NameCensus.

UK surname

Rosendale

A locality surname derived from a place name, originally denoting someone from Rosendale.

In the 1881 census there were 173 people recorded with the Rosendale surname, ranking it #14,112 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 197, ranked #19,777, down from #14,112 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Bradford and Melbourn, Meldreth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newport, Leeds and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rosendale is 268 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.9%.

1881 census count

173

Ranked #14,112

Modern count

197

2016, ranked #19,777

Peak year

1911

268 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rosendale had 173 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,112 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016, ranked #19,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 268 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Rosendale surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rosendale surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rosendale 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 49 #24,448
1861 historical 89 #22,419
1881 historical 173 #14,112
1891 historical 186 #15,740
1901 historical 229 #13,894
1911 historical 268 #12,332
1997 modern 199 #17,668
1998 modern 206 #17,796
1999 modern 202 #18,127
2000 modern 197 #18,384
2001 modern 191 #18,453
2002 modern 199 #18,350
2003 modern 192 #18,568
2004 modern 193 #18,622
2005 modern 185 #19,051
2006 modern 194 #18,627
2007 modern 190 #19,088
2008 modern 188 #19,387
2009 modern 187 #19,868
2010 modern 194 #19,819
2011 modern 200 #19,280
2012 modern 198 #19,340
2013 modern 204 #19,276
2014 modern 205 #19,375
2015 modern 200 #19,567
2016 modern 197 #19,777

Geography

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Where Rosendales are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Bradford, Melbourn, Meldreth and Bassingbourn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newport, Leeds, Bradford, North Hertfordshire and Barnet. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Melbourn, Meldreth Hertfordshire
4 Bassingbourn Hertfordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newport 004 Newport
2 Leeds 071 Leeds
3 Bradford 026 Bradford
4 North Hertfordshire 005 North Hertfordshire
5 Barnet 004 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rosendale

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rosendale

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rosendale, 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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Rosendale surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Rosendale household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Rosendale is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Rosendale 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

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

Meaning and origin of Rosendale

The surname Rosendale has its origins in the English county of Lancashire. It is an English locational surname derived from the place name Rosendale, a valley in the Rossendale area of Lancashire. The name is believed to have originated in the 13th century, with the earliest known recorded spelling being Roseyndale in the year 1285.

The name Rosendale is thought to be derived from the Old English words "rosere" meaning "rose" and "dene" meaning "valley" or "deep wooded valley." This suggests that the valley was once known for its abundance of wild roses, which were commonly found in the area during that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rosendale appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1315, where a William de Roseyndale is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already begun to spread beyond its original location in Lancashire by the early 14th century.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Rosindale, Rosendale, and Roseingdale, as evidenced by records from the Parish Registers of Lancashire. During this period, the Rosendale family appears to have been well-established in the region, with several members holding positions of local prominence.

One notable bearer of the name was John Rosendale, a yeoman farmer who lived in the village of Newchurch-in-Rossendale in the late 16th century. His descendants continued to reside in the area for several generations, and some later migrated to other parts of England and beyond.

Another notable individual with the surname Rosendale was Sir James Rosendale, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in the 17th century. He played a significant role in the economic development of Lancashire and was involved in various civic and charitable endeavors.

In the 18th century, the name Rosendale began to appear in historical records across the Atlantic, as members of the family emigrated to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America is that of William Rosendale, who settled in Pennsylvania in the 1730s.

Throughout the 19th century, the Rosendale surname continued to be found in both England and the United States, with notable individuals including the English architect Thomas Rosendale (1806-1878) and the American politician James Rosendale (1834-1903), who served as a member of the New York State Assembly.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rosendale families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rosendale 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. Yorkshire leads with 64 Rosendales recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.83x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 64 3.83x
Cambridgeshire 60 56.14x
Middlesex 17 1.01x
Lancashire 13 0.65x
Hertfordshire 7 6.02x
Warwickshire 4 0.94x
Essex 3 0.90x
Surrey 2 0.24x
Berkshire 1 0.79x
Durham 1 0.20x
Lanarkshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bassingbourn in Cambridgeshire leads with 50 Rosendales recorded in 1881 and an index of 3184.71x.

Place Total Index
Bassingbourn 50 3184.71x
Armley 14 189.96x
Leeds 13 13.77x
Goole 10 357.14x
Manchester 10 11.11x
Bethnal Green London 8 10.91x
Foulmire 8 2500.00x
Pudsey 8 89.49x
Cheshunt 6 147.42x
Aston 4 3.41x
Headingley Cum Burley 4 37.17x
Hunslet 4 15.34x
Keighley 4 22.45x
Bowling 3 18.12x
Islington London 3 1.83x
Saffron Walden 3 85.23x
Halifax 2 8.15x
St Anne Soho London 2 20.75x
Tottenham 2 7.44x
Cawood 1 156.25x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 3.14x
Clapham 1 4.74x
Cookham 1 25.32x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 1 21.46x
Hamilton 1 6.57x
Lambeth 1 0.68x
Melbourn 1 96.15x
Mile End Old Town 1 3.75x
Royston 1 101.01x
Sculcoates 1 3.77x
Shoreditch London 1 1.37x
Toxteth Park 1 1.47x
Westleigh 1 21.98x
Westoe 1 3.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Sarah 12
Eliza 5
Annie 4
Elizabeth 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Jane 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Ann 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Dasey 1
Edeth 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Ellin 1
Florence 1
Harriet 1
Harriette 1
Helen 1
Lilly 1
Lissie.A. 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Rose 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
William 10
Arthur 8
Joseph 5
Walter 5
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Henry 4
James 4
Robert 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
George 2
Joshua 2
Thomas 2
Benjamin 1
Chas. 1
Chris. 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Ferdinand 1
Frances 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Fredr. 1
Fredrick 1
Gustavus 1
Harry 1
Herbet 1
Jacob 1
Josh. 1
Mathew 1
Richard 1
Sam 1
Sidney 1
Stanley 1
Taylor 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Rosendale surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rosendale surname in 1881?

In 1881, 173 people were recorded with the Rosendale surname. That placed it at #14,112 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rosendale surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016. That gives Rosendale a modern rank of #19,777.

What does the Rosendale surname mean?

A locality surname derived from a place name, originally denoting someone from Rosendale.

What does the Rosendale map show?

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