NameCensus.

UK surname

Woodcraft

In the 1881 census there were 210 people recorded with the Woodcraft surname, ranking it #12,440 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 440, ranked #10,992, up from #12,440 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Buckenham, New, Kensworth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Central Bedfordshire and South Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Woodcraft is 462 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 109.5%.

1881 census count

210

Ranked #12,440

Modern count

440

2016, ranked #10,992

Peak year

1999

462 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Woodcraft had 210 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,440 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 440 in 2016, ranked #10,992.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 296 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Woodcraft surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Woodcraft surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Woodcraft 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 138 #13,745
1861 historical 123 #17,914
1881 historical 210 #12,440
1891 historical 223 #13,800
1901 historical 264 #12,693
1911 historical 296 #11,569
1997 modern 434 #10,361
1998 modern 446 #10,469
1999 modern 462 #10,249
2000 modern 444 #10,559
2001 modern 434 #10,539
2002 modern 453 #10,391
2003 modern 444 #10,393
2004 modern 431 #10,680
2005 modern 424 #10,691
2006 modern 419 #10,837
2007 modern 433 #10,662
2008 modern 436 #10,710
2009 modern 460 #10,481
2010 modern 462 #10,682
2011 modern 451 #10,766
2012 modern 444 #10,775
2013 modern 455 #10,743
2014 modern 453 #10,830
2015 modern 445 #10,921
2016 modern 440 #10,992

Geography

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Where Woodcrafts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Buckenham, New, Kensworth, London parishes, Lambeth and Ampthill. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Central Bedfordshire and South Cambridgeshire. 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 Buckenham, New Norfolk
2 Kensworth Bedfordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Ampthill Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Central Bedfordshire 003 Central Bedfordshire
2 Central Bedfordshire 015 Central Bedfordshire
3 Central Bedfordshire 012 Central Bedfordshire
4 Central Bedfordshire 016 Central Bedfordshire
5 South Cambridgeshire 013 South Cambridgeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Woodcraft

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Woodcraft

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

Woodcraft is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Woodcraft falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Woodcraft is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Woodcraft families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Woodcraft 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. Bedfordshire leads with 66 Woodcrafts recorded in 1881 and an index of 62.22x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 66 62.22x
Norfolk 32 10.16x
Essex 31 7.67x
Surrey 30 3.01x
Middlesex 18 0.88x
Hertfordshire 9 6.37x
Yorkshire 7 0.34x
Oxfordshire 5 3.95x
Merionethshire 4 10.67x
Kent 3 0.43x
Sussex 2 0.58x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.81x
Dorset 1 0.74x
Lincolnshire 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heybridge in Essex leads with 30 Woodcrafts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2542.37x.

Place Total Index
Heybridge 30 2542.37x
New Buckenham 21 5384.62x
Ampthill 16 1012.66x
Lambeth 16 8.96x
Hawnes 11 1692.31x
Hackney London 9 7.84x
Camberwell 8 6.11x
Kensworth 8 1739.13x
Eaton Bray 6 560.75x
Maulden 5 543.48x
Neithrop 5 117.65x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 5 245.10x
St Pancras London 5 3.03x
Sutton Stoneferry 5 86.06x
Llanddwywe Isgraig 4 2105.26x
Luton 4 21.79x
Marston Moretaine 4 481.93x
Whipsnade 4 3076.92x
Woodmansterne 4 1904.76x
Cardington 3 348.84x
Cople 3 937.50x
Houghton Conquest 3 681.82x
Millbrook 3 1578.95x
Buxted 2 148.15x
Flitton 2 416.67x
Hougham 2 48.08x
Lakenham 2 44.64x
Norwich St Peter Hungate 2 740.74x
Southwark St John 2 31.90x
St George In East 2 14.36x
Castle Bytham 1 217.39x
Cattistock 1 270.27x
Chipping Barnet 1 40.49x
Dunstable 1 30.67x
Hampstead London 1 3.13x
Langcliffe 1 204.08x
Northill 1 101.01x
Scarborough 1 5.42x
Seasalter 1 113.64x
Shoreditch London 1 1.13x
Stoke Poges 1 66.23x
Trowse Cum Newton 1 128.21x
Whinburgh 1 625.00x
Witham 1 48.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 16
John 8
George 7
James 7
Charles 6
Walter 5
David 4
Ernest 4
Wm. 4
Alfred 3
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Fredk. 2
Percy 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Albert 1
Amos 1
Azor 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Samuell 1
Wallace 1
Willm. 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Woodcraft surname: questions and answers

How common was the Woodcraft surname in 1881?

In 1881, 210 people were recorded with the Woodcraft surname. That placed it at #12,440 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Woodcraft surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 440 in 2016. That gives Woodcraft a modern rank of #10,992.

What does the Woodcraft map show?

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