NameCensus.

UK surname

Thwaites

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a clearing or thwaite.

In the 1881 census there were 1,798 people recorded with the Thwaites surname, ranking it #2,417 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,358, ranked #2,777, down from #2,417 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Bolton-le-Moors. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Eden and Stockton-on-Tees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thwaites is 2,544 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.1%.

1881 census count

1,798

Ranked #2,417

Modern count

2,358

2016, ranked #2,777

Peak year

1999

2,544 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thwaites had 1,798 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,417 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,358 in 2016, ranked #2,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,506 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Thwaites surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thwaites surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thwaites 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 916 #3,010
1861 historical 902 #3,070
1881 historical 1,798 #2,417
1891 historical 1,859 #2,477
1901 historical 2,441 #2,230
1911 historical 2,506 #2,050
1997 modern 2,401 #2,610
1998 modern 2,516 #2,598
1999 modern 2,544 #2,591
2000 modern 2,511 #2,607
2001 modern 2,479 #2,582
2002 modern 2,517 #2,601
2003 modern 2,406 #2,651
2004 modern 2,431 #2,631
2005 modern 2,380 #2,647
2006 modern 2,369 #2,656
2007 modern 2,409 #2,650
2008 modern 2,426 #2,646
2009 modern 2,429 #2,705
2010 modern 2,483 #2,713
2011 modern 2,440 #2,723
2012 modern 2,357 #2,754
2013 modern 2,396 #2,761
2014 modern 2,400 #2,767
2015 modern 2,399 #2,749
2016 modern 2,358 #2,777

Geography

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Where Thwaites' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Bolton-le-Moors and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Eden, Stockton-on-Tees and Richmondshire. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 012 Allerdale
2 Eden 006 Eden
3 Eden 007 Eden
4 Stockton-on-Tees 012 Stockton-on-Tees
5 Richmondshire 006 Richmondshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thwaites

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thwaites

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

Thwaites 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

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

Meaning and origin of Thwaites

The surname Thwaites is of English origin, and it is derived from the Old English word "thwait," which means a clearing or a meadow. The name was first recorded in the northern counties of England, particularly in Lancashire and Yorkshire, during the early medieval period.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Thwaites can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Thoueit" or "Thuait." This indicates that the name was already in use before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

In the 12th and 13th centuries, the surname appeared in various forms, such as "Thwait," "Thwayt," and "Thwayth." These variations reflect the different regional pronunciations and spelling conventions of the time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Thwaites was William de Thwaites, who lived in Lancashire in the late 13th century. He is mentioned in several legal documents from that period.

The surname Thwaites is also associated with several place names in northern England, such as Thwaites Brow in Yorkshire and Thwaites Close in Lancashire. These place names likely originated from the Old English word "thwait," referring to the clearings or meadows in those areas.

Another notable individual with the surname Thwaites was Sir John Thwaites (1615-1672), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament and held the position of Attorney General during the reign of Charles II.

In the 18th century, William Thwaites (1722-1809) was a renowned English sculptor and woodcarver. He is known for his intricate carvings on various churches and buildings in Yorkshire.

During the 19th century, Edward Thwaites (1815-1900) was a prominent English brewer and industrialist. He founded the Thwaites Brewery in Blackburn, Lancashire, which became one of the largest breweries in the region.

Another individual of note was Sir Daniel Thwaites (1878-1952), a British businessman and philanthropist. He was the chairman of the Thwaites Brewery and played a significant role in the development of the brewing industry in Lancashire.

