NameCensus.

UK surname

Woodhead

An English topographic surname denoting someone who lived near a wooded headland or promontory.

In the 1881 census there were 5,606 people recorded with the Woodhead surname, ranking it #790 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,711, ranked #1,447, down from #790 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Bradford and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Woodhead is 6,593 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.0%.

1881 census count

5,606

Ranked #790

Modern count

4,711

2016, ranked #1,447

Peak year

1911

6,593 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Woodhead had 5,606 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #790 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,711 in 2016, ranked #1,447.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,593 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Woodhead surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Woodhead surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Woodhead 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 3,820 #742
1861 historical 4,119 #676
1881 historical 5,606 #790
1891 historical 5,951 #789
1901 historical 6,231 #891
1911 historical 6,593 #786
1997 modern 4,904 #1,335
1998 modern 5,052 #1,349
1999 modern 5,100 #1,347
2000 modern 5,037 #1,352
2001 modern 4,916 #1,353
2002 modern 4,992 #1,360
2003 modern 4,866 #1,358
2004 modern 4,868 #1,357
2005 modern 4,799 #1,360
2006 modern 4,716 #1,388
2007 modern 4,682 #1,407
2008 modern 4,706 #1,411
2009 modern 4,793 #1,421
2010 modern 4,875 #1,425
2011 modern 4,837 #1,421
2012 modern 4,764 #1,412
2013 modern 4,839 #1,413
2014 modern 4,849 #1,422
2015 modern 4,786 #1,426
2016 modern 4,711 #1,447

Geography

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Where Woodheads are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Bradford, Sheffield and Kirkburton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Bradford and Sheffield. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Kirkburton Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 058 Kirklees
2 Kirklees 053 Kirklees
3 Bradford 057 Bradford
4 Kirklees 057 Kirklees
5 Sheffield 009 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Woodhead

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Woodhead

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Woodhead, 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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Woodhead surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Woodhead household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Woodhead 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

Woodhead 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

Woodhead falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Woodhead

The surname Woodhead originates from England and can be traced back to medieval times, particularly around the 12th to 14th centuries. It is a locational surname, deriving from the Old English words "wudu" meaning wood and "hēafod" meaning head or hill, indicating someone who lived at the top or end of a wood.

The name likely emerged in regions densely forested, such as Yorkshire and Lancashire, where settlements and place names often incorporated the natural landscape. Early records suggest that it was a descriptive reference to geographical features of the land.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname appears in documents from the 13th century. A man named Johannes de Wodeheved was mentioned in the Ludlow borough records in 1272. The spelling variations during these times included Wodeheved, Woodhede, and Woodhedd, reflecting the less standardized approach to orthography in medieval script.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, while the surname itself is not directly listed, many of the locations bearing "wood" or "wode" in their names can be linked to the eventual formation of surnames like Woodhead. The transition from descriptive phrases to fixed surnames solidified by the 14th century.

Notable bearers of the surname include Richard Woodhead, registered in the Wills of Chester in 1594. Another significant individual was Samuel Woodhead, born in 1630 and known for his contributions to the civic development of his community in Yorkshire.

A historical figure worth noting is Sir William Woodhead, born in 1710, who served as a baronet and was esteemed for his scholarly pursuits in the Midlands. His legacy includes several philanthropic endeavors in education during the 18th century.

During the early 19th century, John Woodhead, born 1797, gained prominence as an industrialist during the Industrial Revolution. He was instrumental in developing early mechanical engineering techniques in Lancashire, contributing to the period’s technological advancements.

In literature, Mary Woodhead, born in 1815, made her mark as a poet and writer in the Victorian era. Her works often reflected the bucolic scenery and rural life, drawing heavily from her family’s history and the natural landscape around Woodhead settlements.

Tracing the surname Woodhead reveals the deep connection between individuals and the natural features of their homeland. Through centuries, it illustrates a link between geographical origins and personal identity, evolving with shifts in language and social structure across England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Woodhead families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Woodhead 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. Yorkshire leads with 3,492 Woodheads recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.43x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 3,492 6.43x
Lancashire 922 1.42x
Derbyshire 279 3.25x
Middlesex 155 0.28x
Lincolnshire 129 1.47x
Nottinghamshire 124 1.68x
Cheshire 111 0.92x
Staffordshire 53 0.29x
Surrey 53 0.20x
Kent 38 0.20x
Lanarkshire 33 0.19x
Warwickshire 31 0.22x
Durham 22 0.14x
Hampshire 21 0.19x
Essex 20 0.19x
Cumberland 17 0.36x
Worcestershire 17 0.24x
Sussex 15 0.16x
Leicestershire 10 0.16x
Northumberland 10 0.12x
Gloucestershire 8 0.07x
Isle of Man 8 0.79x
Hertfordshire 7 0.19x
Glamorgan 6 0.06x
Midlothian 6 0.08x
Montgomeryshire 5 0.40x
Devon 3 0.03x
Royal Navy 3 0.46x
Wiltshire 3 0.06x
Ayrshire 2 0.05x
Dorset 2 0.06x
Shropshire 2 0.04x
Suffolk 2 0.03x
Bedfordshire 1 0.04x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.03x
Merionethshire 1 0.10x
Norfolk 1 0.01x
Somerset 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Bierley in Yorkshire leads with 239 Woodheads recorded in 1881 and an index of 81.57x.

