NameCensus.

UK surname

Usherwood

A locational surname derived from a place named Usherwood, likely referring to someone from that location.

In the 1881 census there were 325 people recorded with the Usherwood surname, ranking it #9,194 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 255, ranked #16,576, down from #9,194 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes and Ashford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Canterbury, Tunbridge Wells and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Usherwood is 430 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 21.5%.

1881 census count

325

Ranked #9,194

Modern count

255

2016, ranked #16,576

Peak year

1901

430 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Usherwood had 325 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,194 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 255 in 2016, ranked #16,576.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 430 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Usherwood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Usherwood surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Usherwood 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 254 #8,683
1861 historical 265 #9,355
1881 historical 325 #9,194
1891 historical 345 #9,944
1901 historical 430 #9,000
1911 historical 430 #8,804
1997 modern 270 #14,515
1998 modern 284 #14,402
1999 modern 278 #14,705
2000 modern 268 #15,018
2001 modern 270 #14,734
2002 modern 259 #15,453
2003 modern 241 #16,013
2004 modern 249 #15,739
2005 modern 243 #15,943
2006 modern 253 #15,602
2007 modern 253 #15,776
2008 modern 241 #16,481
2009 modern 261 #15,926
2010 modern 266 #16,067
2011 modern 257 #16,335
2012 modern 246 #16,702
2013 modern 255 #16,551
2014 modern 258 #16,554
2015 modern 257 #16,475
2016 modern 255 #16,576

Geography

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Where Usherwoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes, Ashford, Ightham and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Canterbury, Tunbridge Wells, Fenland, Ashford and Bristol. 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 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Ashford Kent
4 Ightham Kent
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Canterbury 018 Canterbury
2 Tunbridge Wells 004 Tunbridge Wells
3 Fenland 006 Fenland
4 Ashford 014 Ashford
5 Bristol 055 Bristol, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Usherwood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Usherwood

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Usherwood, 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 Usherwood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Usherwood 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Usherwood is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Usherwood 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

Usherwood falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Usherwood

The surname USHERWOOD is of English origin and dates back to the medieval era. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "ostre" meaning "ostreier" or "oyster catcher" and "wudu" meaning "wood." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed on someone who lived near a wooded area frequented by oyster catchers, or someone who perhaps worked as an oyster catcher in a forested region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the USHERWOOD surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists a landowner named Osric de Usherwude in Worcestershire. This entry provides evidence that the name was already in use during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a Walter de Usherwude who was a freeman in the village of Usherwude, located in the county of Lancashire. This village name likely derived from the same roots as the surname, further solidifying the connection between the USHERWOOD name and a wooded area inhabited by oyster catchers.

Notable individuals with the USHERWOOD surname include Sir John Usherwood (1564-1621), a Member of Parliament for Stafford during the reign of King James I. Another prominent figure was William Usherwood (1718-1793), an English clergyman and author who wrote several works on theology and philosophy.

In the 19th century, the name gained some literary recognition with the birth of James Usherwood (1832-1901), a British poet and essayist whose works were widely published in various periodicals of the time. Additionally, Edward Usherwood (1857-1924) was a renowned architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Savoy Hotel.

One of the most famous bearers of the USHERWOOD name was Sir Stanley Usherwood (1894-1976), a highly decorated British Army officer who served in both World War I and World War II. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and the Military Cross for his bravery and leadership during combat operations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Usherwood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Usherwood 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 101 Usherwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.34x.

County Total Index
Kent 101 9.34x
Surrey 39 2.52x
Middlesex 35 1.10x
Staffordshire 33 3.08x
Lanarkshire 31 3.02x
Yorkshire 26 0.83x
Lancashire 19 0.51x
Warwickshire 15 1.88x
Leicestershire 8 2.28x
Hampshire 7 1.08x
Sussex 5 0.94x
Bedfordshire 2 1.22x
Derbyshire 2 0.40x
Ayrshire 1 0.42x
Hertfordshire 1 0.46x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Bromwich in Staffordshire leads with 22 Usherwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.91x.

