NameCensus.

UK surname

Wademan

A name derived from occupational origins, indicating someone who waded or crossed bodies of water.

In the 1881 census there were 39 people recorded with the Wademan surname, ranking it #28,137 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 105, ranked #30,114, down from #28,137 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale, Calderdale and Craven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wademan is 105 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 169.2%.

1881 census count

39

Ranked #28,137

Modern count

105

2016, ranked #30,114

Peak year

2014

105 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wademan had 39 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,137 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016, ranked #30,114.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 81 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Wademan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wademan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Wademan 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 23 #29,205
1861 historical 28 #30,405
1881 historical 39 #28,137
1891 historical 32 #31,754
1901 historical 66 #26,794
1911 historical 81 #24,719
1997 modern 75 #30,109
1998 modern 80 #29,966
1999 modern 88 #29,287
2000 modern 86 #29,484
2001 modern 84 #29,508
2002 modern 84 #29,982
2003 modern 82 #30,206
2004 modern 89 #29,623
2005 modern 92 #29,271
2006 modern 89 #30,027
2007 modern 88 #30,515
2008 modern 92 #30,286
2009 modern 91 #30,944
2010 modern 93 #31,239
2011 modern 96 #30,721
2012 modern 95 #31,107
2013 modern 101 #30,591
2014 modern 105 #30,204
2015 modern 105 #30,092
2016 modern 105 #30,114

Geography

Back to top

Where Wademans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale, Calderdale, Craven and Bradford. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 001 Rossendale
2 Calderdale 013 Calderdale
3 Craven 008 Craven
4 Bradford 008 Bradford
5 Bradford 009 Bradford

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Wademan

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Wademan

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Wademan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Wademan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Wademan 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

Wademan is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wademan falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wademan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Wademan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wademan

The surname Wademan originated in England during the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "wad" meaning a ford or shallow area in a river, and "mann" meaning a man or person. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a ford or river crossing.

One of the earliest known references to the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Wademan" in the county of Wiltshire. This suggests the name was already well-established by the late 11th century in southern England.

Over time, the name developed various spellings such as Wadman, Wademan, and Waddeman, reflecting regional dialects and scribal variations. Some early bearers of the name were associated with specific locations, like John de Wademan recorded in Somerset in 1327, or Richard Wadman mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Berkshire in 1480.

Notable figures with the Wademan surname include William Wademan (c.1520-1592), an English politician who served as Member of Parliament for Hindon in Wiltshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. John Wademan (1672-1737) was a wealthy merchant and landowner from Somerset, who bequeathed substantial funds for the establishment of almshouses in his home village.

In the 17th century, the variant spelling Wadman emerged, producing individuals like James Wadman (1604-1676), an English clergyman and author of theological works. His son, Robert Wadman (1639-1698), was a prominent lawyer and judge who served as Recorder of Salisbury.

Another significant bearer of the name was Sir Christopher Wadman (1619-1669), an English military officer who fought for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War. He was knighted by King Charles II in recognition of his service and loyalty.

While originating in southern England, the Wademan name gradually spread to other parts of the country and beyond, reflecting patterns of migration and settlement over the centuries. However, it remains a relatively uncommon surname compared to some more widespread English family names.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Wademan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wademan 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 39 Wademans recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.35x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 39 10.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keighley in Yorkshire leads with 35 Wademans recorded in 1881 and an index of 870.65x.

Place Total Index
Keighley 35 870.65x
Bradford 3 32.89x
Armley 1 60.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Clara 2
Ellen 2
Margaret 2
Nancy 2
Anne 1
Annie 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Joan 1
Margret 1
Martha 1
Wineford 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
Thomas 3
William 3
Henry 2
Robert 2
Frank 1
Herbert 1
Samuel 1

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 Wademan households.

FAQ

Wademan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wademan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 39 people were recorded with the Wademan surname. That placed it at #28,137 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wademan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 105 in 2016. That gives Wademan a modern rank of #30,114.

What does the Wademan surname mean?

A name derived from occupational origins, indicating someone who waded or crossed bodies of water.

What does the Wademan map show?

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