NameCensus.

UK surname

Wade

An English occupational surname for a person who helped others wade across streams or shallow waters.

In the 1881 census there were 11,824 people recorded with the Wade surname, ranking it #363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 15,907, ranked #396, down from #363 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Halifax and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight, County Durham and South Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wade is 16,227 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.5%.

1881 census count

11,824

Ranked #363

Modern count

15,907

2016, ranked #396

Peak year

1999

16,227 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wade had 11,824 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #363 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 15,907 in 2016, ranked #396.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 15,670 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wade surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wade surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wade 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 8,019 #348
1861 historical 8,018 #345
1881 historical 11,824 #363
1891 historical 12,744 #343
1901 historical 14,526 #364
1911 historical 15,670 #309
1997 modern 15,657 #384
1998 modern 16,188 #388
1999 modern 16,227 #393
2000 modern 16,199 #389
2001 modern 15,814 #388
2002 modern 16,107 #389
2003 modern 15,617 #390
2004 modern 15,585 #392
2005 modern 15,268 #393
2006 modern 15,338 #393
2007 modern 15,432 #393
2008 modern 15,483 #395
2009 modern 15,822 #398
2010 modern 16,204 #398
2011 modern 15,976 #397
2012 modern 15,702 #397
2013 modern 16,066 #396
2014 modern 16,153 #397
2015 modern 16,017 #395
2016 modern 15,907 #396

Geography

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Where Wades are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Halifax, Bradford and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight, County Durham, South Kesteven, Bradford and Mid Suffolk. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 010 Isle of Wight
2 County Durham 057 County Durham
3 South Kesteven 012 South Kesteven
4 Bradford 004 Bradford
5 Mid Suffolk 002 Mid Suffolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wade

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wade

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Wade 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

Wade is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wade falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wade

The surname Wade originated in England and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word 'wadan', meaning to go or to ford a river. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a river crossing or ford.

The earliest recorded instance of the Wade surname dates back to 1273 in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire. The name is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, listed as 'Wada' and 'Wada de Wicha'.

In the 14th century, the Wade surname was found in various places across England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk. Some early examples include John Wade, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301, and Robert Wade, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1317.

The Wade surname has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir William Wade (c.1480-1548), a prominent English diplomat and politician who served as Lieutenant of the Tower of London under Henry VIII.

Another significant figure was Sir William Wade (1546-1623), an English statesman and politician who served as Secretary of State for Ireland during the reign of Elizabeth I. He played a crucial role in the suppression of the Irish rebellion led by Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone.

In the literary world, Nathaniel Wade (1605-1679) was an English poet and clergyman who published several works, including "The Perfect Parson" and "The Poet's Solemn Appeal to the British Nation".

Sir Thomas Francis Wade (1818-1895) was a British diplomat and sinologist who served as the first Professor of Chinese at the University of Cambridge. He made significant contributions to the study of the Chinese language and culture.

