NameCensus.

UK surname

Southwood

A locational surname suggesting the person originally came from a southern wooded area or village.

In the 1881 census there were 864 people recorded with the Southwood surname, ranking it #4,378 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 737, ranked #7,404, down from #4,378 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Lindsey, Sefton and Blaenau Gwent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Southwood is 1,062 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.7%.

1881 census count

864

Ranked #4,378

Modern count

737

2016, ranked #7,404

Peak year

1911

1,062 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Southwood had 864 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,378 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 737 in 2016, ranked #7,404.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,062 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Southwood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Southwood surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Southwood 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 690 #3,776
1861 historical 757 #3,612
1881 historical 864 #4,378
1891 historical 936 #4,422
1901 historical 1,028 #4,648
1911 historical 1,062 #4,355
1997 modern 891 #6,008
1998 modern 916 #6,064
1999 modern 918 #6,109
2000 modern 879 #6,283
2001 modern 876 #6,187
2002 modern 886 #6,255
2003 modern 855 #6,321
2004 modern 840 #6,407
2005 modern 815 #6,512
2006 modern 791 #6,692
2007 modern 797 #6,713
2008 modern 804 #6,716
2009 modern 811 #6,810
2010 modern 807 #6,976
2011 modern 808 #6,874
2012 modern 753 #7,198
2013 modern 779 #7,127
2014 modern 776 #7,172
2015 modern 750 #7,303
2016 modern 737 #7,404

Geography

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Where Southwoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes and Paddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Lindsey, Sefton, Blaenau Gwent, Westminster and North Devon. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
3 London parishes London 1
4 Paddington London (West Districts)
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Lindsey 003 East Lindsey
2 Sefton 005 Sefton
3 Blaenau Gwent 008 Blaenau Gwent
4 Westminster 005 Westminster
5 North Devon 014 North Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Southwood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Southwood

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Southwood 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

Southwood is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Southwood falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Southwood

The surname Southwood is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "sūth" meaning "south" and "wudu" meaning "wood," indicating that the name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked in a wooded area located to the south of a particular town or village.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Southwood can be found in various historical records from the late 13th and early 14th centuries. One example is the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, which mentions a Richard de Suthwode. The "de" prefix indicates he was likely from a place called Southwood.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Southwood was also spelled in various ways, such as Suthwode, Southwode, and Suthwood, reflecting the inconsistencies in written records and regional variations in pronunciation.

One notable historical figure with the surname Southwood was Sir John Southwood, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He served as a Member of Parliament for Bridgwater, Somerset, and was knighted by King James I in 1603.

Another individual of note was Samuel Southwood (1644-1711), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "A Treatise Concerning the Right Use of the Moral Law" and "A Discourse on the Doctrine of Justification."

In the 18th century, Richard Southwood (1704-1777) was a prominent architect who designed several notable buildings in Bath, England, including the Assembly Rooms and the Octagon Chapel.

During the 19th century, John Southwood (1801-1877) was a respected English antiquarian and numismatist (coin collector) who authored several books on ancient coins and medals.

Another figure of note was Mary Southwood (1870-1957), a British suffragette and activist who campaigned for women's right to vote and was involved in the Women's Social and Political Union.

While the surname Southwood is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history dating back to the medieval period, with roots in Old English words and various spelling variations over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Southwood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Southwood 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. Devon leads with 218 Southwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.34x.

County Total Index
Devon 218 12.34x
Middlesex 126 1.48x
Somerset 125 9.15x
Surrey 54 1.31x
Lancashire 53 0.53x
Yorkshire 53 0.63x
Gloucestershire 34 2.04x
Glamorgan 25 1.69x
Cornwall 21 2.19x
Wiltshire 18 2.40x
Lincolnshire 16 1.18x
Hampshire 12 0.69x
Essex 11 0.66x
Hertfordshire 10 1.71x
Monmouthshire 10 1.63x
Norfolk 8 0.61x
Berkshire 7 1.10x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.61x
Buckinghamshire 6 1.17x
Cheshire 6 0.32x
Herefordshire 6 1.72x
Kent 6 0.21x
Cumberland 5 0.68x
Durham 5 0.20x
Derbyshire 4 0.30x
Staffordshire 4 0.14x
Northamptonshire 3 0.38x
Royal Navy 3 2.97x
Sussex 3 0.21x
Channel Islands 2 0.80x
Dorset 2 0.36x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.74x
Worcestershire 2 0.18x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.13x
Rutland 1 1.60x
Warwickshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tormoham in Devon leads with 25 Southwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.44x.

