NameCensus.

UK surname

Smallwood

Derived from a place name or topographical feature referring to a small forest or woods.

In the 1881 census there were 2,762 people recorded with the Smallwood surname, ranking it #1,613 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,214, ranked #2,115, down from #1,613 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Harborne, Wolstanton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Rotherham and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Smallwood is 3,766 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.4%.

1881 census count

2,762

Ranked #1,613

Modern count

3,214

2016, ranked #2,115

Peak year

1911

3,766 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Smallwood had 2,762 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,613 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,214 in 2016, ranked #2,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,766 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Smallwood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Smallwood surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Smallwood 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 1,729 #1,670
1861 historical 1,868 #1,551
1881 historical 2,762 #1,613
1891 historical 3,067 #1,535
1901 historical 3,488 #1,602
1911 historical 3,766 #1,373
1997 modern 3,210 #2,009
1998 modern 3,356 #1,993
1999 modern 3,473 #1,956
2000 modern 3,413 #1,976
2001 modern 3,345 #1,976
2002 modern 3,361 #2,014
2003 modern 3,286 #2,014
2004 modern 3,227 #2,039
2005 modern 3,185 #2,040
2006 modern 3,183 #2,049
2007 modern 3,188 #2,063
2008 modern 3,188 #2,075
2009 modern 3,266 #2,080
2010 modern 3,316 #2,094
2011 modern 3,289 #2,081
2012 modern 3,194 #2,109
2013 modern 3,256 #2,104
2014 modern 3,285 #2,104
2015 modern 3,241 #2,111
2016 modern 3,214 #2,115

Geography

Back to top

Where Smallwoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Harborne, Wolstanton, London parishes and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Rotherham, Bradford, Wigan and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 Harborne Worcestershire
2 Wolstanton Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 London parishes London 2
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 002 Allerdale
2 Rotherham 003 Rotherham
3 Bradford 006 Bradford
4 Wigan 024 Wigan
5 Cheshire West and Chester 012 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Smallwood

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Smallwood

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Smallwood is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Smallwood 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

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

Meaning and origin of Smallwood

The surname Smallwood is an English surname that originated in the medieval period. It is a locational name, meaning it derived from a place name where the original bearers once lived or held land. In this case, the name refers to someone who lived near a small wood or forest.

The name is composed of two Old English words: "smæl" meaning small or little, and "wudu" meaning a wood or forest. It was common practice in medieval times for people to adopt surnames based on their place of residence, occupation, or a notable physical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Smallwood can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, where it is recorded as "Smalewod". This suggests that the name was already established by the 13th century.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several entries for places with similar names, such as "Smalewood" in Somerset and "Smallwood" in Cheshire. These may have been the original locations from which the surname derived.

Notable individuals with the surname Smallwood throughout history include:

1. William Smallwood (1732-1792), an American general who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. 2. John Smallwood (c. 1634-1719), an English Quaker and early settler of Maryland, who was a prominent landowner and merchant. 3. Nathaniel Smallwood (1770-1838), an English cricketer who played for the Marylebone Cricket Club in the early 19th century. 4. Charles Smallwood (1812-1873), an English architect known for designing several churches and public buildings in London. 5. Phyllis Smallwood (1922-2008), a British botanist and plant collector who contributed significantly to the study of African flora.

The surname Smallwood can also be found in various place names, such as Smallwood in Cheshire, England, and Smallwood, Maryland, in the United States, which was likely named after the early Quaker settler, John Smallwood.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Smallwood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Smallwood 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. Warwickshire leads with 477 Smallwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.02x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 477 7.02x
Staffordshire 449 4.94x
Yorkshire 305 1.14x
Cheshire 263 4.42x
Middlesex 199 0.74x
Worcestershire 181 5.14x
Lancashire 172 0.54x
Cumberland 81 3.49x
Derbyshire 60 1.42x
Nottinghamshire 59 1.62x
Sussex 58 1.28x
Surrey 56 0.43x
Shropshire 51 2.19x
Kent 49 0.53x
Flintshire 46 6.35x
Durham 44 0.55x
Leicestershire 43 1.44x
Gloucestershire 30 0.57x
Northamptonshire 19 0.75x
Denbighshire 15 1.47x
Buckinghamshire 13 0.80x
Essex 13 0.24x
Somerset 13 0.30x
Monmouthshire 10 0.51x
Caernarfonshire 8 0.73x
Northumberland 6 0.15x
Norfolk 5 0.12x
Oxfordshire 4 0.24x
Bedfordshire 3 0.22x
Devon 3 0.05x
Lanarkshire 3 0.03x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.35x
Royal Navy 3 0.93x
Westmorland 3 0.51x
Ayrshire 2 0.10x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.18x
Glamorgan 2 0.04x
Hampshire 2 0.04x
Lincolnshire 2 0.05x
Anglesey 1 0.21x
Berkshire 1 0.05x
Channel Islands 1 0.13x
Hertfordshire 1 0.05x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.16x
Wiltshire 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. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 213 Smallwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.38x.

