NameCensus.

UK surname

Theobald

An Old Germanic surname derived from the elements "theud" meaning "people" and "bald" meaning "bold."

In the 1881 census there were 1,907 people recorded with the Theobald surname, ranking it #2,286 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,068, ranked #2,198, up from #2,286 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a and Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, Mid Suffolk and East Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Theobald is 3,413 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.9%.

1881 census count

1,907

Ranked #2,286

Modern count

3,068

2016, ranked #2,198

Peak year

1999

3,413 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Theobald had 1,907 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,286 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,068 in 2016, ranked #2,198.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,292 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Theobald surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Theobald surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Theobald 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 1,061 #2,640
1861 historical 1,009 #2,772
1881 historical 1,907 #2,286
1891 historical 2,400 #1,962
1901 historical 2,912 #1,924
1911 historical 3,292 #1,584
1997 modern 3,306 #1,949
1998 modern 3,372 #1,985
1999 modern 3,413 #1,985
2000 modern 3,400 #1,981
2001 modern 3,297 #1,997
2002 modern 3,326 #2,028
2003 modern 3,217 #2,041
2004 modern 3,202 #2,048
2005 modern 3,107 #2,079
2006 modern 3,075 #2,106
2007 modern 3,073 #2,131
2008 modern 3,090 #2,134
2009 modern 3,148 #2,146
2010 modern 3,204 #2,157
2011 modern 3,177 #2,148
2012 modern 3,076 #2,173
2013 modern 3,144 #2,167
2014 modern 3,171 #2,164
2015 modern 3,092 #2,182
2016 modern 3,068 #2,198

Geography

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Where Theobalds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a, Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, Mid Suffolk, East Cambridgeshire, South Norfolk and Caerphilly. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
4 Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew Suffolk
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 007 Babergh
2 Mid Suffolk 010 Mid Suffolk
3 East Cambridgeshire 007 East Cambridgeshire
4 South Norfolk 014 South Norfolk
5 Caerphilly 001 Caerphilly

Forenames

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First names often paired with Theobald

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Theobald

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Theobald 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

Theobald is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Theobald 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 Theobald 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 Theobald, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Theobald

The surname Theobald originated from the Germanic personal name Theodbald, composed of the elements theud (people) and bald (bold or brave). It first emerged in the region of Swabia, located in modern-day southwestern Germany, during the 8th century AD.

Theobald was a relatively common name among the Frankish nobility and aristocracy during the Carolingian period. One of the earliest recorded examples is Theobald of Langres, a Frankish nobleman who lived in the late 8th century and served as the Count of Langres.

The surname Theobald can also be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of lands and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of England. It appears as "Tedbaldus" and is listed among landholders in various counties, indicating that the name had spread beyond its Swabian origins.

During the Middle Ages, the name Theobald was particularly popular in England and France. Several prominent individuals bore this surname, including Theobald I, Count of Blois (995-1089), a powerful French nobleman and crusader, and Theobald of Cambridge (1160-1233), an English philosopher and theologian.

In the 13th century, Theobald of Navarre (1201-1270) was an influential figure in the history of France. He served as a powerful nobleman, regent, and later became the Count of Champagne and King of Navarre through his marriage to Queen Blanche of Navarre.

Another notable figure with the surname Theobald was Theobald Wolfe Tone (1763-1798), an Irish revolutionary and leader of the United Irishmen movement, who played a pivotal role in the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

