NameCensus.

UK surname

Tweed

A textile pattern or fabric originating from the Scottish Borders, traditionally woven from wool.

In the 1881 census there were 693 people recorded with the Tweed surname, ranking it #5,229 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,153, ranked #5,122, up from #5,229 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Moulton, London parishes and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bassetlaw, Northampton and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tweed is 1,197 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 66.4%.

1881 census count

693

Ranked #5,229

Modern count

1,153

2016, ranked #5,122

Peak year

2010

1,197 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tweed had 693 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,229 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,153 in 2016, ranked #5,122.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 875 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Tweed surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tweed surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tweed 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 442 #5,570
1861 historical 440 #5,862
1881 historical 693 #5,229
1891 historical 714 #5,514
1901 historical 813 #5,549
1911 historical 875 #5,082
1997 modern 1,129 #4,962
1998 modern 1,182 #4,940
1999 modern 1,190 #4,966
2000 modern 1,189 #4,945
2001 modern 1,139 #5,031
2002 modern 1,157 #5,070
2003 modern 1,143 #5,021
2004 modern 1,163 #4,948
2005 modern 1,116 #5,078
2006 modern 1,116 #5,080
2007 modern 1,113 #5,133
2008 modern 1,121 #5,138
2009 modern 1,157 #5,109
2010 modern 1,197 #5,054
2011 modern 1,190 #5,018
2012 modern 1,164 #5,036
2013 modern 1,153 #5,167
2014 modern 1,168 #5,136
2015 modern 1,152 #5,149
2016 modern 1,153 #5,122

Geography

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Where Tweeds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Moulton, London parishes, Glasgow, St Matthew Bethnal Green and Cheveley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bassetlaw, Northampton and Rotherham. 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 Moulton Cambridgeshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)
5 Cheveley Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bassetlaw 016 Bassetlaw
2 Northampton 017 Northampton
3 Rotherham 029 Rotherham
4 Rotherham 032 Rotherham
5 Rotherham 033 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tweed

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tweed

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Tweed surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Tweed household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Tweed 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

Tweed 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

Tweed 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 Tweed 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Tweed

The surname TWEED originated in Scotland, tracing its roots back to the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the River Tweed, which flows through the Scottish Borders region and forms part of the boundary between Scotland and England. The name likely referred to someone who lived near or was associated with the River Tweed.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval Scottish records and charters. One notable example is the mention of a "William de Twede" in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a document recording the names of Scottish noblemen who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Twedie," "Twedy," and "Tweedie," reflecting the different spellings used in earlier times. These variations likely originated from the Old English word "twæd," meaning "a border" or "a cloth made from wool."

The TWEED surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. In the 16th century, William Tweed (c. 1520-1589) was a Scottish clergyman who served as the Principal of the University of Glasgow. Another prominent figure was John Tweed (1776-1853), a Scottish-born American merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the early development of New York City.

In the 19th century, William M. Tweed (1823-1878), better known as "Boss Tweed," was a notorious American politician and the leader of the Tammany Hall political machine in New York City. His corruption and misuse of public funds led to his downfall and eventual imprisonment.

Other notable individuals with the TWEED surname include John Tweed (1842-1923), a Canadian politician and businessman, and James Tweed (1845-1922), a Scottish-born American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

The TWEED surname has also been associated with various locations, including the town of Tweedmouth in Northumberland, England, and the Tweed Valley region in Scotland, further reinforcing its connection to the River Tweed and the area surrounding it.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tweed families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tweed 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 133 Tweeds recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.02x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 133 31.02x
Yorkshire 103 1.54x
Suffolk 80 9.70x
Middlesex 66 0.97x
Kent 39 1.69x
Essex 35 2.62x
Surrey 32 0.97x
Lincolnshire 24 2.22x
Lancashire 19 0.24x
Hampshire 17 1.23x
Durham 13 0.65x
Lanarkshire 13 0.59x
Northamptonshire 13 2.04x
Sussex 13 1.14x
Devon 10 0.71x
Ayrshire 9 1.78x
Renfrewshire 9 1.72x
Derbyshire 8 0.75x
Hertfordshire 8 1.71x
Northumberland 8 0.79x
Warwickshire 8 0.47x
Herefordshire 6 2.16x
Dorset 5 1.13x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.98x
Dunbartonshire 4 2.20x
Worcestershire 4 0.45x
Berkshire 1 0.20x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.74x
Leicestershire 1 0.13x
Midlothian 1 0.11x
Norfolk 1 0.10x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.11x
Oxfordshire 1 0.24x
Royal Navy 1 1.24x
Rutland 1 2.01x
Stirlingshire 1 0.40x
Wigtownshire 1 1.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cheveley in Cambridgeshire leads with 72 Tweeds recorded in 1881 and an index of 4931.51x.

