NameCensus.

UK surname

Treadwell

An English occupational surname referring to someone who worked at a treadmill or a fulling mill.

In the 1881 census there were 780 people recorded with the Treadwell surname, ranking it #4,753 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,242, ranked #4,801, down from #4,753 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Northfleet, Southfleet and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth and Neath Port Talbot.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Treadwell is 1,363 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.2%.

1881 census count

780

Ranked #4,753

Modern count

1,242

2016, ranked #4,801

Peak year

1998

1,363 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Treadwell had 780 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,753 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,242 in 2016, ranked #4,801.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,181 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Treadwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Treadwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Treadwell 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 402 #6,020
1861 historical 466 #5,573
1881 historical 780 #4,753
1891 historical 875 #4,702
1901 historical 1,081 #4,470
1911 historical 1,181 #3,966
1997 modern 1,286 #4,434
1998 modern 1,363 #4,370
1999 modern 1,337 #4,477
2000 modern 1,326 #4,491
2001 modern 1,317 #4,442
2002 modern 1,303 #4,559
2003 modern 1,268 #4,578
2004 modern 1,260 #4,614
2005 modern 1,221 #4,686
2006 modern 1,220 #4,711
2007 modern 1,242 #4,683
2008 modern 1,247 #4,693
2009 modern 1,251 #4,772
2010 modern 1,297 #4,712
2011 modern 1,262 #4,780
2012 modern 1,238 #4,788
2013 modern 1,290 #4,683
2014 modern 1,293 #4,698
2015 modern 1,258 #4,770
2016 modern 1,242 #4,801

Geography

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Where Treadwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Northfleet, Southfleet, London parishes and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Neath Port Talbot and Christchurch. 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 Northfleet Kent
2 Southfleet Kent
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Warwickshire 005 North Warwickshire
2 North Warwickshire 003 North Warwickshire
3 Nuneaton and Bedworth 007 Nuneaton and Bedworth
4 Neath Port Talbot 004 Neath Port Talbot
5 Christchurch 005 Christchurch

Forenames

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First names often paired with Treadwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Treadwell

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

Treadwell is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Treadwell

The surname Treadwell is of English origin, originating from the Old English words 'trod', meaning a path or track, and 'well', referring to a spring or source of water. It likely originated as a topographic name, identifying someone who lived near a well-trodden path or track leading to a water source.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the late 12th century, with references found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire and the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from the late 1100s and early 1200s, respectively. These early records suggest the name may have first emerged in these areas of central and eastern England.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a landowner named Tredewelle is mentioned as holding lands in Berkshire, which could be an early spelling variation of the name Treadwell. This indicates the name's presence in southern England during the Norman period.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Treadwell was John Treadwell, who was born around 1415 in Balsham, Cambridgeshire. Another early bearer of the name was William Treadwell, born circa 1490 in Oxfordshire.

In the 16th century, the Treadwell family established themselves in the county of Essex, with records showing the marriage of Thomas Treadwell and Elizabeth Warde in 1558 in Great Waltham, Essex. This branch of the Treadwell family later produced notable figures such as John Treadwell (1609-1672), who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1667.

In the 17th century, the Treadwell surname spread to the American colonies, with Thomas Treadwell (1609-1672) being one of the earliest Treadwells to settle in Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s. His descendants went on to become prominent citizens in various parts of New England.

Other notable individuals with the surname Treadwell include Daniel Treadwell (1791-1872), an American inventor and mechanical engineer who patented several innovations in the textile industry, and Moses Treadwell (1768-1833), a Massachusetts politician and jurist who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Treadwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Treadwell 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. Kent leads with 119 Treadwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.58x.

