NameCensus.

UK surname

Woodbine

A surname derived from the names of two plants, wood and woodbine.

In the 1881 census there were 294 people recorded with the Woodbine surname, ranking it #9,859 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 315, ranked #14,258, down from #9,859 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Northfield, Ely Trinity and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Cambridgeshire, Norwich and Cheshire East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Woodbine is 422 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.1%.

1881 census count

294

Ranked #9,859

Modern count

315

2016, ranked #14,258

Peak year

1911

422 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Woodbine had 294 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,859 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 315 in 2016, ranked #14,258.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 422 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Woodbine surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Woodbine surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Woodbine 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 155 #12,604
1861 historical 144 #15,817
1881 historical 294 #9,859
1891 historical 308 #10,886
1901 historical 396 #9,539
1911 historical 422 #8,936
1997 modern 381 #11,393
1998 modern 390 #11,563
1999 modern 387 #11,722
2000 modern 360 #12,309
2001 modern 354 #12,274
2002 modern 357 #12,424
2003 modern 353 #12,345
2004 modern 339 #12,744
2005 modern 321 #13,195
2006 modern 310 #13,603
2007 modern 315 #13,593
2008 modern 324 #13,437
2009 modern 326 #13,630
2010 modern 325 #13,946
2011 modern 328 #13,730
2012 modern 317 #13,960
2013 modern 315 #14,245
2014 modern 315 #14,334
2015 modern 319 #14,118
2016 modern 315 #14,258

Geography

Back to top

Where Woodbines are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Northfield, Ely Trinity, London parishes, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth and Doddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Cambridgeshire, Norwich, Cheshire East and Dudley. 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 Northfield Worcestershire
2 Ely Trinity Cambridgeshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth Cambridgeshire
5 Doddington Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Cambridgeshire 003 East Cambridgeshire
2 Norwich 002 Norwich
3 East Cambridgeshire 004 East Cambridgeshire
4 Cheshire East 025 Cheshire East
5 Dudley 006 Dudley

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Woodbine

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Woodbine

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Woodbine is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Woodbine is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Woodbine falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Woodbine

The surname Woodbine has its origins in England, appearing prominently in the Middle Ages. The name likely derives from the Old English words "wuduwe" or "wudu," meaning wood, and "bine," which denotes a type of climbing plant or vine. This suggests that the surname initially referred to someone who lived near a group of trees with climbing plants or perhaps worked in woodlands where such plants were common.

The earliest historical references to the surname Woodbine can be traced to manorial rolls and tax records from the 13th and 14th centuries in England. A notable early spelling variation includes "Wodebine," recorded in medieval documents. The name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset from 1327, where a William Wodebine is mentioned, indicating its presence in the region during that period.

Historical manuscripts like the Domesday Book do not directly reference the surname Woodbine, as it primarily contains place names and the names of landholders. However, subsequent records and documents fill this gap. For instance, the Poll Tax records of Yorkshire in 1379 list a Richard Woodbine, suggesting that the name had spread to the north of England.

Among the notable bearers of the surname Woodbine is John Woodbine, born in 1625 and died in 1694, a merchant from London known for his trade dealings that extended to the American colonies. Another significant individual is Anne Woodbine, born in 1710, a prominent landowner in Surrey, whose estate dealings were frequently documented in legal records of the county.

In the 18th century, Captain Thomas Woodbine, born in 1732 and died in 1795, emerged as a distinguished naval officer in the British Royal Navy, playing a critical role during the Seven Years' War. Furthermore, the name can be traced in American colonial history, with Samuel Woodbine, born in 1750, being one of the earlier settlers of Virginia.

The presence of the surname Woodbine also extends to literary references. Elizabeth Woodbine, born in 1791, was a poet whose works were published in various anthologies of the early 19th century, contributing to the cultural fabric of the era. These historical figures highlight the surname's rich background and its bearers' contributions across different fields and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Woodbine families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Woodbine 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 76 Woodbines recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.98x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 76 41.98x
Norfolk 48 10.92x
Staffordshire 28 2.90x
Warwickshire 26 3.61x
Cheshire 23 3.65x
Surrey 19 1.36x
Worcestershire 18 4.82x
Kent 16 1.64x
Yorkshire 10 0.35x
Middlesex 9 0.31x
Hampshire 6 1.02x
Shropshire 6 2.43x
Lancashire 3 0.09x
Essex 1 0.18x
Glamorgan 1 0.20x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.76x
Royal Navy 1 2.94x
Sussex 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ely Holy Trinity St Mary in Cambridgeshire leads with 34 Woodbines recorded in 1881 and an index of 430.93x.

Place Total Index
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 34 430.93x
Doddington 23 1729.32x
Wymondham 19 423.16x
Birmingham 14 5.83x
Northfield 14 197.74x
Cliffe 13 590.91x
March 11 181.52x
Newton In Northwich 11 572.92x
Cockley Cley 8 4000.00x
Polesworth 8 233.92x
West Bromwich 8 14.48x
Kinderton Cum Hulme 7 1320.75x
Nether Hallam 7 18.27x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 12.17x
Audley 6 62.83x
Northwood 6 71.94x
Bermondsey 5 5.88x
Brancaster 5 666.67x
Tipton 5 16.93x
Ely St Mary 4 40000.00x
Handsworth 4 16.82x
Lakenham 4 64.10x
Weaverham Cum Milton 4 239.52x
Whitwell 4 952.38x
Aston 3 1.51x
Childs Ercall 3 697.67x
Great Witchingham 3 535.71x
Harborne 3 9.70x
Snodland 3 108.70x
Bramley In Bramley 2 18.45x
Dawley 2 22.27x
Ely Holy Trinity 2 10000.00x
Kings Norton 2 5.98x
Romsley 2 487.80x
Shoreditch London 2 1.61x
St Marylebone London 2 1.31x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 1.96x
Streatham 2 9.43x
Beddington 1 18.55x
Blackburn 1 1.11x
Brighton 1 1.03x
Camberwell 1 0.55x
Cardiff St John 1 6.15x
Chelsea London 1 1.16x
Chiswick 1 6.40x
Colchester St Runwald 1 333.33x
Coleshill 1 43.29x
Ellesmere 1 23.58x
Heigham 1 4.24x
Islington London 1 0.36x
Kensington London 1 0.63x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 7.58x
Lambeth 1 0.40x
Lingwood 1 256.41x
Littleport 1 28.90x
Newington 1 0.95x
Normanby In 1 13.21x
Norwich St Gregory 1 129.87x
Ramsey 1 22.03x
Royal Navy 1 3.44x
Salford 1 1.00x
Southwark Christchurch 1 7.47x
St Clement Danes 1 21.60x
Stretham 1 76.92x
Swaffham 1 28.01x
Toxteth Park 1 0.87x
Wharton 1 29.07x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
William 15
James 12
Charles 11
George 9
Henry 9
Thomas 9
Alfred 6
Robert 6
Edward 4
Joseph 4
Ernest 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Peter 2
Walter 2
Abram 1
Barnabus 1
Earnest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Gabriel 1
Herbert 1
Joe 1
Joheph 1
Leamon 1
Mark 1
Noah 1
Stephen 1
Whilmore 1

FAQ

Woodbine surname: questions and answers

How common was the Woodbine surname in 1881?

In 1881, 294 people were recorded with the Woodbine surname. That placed it at #9,859 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Woodbine surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 315 in 2016. That gives Woodbine a modern rank of #14,258.

What does the Woodbine surname mean?

A surname derived from the names of two plants, wood and woodbine.

What does the Woodbine map show?

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