NameCensus.

UK surname

Samworth

In the 1881 census there were 127 people recorded with the Samworth surname, ranking it #17,166 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 145, ranked #24,293, down from #17,166 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wistow, London parishes and Alwalton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oxford, Sheffield and Runnymede.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Samworth is 209 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.2%.

1881 census count

127

Ranked #17,166

Modern count

145

2016, ranked #24,293

Peak year

1911

209 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Samworth had 127 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,166 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 145 in 2016, ranked #24,293.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 209 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Samworth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Samworth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Samworth 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 74 #20,443
1861 historical 108 #19,856
1881 historical 127 #17,166
1891 historical 171 #16,733
1901 historical 180 #16,171
1911 historical 209 #14,557
1997 modern 156 #20,593
1998 modern 175 #19,658
1999 modern 162 #20,781
2000 modern 158 #21,055
2001 modern 162 #20,460
2002 modern 178 #19,671
2003 modern 163 #20,554
2004 modern 165 #20,530
2005 modern 147 #22,057
2006 modern 154 #21,576
2007 modern 156 #21,650
2008 modern 163 #21,238
2009 modern 163 #21,715
2010 modern 172 #21,404
2011 modern 160 #22,282
2012 modern 145 #23,780
2013 modern 148 #23,884
2014 modern 148 #24,075
2015 modern 144 #24,369
2016 modern 145 #24,293

Geography

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Where Samworths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wistow, London parishes, Alwalton and Peterborough St John the Baptist. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Oxford, Sheffield, Runnymede and Tunbridge Wells. 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 Wistow Huntingdonshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Alwalton Northamptonshire
5 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oxford 016 Oxford
2 Sheffield 023 Sheffield
3 Oxford 017 Oxford
4 Runnymede 005 Runnymede
5 Tunbridge Wells 012 Tunbridge Wells

Forenames

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First names often paired with Samworth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Samworth

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

Samworth is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Samworth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Samworth 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. Northamptonshire leads with 36 Samworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.65x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 36 30.65x
Middlesex 25 2.00x
Huntingdonshire 23 92.78x
Cambridgeshire 12 15.17x
Buckinghamshire 7 9.27x
Warwickshire 7 2.22x
Lincolnshire 5 2.50x
Yorkshire 5 0.40x
Oxfordshire 4 5.19x
Sussex 2 0.95x
Derbyshire 1 0.51x
Royal Navy 1 6.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Peterborough in Northamptonshire leads with 29 Samworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 341.18x.

Place Total Index
Peterborough 29 341.18x
Acton 9 122.95x
Castor 7 1400.00x
Edgbaston 7 71.72x
Upper Winchendon 7 8750.00x
Wistow 7 4117.65x
Godmanchester 6 638.30x
Quy 6 4000.00x
Gainsborough 5 106.16x
Hackney London 5 7.14x
Warley 5 139.66x
Chelsea London 4 10.63x
Oxford St Ebbe 4 176.21x
St Andrewthe Less 4 44.25x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 4 225.99x
Alwalton 3 2142.86x
Fletton 3 379.75x
Warboys 3 416.67x
Chatteris 2 99.01x
Hastings All Sts 2 101.01x
Kensington London 2 2.88x
Glatton Holme 1 714.29x
Normanton 1 60.61x
Royal Navy 1 7.86x
St Nicholas Cole Abbey 1 5000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Sarah 5
Elizabeth 4
Alice 3
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Louisa 3
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Druscilla 1
Eliz.A. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Helena 1
Jane 1
Jemima 1
Joanna 1
Julia 1
Mildred 1
Minnie 1
Rebecca 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
Charles 8
George 7
James 6
John 6
Arthur 4
Jonas 3
Chas. 2
Edward 2
Carter 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Leure 1
Miriam 1
No 1
Percival 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Samworth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Samworth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 127 people were recorded with the Samworth surname. That placed it at #17,166 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Samworth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 145 in 2016. That gives Samworth a modern rank of #24,293.

What does the Samworth map show?

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