In the field of sports, Sir Francis Edward Wade (1891-1978) was a prominent English cricketer who played for England and captained the team in the 1920s. He was also an accomplished administrator and served as the President of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) from 1946 to 1949.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wade families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wade 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 2,955 Wades recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.55x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 2,955 2.55x
Lancashire 1,406 1.01x
Middlesex 1,405 1.20x
Essex 686 2.97x
Surrey 562 0.99x
Norfolk 409 2.28x
Durham 408 1.17x
Suffolk 388 2.72x
Lincolnshire 348 1.86x
Kent 312 0.78x
Staffordshire 285 0.72x
Northamptonshire 203 1.85x
Cheshire 202 0.78x
Isle of Man 157 7.23x
Leicestershire 153 1.18x
Nottinghamshire 150 0.95x
Hampshire 142 0.59x
Derbyshire 136 0.74x
Cambridgeshire 135 1.82x
Warwickshire 133 0.45x
Devon 122 0.50x
Somerset 103 0.55x
Northumberland 101 0.58x
Gloucestershire 94 0.41x
Rutland 90 10.48x
Huntingdonshire 81 3.49x
Sussex 80 0.41x
Worcestershire 73 0.48x
Hertfordshire 65 0.81x
Glamorgan 57 0.28x
Renfrewshire 49 0.54x
Cornwall 42 0.32x
Oxfordshire 42 0.58x
Monmouthshire 40 0.47x
Bedfordshire 38 0.63x
Midlothian 36 0.23x
Pembrokeshire 35 0.94x
Berkshire 34 0.39x
Shropshire 33 0.33x
Herefordshire 23 0.48x
Lanarkshire 22 0.06x
Wigtownshire 18 1.16x
Westmorland 17 0.66x
Dorset 15 0.20x
Buckinghamshire 14 0.20x
Ayrshire 11 0.13x
Wiltshire 11 0.11x
Angus 9 0.08x
Carmarthenshire 9 0.18x
Cumberland 9 0.09x
Stirlingshire 9 0.21x
Royal Navy 8 0.57x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.03x
Dunbartonshire 3 0.10x
Flintshire 3 0.10x
Perthshire 3 0.06x
Brecknockshire 2 0.09x
Roxburghshire 2 0.09x
Berwickshire 1 0.07x
Cardiganshire 1 0.04x
Channel Islands 1 0.03x
Denbighshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 211 Wades recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.23x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 211 3.23x
Islington London 155 1.37x
Lambeth 116 1.14x
Shoreditch London 103 2.03x
Ovenden 101 19.59x
Halifax 100 5.88x
Bradford 94 3.35x
West Ham 92 1.81x
Accrington 90 7.14x
St Marylebone London 86 1.38x
St Pancras London 82 0.87x
Warley 80 23.89x
Camberwell 79 1.06x
Liverpool 79 0.94x
Calverley Cum Farsley 77 23.41x
Pudsey 75 12.11x
Horton In Bradford 71 3.92x
Bethnal Green London 70 1.38x
Manningham 64 4.48x
Kildwick 63 59.72x
Bingley 62 8.40x
Northowram 60 7.39x
Hackney London 59 0.90x
Mile End Old Town 59 3.20x
Kensington London 58 0.89x
Chelsea London 57 1.62x
Armley 56 10.96x
Manchester 56 0.90x
Bermondsey 55 1.58x
Clerkenwell London 54 1.96x
Great Yarmouth 53 3.56x
Portsea 53 1.13x
Oldham 52 1.16x
Marton 51 55.28x
Birmingham 47 0.48x
Farnley In Bramley 46 31.80x
Huddersfield 46 2.73x
Over Darwen 45 4.06x
Headingley Cum Burley 44 5.90x
Poplar London 44 1.99x
Stoke Upon Trent 44 1.05x
Bowling 43 3.75x
Habergham Eaves 43 3.39x
Keighley 43 3.48x
Leicester St Margaret 43 1.36x
Wakefield 43 4.83x
Fulham London 42 2.48x
West Derby 42 1.03x
Westoe 42 2.13x
Ratcliffe London 41 6.35x
Read 41 110.51x
St George Hanover 41 2.69x
Deptford St Paul 39 1.27x
Middlesbrough 39 2.58x
Wilsden 38 31.94x
Battersea 37 0.86x
Newington 37 0.86x
Ashley Cum Silverley 36 185.09x
Crimplesham 36 302.78x
Hornsey 36 2.43x
Lezayre 35 35.93x
Peterborough 35 4.40x
Southwark St George Martyr 35 1.49x
Aston 34 0.42x
Eckington 34 7.65x
Bromley London 33 1.28x
Everton 33 0.75x
Layton With Warbreck 33 6.48x
Thurlby Obthorpe 33 131.74x
Bramley In Bramley 32 7.21x
Great Coggeshall 32 26.66x
Huncoat 32 85.98x
Paddington London 32 0.74x
Tolleshunt D Arcy 32 97.38x
East Donyland 31 55.77x
Skipton 31 8.50x
Stockton On Tees 31 1.85x
Wolstanton 31 2.59x
Hunslet 30 1.66x
Shipley 30 4.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 852
Elizabeth 489
Sarah 436
Ann 235
Jane 217
Emma 207
Alice 192
Annie 170
Eliza 167
Ellen 157
Emily 149
Hannah 136
Martha 131
Margaret 130
Harriet 87
Louisa 83
Maria 80
Edith 69
Ada 68
Charlotte 65
Catherine 61
Clara 58
Florence 51
Susan 50
Isabella 47
Esther 45
Frances 45
Anne 44
Kate 44
Agnes 41
Caroline 41
Rose 39
Lucy 37
Fanny 35
Amelia 33
Susannah 32
Harriett 30
Rachel 29
Rebecca 29
Grace 28
Minnie 26
Eleanor 24
Ethel 23
Ruth 22
Jessie 21
Laura 21
Lydia 20
Sophia 20
Gertrude 18
Julia 17

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 736
William 676
George 381
James 371
Thomas 360
Charles 233
Joseph 214
Henry 204
Robert 200
Arthur 122
Alfred 114
Edward 112
Samuel 102
Richard 98
Frederick 95
Albert 88
Harry 76
Walter 75
Frank 54
Benjamin 47
David 47
Herbert 45
Ernest 39
Wm. 38
Francis 36
Fred 32
Edwin 25
Stephen 24
Geo. 23
Daniel 21
Isaac 20
Tom 20
Thos. 19
Christopher 14
Fredrick 14
Joshua 14
Philip 14
Peter 13
Sam 13
Abraham 12
Chas. 12
Jonathan 12
Patrick 12
Edgar 11
Sidney 11
Amos 10
Mark 10
Matthew 10
Fredk. 9
Robt. 9

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Wade households.

FAQ

Wade surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wade surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11,824 people were recorded with the Wade surname. That placed it at #363 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wade surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 15,907 in 2016. That gives Wade a modern rank of #396.

What does the Wade surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a person who helped others wade across streams or shallow waters.

What does the Wade map show?

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