Over time, the surname Theobald underwent various spelling variations, such as Thibault, Thibaut, Tebaldi, and Tebaldo, reflecting regional dialects and linguistic influences. It also gave rise to place names like Theobald's Park in Hertfordshire, England, and Thibault Creek in Louisiana, United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Theobald families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Theobald 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. Middlesex leads with 361 Theobalds recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.94x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 361 1.94x
Suffolk 359 15.85x
Essex 272 7.41x
Kent 218 3.44x
Surrey 176 1.94x
Lancashire 66 0.30x
Norfolk 55 1.92x
Wiltshire 47 2.86x
Yorkshire 45 0.24x
Berkshire 42 3.01x
Derbyshire 36 1.24x
Hampshire 31 0.81x
Gloucestershire 27 0.74x
Buckinghamshire 23 2.05x
Monmouthshire 21 1.56x
Warwickshire 18 0.38x
Hertfordshire 15 1.17x
Nottinghamshire 13 0.52x
Northamptonshire 11 0.63x
Oxfordshire 10 0.87x
Somerset 9 0.30x
Cambridgeshire 8 0.68x
Sussex 8 0.26x
Westmorland 7 1.71x
Staffordshire 6 0.10x
Bedfordshire 4 0.42x
Durham 3 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.81x
Lincolnshire 3 0.10x
Cheshire 2 0.05x
Royal Navy 2 0.90x
Devon 1 0.03x
Leicestershire 1 0.05x
Renfrewshire 1 0.07x
Shropshire 1 0.06x
Worcestershire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 51 Theobalds recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.29x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 51 4.29x
Islington London 46 2.55x
Long Melford 41 194.77x
St Marylebone London 36 3.63x
Sudbury St Gregory 30 165.29x
West Ham 26 3.21x
Lambeth 24 1.48x
Borley 23 1716.42x
Hackney London 23 2.21x
Shoreditch London 23 2.85x
Toxteth Park 23 3.08x
Mile End Old Town 22 7.50x
St Pancras London 21 1.40x
Colchester St Giles 20 55.16x
Boxted 19 1652.17x
Kensington London 19 1.84x
Assington 17 358.65x
Chelsea London 17 3.03x
Faversham 17 28.10x
Layer De La Hay 17 389.02x
Stanstead 17 711.30x
Lavenham 16 135.14x
East Mersea 15 837.99x
Helmingham 15 694.44x
Ipswich St Margaret 15 19.52x
Folkestone 14 11.38x
Leeds 14 1.35x
Somerton 14 1891.89x
Bermondsey 13 2.35x
Bury St Edmunds St James 13 21.49x
Chatham 13 7.45x
Margate St John Baptist 13 11.19x
Penge 13 10.95x
Tonbridge 13 5.68x
Barking 12 102.39x
Glemsford 12 75.47x
Purton 12 82.02x
Stanway 12 186.05x
Westminster St John 12 5.30x
Gooderstone 11 354.84x
Lexden 11 74.68x
Peldon 11 378.01x
Aldham 10 366.30x
Bures St Mary 10 181.16x
Eltham 10 26.90x
Enfield 10 8.20x
Ipswich St Clement 10 17.37x
Ockbrook 10 80.91x
South Benfleet 10 230.95x
Swindon 10 7.84x
Thorndon All Sts 10 245.70x
Bath St James 9 28.83x
Bulmer 9 203.16x
Clapham 9 3.87x
Friern Barnet 9 21.98x
Great Hampden 9 555.56x
Hilgay 9 83.72x
Holbrook 9 181.45x
Lewisham 9 2.66x
Mitcham 9 15.72x
Preston 9 1.52x
Stoke 9 247.93x
Sutton Courtney 9 156.25x
Wherstead 9 535.71x
Ashford 8 12.95x
Battersea 8 1.17x
Bethnal Green London 8 0.99x
Birmingham 8 0.51x
Bocking 8 36.25x
Caldicot 8 89.69x
Chale 8 184.76x
Combs 8 105.82x
Fulham London 8 2.97x
Manchester 8 0.81x
Paddington London 8 1.17x
Peterborough 8 6.32x
Skircoat 8 11.01x
Stebbing 8 112.52x
Westminster St James 8 4.19x
Barking 7 6.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 105
Elizabeth 70
Sarah 69
Ellen 41
Emma 34
Eliza 33
Annie 32
Alice 29
Jane 24
Ann 23
Emily 22
Louisa 22
Hannah 18
Caroline 17
Harriet 16
Maria 16
Agnes 14
Charlotte 14
Edith 14
Martha 14
Susan 14
Florence 13
Julia 13
Margaret 12
Fanny 11
Harriett 11
Kate 9
Lucy 9
Matilda 9
Ada 8
Anne 8
Eleanor 8
Esther 8
Amelia 7
Amy 7
Laura 7
Minnie 7
Anna 6
Catherine 6
Frances 6
Clara 5
Phoebe 5
Rachel 5
Rose 5
Susannah 5
Gertrude 4
Helen 4
Isabel 4
Ruth 4
Sophia 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 117
George 79
John 65
Charles 57
Thomas 50
Henry 49
James 38
Alfred 27
Arthur 25
Frederick 25
Edward 22
Walter 22
Joseph 20
Robert 20
Samuel 18
Harry 14
Frank 13
Albert 11
Richard 11
Herbert 9
Chas. 7
Ernest 7
Fredrick 7
Daniel 6
Edwin 6
David 5
Francis 5
Fred 5
Fredk. 5
Jacob 5
Stephen 5
Clement 4
Joshua 4
Josiah 4
Thos. 4
Benjamin 3
Edgar 3
Job 3
Percy 3
Peter 3
Robt. 3
Wm. 3
Earnest 2
Leonard 2
Lewis 2
Lionel 2
Louis 2
Maurice 2
Morley 2
Philip 2

FAQ

Theobald surname: questions and answers

How common was the Theobald surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,907 people were recorded with the Theobald surname. That placed it at #2,286 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Theobald surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,068 in 2016. That gives Theobald a modern rank of #2,198.

What does the Theobald surname mean?

An Old Germanic surname derived from the elements "theud" meaning "people" and "bald" meaning "bold."

What does the Theobald map show?

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