NameCensus.

UK surname

Strawbridge

An English localised surname referring to someone who lived near a straw-covered bridge.

In the 1881 census there were 316 people recorded with the Strawbridge surname, ranking it #9,375 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 565, ranked #9,091, up from #9,375 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, Pembrokeshire and West Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Strawbridge is 617 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 78.8%.

1881 census count

316

Ranked #9,375

Modern count

565

2016, ranked #9,091

Peak year

2000

617 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Strawbridge had 316 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,375 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 565 in 2016, ranked #9,091.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 480 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Strawbridge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Strawbridge surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Strawbridge 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 178 #11,397
1861 historical 181 #12,997
1881 historical 316 #9,375
1891 historical 392 #9,019
1901 historical 336 #10,762
1911 historical 480 #8,076
1997 modern 574 #8,398
1998 modern 592 #8,470
1999 modern 607 #8,379
2000 modern 617 #8,267
2001 modern 601 #8,290
2002 modern 606 #8,401
2003 modern 589 #8,444
2004 modern 598 #8,369
2005 modern 597 #8,299
2006 modern 588 #8,406
2007 modern 584 #8,534
2008 modern 595 #8,474
2009 modern 609 #8,494
2010 modern 610 #8,677
2011 modern 612 #8,546
2012 modern 606 #8,541
2013 modern 597 #8,782
2014 modern 598 #8,822
2015 modern 574 #9,015
2016 modern 565 #9,091

Geography

Back to top

Where Strawbridges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay, Govan Combination, Stockland and Hucknall Torkard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, Pembrokeshire, West Dorset and Swansea. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Stockland Devon
5 Hucknall Torkard Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 005 East Devon
2 Pembrokeshire 002 Pembrokeshire
3 West Dorset 003 West Dorset
4 West Dorset 005 West Dorset
5 Swansea 019 Swansea

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Strawbridge

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Strawbridge

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

Strawbridge is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Strawbridge falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Strawbridge is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Strawbridge, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Strawbridge

The surname Strawbridge is of English origin, derived from a location name. It is believed to have emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century, originating from a place called Strawbridge or Strawebrigge, located in the county of Nottinghamshire, England. The name is a combination of two Old English words, "straw" meaning straw or thatch, and "brycg" meaning bridge or causeway.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Strawbridge can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1230, where a person named Robert de Strawebrigge is listed. This document provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the medieval period in England.

In the 14th century, the Strawbridge surname appears in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Nottinghamshire from 1327, where a William de Strawebrugge is mentioned. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region during this time.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not include the Strawbridge surname. However, it does mention the village of Strawebrigge, indicating the place name's existence even before the surname emerged.

One notable person with the Strawbridge surname was John Strawbridge (c. 1539-1593), an English Protestant minister and religious writer from Nottinghamshire. He served as a chaplain to Queen Elizabeth I and was known for his work "The Bedell of Divinitie" published in 1584.

Another early bearer of the Strawbridge name was Thomas Strawbridge (c. 1600-1670), a colonist from Nottinghamshire who settled in Maryland, United States, in the mid-17th century. He is considered one of the earliest documented Strawbridge immigrants to America.

In the 18th century, Robert Strawbridge (1732-1781), an Irish-born Methodist preacher, played a significant role in establishing Methodism in the American colonies. He is often referred to as the "Apostle of Methodism in Maryland" and is credited with founding the first Methodist society in the United States in Maryland in 1766.

Another notable figure was Sir James Strawbridge (1806-1867), a British naval officer and hydrographer who surveyed and charted various parts of the world's oceans, including the South Pacific and the Indian Ocean.

In more recent history, Dick Strawbridge (born 1959) is a British engineer, television presenter, and author known for hosting shows like "Scrapheap Challenge" and "Escape to the Chateau."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Strawbridge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Strawbridge 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 133 Strawbridges recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.60x.

County Total Index
Devon 133 20.60x
Monmouthshire 20 8.92x
Gloucestershire 15 2.47x
Lancashire 15 0.41x
Lanarkshire 14 1.40x
Glamorgan 13 2.41x
Middlesex 13 0.42x
Yorkshire 13 0.42x
Somerset 12 2.40x
Durham 11 1.19x
Perthshire 10 7.18x
Nottinghamshire 9 2.15x
Warwickshire 6 0.77x
Hampshire 5 0.79x
Renfrewshire 5 2.08x
Surrey 5 0.33x
Carmarthenshire 4 3.06x
Dorset 4 1.96x
Sussex 4 0.76x
Kent 2 0.19x
Royal Navy 2 5.41x
Midlothian 1 0.24x
Staffordshire 1 0.10x
Worcestershire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stockland in Devon leads with 27 Strawbridges recorded in 1881 and an index of 2903.23x.

