NameCensus.

UK surname

Ruddock

A surname derived from a place name associated with the Old English words "rudu" meaning red and "ac" meaning oak.

In the 1881 census there were 922 people recorded with the Ruddock surname, ranking it #4,163 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,838, ranked #3,451, up from #4,163 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bardwell, London parishes and Leeds. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Wakefield and Stockton-on-Tees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ruddock is 1,965 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 99.3%.

1881 census count

922

Ranked #4,163

Modern count

1,838

2016, ranked #3,451

Peak year

2010

1,965 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ruddock had 922 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,163 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,838 in 2016, ranked #3,451.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,299 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Ruddock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ruddock surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ruddock 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 662 #3,921
1861 historical 683 #3,941
1881 historical 922 #4,163
1891 historical 1,004 #4,131
1901 historical 1,202 #4,099
1911 historical 1,299 #3,670
1997 modern 1,740 #3,431
1998 modern 1,829 #3,407
1999 modern 1,842 #3,406
2000 modern 1,847 #3,385
2001 modern 1,803 #3,388
2002 modern 1,860 #3,370
2003 modern 1,833 #3,348
2004 modern 1,831 #3,345
2005 modern 1,813 #3,351
2006 modern 1,825 #3,331
2007 modern 1,831 #3,348
2008 modern 1,859 #3,329
2009 modern 1,899 #3,344
2010 modern 1,965 #3,322
2011 modern 1,926 #3,339
2012 modern 1,869 #3,374
2013 modern 1,880 #3,404
2014 modern 1,898 #3,398
2015 modern 1,871 #3,409
2016 modern 1,838 #3,451

Geography

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Where Ruddocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bardwell, London parishes, Leeds and Woolpit. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Wakefield, Stockton-on-Tees and South Norfolk. 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 Bardwell Suffolk
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Woolpit Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 018 County Durham
2 Wakefield 011 Wakefield
3 Stockton-on-Tees 020 Stockton-on-Tees
4 County Durham 016 County Durham
5 South Norfolk 014 South Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ruddock

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ruddock

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Ruddock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ruddock household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Ruddock is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ruddock is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Ruddock

The surname Ruddock originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "rudu" meaning "reddish" and "ac" meaning "oak tree". Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived near a reddish oak tree or in an area with such trees.

The earliest known recorded instance of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled as "Rudohac". This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as "Ruddok", "Ruddokk", and "Rudduck" in different historical records and manuscripts from counties like Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Derbyshire.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Ruddock, a knight who lived in Worcestershire in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was Sir William Ruddock, a Member of Parliament for Evesham in the 15th century.

During the 16th century, the name was sometimes associated with place names like Ruddington in Nottinghamshire and Ruddock in Herefordshire, suggesting that some Ruddocks may have taken their names from these locations.

In the 17th century, Captain Thomas Ruddock was a renowned English explorer who played a significant role in the colonization of Virginia in the early 1600s.

Other notable individuals with the surname Ruddock include the English painter Abraham Ruddock (1663-1714), the American politician Albert Ruddock (1837-1915), and the English cricketer John Ruddock (1876-1940).

Throughout its history, the surname Ruddock has maintained a strong presence in various parts of England, particularly in the West Midlands and the surrounding areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ruddock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ruddock 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 240 Ruddocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.68x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 240 2.68x
Suffolk 148 13.44x
Middlesex 84 0.93x
Lancashire 74 0.69x
Durham 55 2.04x
Somerset 52 3.57x
Northumberland 33 2.45x
Berkshire 27 3.98x
Surrey 25 0.57x
Hampshire 21 1.13x
Kent 19 0.62x
Norfolk 19 1.37x
Lanarkshire 17 0.58x
Glamorgan 12 0.76x
Wiltshire 12 1.50x
Cheshire 11 0.55x
Ayrshire 10 1.48x
Essex 9 0.50x
Gloucestershire 8 0.45x
Midlothian 8 0.66x
Huntingdonshire 5 2.78x
Renfrewshire 5 0.71x
Dorset 4 0.67x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.82x
Cornwall 3 0.29x
Lincolnshire 3 0.21x
Northamptonshire 3 0.35x
Royal Navy 3 2.78x
Staffordshire 3 0.10x
Cumberland 2 0.26x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.17x
Channel Islands 1 0.37x
Derbyshire 1 0.07x
Devon 1 0.05x
Hertfordshire 1 0.16x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.08x
Sussex 1 0.07x
Warwickshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bardwell in Suffolk leads with 30 Ruddocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 1276.60x.