County Total Index
Kent 119 4.58x
Warwickshire 109 5.67x
Middlesex 107 1.40x
Surrey 76 2.05x
Staffordshire 66 2.57x
Oxfordshire 64 13.60x
Berkshire 51 8.92x
Buckinghamshire 41 8.90x
Lancashire 23 0.25x
Essex 20 1.33x
Leicestershire 16 1.89x
Yorkshire 16 0.21x
Northamptonshire 10 1.40x
Sussex 10 0.78x
Derbyshire 9 0.75x
Wiltshire 9 1.34x
Herefordshire 7 2.24x
Worcestershire 7 0.70x
Gloucestershire 6 0.40x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.29x
Bedfordshire 2 0.51x
Royal Navy 2 2.20x
Suffolk 2 0.22x
Cheshire 1 0.06x
Durham 1 0.04x
Flintshire 1 0.49x
Hertfordshire 1 0.19x
Shropshire 1 0.15x
Somerset 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 29 Treadwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.37x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 29 4.37x
Paddington London 28 10.00x
West Bromwich 28 19.02x
Northfleet 26 113.54x
Southfleet 25 1037.34x
Birmingham 24 3.75x
Sutton Courtney 22 932.20x
Sheepy Parva 15 6521.74x
West Ham 15 4.52x
Aston 14 2.65x
Rotherfield Greys 14 281.12x
Childrey 12 888.89x
Kingswinford 12 12.85x
St Marylebone London 12 2.95x
Islington London 11 1.49x
Leamington Priors 11 23.27x
Tipton 11 13.97x
Dartford 10 37.62x
Camberwell 9 1.85x
Streatham 9 15.92x
Willesden 9 12.53x
Edgbaston 8 13.43x
Milton In Gravesend 8 20.52x
Shalstone 8 1632.65x
Tetsworth 8 714.29x
Upper Winchendon 8 1632.65x
Warwick St Mary 8 47.96x
Battersea 7 2.50x
Chelsea London 7 3.05x
Datchet 7 222.22x
Hartshill 7 489.51x
Manchester 7 1.72x
Orpington 7 87.94x
Stanford In Vale 7 308.37x
Westbury 7 44.50x
Bloxham 6 130.15x
Handborough 6 237.15x
Hornsey 6 6.23x
Ightham 6 183.49x
Newborough 6 352.94x
Oldham 6 2.06x
Preston 6 2.48x
Shoreditch London 6 1.82x
Tonbridge 6 6.40x
Winslow 6 138.25x
Boughton Under Blean 5 114.94x
Epwell 5 735.29x
Erith 5 19.52x
Essington 5 147.49x
Longfield 5 581.40x
Much Dewchurch 5 337.84x
Newington 5 1.78x
Shipbourne 5 378.79x
St George Hanover 5 5.03x
Whitnash 5 450.45x
Bermondsey 4 1.76x
Beverley St Nicholas 4 64.62x
Brighton 4 1.54x
Chackmore 4 909.09x
Cookham 4 22.43x
Egham 4 17.55x
Grendon 4 243.90x
Harrow On The Hill 4 26.28x
Kingston On Thames 4 4.49x
Lighthorne 4 425.53x
Newton 4 5.74x
Twyford 4 273.97x
Wardington 4 248.45x
Weddington 4 1904.76x
Wheatfield 4 1538.46x
Wolston Marston 4 277.78x
Brightside Bierlow 3 2.03x
Coventry St Michael 3 4.86x
Dorchester 3 113.64x
Ilam 3 555.56x
Nettlebed 3 173.41x
Nottingham St Mary 3 1.13x
Pyrton 3 202.70x
Stoke Newington London 3 5.06x
Warwick St Nicholas 3 21.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 55
Elizabeth 35
Sarah 29
Alice 19
Annie 19
Eliza 18
Ellen 15
Emily 15
Ann 12
Jane 10
Catherine 9
Emma 9
Hannah 9
Maria 7
Caroline 6
Amelia 5
Fanny 5
Harriet 5
Kate 5
Louisa 5
Ada 4
Anne 4
Ethel 4
Florence 4
Agnes 3
Charlotte 3
Harriett 3
Lucy 3
Lydia 3
Margaret 3
Martha 3
Minnie 3
Clara 2
Elizh. 2
Helen 2
Jessie 2
Lizzie 2
Matilda 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Rosetta 2
Sophia 2
Susannah 2
Charlott 1
Eth. 1
Eveleyne 1
Kezia 1
Lavinia 1
Lizie 1
Zenobe 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 61
John 41
George 33
James 31
Henry 20
Charles 18
Thomas 14
Alfred 13
Joseph 13
Harry 12
Edward 10
Richard 10
Walter 10
Arthur 8
Albert 7
Frank 7
Francis 6
Frederick 6
Samuel 4
Benjamin 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Fredrick 3
Herbert 3
Dixson 2
Edmund 2
Isaac 2
Job 2
Saml. 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Amos 1
Chas. 1
Clarence 1
Claude 1
Dickson 1
Dixion 1
Dixon 1
Elias 1
Emily 1
Ephraim 1
Eric 1
Gabriel 1
Jas.J. 1
Jeffery 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Sydney 1
Wm.F. 1

FAQ

Treadwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Treadwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 780 people were recorded with the Treadwell surname. That placed it at #4,753 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Treadwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,242 in 2016. That gives Treadwell a modern rank of #4,801.

What does the Treadwell surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who worked at a treadmill or a fulling mill.

What does the Treadwell map show?

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