NameCensus.

UK surname

Sudds

A surname derived from a location name, possibly relating to a marshy area.

In the 1881 census there were 161 people recorded with the Sudds surname, ranking it #14,801 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 108, ranked #29,578, down from #14,801 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mitcham, London parishes and Lewisham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swale, Bromley and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sudds is 223 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 32.9%.

1881 census count

161

Ranked #14,801

Modern count

108

2016, ranked #29,578

Peak year

1911

223 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sudds had 161 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,801 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016, ranked #29,578.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 223 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Sudds surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sudds surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sudds 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 126 #14,626
1861 historical 104 #20,477
1881 historical 161 #14,801
1891 historical 173 #16,600
1901 historical 176 #16,401
1911 historical 223 #13,951
1997 modern 108 #25,788
1998 modern 115 #25,466
1999 modern 117 #25,362
2000 modern 114 #25,717
2001 modern 112 #25,644
2002 modern 113 #26,024
2003 modern 103 #27,234
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 102 #27,689
2006 modern 105 #27,479
2007 modern 105 #27,868
2008 modern 108 #27,684
2009 modern 112 #27,685
2010 modern 115 #27,874
2011 modern 113 #27,967
2012 modern 113 #28,016
2013 modern 104 #30,076
2014 modern 107 #29,827
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 108 #29,578

Geography

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Where Sudds' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mitcham, London parishes, Lewisham and Yalding, Aylesford, Burham, Mereworth, Wateringbury, Nettlestead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swale, Bromley, Kingston upon Hull and Ipswich. 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 Mitcham Surrey
2 London parishes London 1
3 Lewisham London (South Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Yalding, Aylesford, Burham, Mereworth, Wateringbury, Nettlestead Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swale 014 Swale
2 Bromley 028 Bromley
3 Kingston upon Hull 016 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 Swale 015 Swale
5 Ipswich 011 Ipswich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sudds

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sudds

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Sudds surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Sudds household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Sudds is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sudds 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

Sudds falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sudds

The surname Sudds has its origins in the Middle Ages, tracing back to the county of Yorkshire in northern England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "sudd," meaning "a small stream or brook." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone living near a small watercourse or a marshy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a Richard Suddes is mentioned. The surname also appears in various other medieval records from the region, sometimes spelled as "Suddes" or "Sudes."

During the 16th century, the Sudds surname started appearing in other parts of England, indicating the migration of families bearing this name. In 1562, a record from Leicestershire mentions a Thomas Sudds, while a William Sudds is documented in Nottinghamshire in 1598.

Interestingly, the name Sudds is also found in several place names throughout England. For example, there is a Sudds Farm in Cambridgeshire and a Sudds Green in Essex. These place names may have contributed to the surname's development or vice versa.

Notable individuals with the surname Sudds include John Sudds (1604-1679), a prominent merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire. Another notable figure was Elizabeth Sudds (1732-1805), a renowned author and poet from Yorkshire, known for her works celebrating the beauty of the English countryside.

Other historical figures bearing the Sudds name include William Sudds (1780-1856), a respected lawyer and judge in London, and Henry Sudds (1825-1901), a pioneering industrialist who played a crucial role in the development of the textile industry in Lancashire.

Thomas Sudds (1865-1932) was a renowned architect responsible for designing several iconic buildings in the city of Leeds, including the Leeds Town Hall and the Leeds City Museum.

While the Sudds surname may not be among the most common today, its history spans several centuries and is deeply rooted in various regions of England, particularly Yorkshire, where it is believed to have originated from the Old English word "sudd."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sudds families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sudds 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. Kent leads with 106 Sudds' recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.78x.

County Total Index
Kent 106 19.78x
Surrey 16 2.09x
Middlesex 14 0.89x
Lancashire 9 0.48x
Worcestershire 7 3.41x
Lincolnshire 5 1.99x
Sussex 2 0.76x
Pembrokeshire 1 2.00x
Staffordshire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mereworth in Kent leads with 20 Sudds' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4651.16x.

Place Total Index
Mereworth 20 4651.16x
Charlton Next Woolwich 14 250.45x
Plumstead 11 61.59x
Colne 9 162.16x
Maidstone 9 56.39x
Mitcham 9 185.95x
Lewisham 7 24.50x
Orpington 7 426.83x
Ramsgate 7 80.00x
Wateringbury 7 1000.00x
Kensington London 6 6.87x
Powick 6 422.54x
Chartham 5 373.13x
Revesby 5 1666.67x
Woolwich 5 25.25x
Camberwell 4 3.99x
Ealing 4 28.49x
Rochester St Margaret 4 70.80x
Bromley 3 36.72x
Croydon 3 7.06x
Cliffe 2 224.72x
Hadlow 2 150.38x
Lee 2 25.71x
Paddington London 2 3.46x
St George Hanover 2 9.76x
Tonbridge 2 10.35x
Burton Upon Trent 1 8.06x
Great Malvern 1 23.36x
Tenby St Mary In 1 39.37x
Wrotham 1 56.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 12
John 10
George 9
Frederick 4
Thomas 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Ernest 3
Reuben 3
Robert 3
Aaron 2
Albert 2
Benjamin 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
James 2
Nathan 2
Walter 2
Aurther 1
Cornelius 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Iden 1
Isaac 1
Jonathan 1
Richard 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Sudds surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sudds surname in 1881?

In 1881, 161 people were recorded with the Sudds surname. That placed it at #14,801 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sudds surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 108 in 2016. That gives Sudds a modern rank of #29,578.

What does the Sudds surname mean?

A surname derived from a location name, possibly relating to a marshy area.

What does the Sudds map show?

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