NameCensus.

UK surname

Woodhams

A locational surname referring to someone from Woodham, a place name in Surrey, England.

In the 1881 census there were 744 people recorded with the Woodhams surname, ranking it #4,932 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,164, ranked #5,074, down from #4,932 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough and Beckenham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Crawley, Tonbridge and Malling and Stratford-on-Avon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Woodhams is 1,328 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.5%.

1881 census count

744

Ranked #4,932

Modern count

1,164

2016, ranked #5,074

Peak year

2000

1,328 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Woodhams had 744 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,932 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,164 in 2016, ranked #5,074.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,296 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Woodhams surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Woodhams surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Woodhams 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 514 #4,864
1861 historical 420 #6,114
1881 historical 744 #4,932
1891 historical 866 #4,738
1901 historical 1,093 #4,417
1911 historical 1,296 #3,678
1997 modern 1,266 #4,500
1998 modern 1,307 #4,548
1999 modern 1,296 #4,608
2000 modern 1,328 #4,487
2001 modern 1,272 #4,568
2002 modern 1,294 #4,597
2003 modern 1,272 #4,568
2004 modern 1,228 #4,713
2005 modern 1,177 #4,842
2006 modern 1,180 #4,842
2007 modern 1,160 #4,949
2008 modern 1,162 #4,958
2009 modern 1,186 #4,981
2010 modern 1,222 #4,960
2011 modern 1,213 #4,925
2012 modern 1,180 #4,978
2013 modern 1,181 #5,062
2014 modern 1,194 #5,043
2015 modern 1,183 #5,033
2016 modern 1,164 #5,074

Geography

Back to top

Where Woodhams' are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Crawley, Tonbridge and Malling, Stratford-on-Avon, Reigate and Banstead and Wealden. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 Beckenham Kent
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Crawley 012 Crawley
2 Tonbridge and Malling 009 Tonbridge and Malling
3 Stratford-on-Avon 006 Stratford-on-Avon
4 Reigate and Banstead 018 Reigate and Banstead
5 Wealden 014 Wealden

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Woodhams

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Woodhams

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Woodhams is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Woodhams is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Woodhams

The surname Woodhams is of English origin, with its roots traceable to the medieval period. The name is principally derived from the combination of the Old English words "wudu," meaning wood, and "ham," meaning homestead or village. Thus, Woodhams essentially means "the homestead in or near the woods."

Originally from the counties of southeastern England, such as Kent and Surrey, the name Woodhams may have been used to describe people who lived in forested areas or villages surrounded by wooded land. Over time, the name evolved in spelling, with early variations including Woodham and Woodam.

The earliest recorded instances of the Woodhams name appear in medieval documents. For example, the Domesday Book of 1086, though not explicitly listing Woodhams, contains similar entries suggesting nobility and landholdings situated near wooded regions. An entry from 1273 records a John de Wodeham in Suffolk, indicating the presence of the name in written records.

Historical references also include church registers and manorial records. In the 16th century, John Woodhams appears in Surrey's parish records from 1552, marking him as one of the earliest bearers of the name in that area.

During the 17th century, the Woodhams name was more commonly found in various parish registers. A notable individual from this period is Thomas Woodhams, born in 1621, who is listed in the hearth tax assessments of Kent in 1664. This tax record signified that Thomas was a person of some standing, owning property that necessitated a hearth tax.

In the 19th century, Edward Woodhams made contributions to the horticultural field, known for his expertise in cultivating several plant species in Sussex. Born in 1803, Edward's achievements were recognized in local agricultural journals of the time, showcasing the talents within the Woodhams lineage.

Another prominent figure bearing the surname is Alfred Woodhams, born in 1867. Alfred was a noted architect whose designs influenced Victorian-era constructions in London. His works remain part of the city's architectural heritage, demonstrating the diverse areas of accomplishment by those with the Woodhams surname.

The Woodhams surname, with its rich history of origin linked to wooded homesteads, has consistently appeared in historical records from medieval to modern England. Its bearers have left tangible marks in various fields, from landownership and taxation in medieval times to contributions in horticulture and architecture in more recent centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Woodhams families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Woodhams 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 262 Woodhams' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.58x.

County Total Index
Kent 262 10.58x
Sussex 143 11.69x
Surrey 124 3.51x
Middlesex 52 0.72x
Northamptonshire 29 4.25x
Bedfordshire 24 6.39x
Essex 22 1.54x
Durham 16 0.74x
Warwickshire 13 0.71x
Cheshire 8 0.50x
Yorkshire 7 0.10x
Dorset 6 1.26x
Lanarkshire 6 0.26x
Lancashire 6 0.07x
Gloucestershire 5 0.35x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.91x
Wiltshire 4 0.62x
Staffordshire 3 0.12x
Suffolk 3 0.34x
Berkshire 2 0.37x
Northumberland 2 0.19x
Hampshire 1 0.07x
Leicestershire 1 0.12x
Norfolk 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tonbridge in Kent leads with 83 Woodhams' recorded in 1881 and an index of 92.93x.

