 historical 196 #12,223
1881 historical 360 #8,596
1891 historical 396 #8,945
1901 historical 420 #9,169
1911 historical 423 #8,924
1997 modern 361 #11,892
1998 modern 371 #12,027
1999 modern 366 #12,225
2000 modern 348 #12,614
2001 modern 340 #12,620
2002 modern 364 #12,268
2003 modern 358 #12,208
2004 modern 353 #12,377
2005 modern 342 #12,579
2006 modern 341 #12,684
2007 modern 353 #12,521
2008 modern 354 #12,591
2009 modern 368 #12,476
2010 modern 368 #12,750
2011 modern 375 #12,438
2012 modern 361 #12,647
2013 modern 369 #12,655
2014 modern 373 #12,633
2015 modern 366 #12,717
2016 modern 364 #12,748

Geography

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Where Ringwoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Gateshead, Stranton and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Norfolk, Liverpool, Hartlepool, County Durham and The Vale of Glamorgan. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Stranton Durham
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Norfolk 008 South Norfolk
2 Liverpool 040 Liverpool
3 Hartlepool 009 Hartlepool
4 County Durham 051 County Durham
5 The Vale of Glamorgan 011 Vale of Glamorgan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ringwood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ringwood

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Ringwood is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Ringwood 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

Ringwood falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ringwood is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Ringwood

The surname Ringwood is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the place name Ringwood, which is a town in Hampshire, England. The place name itself is thought to be derived from the Old English words "hring" meaning a circle or ring, and "wudu" meaning a wood or forest, likely referring to a circular woodland area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Ringwood can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1197, where a person named Adam de Ryngwode is mentioned. This suggests that the surname was already in use by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various documents related to the county of Hampshire. For instance, a Richard de Ryngewode is recorded in the Feet of Fines for Hampshire in 1242.

The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also mention a William de Ringewode, indicating the presence of the surname in different parts of England during the medieval period.

One notable figure with the surname Ringwood was Robert Ringwood (1608-1681), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the rector of Benhall in Suffolk. He published several religious works, including "A Treatise on the Conversion of Sinners" and "The Necessity of Reformation."

Another individual of historical significance was Sir Samuel Ringwood (1730-1810), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars. He participated in several notable battles and was knighted for his military service.

In the 19th century, a prominent figure with the surname Ringwood was Richard Ringwood (1812-1889), an English painter and engraver known for his landscape and genre paintings. He exhibited his works at the Royal Academy and other prestigious institutions.

The surname Ringwood can also be found in various literary works from different time periods. For instance, in Charles Dickens' novel "The Pickwick Papers," published in 1836, there is a character named Mrs. Ringwood mentioned briefly.

While the surname Ringwood is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a long and documented history, with records of its use dating back to the medieval period in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ringwood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ringwood 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. Norfolk leads with 143 Ringwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.41x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 143 26.41x
Middlesex 55 1.56x
Durham 38 3.63x
Yorkshire 18 0.52x
Surrey 17 0.99x
Derbyshire 11 2.00x
Northumberland 10 1.91x
Staffordshire 10 0.84x
Cambridgeshire 8 3.59x
Kent 7 0.58x
Somerset 6 1.06x
Cheshire 5 0.64x
Lancashire 5 0.12x
Northamptonshire 4 1.21x
Sussex 4 0.67x
Hampshire 3 0.42x
Oxfordshire 3 1.38x
Warwickshire 3 0.34x
Devon 2 0.27x
Essex 2 0.29x
Gloucestershire 2 0.29x
Lincolnshire 2 0.36x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.47x
Hertfordshire 1 0.41x
Royal Navy 1 2.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hartlepool in Durham leads with 15 Ringwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 100.74x.

