NameCensus.

UK surname

Twaddle

A surname indicating the bearer was known for idle or foolish talk.

In the 1881 census there were 316 people recorded with the Twaddle surname, ranking it #9,375 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 342, ranked #13,398, down from #9,375 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Sanquhar and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gourock Upper and West Central and Upper Larkfield, Arbroath Kirkton and Hillhouse.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Twaddle is 417 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.2%.

1881 census count

316

Ranked #9,375

Modern count

342

2016, ranked #13,398

Peak year

1901

417 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Twaddle had 316 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,375 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 342 in 2016, ranked #13,398.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 417 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Twaddle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Twaddle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Twaddle 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 259 #8,550
1861 historical 236 #10,393
1881 historical 316 #9,375
1891 historical 359 #9,635
1901 historical 417 #9,212
1911 historical 56 #27,216
1997 modern 329 #12,734
1998 modern 328 #13,100
1999 modern 330 #13,125
2000 modern 344 #12,722
2001 modern 329 #12,921
2002 modern 343 #12,803
2003 modern 328 #13,026
2004 modern 320 #13,311
2005 modern 332 #12,881
2006 modern 323 #13,205
2007 modern 321 #13,403
2008 modern 324 #13,437
2009 modern 334 #13,409
2010 modern 339 #13,523
2011 modern 329 #13,694
2012 modern 341 #13,217
2013 modern 350 #13,186
2014 modern 352 #13,206
2015 modern 342 #13,396
2016 modern 342 #13,398

Geography

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Where Twaddles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Sanquhar, Glasgow, Monkwearmouth (Fulwell), Jarrow (Monkton and Jarrow) and Carluke. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gourock Upper and West Central and Upper Larkfield, Arbroath Kirkton, Hillhouse, Newcastle upon Tyne and Shawfield and Clincarthill. 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 Hamilton Lanark
2 Sanquhar Dumfries
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Monkwearmouth (Fulwell), Jarrow (Monkton and Jarrow) Durham
5 Carluke Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gourock Upper and West Central and Upper Larkfield Inverclyde
2 Arbroath Kirkton Angus
3 Hillhouse South Lanarkshire
4 Newcastle upon Tyne 006 Newcastle upon Tyne
5 Shawfield and Clincarthill South Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Twaddle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Twaddle

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Twaddle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Twaddle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Twaddle 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

Twaddle 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

Twaddle falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Twaddle is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Twaddle

The surname Twaddle has its roots in the northern English county of Yorkshire, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "twaddel," which meant a small bundle or faggot of sticks. This term was likely used as a nickname for a woodsman or someone who dealt with firewood.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Twaddle can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a John Twaddell is listed as a resident of the village of Bingley. The name also appears in various other medieval records from the region, with spellings such as Twaddill, Twadill, and Twaydell.

In the 16th century, the Twaddle family had established a presence in the nearby city of Leeds. Historical documents from this period mention a William Twaddle, a merchant and freeman of Leeds, who lived from around 1540 to 1612. Another notable figure was Robert Twaddle, a yeoman farmer from the village of Otley, who was born in 1578 and died in 1648.

The name Twaddle has been linked to several place names in Yorkshire, such as Twaddles Farm near Ripley and Twaddle Bridge in the town of Skipton. These place names likely originated from the Twaddle families who once lived or owned land in those areas.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, some members of the Twaddle family migrated to other parts of England and Scotland. One prominent individual was Thomas Twaddle (1658-1735), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1728.

Another notable figure was John Twaddle (1786-1858), a Scottish-born industrialist and entrepreneur who established successful cotton mills and ironworks in Lancashire, England. His business ventures played a significant role in the Industrial Revolution.

As the centuries passed, the Twaddle surname spread beyond its Yorkshire roots, with families bearing the name found in various parts of the United Kingdom and even in North America and other parts of the world. However, its origins can be traced back to the northern English county and the Old English term for a bundle of sticks.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Twaddle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Twaddle 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. Lanarkshire leads with 173 Twaddles recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.58x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 173 17.58x
Durham 35 3.87x
Northumberland 22 4.86x
Renfrewshire 22 9.33x
Surrey 9 0.61x
Dunbartonshire 8 9.78x
Lancashire 8 0.22x
Ayrshire 7 3.07x
Norfolk 7 1.50x
Berwickshire 3 8.14x
Midlothian 3 0.74x
West Lothian 3 6.55x
Yorkshire 3 0.10x
Cumberland 2 0.76x
Inverness-shire 2 2.20x
Hertfordshire 1 0.48x
Peeblesshire 1 6.98x
Perthshire 1 0.73x
Stirlingshire 1 0.89x
Wigtownshire 1 2.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 30 Twaddles recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.16x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 30 17.16x
Barony 21 8.43x
Lesmahagow 20 192.12x
Dalziel 19 179.41x
Carmunnock 18 2368.42x
Govan 15 6.16x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 14 35.70x
Carluke 13 145.41x
Port Glasgow 13 114.04x
Chirton 12 117.07x
New Monkland 11 37.80x
Cambusnethan 9 41.17x
Hamilton 8 29.14x
Witton Gilbert 7 196.08x
Collierley 6 148.88x
Bedlington 5 33.07x
Camberwell 5 2.57x
Kilwinning 5 67.93x
Liverpool 5 2.28x
Stockton On Tees 5 11.45x
West Greenock 5 11.81x
Battersea 4 3.57x
Cardross 4 40.73x
Great Yarmouth 4 10.32x
Longbenton 4 20.86x
Stonehouse 4 119.76x
Bathgate 3 30.15x
Earlston 3 162.16x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 1.83x
Linthorpe 3 16.67x
Norwich St Michael At 3 110.70x
Roseneath 3 191.08x
Bishopwearmouth 2 2.57x
Cathcart 2 15.67x
East Kilbride 2 47.39x
Eastwood 2 13.76x
Everton 2 1.74x
New Cumnock 2 50.63x
Portree 2 59.52x
Brandon Byshottles 1 8.82x
Campsie 1 16.23x
Crawford 1 54.35x
Crosscanonby 1 11.53x
Culter 1 166.67x
Eddleston 1 135.14x
Hertford St Andrew 1 38.61x
Inch 1 25.38x
Kilmadock 1 31.85x
Lanark 1 12.63x
New Kilpatrick 1 12.85x
St Bees 1 82.64x
Walton On Hill 1 5.11x
Westgate 1 3.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Elizabeth 7
Jane 4
Margaret 3
Isabella 2
Sarah 2
Susan 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Hannah 1
Josina 1
Maggie 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Maryann 1
Meggie 1
Thersea 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Twaddle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Twaddle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 316 people were recorded with the Twaddle surname. That placed it at #9,375 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Twaddle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 342 in 2016. That gives Twaddle a modern rank of #13,398.

What does the Twaddle surname mean?

A surname indicating the bearer was known for idle or foolish talk.

What does the Twaddle map show?

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