NameCensus.

UK surname

Udy

A surname derived from a Middle English word meaning "wood" or "grove."

In the 1881 census there were 182 people recorded with the Udy surname, ranking it #13,647 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 198, ranked #19,713, down from #13,647 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bodmin, St Columb Major and St Breock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Portsmouth and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Udy is 199 in 2001. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.8%.

1881 census count

182

Ranked #13,647

Modern count

198

2016, ranked #19,713

Peak year

2001

199 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Udy had 182 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,647 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 198 in 2016, ranked #19,713.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 187 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Udy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Udy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Udy 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 131 #14,243
1881 historical 182 #13,647
1901 historical 187 #15,793
1997 modern 178 #18,958
1998 modern 178 #19,452
1999 modern 179 #19,539
2000 modern 195 #18,494
2001 modern 199 #17,996
2002 modern 198 #18,410
2003 modern 191 #18,628
2004 modern 187 #18,993
2005 modern 187 #18,924
2006 modern 186 #19,140
2007 modern 182 #19,618
2008 modern 188 #19,387
2009 modern 186 #19,946
2010 modern 190 #20,087
2011 modern 192 #19,797
2012 modern 188 #20,018
2013 modern 193 #19,997
2014 modern 199 #19,775
2015 modern 196 #19,840
2016 modern 198 #19,713

Geography

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Where Udys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bodmin, St Columb Major, St Breock, Luxulion and Lanivet. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Portsmouth and Rhondda Cynon Taf. 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 Bodmin Cornwall
2 St Columb Major Cornwall
3 St Breock Cornwall
4 Luxulion Cornwall
5 Lanivet Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 024 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 030 Cornwall
3 Portsmouth 001 Portsmouth
4 Cornwall 016 Cornwall
5 Rhondda Cynon Taf 029 Rhondda Cynon Taf

Forenames

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First names often paired with Udy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Udy

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

Udy 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

Udy falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Udy

The surname Udy has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the late 13th century. It is believed to be a variant of the Old English name "Uda," which was derived from the Germanic word "ud," meaning "wealth" or "prosperity."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Udy surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a person named Walter Ude. The name also appears in various other medieval records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a John Udy is listed.

The Udy surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire during the Middle Ages. It is thought to have originated from a place name, possibly a now-lost or obscure location, which would have been the homestead or residence of the original bearer of the name.

In the 16th century, a few notable individuals with the surname Udy emerged. One such person was John Udy (c. 1520-1588), a prominent clergyman who served as the Rector of Diddlebury in Shropshire. Another was William Udy (c. 1550-1625), a wealthy landowner and member of the gentry from Gloucestershire.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Udy surname continued to be found throughout various parts of England, with several individuals achieving local prominence. For instance, Richard Udy (1634-1701) was a successful merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, while Thomas Udy (1688-1754) was a respected lawyer and judge in Worcestershire.

One of the most renowned bearers of the Udy surname was Sir William Udy (1749-1824), a highly decorated military officer who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant General and was awarded the prestigious Order of the Bath for his distinguished service.

Other notable individuals with the Udy surname include George Udy (1810-1878), a prominent architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London, and Thomas Udy (1857-1935), a pioneering educator and headmaster who established several successful schools in the Midlands region of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Udy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Udy 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. Cornwall leads with 145 Udys recorded in 1881 and an index of 72.14x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 145 72.14x
Middlesex 11 0.62x
Yorkshire 8 0.45x
Devon 5 1.35x
Buckinghamshire 4 3.73x
Hampshire 2 0.55x
Kent 2 0.33x
Surrey 2 0.23x
Gloucestershire 1 0.29x
Northumberland 1 0.38x
Somerset 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bodmin in Cornwall leads with 29 Udys recorded in 1881 and an index of 870.87x.

Place Total Index
Bodmin 29 870.87x
St Breock 20 1834.86x
Luxulyan 17 2537.31x
Lanivet 12 1904.76x
St Columb Major 12 718.56x
Padstow 10 746.27x
Islington London 9 5.23x
Clayton 8 185.61x
Broadoak 7 3888.89x
St Veep 7 2121.21x
Lanlivery 5 595.24x
Great Marlow 4 137.93x
Gwithian 4 1081.08x
St Austell 4 58.22x
St Columb Minor 3 177.51x
Erith 2 33.50x
Lostwithel 2 350.88x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 7.02x
Portsea 2 2.80x
St Enoder 2 294.12x
St Issey 2 487.80x
St Neot 2 253.16x
St Pinnock 2 645.16x
Walkhampton 2 571.43x
Chirton 1 16.72x
Fowey 1 108.70x
Hillingdon 1 17.67x
Newington 1 1.52x
Plymouth Charles The 1 6.14x
Probus 1 121.95x
Southwark St Saviour 1 10.96x
St Allen 1 285.71x
St Erme 1 322.58x
St George Hanover 1 4.32x
St Gluvias 1 88.50x
Stapleton 1 15.13x
Weston Super Mare 1 13.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Elizabeth 8
Ann 7
Jane 6
Annie 5
Sarah 5
Eliza 4
Bessie 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Ada 2
Beatrice 2
Bertha 2
Catherine 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Clara 1
Elly 1
Emmeline 1
Etta 1
Febey 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Isabel 1
Jessie 1
Joanna 1
Lillian 1
Mable 1
Malinda 1
Martha 1
Nancy 1
Nelly 1
Phillipa 1
Prudence 1
Rebecca 1
Rosa 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
William 15
Thomas 11
James 5
Richard 5
Henry 4
Hart 3
Charles 2
Ernest 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Edwin 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
George 1
Guy 1
Hender 1
Herbert 1
Irwin 1
Marwood 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Slenda 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Udy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Udy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 182 people were recorded with the Udy surname. That placed it at #13,647 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Udy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 198 in 2016. That gives Udy a modern rank of #19,713.

What does the Udy surname mean?

A surname derived from a Middle English word meaning "wood" or "grove."

What does the Udy map show?

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