Place Total Index
Stockland 27 2903.23x
Colyton 22 887.10x
St Woollos 12 47.94x
Perth West Church 10 151.29x
Barnsley 9 28.38x
Hucknall Torkard 9 84.91x
Swansea Town 8 18.07x
Toxteth Park 8 6.42x
Govan 7 2.82x
Highweek 7 304.35x
Sidbury 7 507.25x
Aston 6 2.79x
Bishopsteignton 6 491.80x
Cotleigh 6 3333.33x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 40.57x
Malborough 6 233.46x
Monkton 6 4615.38x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 12.06x
Seaham 6 178.57x
Bristol St George 5 17.77x
East Greenock 5 22.03x
Gorton 5 14.45x
Hemyock 5 520.83x
St George Bloomsbury 5 28.09x
Taunton St Mary 5 54.53x
Axmouth 4 555.56x
Glasgow 4 2.25x
Kyo 4 92.17x
Llanelly 4 13.58x
Llangattock 4 1481.48x
Newington 4 3.49x
Portskewett 4 769.23x
Tormoham 4 14.64x
Barony 3 1.18x
Bristol St Paul In 3 18.51x
Chardstock 3 212.77x
Gittisham 3 625.00x
Kensington London 3 1.74x
Poplar London 3 5.12x
Portsea 3 2.41x
Radstock 3 91.46x
Seaford 3 168.54x
Stapleton 3 26.00x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 3.49x
Exeter St David 2 36.23x
Hunslet 2 4.17x
Loughor 2 69.69x
Lyncombe Widcombe 2 15.30x
Roath 2 8.15x
Royal Navy 2 6.33x
Southampton All Sts 2 18.33x
Upottery 2 256.41x
Ashburton 1 32.36x
Axminster 1 33.00x
Brighton 1 0.95x
Bristol St James In 1 11.17x
Chorlton Cum Hardy 1 40.98x
Clase 1 4.98x
Doncaster 1 4.45x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.60x
Feniton 1 263.16x
Honiton 1 28.01x
Ilminster 1 28.65x
Kenn 1 99.01x
Lewisham 1 1.77x
Musbury 1 175.44x
Offenham 1 169.49x
Offwell 1 285.71x
Ottery St Mary 1 23.58x
Salcombe Regis 1 163.93x
Seaton 1 40.16x
Shute 1 163.93x
Streethay 1 434.78x
Talaton 1 204.08x
Tanfield 1 9.12x
Wambrook 1 357.14x
Westbury On Trym 1 4.85x
Westminster St John 1 2.65x
Winsham 1 109.89x
Worsbrough 1 11.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Elizabeth 13
Sarah 10
Ann 9
Alice 5
Ellen 5
Emma 5
Hannah 4
Edith 3
Eliza 3
Margaret 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Elizth. 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Jane 2
Susan 2
Bessie 1
Bessy 1
Blanch 1
Diliah 1
Eliz. 1
Elizbt. 1
Ellin 1
Esther 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Ida 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Julie 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Leusey 1
Lilian 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Luicey 1
Lydia 1
Matilda 1
Maude 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 19
William 18
George 14
James 12
Thomas 10
Charles 9
Henry 6
Richard 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Joseph 3
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Albion 1
Asa 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Emanuel 1
Enos 1
Ezra 1
Felix 1
Fredk.J. 1
Geo. 1
Giles 1
Horace 1
Jabez 1
Jacob 1
Jno. 1
Mark 1
Noah 1
Paul 1
Philip 1
Reece 1
Samuel 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Strawbridge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Strawbridge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 316 people were recorded with the Strawbridge surname. That placed it at #9,375 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Strawbridge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 565 in 2016. That gives Strawbridge a modern rank of #9,091.

What does the Strawbridge surname mean?

An English localised surname referring to someone who lived near a straw-covered bridge.

What does the Strawbridge map show?

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