Place Total Index
Bardwell 30 1276.60x
New Malton 26 242.76x
Lambeth 23 2.92x
Norton 23 995.67x
Woolpit 22 687.50x
Hunslet 19 13.60x
Manchester 19 3.94x
Barton Upon Irwell 17 21.04x
Wortham 17 576.27x
Reading St Mary 14 25.75x
Scarborough 12 14.74x
Woolwich 12 10.53x
York St Mary 12 32.34x
Guisbrough 11 56.18x
Leeds 11 2.17x
Bethnal Green London 10 2.55x
Elswick 10 9.31x
Islington London 10 1.14x
New Windsor 10 43.82x
Staindrop 10 245.10x
Pannal 9 104.65x
Rickinghall Superior 9 511.36x
Southampton All Sts 9 28.30x
Tranmere 9 12.27x
Andover 8 45.69x
Bathwick 8 49.66x
Ebberston 8 437.16x
Edmonton 8 10.98x
Gateshead 8 3.97x
Kensington London 8 1.59x
Mells 8 265.78x
Saltford 8 583.94x
St George Hanover 8 6.78x
St Quivox 8 34.97x
Wetherden 8 519.48x
Beswick 7 25.51x
Buxhall 7 476.19x
Dalkeith 7 29.29x
Hulme 7 3.12x
Liverpool 7 1.07x
North Lopham 7 322.58x
Old Malton 7 124.33x
Osmotherley 7 245.61x
Shipley 7 15.05x
Silsden 7 265.15x
Westgate 7 8.40x
Barony 6 0.81x
Bath St James 6 39.53x
Berwick Upon Tweed 6 21.05x
Bradford 6 2.77x
Cambuslang 6 20.35x
Darlington 6 5.78x
Great Coggeshall 6 64.66x
Heworth 6 257.51x
Huddersfield 6 4.60x
Kingston Deverill 6 697.67x
Mickley 6 141.51x
Middlesbrough 6 5.14x
St Marylebone London 6 1.24x
Stockley 6 175.95x
Stockton On Tees 6 4.63x
Sturton Grange 6 3529.41x
Abbey 5 4.68x
Amotherby 5 574.71x
Barnsley 5 5.41x
Calverley Cum Farsley 5 19.65x
Cardiff St Mary 5 5.77x
Fulham London 5 3.81x
Glasgow 5 0.96x
Holy Trinity 5 2.32x
Pickering 5 44.33x
St Ives 5 53.71x
Swansea Lower 5 62.27x
Walcot 5 6.45x
Kelloe 4 137.93x
Normanby In 4 16.69x
Poole St James 4 17.94x
Rockland St Mary 4 291.97x
St Pancras London 4 0.55x
Teddington London 4 19.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 52
Elizabeth 36
Sarah 31
Alice 17
Emily 17
Ann 16
Eliza 15
Annie 14
Ellen 13
Hannah 12
Jane 12
Emma 11
Amelia 9
Margaret 9
Florence 8
Isabella 8
Charlotte 6
Harriet 6
Maria 6
Ada 5
Edith 5
Fanny 5
Julia 5
Ruth 5
Frances 4
Lucy 4
Matilda 4
Sophia 4
Agnes 3
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Elizth. 3
Kate 3
Lilian 3
Louisa 3
Martha 3
Maryann 3
Susan 3
Anna 2
Beatrice 2
Bertha 2
Catherine 2
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Florance 2
Hetty 2
Leather 2
Mabel 2
Rachel 2
Emilia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 51
William 44
George 39
Thomas 36
James 31
Charles 24
Robert 24
Alfred 11
Harry 11
Henry 11
Arthur 10
Joseph 10
Walter 7
Frederick 6
Richard 6
Samuel 6
David 5
Wm. 5
Albert 4
Frank 4
Fredk. 4
Tom 4
Benjamin 3
Edwd. 3
Ernest 3
Jonathan 3
Sidney 3
Stephen 3
Abram 2
Adam 2
Amos 2
Bernard 2
Chas. 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Herbert 2
Jacob 2
Mark 2
Noblett 2
Percy 2
Rowland 2
Cecil 1
Charlie 1
Frances 1
Freddy 1
Fredk.G. 1
Fredrick 1
Joshua 1
Lawrence 1
Louis 1

FAQ

Ruddock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ruddock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 922 people were recorded with the Ruddock surname. That placed it at #4,163 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ruddock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,838 in 2016. That gives Ruddock a modern rank of #3,451.

What does the Ruddock surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name associated with the Old English words "rudu" meaning red and "ac" meaning oak.

What does the Ruddock map show?

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