NameCensus.

UK surname

Theodore

A surname derived from the Greek personal name Theodoros, meaning "gift of God."

In the 1881 census there were 124 people recorded with the Theodore surname, ranking it #17,429 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 270, ranked #15,913, up from #17,429 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Alberbury, Cardeston, Ford, Rowley Regis and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bridgend, South Kesteven and Basingstoke and Deane.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Theodore is 292 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 117.7%.

1881 census count

124

Ranked #17,429

Modern count

270

2016, ranked #15,913

Peak year

2014

292 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Theodore had 124 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,429 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 270 in 2016, ranked #15,913.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 142 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Theodore surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Theodore surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Theodore 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 80 #19,558
1861 historical 76 #24,114
1881 historical 124 #17,429
1891 historical 97 #24,447
1901 historical 126 #19,970
1911 historical 142 #18,487
1997 modern 222 #16,508
1998 modern 232 #16,508
1999 modern 235 #16,458
2000 modern 224 #16,934
2001 modern 220 #16,914
2002 modern 226 #16,939
2003 modern 233 #16,394
2004 modern 241 #16,086
2005 modern 252 #15,551
2006 modern 252 #15,642
2007 modern 261 #15,444
2008 modern 263 #15,505
2009 modern 266 #15,711
2010 modern 279 #15,529
2011 modern 266 #15,937
2012 modern 276 #15,427
2013 modern 285 #15,313
2014 modern 292 #15,129
2015 modern 282 #15,417
2016 modern 270 #15,913

Geography

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Where Theodores are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Alberbury, Cardeston, Ford, Rowley Regis, London parishes, Llanfair-Caereinion and Welshpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bridgend, South Kesteven, Basingstoke and Deane, Westminster and Wandsworth. 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 Alberbury, Cardeston, Ford Shropshire
2 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Llanfair-Caereinion Montgomeryshire
5 Welshpool Montgomeryshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bridgend 019 Bridgend
2 South Kesteven 015 South Kesteven
3 Basingstoke and Deane 003 Basingstoke and Deane
4 Westminster 024 Westminster
5 Wandsworth 001 Wandsworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Theodore

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Theodore

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Theodore surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Theodore 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Theodore is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Theodore 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

Theodore falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Theodore is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Theodore

The surname Theodore originated from the Greek name Theodoros, which is composed of the elements "theos" meaning God and "doron" meaning gift. The name was commonly used in ancient Greece and later in the Byzantine Empire. In its earliest forms, it was written as Θεοδωρος in Greek script.

During the medieval period, the name spread across Europe through the influence of the Byzantine Empire and the Eastern Orthodox Church. It was adopted by various ethnic groups, leading to variations in spelling such as Theodor, Teodor, and Fedor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Theodore as a surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landowners in England after the Norman Conquest. The entry "Teodric" appears, likely referring to an individual with a similar variation of the name.

In the 12th century, a notable bearer of the name was Theodore of Tarsus, an influential Archbishop of Canterbury from 668 to 690 AD. He played a crucial role in establishing the primacy of the See of Canterbury within the English Church.

Another prominent figure was Theodore the Studite, a Byzantine monk and theologian who lived from 759 to 826 AD. He was a staunch defender of the veneration of icons and is revered as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

During the Renaissance, Theodore de Bry (1528-1598) was a renowned Flemish engraver and publisher known for his detailed illustrations of the Americas and their indigenous peoples.

In the 19th century, Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) was the 26th President of the United States and a prominent political figure known for his conservation efforts and the Square Deal domestic program.

Another notable bearer was Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945), an American novelist and journalist who is considered one of the leading figures in the literary movement of naturalism with works such as "Sister Carrie" and "An American Tragedy."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Theodore families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Theodore 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. Montgomeryshire leads with 25 Theodores recorded in 1881 and an index of 90.22x.

County Total Index
Montgomeryshire 25 90.22x
Yorkshire 21 1.75x
Glamorgan 18 8.55x
Shropshire 9 8.61x
Staffordshire 8 1.96x
Carmarthenshire 7 13.73x
Merionethshire 6 27.11x
Cardiganshire 5 16.95x
Middlesex 5 0.41x
Surrey 5 0.85x
Northamptonshire 4 3.52x
Cheshire 2 0.75x
Hampshire 2 0.81x
Lancashire 2 0.14x
Sussex 2 0.98x
Cumberland 1 0.96x
Denbighshire 1 2.19x
Dorset 1 1.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Llanfair Caereinion in Montgomeryshire leads with 12 Theodores recorded in 1881 and an index of 1263.16x.

Place Total Index
Llanfair Caereinion 12 1263.16x
Neath 9 210.28x
Pool 9 430.62x
St John Near Swansea 8 307.69x
Knockin 7 6363.64x
Leeds 7 10.34x
Festiniog 6 128.48x
Rotherham 6 88.76x
Rowley Regis 6 52.72x
Llandyfriog 5 1515.15x
Wakefield 5 54.35x
Warkton 4 3636.36x
Llanelly 3 26.13x
Llanfihangel Abercowin 3 882.35x
Newington 3 6.71x
Brighton 2 4.86x
Guilden Sutton 2 2500.00x
Islington London 2 1.71x
Kinnerley 2 400.00x
Montgomery 2 408.16x
Portsea 2 4.12x
Seacroft 2 350.88x
Weston Under Lizard 2 1666.67x
Camberwell 1 1.29x
Clase 1 12.77x
Colne 1 23.36x
Holy Trinity 1 3.47x
Hornsey 1 6.54x
Llangeler 1 147.06x
Machynlleth 1 100.00x
Paddington London 1 2.25x
Penegoes 1 243.90x
Richmond 1 12.11x
Ruabon 1 15.92x
Sherborne 1 42.74x
St Cuthbert Within 1 82.64x
Toxteth Park 1 2.06x
Whitechapel London 1 8.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Sarah 10
Jane 7
Martha 4
Elizabeth 3
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Margaret 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
Gurtie 1
Gwing 1
Jenny 1
Latisha 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Miriam 1
Rose 1
Sharlotte 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
Thomas 6
Edward 5
William 5
David 3
Charles 2
Henry 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Alexander 1
Archibald 1
Basil 1
Cornelius 1
Evan 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Jabel 1
Jacques 1
Johnson 1
Joseph 1
Poston 1
Reid 1
Samuel 1
Somblin 1
Ted 1
Wilhelme 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Theodore surname: questions and answers

How common was the Theodore surname in 1881?

In 1881, 124 people were recorded with the Theodore surname. That placed it at #17,429 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Theodore surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 270 in 2016. That gives Theodore a modern rank of #15,913.

What does the Theodore surname mean?

A surname derived from the Greek personal name Theodoros, meaning "gift of God."

What does the Theodore map show?

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