NameCensus.

UK surname

Wadeson

An English surname derived from the Middle English personal name Wad-kin, a diminutive form of Wade.

In the 1881 census there were 262 people recorded with the Wadeson surname, ranking it #10,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 386, ranked #12,202, down from #10,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, Burton-in-Kendal and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Hams, Wigan and Barrow-in-Furness.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wadeson is 473 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.3%.

1881 census count

262

Ranked #10,721

Modern count

386

2016, ranked #12,202

Peak year

1998

473 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wadeson had 262 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 386 in 2016, ranked #12,202.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 452 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wadeson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wadeson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wadeson 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 187 #10,978
1861 historical 198 #12,114
1881 historical 262 #10,721
1891 historical 359 #9,635
1901 historical 390 #9,650
1911 historical 452 #8,476
1997 modern 451 #10,049
1998 modern 473 #10,018
1999 modern 461 #10,272
2000 modern 443 #10,578
2001 modern 445 #10,327
2002 modern 462 #10,217
2003 modern 458 #10,136
2004 modern 446 #10,391
2005 modern 438 #10,422
2006 modern 431 #10,600
2007 modern 432 #10,682
2008 modern 438 #10,668
2009 modern 438 #10,927
2010 modern 442 #11,066
2011 modern 438 #11,017
2012 modern 411 #11,500
2013 modern 417 #11,556
2014 modern 417 #11,632
2015 modern 401 #11,889
2016 modern 386 #12,202

Geography

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Where Wadesons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, Burton-in-Kendal, Wigan, Preston and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Hams, Wigan, Barrow-in-Furness, Purbeck and Rugby. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 Burton-in-Kendal Westmorland
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Hams 007 South Hams
2 Wigan 006 Wigan
3 Barrow-in-Furness 007 Barrow-in-Furness
4 Purbeck 006 Purbeck
5 Rugby 002 Rugby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wadeson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wadeson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wadeson, 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 Wadeson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Wadeson 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Wadeson 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

Wadeson is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wadeson falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wadeson

The surname Wadeson originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a place called Waddesworth or Wadsworth in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The name likely stems from the Old English words "wad" meaning a ford or shallow crossing, and "worth" meaning an enclosure or homestead.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1301, where a Robert de Waddesworth is referenced. In the 14th century, the name appeared as Waddesworth, Wadesworth, and Wadsworth in various records from Yorkshire and Lancashire.

The Wadeson surname may have also been an occupational name for someone who worked as a wader, or one who crossed rivers and streams on foot. This occupation was particularly relevant in areas with numerous waterways, such as Yorkshire.

Notable individuals with the Wadeson surname include:

1. John Wadeson (c. 1540-1610), an English clergyman and author from Gloucestershire. 2. Thomas Wadeson (1630-1676), a prominent merchant and landowner in colonial Virginia. 3. Elizabeth Wadeson (1714-1792), a British philanthropist who founded several orphanages in London. 4. William Wadeson (1805-1879), an English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in Manchester. 5. James Wadeson (1862-1937), a British explorer and naturalist who led expeditions to the Amazon rainforest in the early 20th century.

While the Wadeson name has its roots in Yorkshire and Lancashire, it eventually spread to other parts of England and beyond, with many bearers of the name emigrating to the Americas and other regions during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wadeson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wadeson 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. Lancashire leads with 112 Wadesons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.69x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 112 3.69x
Westmorland 26 46.29x
Cheshire 23 4.08x
Surrey 21 1.69x
Middlesex 16 0.63x
Essex 11 2.18x
Yorkshire 11 0.43x
Berkshire 10 5.21x
Lincolnshire 10 2.45x
Kent 6 0.69x
Leicestershire 5 1.76x
Hampshire 2 0.38x
Merionethshire 2 4.28x
Ayrshire 1 0.52x
Cumberland 1 0.45x
Devon 1 0.19x
Gloucestershire 1 0.20x
Hertfordshire 1 0.57x
Montgomeryshire 1 1.71x
Staffordshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 20 Wadesons recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.65x.

