NameCensus.

UK surname

Thody

An anglicized version of the German surname "Theodor" or "Theodoric", meaning "people's ruler".

In the 1881 census there were 142 people recorded with the Thody surname, ranking it #16,012 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 134, ranked #25,636, down from #16,012 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bedford St Paul, Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton and Eaton Socon with Wyboston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bedford, North Hertfordshire and Guildford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thody is 189 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.6%.

1881 census count

142

Ranked #16,012

Modern count

134

2016, ranked #25,636

Peak year

1911

189 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thody had 142 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,012 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016, ranked #25,636.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 189 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Thody surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thody surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thody 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 100 #17,164
1861 historical 63 #25,901
1881 historical 142 #16,012
1891 historical 123 #20,939
1901 historical 151 #17,988
1911 historical 189 #15,488
1997 modern 165 #19,861
1998 modern 169 #20,104
1999 modern 167 #20,374
2000 modern 167 #20,332
2001 modern 164 #20,279
2002 modern 173 #20,043
2003 modern 174 #19,760
2004 modern 164 #20,609
2005 modern 167 #20,296
2006 modern 161 #20,972
2007 modern 158 #21,464
2008 modern 165 #21,056
2009 modern 158 #22,168
2010 modern 153 #23,175
2011 modern 143 #24,056
2012 modern 134 #25,059
2013 modern 139 #24,912
2014 modern 139 #25,093
2015 modern 136 #25,352
2016 modern 134 #25,636

Geography

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Where Thodys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bedford St Paul, Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton, Eaton Socon with Wyboston, Wyddiall, Throcking, Layston, Aspeden, Wakely, Westmill and Cardington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bedford, North Hertfordshire, Guildford and Milton Keynes. 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 Bedford St Paul Bedfordshire
2 Baldock, Willian, Weston, Clothall, Bygrave, Norton Hertfordshire
3 Eaton Socon with Wyboston Huntingdonshire
4 Wyddiall, Throcking, Layston, Aspeden, Wakely, Westmill Hertfordshire
5 Cardington Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bedford 012 Bedford
2 Bedford 011 Bedford
3 North Hertfordshire 015 North Hertfordshire
4 Guildford 004 Guildford
5 Milton Keynes 002 Milton Keynes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thody

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thody

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

Thody is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Thody

The surname Thody originates from England and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "theod," meaning people or nation, suggesting that the name may have initially referred to someone from a specific region or ethnic group.

The earliest recorded instance of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it is listed as Thodi. This document was a survey of landowners and their holdings, indicating that the Thody family had established roots in the area by that time.

In the 14th century, the name was found in various spellings, such as Thodi, Thodie, and Thodye, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling during that era. One notable example is John Thodie, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379.

The Thody surname has been linked to several place names in England, including Thody Grange in Lincolnshire and Thody Manor in Oxfordshire. These locations may have been named after early bearers of the surname or vice versa.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Thody was Robert Thody, born around 1450 in Oxfordshire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a magistrate in his local community.

During the 16th century, the surname gained prominence with the birth of William Thody (1510-1582), a renowned scholar and theologian. He authored several works on religious topics and served as a rector in various parishes across England.

In the 17th century, the Thody family produced notable figures like Sir Thomas Thody (1620-1692), a successful merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of London through his charitable works.

Another prominent individual was Anne Thody (1678-1748), a celebrated poet and writer whose works were widely acclaimed during her lifetime. Her collection of poems, "Reflections on Nature," was highly regarded in literary circles.

The 18th century saw the rise of John Thody (1725-1798), a celebrated architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including St. Paul's Cathedral and Somerset House.

Throughout its history, the Thody surname has been associated with various professions, including landowners, scholars, merchants, writers, and architects, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thody families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thody 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. Hertfordshire leads with 48 Thodys recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.28x.

County Total Index
Hertfordshire 48 50.28x
Bedfordshire 32 44.62x
Surrey 13 1.93x
Cambridgeshire 11 12.54x
Middlesex 10 0.72x
Norfolk 8 3.76x
Gloucestershire 6 2.21x
Cheshire 5 1.64x
Huntingdonshire 5 18.18x
Lancashire 3 0.18x
Suffolk 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cardington in Bedfordshire leads with 17 Thodys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2931.03x.

Place Total Index
Cardington 17 2931.03x
Stevenage 16 1081.08x
Baldock 11 1222.22x
Eaton Socon 10 884.96x
Penge 8 90.40x
Hertford St John 6 422.54x
Layston 6 1176.47x
Littleworth 6 2307.69x
Chatteris 5 223.21x
Monks Coppenhall 5 43.33x
Hampstead London 4 18.54x
Little Gidding 4 13333.33x
Rotherhithe 4 23.38x
St Andrewthe Great 4 353.98x
Clothall 3 1500.00x
Newton 3 23.68x
Scarning 3 937.50x
St Albans St Peter 3 93.17x
Bedford St Paul 2 40.65x
Hauxton 2 1666.67x
Islington London 2 1.49x
Mattishall Burgh 2 2857.14x
Sharnbrook 2 500.00x
South Lynn 2 83.33x
St Marylebone London 2 2.70x
Ware 2 72.99x
Bedford St Peter 1 53.76x
Croydon 1 2.67x
Hatfield 1 51.55x
Ipswich St Lawrence 1 434.78x
Newton By Castleacre 1 3333.33x
Paddington London 1 1.96x
St Andrew Holborn 1 21.28x
St Ives 1 69.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 8
Elizabeth 6
Mary 5
Elizth. 4
Margaret 4
Ann 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Francis 2
Louisa 2
Minnie 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Annie 1
Bessie 1
Dorcas 1
E. 1
Easter 1
Edith 1
Emmalina 1
Emmeline 1
Harriet 1
Jamima 1
Lizzie 1
Lizzy 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Nora 1
Priscilla 1
Rebecca 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 13
William 11
Charles 5
John 4
Joseph 4
Thomas 4
Alfred 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
James 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Allan 1
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
Thos. 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Thody surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thody surname in 1881?

In 1881, 142 people were recorded with the Thody surname. That placed it at #16,012 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thody surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016. That gives Thody a modern rank of #25,636.

What does the Thody surname mean?

An anglicized version of the German surname "Theodor" or "Theodoric", meaning "people's ruler".

What does the Thody map show?

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