These examples illustrate the long history and widespread usage of the surname Thwaites, particularly in the northern counties of England, where it originated from the Old English word "thwait," referring to clearings or meadows.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thwaites families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thwaites 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. Yorkshire leads with 406 Thwaites' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.35x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 406 2.35x
Lancashire 258 1.25x
Middlesex 250 1.43x
Durham 198 3.81x
Sussex 114 3.87x
Cumberland 113 7.52x
Westmorland 106 27.64x
Surrey 63 0.74x
Kent 55 0.92x
Norfolk 41 1.53x
Northumberland 34 1.31x
Northamptonshire 19 1.16x
Hampshire 17 0.48x
Bedfordshire 16 1.77x
Suffolk 14 0.66x
Warwickshire 13 0.30x
Cheshire 12 0.31x
Wiltshire 9 0.58x
Somerset 8 0.28x
Midlothian 6 0.26x
Shropshire 6 0.40x
Glamorgan 5 0.16x
Gloucestershire 5 0.15x
Lincolnshire 5 0.18x
Essex 3 0.09x
Staffordshire 3 0.05x
Berkshire 2 0.15x
Hertfordshire 2 0.17x
Ayrshire 1 0.08x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.14x
Channel Islands 1 0.19x
Denbighshire 1 0.15x
Devon 1 0.03x
Dorset 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 36 Thwaites' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.56x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 36 2.56x
Kendal 34 48.43x
Penrith 34 61.25x
Leeds 29 2.97x
Hackney London 27 2.76x
Stockton On Tees 26 10.39x
Brighton 23 3.87x
Islington London 23 1.36x
St Giles 22 67.88x
Great Bolton 21 7.66x
Richmond 21 77.72x
Kirkleatham 20 85.65x
Elvet 19 50.69x
Holy Trinity 18 4.33x
St Marylebone London 18 1.93x
Crossgate 17 74.89x
Elswick 17 8.20x
Bethnal Green London 16 2.11x
Blackburn 16 2.90x
Halifax 16 6.30x
Hastings St Clement 16 57.78x
Monkwearmouth Shore 16 15.79x
Bury 15 6.34x
West Derby 15 2.48x
Church Coniston 14 240.96x
St George Hanover 14 6.15x
Warton With Lindeth 14 161.10x
Hampstead London 13 4.78x
Hastings St Mary In The 13 20.71x
Thornton In Bradford 13 22.58x
Batley 12 7.30x
Eastbourne 12 8.86x
Gateshead 12 3.09x
Habergham Eaves 12 6.34x
Halliwell 12 15.92x
Huddersfield 12 4.76x
Kirkby Malzeard 12 316.62x
Preston 12 2.17x
Keswick 11 57.26x
Newby 11 753.42x
Camberwell 10 0.90x
Hastings St Mary 10 13.66x
Ilkley 10 35.39x
Masham 10 156.25x
Plumstead 10 5.04x
Shadwell 10 151.98x
St Luke London 10 3.57x
Thornaby 10 15.48x
Bermondsey 9 1.73x
Bishop Auckland 9 12.92x
Daventry 9 38.76x
Keighley 9 4.88x
Manchester 9 0.97x
Mile End Old Town 9 3.27x
Old Hutton Holmescales 9 394.74x
Poplar London 9 2.73x
Accrington 8 4.25x
Appleby St Michael 8 92.81x
Barnsley 8 4.49x
Bedford St Paul 8 12.91x
Crosby On Eden 8 340.43x
Doncaster 8 6.33x
Great Lever 8 36.41x
Horton In Bradford 8 2.96x
Kyo 8 32.73x
Liverpool 8 0.64x
Lowestoft 8 7.97x
Minster In Sheppey 8 8.11x
Monkwearmouth 8 16.10x
Norwich St Swithin 8 172.41x
Shoreditch London 8 1.06x
Westminster St 8 12.43x
Battersea 7 1.09x
Bexhill 7 47.72x
Boltby 7 384.62x
Cobham 7 50.18x
Paddington London 7 1.09x
Sheffield 7 1.27x
Weedon Beck 7 59.52x
Yeadon 7 17.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 126
William 112
Thomas 64
George 59
James 50
Joseph 46
Henry 31
Charles 29
Robert 22
Frederick 19
Edward 18
Arthur 17
Richard 17
Christopher 14
Alfred 13
Albert 9
Ernest 9
Harry 9
Walter 9
Samuel 7
Isaac 6
Percy 6
Frank 5
Herbert 5
Ralph 5
Wm. 5
Alexander 4
Benjamin 4
Daniel 4
David 4
Edwin 4
Robt. 4
Stephen 4
Watson 4
Adam 3
Francis 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
Bertie 2
Fred. 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Horace 2
Joe 2
Joshua 2
Lewis 2
Mathew 2
Sidney 2
Simon 2

FAQ

Thwaites surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thwaites surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,798 people were recorded with the Thwaites surname. That placed it at #2,417 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thwaites surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,358 in 2016. That gives Thwaites a modern rank of #2,777.

What does the Thwaites surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a clearing or thwaite.

What does the Thwaites map show?

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