NameCensus.

UK surname

Wadd

An English surname derived from the Old English words "wad" meaning "to go" or "wander".

In the 1881 census there were 108 people recorded with the Wadd surname, ranking it #18,888 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 100, ranked #31,123, down from #18,888 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Belgrave, Uppingham, Beaumont Chase and Belton (incl. Gunthorpe). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Melton, Charnwood and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wadd is 183 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 7.4%.

1881 census count

108

Ranked #18,888

Modern count

100

2016, ranked #31,123

Peak year

1891

183 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wadd had 108 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,888 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016, ranked #31,123.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 183 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Wadd surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wadd surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wadd 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 116 #15,545
1861 historical 150 #15,296
1881 historical 108 #18,888
1891 historical 183 #15,918
1901 historical 117 #20,830
1911 historical 144 #18,325
1997 modern 107 #25,924
1998 modern 105 #26,822
1999 modern 104 #27,164
2000 modern 103 #27,280
2001 modern 105 #26,620
2002 modern 104 #27,303
2003 modern 98 #28,046
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 94 #28,973
2006 modern 95 #29,113
2007 modern 94 #29,650
2008 modern 95 #29,822
2009 modern 99 #29,754
2010 modern 109 #28,831
2011 modern 102 #29,759
2012 modern 96 #30,949
2013 modern 100 #30,773
2014 modern 98 #31,370
2015 modern 98 #31,342
2016 modern 100 #31,123

Geography

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Where Wadds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Belgrave, Uppingham, Beaumont Chase, Belton (incl. Gunthorpe), West Halton, Burton-on-Stather, Flixborough (Crosby) and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Melton, Charnwood, North Lincolnshire, Bromley and Cornwall. 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 Belgrave Leicestershire
2 Uppingham, Beaumont Chase Rutland
3 Belton (incl. Gunthorpe) Rutland
4 West Halton, Burton-on-Stather, Flixborough (Crosby) Lincolnshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Melton 006 Melton
2 Charnwood 015 Charnwood
3 North Lincolnshire 009 North Lincolnshire
4 Bromley 012 Bromley
5 Cornwall 069 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wadd

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wadd

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Wadd is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Wadd is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Wadd

The surname Wadd traces its origins to medieval England, dating back to the early Middle Ages. The name is believed to have originated in the Anglo-Saxon period, where it was commonly found in regions such as Yorkshire and Lancashire in the north of England. The name Wadd is derived from the Old English word "wadu," which means "woad," a plant historically used as a source of blue dye. This connection to woad might indicate that the original bearers of the name were involved in the cultivation or processing of the plant.

Historical records from the 12th and 13th centuries make references to the surname in various forms. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1191, where a Hugo Wadd is mentioned. This documentation showcases the early use of the name and its presence in significant legal and financial records of the time.

Throughout the centuries, the name Wadd underwent several variations in spelling, including Wad, Wadde, and Wadey. Another notable early record includes the appearance of a John Wadd in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, marking the name's sustained presence in medieval English society. The Hundred Rolls were a census commissioned by King Edward I, providing a valuable snapshot of the population and landholders during that period.

Famous historical figures bearing the surname include Thomas Wadd, born in 1502, who was a known merchant in the port city of Bristol. His involvement in regional trade during the Tudor period highlights the economic activities associated with the name during that era. Anne Wadd, born in 1587, was documented in parish registers of Norfolk, indicating the spread of the name across various English counties by the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, another notable bearer was Richard Wadd, born in 1640, who held a position as a town clerk in the bustling market town of York. His professional role reflects the gradual association of the Wadd name with civic duties and administrative functions as England moved toward modernity.

By the 18th century, records show the name Wadd reaching beyond England, with individuals such as Samuel Wadd, born in 1735, who emigrated to the American colonies. Samuel's migration signifies the diaspora of the Wadd family name, aligning with broader patterns of English emigration during that era.

The surname Wadd holds a rich historical tapestry, interwoven with agricultural, economic, and administrative threads that reflect the evolving roles of its bearers across centuries. Through its variations and migration, the name continues to offer a glimpse into the historical movements and livelihoods of its carriers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wadd families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wadd 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. Leicestershire leads with 40 Wadds recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.25x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 40 34.25x
Rutland 23 297.54x
Lincolnshire 16 9.50x
Surrey 13 2.53x
Middlesex 6 0.57x
Sussex 4 2.25x
Lancashire 3 0.24x
Denbighshire 1 2.51x
Derbyshire 1 0.61x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.70x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birstall in Leicestershire leads with 21 Wadds recorded in 1881 and an index of 11666.67x.

Place Total Index
Birstall 21 11666.67x
Belton 12 8571.43x
Uppingham 10 1086.96x
Scunthorpe 9 1184.21x
Somerby 8 4210.53x
Penge 7 104.01x
Syston 7 642.20x
Richmond 6 83.45x
Crosby Gunness West 5 5555.56x
Hampstead London 4 24.38x
Hastings St Mary 4 90.50x
North Meols 3 24.51x
Leicester St Nicholas 2 303.03x
Burton Upon Stather 1 476.19x
Flixborough 1 1250.00x
Islington London 1 0.98x
Leicester St Margaret 1 3.51x
Lyndon 1 2500.00x
Newbold Dunston 1 63.69x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.72x
Rothley 1 263.16x
St Marylebone London 1 1.78x
Wrexham Regis 1 33.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 6
Ann 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Sarah 2
Sophia 2
... 1
Agnes 1
Annie 1
C. 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Georgenia 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Kathleen 1
L. 1
Lizzie 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Naomi 1
Selina 1
Susanah 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
Henry 5
Thomas 5
William 5
George 3
Samuel 3
Abram. 1
Alfred 1
Arthi 1
Arthur 1
Carter 1
Charles 1
Chas.Hy. 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Lewis 1
Robert 1
Tom 1
W. 1

FAQ

Wadd surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wadd surname in 1881?

In 1881, 108 people were recorded with the Wadd surname. That placed it at #18,888 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wadd surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 100 in 2016. That gives Wadd a modern rank of #31,123.

What does the Wadd surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English words "wad" meaning "to go" or "wander".

What does the Wadd map show?

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