NameCensus.

UK surname

Southwick

Derived from a place name meaning "south farm" or "south settlement" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 444 people recorded with the Southwick surname, ranking it #7,385 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 614, ranked #8,552, down from #7,385 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Rowley Regis and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley, East Riding of Yorkshire and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Southwick is 660 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.3%.

1881 census count

444

Ranked #7,385

Modern count

614

2016, ranked #8,552

Peak year

1911

660 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Southwick had 444 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,385 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 614 in 2016, ranked #8,552.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 660 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Southwick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Southwick surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Southwick 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 313 #7,385
1861 historical 352 #7,258
1881 historical 444 #7,385
1891 historical 511 #7,296
1901 historical 587 #7,189
1911 historical 660 #6,361
1997 modern 628 #7,884
1998 modern 653 #7,879
1999 modern 659 #7,866
2000 modern 647 #7,961
2001 modern 636 #7,912
2002 modern 644 #8,007
2003 modern 636 #7,954
2004 modern 645 #7,884
2005 modern 642 #7,841
2006 modern 654 #7,766
2007 modern 638 #7,984
2008 modern 643 #7,982
2009 modern 657 #8,006
2010 modern 654 #8,199
2011 modern 637 #8,290
2012 modern 618 #8,395
2013 modern 624 #8,477
2014 modern 637 #8,390
2015 modern 618 #8,530
2016 modern 614 #8,552

Geography

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Where Southwicks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Rowley Regis, London parishes, Battersea and Tettenhall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley, East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull, North Lincolnshire and Mendip. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Battersea London (South Districts)
5 Tettenhall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 033 Dudley
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 008 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Kingston upon Hull 025 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 North Lincolnshire 015 North Lincolnshire
5 Mendip 008 Mendip

Forenames

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First names often paired with Southwick

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Southwick

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Southwick surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Southwick household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Southwick 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

Southwick 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

Southwick falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Southwick 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 Southwick, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Southwick

The surname Southwick is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English words 'suth' meaning south and 'wic' meaning a dwelling or village. It likely originated in southern England during the medieval period, referring to someone who lived in a village or settlement located to the south of a particular area or landmark.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Southwick can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a place called Sudwica, which is believed to be the modern-day village of Southwick in Wiltshire.

The name Southwick also appears in various historical records and documents throughout the centuries, including the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1195, where a certain William de Sudwic is mentioned. In the 13th century, a Sir John de Southwick is recorded as holding lands in the county of Gloucestershire.

Notable individuals with the surname Southwick include Sir Robert Southwick (1506-1568), who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Edmund Southwick (1592-1676), a Quaker who was banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony for his religious beliefs and later settled in Rhode Island.

In the 18th century, John Southwick (1732-1801) was a prominent merchant and landowner in New England, while William Southwick (1823-1899) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.

Another notable individual with the surname Southwick was Albert P. Southwick (1833-1913), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery and leadership in the Battle of Antietam in 1862.

The name Southwick has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Southwick in Northamptonshire, Southwick in West Sussex, and Southwick in Tyne and Wear. These place names likely influenced the spread and variations of the surname over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Southwick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Southwick 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 194 Southwicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.52x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 194 4.52x
Staffordshire 80 5.47x
Surrey 47 2.23x
Warwickshire 31 2.84x
Worcestershire 21 3.71x
Durham 18 1.40x
Lancashire 17 0.33x
Middlesex 8 0.18x
Gloucestershire 7 0.82x
Cambridgeshire 5 1.82x
Leicestershire 5 1.04x
Lincolnshire 4 0.58x
Denbighshire 2 1.22x
Essex 2 0.23x
Lanarkshire 2 0.14x
Cheshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Beverley St Martin in Yorkshire leads with 27 Southwicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 377.10x.

Place Total Index
Beverley St Martin 27 377.10x
Battersea 24 15.06x
Rowley Regis 24 58.91x
Clapham 21 38.79x
Tettenhall 18 201.34x
Aston 17 5.65x
Old Malton 16 592.59x
Sculcoates 16 23.52x
Wolverhampton 16 14.23x
Drypool 12 182.65x
Cradley 10 195.69x
Skipsea 9 1525.42x
Manchester 8 3.46x
Nether Hallam 8 13.78x
Newington 8 67.68x
Southcoates 8 33.57x
Ardwick 7 15.10x
Beverley St Mary 7 111.64x
Bewholme Nunkeeling 7 1750.00x
Bishopwearmouth 7 6.33x
Burniston 7 1346.15x
Gateshead 7 7.26x
Great Driffield 7 79.46x
Sutton Stoneferry 7 57.00x
Watton 7 1489.36x
Birmingham 6 1.65x
Bolehall Glascote 6 129.59x
Tipton 6 13.40x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 6.25x
Harborne 5 10.67x
Skelton In Guisbrough 5 43.07x
St Andrewthe Less 5 15.95x
Wintringham 5 1041.67x
Barton St Mary 4 115.27x
Castle Church 4 45.51x
Hanbury 4 261.44x
Hutton Cranswick 4 220.99x
Kimberworth 4 16.79x
Kings Norton 4 7.89x
Darlaston 3 14.85x
Guisbrough 3 31.98x
Hornsea 3 110.29x
Hunslet 3 4.48x
St George Hanover 3 5.31x
St Mary 3 104.53x
Barony 2 0.56x
Belgrave 2 18.45x
Bishop Burton 2 294.12x
Brymbo 2 35.09x
Chipping Campden 2 72.46x
Croydon 2 1.71x
Edgbaston 2 5.91x
Gradley 2 73.26x
Holy Trinity 2 1.94x
Holy Trinity St Mary 2 30.63x
Leicester St Martin 2 62.11x
Monkwearmouth Shore 2 7.95x
Thirtleby 2 2500.00x
West Ham 2 1.06x
Westoe 2 2.74x
Coston Hackett 1 357.14x
Etton 1 135.14x
Finchley 1 6.02x
Great Little Hatfield 1 357.14x
Harrow 1 15.11x
Kensington London 1 0.42x
Knapton 1 192.31x
Leicester St Mary 1 2.58x
Muston 1 169.49x
Nafferton 1 54.64x
New Malton 1 19.49x
Northwich 1 65.79x
Ryhill Camerton 1 243.90x
Saddleworth 1 3.02x
Sheffield 1 0.73x
St George In East 1 3.39x
Todmorden Walsden 1 7.26x
Walsall Foreign 1 1.32x
Wednesbury 1 2.74x
West Derby 1 0.67x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 30
Thomas 26
John 23
George 15
Charles 14
James 14
Joseph 14
Henry 13
Alfred 7
Arthur 6
Richard 5
Robert 5
Edwin 4
Edward 3
Harry 3
Walter 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
David 2
Ebenezer 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Matthias 2
Stephen 2
Benjamin 1
Carrick 1
Carrien 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Cornelius 1
Earnest 1
Eduard 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Geo. 1
Gideon 1
Hardy 1
Jabez 1
Lewis 1
Mathias 1
Peter 1
Richd. 1
Rueban(Edw.) 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Turner 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Southwick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Southwick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 444 people were recorded with the Southwick surname. That placed it at #7,385 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Southwick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 614 in 2016. That gives Southwick a modern rank of #8,552.

What does the Southwick surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "south farm" or "south settlement" in Old English.

What does the Southwick map show?

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