Place Total Index
Preston 20 24.65x
Holme 17 2500.00x
Northenden 14 1359.22x
Lancaster 11 60.98x
Clewer 10 127.23x
Camberwell 9 5.51x
Wigan 9 21.24x
St Pancras London 8 3.89x
Burton 7 1186.44x
Colchester St Botolph 6 139.86x
Dalton In Furness 6 51.24x
Halifax 6 16.14x
Pendleton In Salford 6 16.61x
Standish With Langtree 6 160.86x
Litherland 5 78.86x
Newington 5 5.30x
Poulton Barre 5 144.93x
Southwark St Olave 5 256.41x
Tranmere 5 24.12x
Egton Cum Newland 4 454.55x
Hungarton 4 1025.64x
Ingleton 4 279.72x
Little Bolton 4 10.26x
Salford 4 4.48x
West Ham 4 3.59x
Clee With Weelsby 3 33.52x
Congleton 3 30.77x
Everton 3 3.10x
Heysham 3 545.45x
Ince In Makerfield 3 21.26x
Normanton 3 2307.69x
Pennington In Ulverston 3 198.68x
Skerton 3 120.48x
Slyne With Hest 3 1111.11x
Tonbridge 3 9.54x
Aldingham 2 198.02x
Broughton In Salford 2 7.21x
Dilworth 2 107.53x
Eccleston In Prescot 2 13.14x
Greenwich 2 4.92x
Hackney London 2 1.40x
Hulme 2 3.16x
Mile End Old Town 2 4.96x
Portsea 2 1.95x
Sutton St Mary 2 51.81x
Talyllyn 2 109.29x
Bentham 1 51.81x
Burton Upon Trent 1 4.96x
Caterham 1 18.18x
Claughton With Grange 1 38.91x
Devonport 1 16.37x
Epping 1 48.78x
Fulham London 1 2.70x
Fulwood 1 30.49x
Hertford St John 1 38.02x
Hough On Hill 1 294.12x
Lambeth 1 0.45x
Lathom 1 27.32x
Lea Ashton Ingol 1 49.75x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.45x
Lewisham 1 2.15x
Llanrhaiadr Ym Mochnant 1 52.91x
Mansergh 1 476.19x
Paddington London 1 1.06x
Poplar London 1 2.07x
Priest Hutton 1 526.32x
Rodborough 1 41.32x
Spalding 1 12.33x
St Alban Wood Street 1 666.67x
St Cuthbert W O 1 9.32x
Stevenston 1 20.04x
Undermilbeck 1 54.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Sarah 12
Elizabeth 10
Jane 8
Margaret 7
Emma 5
Alice 4
Ann 4
Emily 4
Anne 3
Annie 3
Edith 3
Hannah 3
Martha 3
Phoebe 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Eliza 2
Fanny 2
Louisa 2
Rachel 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Beautrice 1
Betsy 1
Blanche 1
Catherine 1
Christiana 1
Deborah 1
Dinah 1
Eleanor 1
Elise 1
Elizth.A. 1
Ellen 1
Ethel 1
Georgiana 1
Grace 1
Isabella 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Katie 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Liza 1
Lucy 1
Margt. 1
Maud 1
Nellie 1
Rachael 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Richard 17
Thomas 16
James 14
William 13
John 11
George 8
Henry 6
Edward 4
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Benjamin 2
Frederick 2
Simon 2
Tobias 2
Arthur 1
Benjamine 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Delamere 1
Fd. 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
Jno.Thos.Walter 1
Jonathan 1
Larrance 1
Louisa 1
Reuben 1
Robinson 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Wadeson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wadeson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 262 people were recorded with the Wadeson surname. That placed it at #10,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wadeson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 386 in 2016. That gives Wadeson a modern rank of #12,202.

What does the Wadeson surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Middle English personal name Wad-kin, a diminutive form of Wade.

What does the Wadeson map show?

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