Place Total Index
Hartlepool 15 100.74x
Lakenham 15 195.06x
Bromley London 13 16.78x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 12 73.85x
Glossop Dale 11 42.60x
Heacham 10 833.33x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 9 19.84x
Shoreditch London 9 5.90x
South Creake 9 731.71x
Holme Next Sea 8 2162.16x
Battersea 7 5.40x
Burnham Overy 7 945.95x
Crook Billy Row 7 52.16x
Holy Trinity 7 8.34x
Thornham 7 886.08x
Wimbledon 7 36.34x
Bedminster 6 11.27x
Hammersmith London 6 6.92x
Hunstanton 6 327.87x
Kensington London 6 3.06x
Little Walsingham 6 491.80x
Mile End Old Town 6 10.79x
St Andrewthe Less 6 23.55x
Walsall Foreign 6 9.77x
Edmonton 5 17.62x
Hethel 5 2777.78x
Pendleton In Salford 5 10.04x
Stockport 5 12.50x
Warham All Sts 5 1724.14x
Wells Next Sea 5 158.23x
Westgate 5 15.41x
Wiggenhall St Mary 5 595.24x
Chatham 4 12.10x
Coundon Grange 4 173.91x
Goole 4 68.38x
Great Yarmouth 4 8.92x
Northampton St Sepulchre 4 23.74x
Scarning 4 500.00x
Banbury 3 68.81x
Birmingham 3 1.01x
Burton Upon Trent 3 10.79x
Cramlington 3 43.35x
Fundenhall 3 789.47x
Portsea 3 2.12x
South Lynn 3 49.10x
St George Hanover 3 6.53x
West Winch 3 612.24x
Birtley 2 46.73x
Bracebridge 2 78.13x
Brighton 2 1.67x
Burnham Westgate 2 170.94x
Chiswick 2 10.40x
East Dereham 2 29.24x
Garvestone 2 487.80x
Gaywood 2 206.19x
Headingley Cum Burley 2 8.90x
Helhoughton 2 500.00x
Langham 2 512.82x
Little Barningham 2 833.33x
Merton 2 66.67x
North Shields 2 19.12x
Northowram 2 8.17x
St Pancras London 2 0.71x
Swainsthorpe 2 555.56x
Wanstead 2 16.43x
West Rudham 2 350.88x
Westbury On Trym 2 8.55x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 1 7.89x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.08x
Enfield 1 4.33x
Fakenham Alethorpe 1 149.25x
Feltwell 1 95.24x
Fulham London 1 1.96x
Great Snoring 1 178.57x
Longham 1 256.41x
North Runcton 1 344.83x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 1 36.76x
Plymouth Charles The 1 3.10x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 1.77x
Upton Cum Chalvey 1 11.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 24
Elizabeth 12
Sarah 12
Ann 7
Emily 7
Caroline 6
Clara 6
Margaret 6
Alice 5
Charlotte 5
Eliza 5
Ellen 5
Agnes 4
Jane 4
Louisa 4
Maria 4
Susan 4
Annie 3
Edith 3
Emma 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Harriet 3
Lydia 3
Anne 2
Catherine 2
E. 2
Ethel 2
Matilda 2
Sophia 2
Anna 1
Betsy 1
Bridget 1
Easter 1
Eden 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizth. 1
Elvina 1
Hesther 1
Jessie 1
Kathleen 1
Lavina 1
Lily 1
Lizie 1
Louesa 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Mahalia 1
Margarett 1
Teresia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 26
Robert 17
William 15
Thomas 11
Henry 10
George 9
James 8
Samuel 8
Charles 7
Frederick 6
Harry 6
Arthur 4
Herbert 4
Wm. 4
Alfred 3
Denham 2
Edward 2
Francis 2
Isaac 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Barnard 1
Benjamin 1
Chas.A. 1
Christopher 1
Edgar 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
J. 1
Jarvis 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Patrick 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wm.A. 1

FAQ

Ringwood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ringwood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 360 people were recorded with the Ringwood surname. That placed it at #8,596 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ringwood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 364 in 2016. That gives Ringwood a modern rank of #12,748.

What does the Ringwood surname mean?

A locational name derived from several places in England named Ringwood.

What does the Ringwood map show?

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