Place Total Index
Aston 213 11.38x
Birmingham 117 5.16x
Handsworth 66 29.43x
Harborne 58 19.89x
Kings Norton 51 16.16x
Stoke Upon Trent 51 5.29x
Wolstanton 46 16.65x
Oldbury 45 25.99x
Newcastle Under Lyme 40 24.85x
Sandbach 38 74.89x
Horsham 29 32.85x
Macclesfield 29 10.97x
Redditch 29 40.64x
Wolverhampton 29 4.15x
Foleshill 28 39.16x
Stone 25 21.48x
Nottingham St Mary 24 2.55x
Oldham 24 2.33x
St Pancras London 24 1.11x
Bromsgrove 21 17.73x
St Marylebone London 21 1.46x
Congleton 20 19.46x
Hucknall Torkard 19 20.63x
Liverpool 19 0.98x
Stranton 19 7.04x
Whitehaven 19 15.36x
Wootton Wawen 18 84.07x
Bishopthorpe 17 330.74x
Heswall Cum Oldfield 17 207.32x
Shoreditch London 16 1.37x
West Derby 16 1.71x
Hurdsfield 15 40.97x
Newington 15 1.51x
Manchester 14 0.97x
St Asaph 14 97.43x
Baddesley Ensor 13 149.25x
Heanor 13 20.60x
St Mary Cray 13 73.95x
Braunston 12 121.33x
Broughton 12 29.99x
Hackney London 12 0.79x
Limehouse London 12 4.06x
Walsall Foreign 12 2.55x
Ashton Under Lyne 11 1.57x
Bridlington 11 17.99x
Edgbaston 11 5.22x
Hove 11 5.52x
Middlesbrough 11 3.16x
Middlewich 11 89.87x
Monks Coppenhall 11 4.90x
Salford 11 1.17x
Scarborough 11 4.53x
Shrewsbury St Chad 11 13.46x
Sutton On Derwent 11 348.10x
Warley Wigorn 11 98.04x
Whitby 11 12.22x
Bromley London 10 1.69x
Camberwell 10 0.58x
Dewsbury 10 3.65x
Hinderwell 10 43.86x
Hornsey 10 2.93x
Lambeth 10 0.43x
Mile End Old Town 10 2.35x
Stafford St Mary 10 7.76x
Cannock 9 5.67x
East Malling 9 40.95x
Fulham London 9 2.30x
Hollingworth 9 36.69x
Moston In Congleton 9 542.17x
Radford 9 4.88x
Tottenham 9 2.10x
Wincham 9 82.04x
Worle 9 100.67x
Altrincham 8 7.70x
Killamarsh 8 30.48x
Odd Rode 8 27.15x
Pilsley 8 57.43x
Sowe 8 65.36x
Tanworth 8 44.54x
Wolstanton Knutton 8 14.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 192
Elizabeth 108
Sarah 101
Ann 60
Jane 60
Emma 50
Alice 48
Hannah 48
Eliza 42
Ellen 42
Annie 40
Harriet 28
Emily 26
Louisa 25
Ada 24
Florence 24
Martha 24
Margaret 22
Kate 20
Clara 18
Frances 18
Caroline 17
Edith 17
Fanny 16
Catherine 12
Isabella 12
Rebecca 12
Maria 11
Anne 10
Julia 10
Lucy 10
Elizth. 9
Selina 9
Agnes 8
Eleanor 8
Gertrude 8
Harriett 8
Charlotte 7
Helen 7
Beatrice 6
Esther 6
Francis 6
Minnie 6
Amelia 5
Amy 5
Lizzie 5
Nellie 5
Phoebe 5
Rose 5
Priscilla 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 177
John 171
Thomas 118
George 72
James 72
Joseph 65
Henry 57
Charles 56
Robert 37
Arthur 33
Alfred 31
Edward 28
Samuel 28
Frederick 20
Richard 18
Thos. 17
Frank 16
Albert 15
Harry 14
Benjamin 13
Walter 12
Wm. 11
Edwin 10
David 8
Ernest 7
Isaac 7
Willm. 6
Daniel 5
Percy 5
Francis 4
Fred 4
Herbert 4
Lancelot 4
Leonard 4
Peter 4
Fredk. 3
Job 3
Jonathan 3
Josiah 3
Mark 3
Philip 3
Sam 3
Saml. 3
Thos.H. 3
Tom 3
Moses 2
Owen 2
Price 2
Rowland 2
Stephen 2

FAQ

Smallwood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Smallwood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,762 people were recorded with the Smallwood surname. That placed it at #1,613 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Smallwood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,214 in 2016. That gives Smallwood a modern rank of #2,115.

What does the Smallwood surname mean?

Derived from a place name or topographical feature referring to a small forest or woods.

What does the Smallwood map show?

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