Place Total Index
West Bromwich 22 35.91x
Tonbridge 20 51.27x
Ashford 14 132.95x
Glasgow 14 7.69x
Barony 13 5.01x
Ightham 13 955.88x
Dorking 10 96.43x
Chelsea London 9 9.42x
St Pancras London 8 3.13x
Bow London 7 17.34x
Portsea 7 5.50x
Sittingbourne 7 81.97x
Albury 6 425.53x
Kimberworth 6 34.40x
Leicester St Mary 6 21.13x
Newington 6 5.12x
Paddington London 6 5.15x
Beckenham 5 35.36x
Bermondsey 5 5.30x
Birmingham 5 1.88x
Boxley 5 301.20x
Brightside Bierlow 5 8.11x
Leeds 5 2.82x
Yalding 5 183.15x
Aylesford 4 133.33x
Battersea 4 3.43x
Edgbaston 4 16.14x
Halling 4 281.69x
Maryhill 4 19.93x
St Marylebone London 4 2.36x
Staplehurst 4 224.72x
Walton On Hill 4 19.63x
Aston 3 1.36x
Beswick 3 31.19x
East Langdon Oxney 3 833.33x
Farnworth 3 13.31x
Leigh 3 212.77x
Shenstone 3 110.29x
Sutton Coldfield 3 35.71x
Toxteth Park 3 2.36x
Whitwood 3 67.26x
Wimbledon 3 17.30x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 2.43x
Biggleswade 2 37.17x
Bromley 2 12.13x
Handsworth 2 7.58x
Handsworth 2 24.07x
Litchurch 2 10.02x
Ruswarp 2 57.31x
Ticehurst 2 61.16x
Wadhurst 2 56.98x
Walton On Hill 2 298.51x
Whitwick 2 44.74x
Wuerdle Wardle 2 17.51x
Aldridge 1 48.54x
Barnsley 1 3.09x
Bilston 1 4.82x
Burham 1 67.11x
Cheetham 1 3.56x
Croydon 1 1.17x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.20x
Dover St James 1 21.10x
Eltham 1 15.77x
Erith 1 9.38x
Fazeley 1 51.28x
Hoo 1 69.93x
Horsemonden 1 63.29x
Hythe St Leonard 1 26.18x
Kilmarnock 1 3.54x
Mayfield 1 31.65x
Ramsgate 1 5.66x
Reigate Foreign 1 5.98x
Rochester St Margaret 1 8.76x
Stafford St Mary 1 6.60x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 0.88x
Strood 1 16.21x
Wakefield 1 4.15x
Walsall Foreign 1 1.81x
Westminster St 1 8.55x
Whiston 1 66.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Sarah 16
Alice 6
Ellen 6
Elizabeth 4
Florence 4
Isabella 4
Maria 4
Rose 4
Ann 3
Catherine 3
Edith 3
Frances 3
Harriet 3
Jane 3
Kate 3
Priscilla 3
Susannah 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Annie 2
Betsy 2
Clara 2
Emily 2
Hannah 2
Julia 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Rhoda 2
Anne 1
B. 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Clarrice 1
Dora 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Lillian 1
Lillie 1
M. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 26
Thomas 15
John 14
George 9
Henry 6
James 6
Albert 5
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Ernest 4
Richard 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Barnes 3
Frank 3
Harry 2
Joseph 2
Bengamin 1
Benjamin 1
Benjn. 1
Douglas 1
Edward 1
Egmont 1
Frederick 1
Harold 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Louis 1
Mirth 1
Owen 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Usherwood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Usherwood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 325 people were recorded with the Usherwood surname. That placed it at #9,194 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Usherwood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 255 in 2016. That gives Usherwood a modern rank of #16,576.

What does the Usherwood surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place named Usherwood, likely referring to someone from that location.

What does the Usherwood map show?

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