NameCensus.

UK surname

Vodden

A surname possibly derived from "Wodden," a place name referring to a wooded area.

In the 1881 census there were 190 people recorded with the Vodden surname, ranking it #13,270 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 372, ranked #12,539, up from #13,270 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Agnes, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton and Beaford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swansea, Barnsley and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vodden is 377 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 95.8%.

1881 census count

190

Ranked #13,270

Modern count

372

2016, ranked #12,539

Peak year

1999

377 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vodden had 190 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,270 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 372 in 2016, ranked #12,539.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 276 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Vodden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vodden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vodden 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 143 #13,343
1861 historical 101 #20,955
1881 historical 190 #13,270
1891 historical 198 #15,033
1901 historical 214 #14,517
1911 historical 276 #12,099
1997 modern 345 #12,291
1998 modern 369 #12,077
1999 modern 377 #11,954
2000 modern 366 #12,167
2001 modern 367 #11,968
2002 modern 371 #12,096
2003 modern 345 #12,549
2004 modern 359 #12,222
2005 modern 369 #11,901
2006 modern 354 #12,339
2007 modern 360 #12,335
2008 modern 363 #12,359
2009 modern 362 #12,637
2010 modern 353 #13,156
2011 modern 361 #12,800
2012 modern 354 #12,851
2013 modern 362 #12,843
2014 modern 373 #12,633
2015 modern 374 #12,495
2016 modern 372 #12,539

Geography

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Where Voddens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Agnes, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, Beaford, St Giles and Morchard Bishop. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swansea, Barnsley, Wakefield, Mid Devon and Redcar and Cleveland. 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 St Agnes Cornwall
2 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
3 Beaford Devon
4 St Giles Devon
5 Morchard Bishop Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swansea 019 Swansea
2 Barnsley 006 Barnsley
3 Wakefield 042 Wakefield
4 Mid Devon 011 Mid Devon
5 Redcar and Cleveland 013 Redcar and Cleveland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vodden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Vodden

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Vodden is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Vodden 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

Vodden falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Vodden

The surname Vodden is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest known recorded instances dating back to the late 16th century. The name is thought to have derived from the Old English word "wudu," meaning wood or forest, suggesting that the family may have lived near or worked in wooded areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the parish records of Gloucestershire, where a Thomas Vodden was listed in 1586. The name also appeared in the Hearth Tax records of the same county in 1672, indicating the presence of a family or household bearing the surname at that time.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name was predominantly concentrated in the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset in the southwest of England. This geographic clustering suggests that the name may have originated in one of these areas, possibly in a small village or hamlet now lost to time.

In the 19th century, the Vodden family began to spread out across other parts of England, with records showing individuals bearing the name in counties such as Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Hertfordshire. One notable individual from this period was John Vodden (1827-1901), a renowned horticulturist and botanist who contributed significantly to the study of British flora.

As the Vodden family continued to grow and disperse, some members ventured beyond the shores of England. In the late 19th century, records show a William Vodden (1856-1928) emigrating to Canada, where he settled in Ontario and worked as a farmer.

Another notable figure bearing the Vodden surname was Thomas Vodden (1892-1965), a British soldier who served in World War I and was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery on the battlefield.

While not as widespread as some other English surnames, the Vodden name has persisted throughout the centuries, carrying with it a rich history and a connection to the rural landscapes of southwest England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Vodden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vodden 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. Devon leads with 133 Voddens recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.47x.

County Total Index
Devon 133 34.47x
Surrey 24 2.66x
Glamorgan 11 3.41x
Middlesex 11 0.59x
Hertfordshire 8 6.26x
Yorkshire 2 0.11x
Cumberland 1 0.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Giles In The Wood in Devon leads with 17 Voddens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2982.46x.

Place Total Index
St Giles In The Wood 17 2982.46x
Great Torrington 16 730.59x
Morchard Bishop 13 1604.94x
Camberwell 10 8.45x
Beaford 9 2432.43x
Bridgerule West 8 5333.33x
Hatfield 8 308.88x
Tawstock 8 1159.42x
Battersea 7 10.26x
Bishops Tawton 7 583.33x
Lambeth 7 4.33x
Stoke Newington London 7 48.48x
Alverdiscott 6 3529.41x
Bow 6 1153.85x
Llandaff 6 55.87x
Atherington 5 1515.15x
Barnstaple 5 82.51x
Langtree 5 1063.83x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 16.82x
Roath 5 34.11x
East Stonehouse 4 52.63x
Bickleigh 2 526.32x
Bideford 2 48.43x
Plymouth Charles The 2 11.76x
Shebbear 2 344.83x
St Martin In Fields 2 18.02x
St Marylebone London 2 2.02x
Stanghow 2 270.27x
Bratton Fleming 1 303.03x
Buckland Brewer 1 212.77x
Crediton 1 27.32x
Down St Mary 1 476.19x
Exeter St Leonard 1 94.34x
Marland Peters 1 588.24x
Merton 1 270.27x
Pilton 1 78.74x
Preston Quarter 1 22.37x
Pyworthy 1 312.50x
Wear Gifford 1 357.14x
Westleigh 1 322.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Elizabeth 16
Ann 6
Ellen 5
Jane 5
Sarah 5
Eliza 4
Hannah 4
Emily 3
Emma 3
Louisa 3
Fanny 2
Lucy 2
Rhoda 2
Susan 2
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Constance 1
Eleanor 1
Emmalina 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Kate 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Mable 1
Margaret 1
Mina 1
Sara 1
Selina 1
Wilmot 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Vodden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vodden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 190 people were recorded with the Vodden surname. That placed it at #13,270 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vodden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 372 in 2016. That gives Vodden a modern rank of #12,539.

What does the Vodden surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from "Wodden," a place name referring to a wooded area.

What does the Vodden map show?

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