Place Total Index
Cheveley 72 4931.51x
Moulton 22 1880.34x
Ashley Cum Silverley 21 1858.41x
Bethnal Green London 21 7.14x
Scammonden 14 992.91x
Stainland Cum Old 14 121.95x
Newmarket St Mary 13 205.37x
Newmarket All Sts 11 348.10x
Golcar 10 56.37x
Honiton 10 128.21x
Wood Ditton 10 279.33x
Camberwell 9 2.08x
Gillingham 9 18.90x
Horncastle 9 80.57x
Ipswich St Peter 9 81.08x
Longwood 9 83.26x
Romsey Infra 9 191.49x
St Pancras London 9 1.65x
Upper Beeding 9 633.80x
Benfieldside 8 60.38x
Elland Cum Greetland 8 26.47x
Greenwich 8 7.42x
Liverpool 8 1.64x
Ousden 8 1126.76x
Dallington 7 187.17x
Elswick 7 8.71x
Islington London 7 1.07x
Linthwaite 7 49.65x
Newington 7 2.80x
Slaithwaite 7 100.29x
Bridstow 6 379.75x
Govan 6 1.11x
Grendon 6 410.96x
The Holy Sepulchre 6 571.43x
Thorley 6 618.56x
Alkborough 5 543.48x
Barkisland 5 102.67x
Bermondsey 5 2.48x
Bradford 5 3.08x
Colchester St Peter 5 93.46x
Denton 5 393.70x
Great Lumley 5 144.93x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 5 65.36x
Little Baddow 5 396.83x
Manningtree 5 230.41x
Millbrook 5 14.31x
Minster In Sheppey 5 13.07x
St George Hanover 5 5.66x
Swinefleet 5 173.01x
Abbey 4 5.00x
Barony 4 0.72x
Bradfield 4 210.53x
Colchester St Giles 4 30.30x
Cowlinge 4 253.16x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 2.93x
Gazeley 4 206.19x
Glossop Dale 4 8.06x
Hothfield 4 533.33x
Kensington London 4 1.06x
Kentford 4 869.57x
Lambeth 4 0.68x
New Kilpatrick 4 23.11x
Poole St James 4 23.97x
Poplar London 4 3.13x
Port Glasgow 4 15.77x
Rishworth 4 155.64x
Stevenston 4 30.28x
Swadlincote 4 341.88x
Whitechapel London 4 5.99x
Cambuslang 3 13.59x
Chippenham 3 200.00x
Floore 3 125.52x
Haverhill 3 245.90x
Ipswich St Clement 3 14.31x
Isleham 3 76.34x
Paddington London 3 1.21x
Rotherhithe 3 3.59x
Southampton All Sts 3 12.60x
Taplow 3 121.95x
Woolwich 3 3.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 45
Elizabeth 23
Sarah 17
Ann 16
Ellen 13
Emma 11
Hannah 10
Alice 9
Emily 9
Eliza 8
Jane 8
Louisa 8
Charlotte 7
Agnes 6
Amy 6
Annie 6
Edith 6
Florence 6
Fanny 5
Kate 5
Martha 5
Laura 4
Susan 4
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Julia 3
Maria 3
Elizh. 2
Elvia 2
Emmeline 2
Ethel 2
Grace 2
Isabella 2
Lucy 2
Luise 2
Mabel 2
Margaret 2
Rosina 2
Susannah 2
Barbery 1
Beatrice 1
Becky 1
Bertha 1
Eda 1
Elizh.A. 1
H. 1
H.Emma 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Virginia 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Tweed surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tweed surname in 1881?

In 1881, 693 people were recorded with the Tweed surname. That placed it at #5,229 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tweed surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,153 in 2016. That gives Tweed a modern rank of #5,122.

What does the Tweed surname mean?

A textile pattern or fabric originating from the Scottish Borders, traditionally woven from wool.

What does the Tweed map show?

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