Place Total Index
Tormoham 25 33.44x
Islington London 23 2.80x
Exeter St Thomas The 19 105.50x
Bridgewater 17 45.83x
Selby 16 91.01x
Leeds 14 2.95x
Wellington 14 75.59x
Kensington London 13 2.76x
Plymouth St Andrew 13 9.55x
Camberwell 12 2.21x
Paddington London 12 3.85x
Plymouth Charles The 12 15.42x
Skelton In Guisbrough 12 52.75x
Dawlish 11 83.46x
Fulham London 11 8.94x
Lambeth 11 1.49x
St Pancras London 11 1.61x
Bermondsey 10 3.96x
Tiverton 10 32.86x
Watford 10 22.05x
Hough On Hill Brandon 9 1343.28x
Wembworthy 9 714.29x
West Ham 9 2.43x
Calne 8 51.78x
Clifton 8 9.51x
Ilminster 8 83.86x
Loxton 8 2051.28x
Malborough 8 113.96x
Newington 8 2.55x
North Curry 8 172.04x
Redruth 8 29.43x
Rockbeare 8 583.94x
Spaxton 8 300.75x
St George Hanover 8 7.22x
Barnstaple 7 25.24x
Exeter St Mary Major 7 65.73x
Fakenham 7 108.86x
Monmouth 7 43.02x
Roath 7 10.43x
Stonehouse East 7 78.13x
Battersea 6 1.92x
Chapel Allerton 6 47.69x
Cheltenham 6 4.67x
Chudleigh 6 106.76x
Great Crosby 6 21.85x
Kingsbridge 6 135.14x
Landkey 6 346.82x
New Windsor 6 28.01x
Pendleton In Salford 6 5.00x
Ratcliffe London 6 12.80x
Salford 6 2.03x
St George Bloomsbury 6 12.32x
Stogumber 6 166.21x
Tetbury 6 63.56x
Witheridge 6 201.34x
Bootle Cum Linacre 5 6.25x
Bristol St George 5 6.50x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 3.19x
Calstock 5 26.54x
Chelsea London 5 1.96x
Darlington 5 5.13x
Enmore 5 602.41x
Llandaff 5 10.17x
Old Cleeve 5 102.46x
Ross 5 36.13x
Rusholme 5 18.62x
Stawley 5 1136.36x
Swindon 5 8.59x
Taunton St James 5 25.10x
Thornton In Fylde 5 22.70x
Williton 5 109.17x
Wiveliscombe 5 65.70x
Workington 5 11.95x
Beer Crocombe 4 1000.00x
Black Torrington 4 157.48x
Cheadle 4 11.18x
Edmonton 4 5.85x
Great Bolton 4 3.00x
St Budeaux 4 72.73x
Stoke Damerel 4 3.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 52
John 46
Thomas 26
James 22
Charles 18
Henry 17
George 14
Joseph 13
Richard 13
Alfred 11
Samuel 11
Albert 9
Robert 9
Frank 8
Edward 6
Ernest 6
Frederick 6
Walter 5
Daniel 4
David 4
Francis 4
Nicholas 4
Abraham 3
Anthony 3
Chas. 3
Stephen 3
Arthur 2
Charley 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
J. 2
Phillip 2
Reginald 2
Richd. 2
Tom 2
Charlie 1
Clarance 1
Clarence 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Egbert 1
Elijah 1
Emily 1
Evan 1
Jas. 1
Jerrold 1
Jno. 1
Wm.... 1

FAQ

Southwood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Southwood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 864 people were recorded with the Southwood surname. That placed it at #4,378 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Southwood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 737 in 2016. That gives Southwood a modern rank of #7,404.

What does the Southwood surname mean?

A locational surname suggesting the person originally came from a southern wooded area or village.

What does the Southwood map show?

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