NameCensus.

UK surname

Woodliffe

In the 1881 census there were 124 people recorded with the Woodliffe surname, ranking it #17,429 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 160, ranked #22,694, down from #17,429 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Louth, St Pancras and Sutton-on-the-Forest. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Woodliffe is 222 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.0%.

1881 census count

124

Ranked #17,429

Modern count

160

2016, ranked #22,694

Peak year

1911

222 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Woodliffe had 124 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,429 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 160 in 2016, ranked #22,694.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 222 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Woodliffe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Woodliffe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Woodliffe 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 75 #20,268
1861 historical 90 #22,312
1881 historical 124 #17,429
1891 historical 180 #16,143
1901 historical 183 #15,996
1911 historical 222 #13,992
1997 modern 184 #18,580
1998 modern 188 #18,796
1999 modern 190 #18,797
2000 modern 179 #19,494
2001 modern 174 #19,562
2002 modern 174 #19,971
2003 modern 166 #20,320
2004 modern 161 #20,840
2005 modern 154 #21,396
2006 modern 157 #21,322
2007 modern 156 #21,650
2008 modern 159 #21,598
2009 modern 159 #22,072
2010 modern 167 #21,835
2011 modern 163 #21,983
2012 modern 156 #22,645
2013 modern 160 #22,621
2014 modern 165 #22,356
2015 modern 162 #22,509
2016 modern 160 #22,694

Geography

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Where Woodliffes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Louth, St Pancras, Sutton-on-the-Forest, Clayworth and Grimsby, Great. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire 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 Louth Lincolnshire
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Sutton-on-the-Forest Yorkshire, North Riding
4 Clayworth Nottinghamshire
5 Grimsby, Great Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 011 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 North Lincolnshire 011 North Lincolnshire
3 North Lincolnshire 023 North Lincolnshire
4 North East Lincolnshire 006 North East Lincolnshire
5 Sheffield 009 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Woodliffe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Woodliffe

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

Woodliffe is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Woodliffe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Woodliffe 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. Lincolnshire leads with 58 Woodliffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.76x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 58 29.76x
Glamorgan 18 8.48x
Nottinghamshire 13 7.91x
Yorkshire 13 1.08x
Lancashire 5 0.35x
Middlesex 5 0.41x
Staffordshire 5 1.22x
Surrey 4 0.67x
Derbyshire 1 0.52x
Dorset 1 1.25x
Kent 1 0.24x
Royal Navy 1 6.88x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Maltby Le Marsh in Lincolnshire leads with 12 Woodliffes recorded in 1881 and an index of 9230.77x.

Place Total Index
Maltby Le Marsh 12 9230.77x
North South Killingholme 9 2812.50x
East Stockwith 8 5714.29x
Swansea Lower 8 740.74x
Ystradyfodwg 8 42.96x
Stockton On Forest 7 3684.21x
Louth 6 134.23x
Wainfleet All Sts 6 1052.63x
Accrington 5 38.02x
Alford 5 413.22x
Clayworth 5 2777.78x
Great Grimsby 5 40.42x
St Nicholas Lincoln 5 268.82x
St Pancras London 5 5.10x
Tipton 5 39.68x
Bridlington 4 144.40x
Mitcham 4 106.67x
Beesby 2 3333.33x
Kirton In Lindsey 2 259.74x
Binbrooke 1 204.08x
Caistor 1 128.21x
Calceby 1 3333.33x
Clee With Weelsby 1 23.42x
Lee 1 16.56x
Llanguick 1 26.32x
Portland 1 23.26x
Royal Navy 1 8.05x
Ruckland 1 3333.33x
Sawley 1 172.41x
Swansea Town 1 5.75x
Theddlethorpe St Helen 1 588.24x
York Mint Yard St 1 909.09x
York St Sampson 1 384.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Sarah 7
Alice 2
Ann 2
Elizabeth 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Helen 2
Margaret 2
Amy 1
Annie 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Dinah 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Nance 1
Rebecca 1
Susan 1
Susanh. 1
Susannah 1
Thomasine 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
John 7
George 5
Henry 5
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Richard 4
Benjamin 3
Edward 3
Albert 2
David 2
Frederick 2
Arthur 1
Eardley 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
J.Morgan 1
Joseph 1
Joshua 1
Levi 1
Lucius 1
Luke 1
Rees 1
Roland 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Woodliffe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Woodliffe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 124 people were recorded with the Woodliffe surname. That placed it at #17,429 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Woodliffe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 160 in 2016. That gives Woodliffe a modern rank of #22,694.

What does the Woodliffe map show?

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