NameCensus.

UK surname

Waddams

In the 1881 census there were 76 people recorded with the Waddams surname, ranking it #22,745 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 101, ranked #30,929, down from #22,745 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dudley, London parishes and Bedworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Isle of Wight and Bromley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Waddams is 123 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.9%.

1881 census count

76

Ranked #22,745

Modern count

101

2016, ranked #30,929

Peak year

1911

123 bearers

Map years

4

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Waddams had 76 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,745 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016, ranked #30,929.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 123 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Waddams surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Waddams surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Waddams 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 62 #22,232
1861 historical 110 #19,562
1881 historical 76 #22,745
1891 historical 75 #27,414
1901 historical 86 #24,508
1911 historical 123 #20,128
1997 modern 103 #26,498
1998 modern 122 #24,556
1999 modern 117 #25,362
2000 modern 115 #25,591
2001 modern 111 #25,767
2002 modern 117 #25,494
2003 modern 108 #26,486
2004 modern 102 #27,637
2005 modern 102 #27,689
2006 modern 95 #29,113
2007 modern 92 #29,929
2008 modern 88 #30,857
2009 modern 88 #31,352
2010 modern 104 #29,618
2011 modern 109 #28,653
2012 modern 102 #29,902
2013 modern 102 #30,415
2014 modern 99 #31,186
2015 modern 100 #31,005
2016 modern 101 #30,929

Geography

Back to top

Where Waddams' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dudley, London parishes, Bedworth and Ealing, Chiswick. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Westminster, Isle of Wight, Bromley, Dudley and Solihull. 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 Dudley Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Bedworth Warwickshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Westminster 022 Westminster
2 Isle of Wight 008 Isle of Wight
3 Bromley 013 Bromley
4 Dudley 019 Dudley
5 Solihull 026 Solihull

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Waddams

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Waddams

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Waddams is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Waddams is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Waddams falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Waddams families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Waddams 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. Warwickshire leads with 19 Waddams' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.16x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 19 10.16x
Yorkshire 13 1.77x
Gloucestershire 12 8.26x
Worcestershire 9 9.30x
Leicestershire 8 9.73x
Derbyshire 6 5.17x
Buckinghamshire 4 8.93x
Staffordshire 3 1.20x
Lancashire 1 0.11x
Somerset 1 0.84x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedworth in Warwickshire leads with 12 Waddams' recorded in 1881 and an index of 882.35x.

Place Total Index
Bedworth 12 882.35x
Dudley 9 76.47x
Handsworth 8 412.37x
Leicester St Margaret 5 24.95x
Stroud 5 176.68x
Treeton 5 2941.18x
Derby St Werburgh 4 59.70x
Edgbaston 4 68.97x
Gloucester St Catherine 4 975.61x
Wolverton 4 430.11x
Gloucester St Michael 3 909.09x
Leicester St Mary 3 45.18x
Aston 2 3.89x
Derby All Sts 2 206.19x
Stafford St Mary 2 56.50x
Cheetham 1 15.24x
Coventry St Michael 1 16.67x
Sedgley 1 10.76x
Shepton Mallet 1 74.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Sarah 3
Annie 2
Edith 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Ruth 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
E. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Jane 1
Leah 1
Lizzie 1
Lois 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Metilda 1
Naomi 1
Rebecca 1
Robecca 1
Violet 1
Zilliah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Joseph 4
Arthur 2
Christopher 2
Henry 2
Jabez 2
James 2
John 2
Albert 1
Benjamin 1
Edwd. 1
Elihu 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Issac 1
Nathan 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Thos.R. 1
William 1

FAQ

Waddams surname: questions and answers

How common was the Waddams surname in 1881?

In 1881, 76 people were recorded with the Waddams surname. That placed it at #22,745 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Waddams surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016. That gives Waddams a modern rank of #30,929.

What does the Waddams map show?

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