NameCensus.

UK surname

Taw

Originally denoted someone from the river valleys of Hampshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 58 people recorded with the Taw surname, ranking it #25,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 121, ranked #27,399, down from #25,428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Portsmouth, Reigate and Banstead and Winchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Taw is 126 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 108.6%.

1881 census count

58

Ranked #25,428

Modern count

121

2016, ranked #27,399

Peak year

2011

126 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Taw had 58 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 121 in 2016, ranked #27,399.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 65 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Taw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Taw surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Taw 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 53 #23,739
1881 historical 58 #25,428
1901 historical 65 #26,917
1997 modern 108 #25,788
1998 modern 118 #25,041
1999 modern 125 #24,366
2000 modern 118 #25,197
2001 modern 118 #24,832
2002 modern 117 #25,494
2003 modern 116 #25,415
2004 modern 121 #24,939
2005 modern 114 #25,837
2006 modern 113 #26,267
2007 modern 115 #26,348
2008 modern 120 #25,922
2009 modern 118 #26,766
2010 modern 119 #27,250
2011 modern 126 #26,060
2012 modern 117 #27,394
2013 modern 126 #26,585
2014 modern 123 #27,206
2015 modern 121 #27,405
2016 modern 121 #27,399

Geography

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Where Taws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Portsmouth, Reigate and Banstead and Winchester. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Portsmouth 016 Portsmouth
2 Portsmouth 010 Portsmouth
3 Portsmouth 013 Portsmouth
4 Reigate and Banstead 016 Reigate and Banstead
5 Winchester 012 Winchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Taw

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Taw

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

Baseline UK

Group

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Taw surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Taw household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Taw is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Taw is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Taw falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Taw is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Taw

The surname Taw is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "taw," which referred to a leather worker or tanner. This occupation was an important one in medieval times, as the process of tanning animal hides was necessary for the production of leather goods such as shoes, belts, and other everyday items.

The earliest known record of the surname Taw dates back to the 13th century in the county of Yorkshire, where a man named Willelmus le Tawyer was mentioned in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a census-like survey conducted in 1273. This spelling variation, "le Tawyer," clearly indicates the connection to the occupation of a tanner.

In the 14th century, the surname Taw can be found in the Subsidy Rolls for the county of Sussex, where a John Taw is listed as a taxpayer in 1327. This record provides evidence of the surname's presence in multiple regions of England during the medieval period.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Taw was William Taw, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in the town of Launceston, Cornwall, in the late 15th century. Records show that he was involved in the tin mining industry and held several public offices in the town.

Another significant figure in the history of the Taw surname was Thomas Taw, a clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Essex from 1578 to 1591. He was born in the village of Debenham, Suffolk, around 1520 and played a prominent role in the English Reformation under Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Taw surname can be found in various parish records and court documents across England. One such example is John Taw, a yeoman farmer from the village of Edgefield, Norfolk, who was born in 1632 and lived through the turbulent years of the English Civil War.

During the 18th century, the surname Taw spread beyond England, with some individuals bearing the name migrating to other parts of the British Isles and even to the American colonies. One notable figure from this period was Captain James Taw, a merchant sailor from Bristol, England, who was born in 1720 and made several voyages to the West Indies and North America.

The 19th century saw the Taw surname continue to be represented in various professions and walks of life. One notable individual was Sir John Taw, a successful businessman and philanthropist from London, who was born in 1819 and made significant contributions to various charitable organizations during his lifetime.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Taw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Taw 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. Hampshire leads with 32 Taws recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.13x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 32 27.13x
Kent 6 3.06x
Northumberland 6 7.01x
Leicestershire 5 7.84x
Middlesex 4 0.70x
Durham 2 1.17x
Glamorgan 2 2.00x
Berkshire 1 2.31x
Lanarkshire 1 0.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsmouth in Hampshire leads with 28 Taws recorded in 1881 and an index of 1029.41x.

Place Total Index
Portsmouth 28 1029.41x
Tynemouth 6 130.72x
Leicester St Margaret 5 32.13x
Edmonton 4 86.21x
Portsea 4 17.30x
Chatham 3 55.56x
Gillingham 3 74.07x
Cardiff St Mary 2 36.23x
Houghton Le Spring 2 169.49x
Old Monkland 1 13.53x
Reading St Giles 1 23.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 3
Mary 3
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Louisa 2
Alberta 1
Alma 1
Amelia 1
Annie 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Fobia 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Henrieta 1
Lilly 1
Lydia 1
Matilda 1
Rapheal 1
Rhoda 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 5
John 3
Joseph 3
Henry 2
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edwin 1
George 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Jeremiah 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Wm. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Taw households.

FAQ

Taw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Taw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 58 people were recorded with the Taw surname. That placed it at #25,428 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Taw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 121 in 2016. That gives Taw a modern rank of #27,399.

What does the Taw surname mean?

Originally denoted someone from the river valleys of Hampshire, England.

What does the Taw map show?

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