NameCensus.

UK surname

Woodgates

In the 1881 census there were 106 people recorded with the Woodgates surname, ranking it #19,083 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 106, ranked #29,927, down from #19,083 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Kentisbere, Blackborough and Kenn, Ide, Ashton, Exminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Teignbridge, Torridge and Mid Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Woodgates is 151 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.0%.

1881 census count

106

Ranked #19,083

Modern count

106

2016, ranked #29,927

Peak year

1999

151 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Woodgates had 106 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,083 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 106 in 2016, ranked #29,927.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 136 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Woodgates surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Woodgates surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Woodgates 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 88 #18,569
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 106 #19,083
1891 historical 124 #20,818
1901 historical 88 #24,270
1911 historical 136 #18,962
1997 modern 142 #21,856
1998 modern 138 #22,814
1999 modern 151 #21,740
2000 modern 134 #23,358
2001 modern 138 #22,647
2002 modern 138 #23,094
2003 modern 134 #23,260
2004 modern 141 #22,689
2005 modern 144 #22,367
2006 modern 129 #24,165
2007 modern 118 #25,913
2008 modern 118 #26,212
2009 modern 123 #26,098
2010 modern 126 #26,312
2011 modern 120 #26,930
2012 modern 108 #28,849
2013 modern 109 #29,209
2014 modern 107 #29,827
2015 modern 108 #29,512
2016 modern 106 #29,927

Geography

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Where Woodgates' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Kentisbere, Blackborough, Kenn, Ide, Ashton, Exminster, Lambeth and Uffculme. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Teignbridge, Torridge, Mid Devon and Exeter. 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 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
2 Kentisbere, Blackborough Devon
3 Kenn, Ide, Ashton, Exminster Devon
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Uffculme Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Teignbridge 017 Teignbridge
2 Torridge 008 Torridge
3 Mid Devon 010 Mid Devon
4 Teignbridge 010 Teignbridge
5 Exeter 011 Exeter

Forenames

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First names often paired with Woodgates

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Woodgates

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

Woodgates is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Woodgates 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 Woodgates 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 Woodgates, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Woodgates families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Woodgates 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 56 Woodgates' recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.02x.

County Total Index
Devon 56 26.02x
Surrey 23 4.57x
Warwickshire 11 4.22x
Suffolk 5 3.97x
Gloucestershire 3 1.48x
Dorset 2 2.95x
Yorkshire 2 0.20x
Essex 1 0.49x
Kent 1 0.28x
Middlesex 1 0.10x
Somerset 1 0.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 11 Woodgates' recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.66x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 11 12.66x
Lambeth 8 8.87x
Uffculme 8 1250.00x
Exeter St Sidwell 7 141.99x
Kentisbeare 6 2000.00x
Reigate Foreign 6 110.09x
Shobrooke 6 2608.70x
Depden 5 6250.00x
Newington 5 13.09x
West Teignmouth 5 303.03x
Clapham 4 30.94x
Bristol St George 3 31.98x
Exeter Alphington 3 769.23x
High Bickington 3 1250.00x
Holcombe Burnell 3 3750.00x
Kenton 3 441.18x
Tiverton 3 80.86x
Chardstock 2 425.53x
Cruwys Morchard 2 909.09x
Exeter St Thomas The 2 91.32x
Lympston 2 526.32x
Middlesbrough 2 14.99x
Devonport 1 40.49x
Exeter St David 1 54.35x
Lewisham 1 5.32x
Milverton 1 163.93x
Shoreditch London 1 2.23x
Sowton 1 714.29x
West Bergholt 1 263.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Emma 5
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Eliza 3
Elizabeth 3
Ellen 3
Frances 3
Selina 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Ada 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Katharine 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Nellie 1
Rosa 1
Susan 1
Teresa 1
Therra 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 12
John 5
William 5
George 4
Samuel 4
Henry 3
Ernest 2
Andrew 1
Barnet 1
Charles 1
Edwin 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Hatherly 1
Herman 1
Robert 1
Sydney 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Woodgates surname: questions and answers

How common was the Woodgates surname in 1881?

In 1881, 106 people were recorded with the Woodgates surname. That placed it at #19,083 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Woodgates surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 106 in 2016. That gives Woodgates a modern rank of #29,927.

What does the Woodgates map show?

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