Needham Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Needham Name Meaning: Habitational for any one of a number of places with this name i.e Suffolk. Old English ned 'hardship' + ham 'homestead'.

Usually implied a place of 'hardship' & 'poor living'.

Discover how your Needham ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Needham Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Needham family

Profession Census Frequency
School 741
Coal Miner Hewer 80
Farmer 78
Farm Labourer 45
Labourer 42
Dressmaker 39
Private Means 38
General Servant (domestic) 38
General Labourer 34
Housekeeper 32
At Home 29
Clerk 28
Domestic Servant 25
None 25
At School 22
Cotton Weaver 22
General Servant Domestic 19
House Keeper 16
Butcher 16
Charwoman 15
Coal Miner (hewer) 15
Shop Assistant 14
Warehouseman 14
Errand Boy 14
Scholar 13

Needham Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Needham 100% 43,432
2 Nudham 71% 264
3 Nedham 86% 198
4 Neadham 86% 129

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The surname Needham is the most popular version of all its varients

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