NameCensus.

UK surname

Tidswell

A surname derived from a locality name, possibly referring to a well or stream.

In the 1881 census there were 724 people recorded with the Tidswell surname, ranking it #5,039 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 694, ranked #7,758, down from #5,039 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Calverley, Halifax and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, South Holland and North East Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tidswell is 963 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.1%.

1881 census count

724

Ranked #5,039

Modern count

694

2016, ranked #7,758

Peak year

1911

963 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tidswell had 724 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,039 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 694 in 2016, ranked #7,758.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 963 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Tidswell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tidswell surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tidswell 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 487 #5,127
1861 historical 434 #5,933
1881 historical 724 #5,039
1891 historical 729 #5,434
1901 historical 910 #5,099
1911 historical 963 #4,691
1997 modern 703 #7,229
1998 modern 719 #7,320
1999 modern 723 #7,342
2000 modern 731 #7,251
2001 modern 709 #7,299
2002 modern 719 #7,355
2003 modern 719 #7,230
2004 modern 714 #7,273
2005 modern 688 #7,453
2006 modern 688 #7,468
2007 modern 692 #7,491
2008 modern 695 #7,529
2009 modern 707 #7,585
2010 modern 713 #7,667
2011 modern 711 #7,606
2012 modern 696 #7,638
2013 modern 714 #7,617
2014 modern 731 #7,530
2015 modern 706 #7,671
2016 modern 694 #7,758

Geography

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Where Tidswells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Calverley, Halifax, Manchester, Bradford and Keighley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, South Holland, North East Lincolnshire, Flintshire and Craven. 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 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 031 Bradford
2 South Holland 007 South Holland
3 North East Lincolnshire 020 North East Lincolnshire
4 Flintshire 001 Flintshire
5 Craven 007 Craven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tidswell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tidswell

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Tidswell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tidswell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Tidswell 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

Tidswell is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tidswell falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tidswell 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 Tidswell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Tidswell

The surname Tidswell is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is thought to derive from a place name, possibly a combination of the Old English words "tid" meaning time or season, and "well" referring to a water source or spring. This suggests the name may have originated in an area where there was a well or spring that flowed seasonally or at certain times.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tidswell can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a John Tydeswell. The spelling variations at the time included Tyddeswell, Tydswell, and Tiddeswell, reflecting the evolution of the name over time.

In the 15th century, there are records of a Thomas Tidswell who was a landowner in Gloucestershire, born around 1420. His descendants may have carried the name further into the following centuries.

The Tidswell name also appears in historical documents from the county of Shropshire, where a Richard Tidswell is mentioned in the Feet of Fines records from 1563. This suggests the family had established roots in multiple regions of England by the 16th century.

One notable figure with the surname Tidswell was John Tidswell, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol during the 17th century. Born in 1632, he served as Mayor of Bristol in 1689 and was involved in the local governance and trade of the city.

Another individual of note was William Tidswell, a clergyman and academic who lived from 1705 to 1788. He was educated at Oxford University and served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Nottinghamshire for several decades.

In the 19th century, a prominent Tidswell family resided in the town of Chesterfield, Derbyshire. Samuel Tidswell (1796-1874) was a successful businessman and landowner, while his son Joseph Tidswell (1828-1902) followed in his footsteps as a notable figure in the local community.

Throughout its history, the Tidswell surname has maintained its roots in various regions of England, with families bearing the name scattered across counties such as Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Shropshire, Bristol, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tidswell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tidswell 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 476 Tidswells recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.86x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 476 6.86x
Lancashire 112 1.35x
Middlesex 25 0.36x
Lincolnshire 21 1.88x
Cheshire 17 1.10x
Staffordshire 15 0.63x
Essex 12 0.87x
Caernarfonshire 6 2.12x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.64x
Surrey 6 0.18x
Leicestershire 5 0.64x
Derbyshire 4 0.36x
Northumberland 4 0.38x
Hampshire 3 0.21x
Bedfordshire 2 0.55x
Gloucestershire 2 0.15x
Berkshire 1 0.19x
Northamptonshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Thornton In Bradford in Yorkshire leads with 73 Tidswells recorded in 1881 and an index of 316.02x.