Place Total Index
North Bierley 239 81.57x
Leeds 185 6.04x
Horton In Bradford 174 20.53x
Shelf 126 243.10x
Bowling 118 21.95x
Ovenden 104 43.06x
Halifax 86 10.79x
Spotland 84 11.63x
Northowram 82 21.55x
Wooldale 82 89.09x
Brightside Bierlow 80 7.52x
Meltham 74 87.69x
Manningham 63 9.42x
Oldham 60 2.86x
Sheffield 55 3.18x
Bradford 54 4.11x
Batley 53 10.28x
Glossop Dale 53 13.20x
Wortley In Bramley 52 12.10x
Todmorden Walsden 51 29.30x
Hunslet 50 5.91x
Huddersfield 49 6.20x
Bradfield 48 22.94x
Gomersal 47 18.56x
Bury 42 5.66x
Honley 42 44.22x
Ecclesall Bierlow 38 3.44x
Eckington 38 18.24x
Dukinfield 37 6.62x
Hook 37 31.00x
Idle 37 14.70x
Armley 36 15.04x
Newchurch 36 6.77x
Ashton Under Lyne 34 2.39x
Newton 34 6.79x
Templenewsam 33 83.99x
Skelmanthorpe 32 54.63x
Clayton 30 22.59x
Hipperholme Cum 30 12.58x
Netherthong 30 170.94x
Staveley 30 19.71x
Warley 30 19.13x
Nether Hallam 29 3.95x
Whittington 29 24.45x
Crompton 28 15.13x
Preston 28 1.61x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 27 13.70x
Gainsborough 27 13.08x
Pudsey 27 9.31x
Wuerdle Wardle 27 13.69x
Barnsley 26 4.64x
Southowram 26 15.70x
Bethnal Green London 25 1.05x
Saddleworth 25 5.97x
Coventry St Michael 24 5.41x
Hyde 24 6.73x
Morley 24 8.51x
Cumberworth 23 83.24x
Elmton 23 236.87x
Linthwaite 23 20.17x
Wyke In Bradford 23 23.70x
Tong 22 20.99x
Castleton 21 3.24x
Clerkenwell London 21 1.62x
Clowne 21 61.62x
Stansfield 21 10.52x
West Derby 21 1.10x
Ecclesfield 20 5.03x
Farnley In Bramley 20 29.52x
Beeston 19 34.61x
Cartworth 19 42.34x
Lockwood 19 9.73x
Sculcoates 18 2.09x
Wardleworth 18 4.85x
Warrington 18 2.34x
Golcar 17 11.85x
Headingley Cum Burley 17 4.87x
Salford 17 0.89x
Upperthong 17 36.84x
Walton On Hill 17 4.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 418
Sarah 267
Elizabeth 198
Hannah 145
Ann 135
Emma 117
Annie 102
Jane 96
Martha 92
Alice 90
Eliza 64
Ellen 60
Clara 59
Emily 52
Maria 41
Harriet 38
Edith 37
Margaret 37
Ada 32
Florence 32
Lucy 31
Fanny 27
Grace 23
Isabella 22
Charlotte 21
Frances 20
Louisa 19
Ruth 18
Betty 17
Anne 16
Caroline 16
Agnes 15
Harriett 14
Betsy 13
Lilly 13
Susan 13
Bertha 12
Julia 12
Catherine 11
Esther 11
Rose 11
Amelia 10
Ethel 10
Nancy 10
Rebecca 10
Susannah 10
Lavinia 9
Matilda 9
Beatrice 8
Selina 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 335
William 243
George 162
Joseph 155
James 151
Thomas 111
Charles 74
Henry 71
Samuel 63
Walter 58
Fred 53
Arthur 51
Albert 45
Robert 44
Alfred 42
Harry 39
Herbert 36
Edward 34
Benjamin 33
Wm. 32
Richard 31
David 29
Frank 28
Tom 26
Edwin 24
Ernest 24
Frederick 20
Joshua 20
Abraham 17
Jonas 16
Willie 16
Edmund 14
Joe 14
Geo. 13
Ben 11
Sam 11
Francis 10
Peter 10
Jesse 9
Thos. 9
Isaac 8
Enoch 7
Ezra 7
Fredk. 7
Matthew 7
Allen 6
Godfrey 6
Jonathan 6
Lewis 6
Timothy 6

FAQ

Woodhead surname: questions and answers

How common was the Woodhead surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,606 people were recorded with the Woodhead surname. That placed it at #790 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Woodhead surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,711 in 2016. That gives Woodhead a modern rank of #1,447.

What does the Woodhead surname mean?

An English topographic surname denoting someone who lived near a wooded headland or promontory.

What does the Woodhead map show?

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