Place Total Index
Tonbridge 83 92.93x
Brighton 40 16.20x
West Horsley 29 1946.31x
Wollaston 22 586.67x
Marden 18 309.81x
Camberwell 17 3.67x
Sevenoaks 17 84.66x
Barnard Castle 16 149.95x
Croydon 14 7.13x
Littlehampton 13 133.06x
Bromley 12 31.80x
Brasted 11 342.68x
Wandsworth 11 15.75x
Chalvington 10 3125.00x
East Farleigh 10 240.96x
Newington 10 3.73x
Beckenham 9 27.80x
Erith 9 36.89x
Havering 9 818.18x
Maidstone 9 12.20x
Milton Ernest 9 857.14x
Rochester St Margaret 9 34.47x
St Mary Cray 8 168.78x
Sundridge 8 193.70x
Arlington 7 479.45x
Chelsea London 7 3.20x
Chislehurst 7 52.71x
Clapham 7 7.72x
Marple 7 63.64x
Prittlewell 7 35.26x
Rugby 7 28.27x
Seaford 7 168.27x
Aston 6 1.19x
Battersea 6 2.25x
Canford Magna 6 218.18x
Fairlight 6 500.00x
Fulwood 6 64.45x
Govan 6 1.03x
Hastings Holy Trinity 6 66.52x
Islington London 6 0.85x
Kempston 6 70.34x
Thurleigh 6 400.00x
Upleatham 6 495.87x
East Grinstead 5 28.87x
Frant 5 57.67x
Frindsbury 5 53.59x
Kensington London 5 1.24x
Lingfield 5 72.57x
Preston 5 23.40x
Richmond 5 10.09x
St George Hanover 5 5.28x
Tooting Graveney 5 50.81x
Wick Abson 5 229.36x
Aylesford 4 58.31x
Bexley 4 18.27x
Bow London 4 4.33x
Byfleet 4 126.98x
Halling 4 123.46x
Rye 4 34.39x
St Andrew Holborn 4 16.26x
Swindon 4 8.03x
Westerham 4 70.05x
Wivelsfield 4 83.68x
Woodford 4 105.26x
Beckley 3 98.04x
Chevington 3 217.39x
Cuxton 3 306.12x
Deptford St Paul 3 1.57x
Great Stanmore 3 92.02x
Handsworth 3 4.97x
Hartley 3 476.19x
Herstmonceaux 3 81.52x
Horsted Keynes 3 105.26x
Lewes St Ann 3 71.94x
St Marylebone London 3 0.77x
St Pancras London 3 0.51x
Sutton 3 11.72x
Upton Cum Chalvey 3 17.16x
Willesborough 3 45.05x
East Hoathly 2 93.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 32
Sarah 30
Elizabeth 22
Eliza 18
Alice 16
Ellen 12
Emily 11
Clara 10
Emma 10
Jane 10
Annie 8
Caroline 8
Charlotte 8
Florence 8
Harriett 8
Amy 7
Ada 6
Esther 6
Kate 6
Louisa 6
Ann 5
Edith 4
Fanny 4
Frances 4
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Lucy 4
Maria 4
Susan 4
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Gertrude 3
Lydia 3
Martha 3
Minnie 3
Barbara 2
E. 2
Grace 2
Helen 2
Lizzie 2
Mabel 2
Margaret 2
Matilda 2
Maude 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Ruth 2
Beatrice 1
E.A.R. 1
Verbena 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 49
John 29
George 26
Thomas 20
James 19
Henry 18
Albert 13
Richard 12
Charles 11
Walter 11
Arthur 10
Alfred 9
Frederick 8
Harry 8
Isaac 8
Robert 8
Frank 7
Herbert 5
Joseph 5
Edward 4
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Leonard 4
Francis 3
Fredk. 3
Jesse 3
Benjamin 2
Christopher 2
David 2
Lawrence 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Samuel 2
Sidney 2
Wm. 2
Ambrose 1
Amos 1
Ben 1
Bengham 1
Benjn. 1
Bethnel 1
Cyril 1
Dowman 1
Earnest 1
Eusebuis 1
Hitchband 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
Job 1
Wm.T. 1

FAQ

Woodhams surname: questions and answers

How common was the Woodhams surname in 1881?

In 1881, 744 people were recorded with the Woodhams surname. That placed it at #4,932 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Woodhams surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,164 in 2016. That gives Woodhams a modern rank of #5,074.

What does the Woodhams surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Woodham, a place name in Surrey, England.

What does the Woodhams map show?

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