Place Total Index
Thornton In Bradford 73 316.02x
Halifax 47 46.13x
Ovenden 44 142.44x
Northowram 34 69.86x
Leeds 29 7.40x
Manningham 29 33.92x
Pudsey 27 72.78x
Manchester 21 5.62x
Bradford 16 9.52x
Bingley 15 33.94x
North Meols 15 18.44x
Haworth 14 84.85x
Langfield 14 115.32x
Barton Upon Irwell 13 20.78x
Walthamstow 12 24.12x
Heaton 11 147.45x
Horton In Bradford 11 10.15x
Brinnington 10 69.25x
Pendleton In Salford 10 10.10x
Allerton 8 90.40x
Bowling 8 11.64x
Bradford 8 20.57x
Bridlington 8 50.35x
Tetney 8 414.51x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 3.85x
Gomersal 7 21.60x
Keighley 7 9.46x
Liversedge 7 22.65x
Oldham 7 2.61x
Stoke Upon Trent 7 2.79x
Gorton 6 7.68x
Holbeck 6 13.05x
Hollinsclough 6 714.29x
Llanberis 6 82.30x
Sowerby In Halifax 6 26.44x
St George Hanover 6 6.56x
Camberwell 5 1.12x
Drighlington 5 49.46x
Erringden 5 111.61x
Hunslet 5 4.62x
Rudheath 5 409.84x
Shipley 5 13.88x
Spalding 5 22.50x
Ardwick 4 5.34x
Calverley Cum Farsley 4 20.29x
Clerkenwell London 4 2.42x
Elswick 4 4.81x
Great Little Marsden 4 10.51x
Hampsthwaite 4 363.64x
Holmesfield 4 338.98x
Hucknall Under 4 82.14x
Kensington London 4 1.03x
Surfleet 4 171.67x
Warley 4 19.94x
Baildon 3 22.95x
Broughton In Salford 3 3.95x
Knighton 3 68.49x
Rastrick 3 15.56x
Skidbrook 3 303.03x
Skircoat 3 10.96x
St George Martyr 3 25.40x
Ulverston 3 12.39x
Burley In Wharfdale 2 32.63x
Clayton 2 11.77x
Frampton On Severn 2 86.58x
Kildwick 2 31.65x
Leicester St Margaret 2 1.06x
Livesey 2 13.71x
Luton 2 3.19x
Mile End Old Town 2 1.81x
Nottingham St Mary 2 0.82x
Portsea 2 0.71x
Poulton Barre 2 21.14x
Shoreditch London 2 0.66x
St Marylebone London 2 0.53x
Stockport 2 2.51x
Wakefield 2 3.75x
Armley 1 3.27x
Heaton Norris 1 2.11x
Northampton All Sts 1 4.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 64
Sarah 44
Elizabeth 32
Ann 16
Annie 12
Hannah 12
Eliza 11
Martha 11
Emma 9
Jane 9
Emily 8
Lucy 6
Alice 5
Harriet 5
Ellen 4
Fanny 4
Maria 4
Rebecca 4
Ada 3
Amelia 3
Amy 3
Florance 3
Grace 3
Nancy 3
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Constance 2
Eleanor 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Helen 2
Katharine 2
Lily 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Minnie 2
Phoebe 2
Priscilla 2
Rose 2
Susannah 2
Agness 1
Caroline 1
Cicsly 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Emely 1
Esther 1
Laura 1
Leah 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 50
William 36
James 26
Joseph 23
Thomas 23
George 14
Arthur 11
Henry 8
Charles 7
Fred 7
Robert 7
Harry 6
Alfred 5
Edward 5
Frederick 5
Albert 4
Benjamin 4
Frank 4
Samuel 4
Tom 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
David 3
Edwin 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Sam 3
Abraham 2
Fredrick 2
Horace 2
Isaac 2
Jarvis 2
Jas. 2
Jonas 2
Allen 1
Andrew 1
B. 1
Ben 1
Brooke 1
C. 1
Daniel 1
E. 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Eli 1
Elliot 1
Ernest 1
Harnish 1
Holmes 1
Holroyd 1

FAQ

Tidswell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tidswell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 724 people were recorded with the Tidswell surname. That placed it at #5,039 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tidswell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 694 in 2016. That gives Tidswell a modern rank of #7,758.

What does the Tidswell surname mean?

A surname derived from a locality name, possibly referring to a well or stream.

What does the Tidswell map show?

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