NameCensus.

UK surname

Wadley

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "woodland clearing near a ford."

In the 1881 census there were 580 people recorded with the Wadley surname, ranking it #6,010 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 735, ranked #7,416, down from #6,010 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Maismore. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Monmouthshire, Forest of Dean and Herefordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wadley is 898 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.7%.

1881 census count

580

Ranked #6,010

Modern count

735

2016, ranked #7,416

Peak year

1911

898 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wadley had 580 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,010 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 735 in 2016, ranked #7,416.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 898 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Wadley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wadley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wadley 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 442 #5,570
1861 historical 470 #5,522
1881 historical 580 #6,010
1891 historical 689 #5,686
1901 historical 772 #5,804
1911 historical 898 #4,961
1997 modern 777 #6,691
1998 modern 794 #6,788
1999 modern 814 #6,700
2000 modern 801 #6,767
2001 modern 767 #6,863
2002 modern 772 #6,971
2003 modern 746 #7,049
2004 modern 769 #6,888
2005 modern 755 #6,921
2006 modern 755 #6,951
2007 modern 755 #7,015
2008 modern 750 #7,104
2009 modern 765 #7,136
2010 modern 783 #7,153
2011 modern 759 #7,232
2012 modern 769 #7,093
2013 modern 777 #7,142
2014 modern 776 #7,172
2015 modern 743 #7,354
2016 modern 735 #7,416

Geography

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Where Wadleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Maismore and Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Monmouthshire, Forest of Dean and Herefordshire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Maismore Gloucestershire
5 Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Monmouthshire 004 Monmouthshire
2 Forest of Dean 001 Forest of Dean
3 Herefordshire 019 Herefordshire, County of
4 Forest of Dean 002 Forest of Dean
5 Monmouthshire 008 Monmouthshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wadley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wadley

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Wadley 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

Wadley is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wadley falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wadley

The surname Wadley is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "wad" meaning "ford" and "leah" meaning "a woodland clearing or meadow." It likely originated in the county of Berkshire, England, where there is a town called Wadley located near the River Ock.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Wadley dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as "Wadelei." This historical record suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the 11th century.

Wadley is also believed to be a locational surname, meaning it was initially adopted by families who lived in or near the town of Wadley in Berkshire. As people began to migrate to other parts of the country, they often took on the name of their place of origin as a means of identification.

One notable figure with the surname Wadley was John Wadley, born in 1596 in Faringdon, Berkshire. He was a wealthy merchant and benefactor who funded the construction of the Wadley Almshouses in Faringdon, which still stand today.

Another significant individual was Sir Thomas Wadley (1630-1682), a prominent English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Hindon, Wiltshire, during the reign of King Charles II.

In the 18th century, Samuel Wadley (1714-1784) was a renowned Anglican clergyman and author who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Whitechapel, London.

The Wadley family also had a presence in the United States, with one of the earliest recorded instances being that of William Wadley, who arrived in Virginia from England in 1634.

Finally, George Wadley (1818-1891) was a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Science (now part of Imperial College London).

While the surname Wadley is not among the most common in England or the United States, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and continues to be associated with notable figures in various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wadley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wadley 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. Essex leads with 74 Wadleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.63x.

County Total Index
Essex 74 6.63x
Gloucestershire 72 6.49x
Middlesex 70 1.24x
Worcestershire 67 9.07x
Herefordshire 55 23.71x
Surrey 48 1.74x
Somerset 27 2.96x
Suffolk 20 2.90x
Glamorgan 19 1.93x
Warwickshire 17 1.19x
Sussex 15 1.57x
Durham 12 0.71x
Kent 10 0.52x
Oxfordshire 10 2.86x
Devon 8 0.68x
Lancashire 8 0.12x
Northumberland 8 0.95x
Staffordshire 7 0.37x
Berkshire 6 1.41x
Yorkshire 5 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 4 1.17x
Hertfordshire 4 1.03x
Brecknockshire 3 2.65x
Northamptonshire 3 0.56x
Hampshire 2 0.17x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.28x
Channel Islands 1 0.60x
Derbyshire 1 0.11x
Lanarkshire 1 0.05x
Lincolnshire 1 0.11x
Wiltshire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wivenhoe in Essex leads with 19 Wadleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 427.93x.

Place Total Index
Wivenhoe 19 427.93x
Maisemore 18 1894.74x
Bedminster 16 18.70x
Castlemorton 16 1103.45x
Lambeth 15 3.04x
Linton In Newent 15 833.33x
Aston Ingham 14 1842.11x
Birtsmorton 11 1964.29x
Birmingham 10 2.10x
Chelsea London 10 5.87x
Cheltenham 10 11.68x
Clare 10 303.03x
Belchamp St Paul 9 656.93x
Birch 9 491.80x
Islington London 9 1.64x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 7.91x
Steyning 9 278.64x
Camberwell 8 2.21x
Colne Engaine 8 792.08x
Llandaff 8 24.41x
Stoke Prior 8 754.72x
Willesden 8 15.00x
Bury St Edmunds St James 7 38.02x
Croydon 7 4.57x
Harborne 7 11.44x
Paddington London 7 3.36x
Shoreditch London 7 2.85x
Weston Super Mare 7 30.43x
Woolwich 7 9.81x
Bermondsey 6 3.56x
Bishopwearmouth 6 4.15x
Pendock 6 1304.35x
Whitchurch 6 112.57x
Ashleworth 5 510.20x
Berrow 5 694.44x
Grimley 5 359.71x
Hanwell 5 49.85x
Ledbury 5 62.74x
Newent 5 88.65x
Newnham Murren 5 1041.67x
Powick 5 97.66x
Tavistock 5 37.26x
Bidford 4 131.15x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 3.75x
Elsenham 4 439.56x
Gloucester Pool Meadow 4 1111.11x
Hatfield 4 50.57x
Longbenton 4 11.22x
Messing 4 287.77x
Roath 4 8.94x
South Shields 4 26.68x
Upton Cum Chalvey 4 29.35x
Westgate 4 7.67x
Westminster St John 4 5.81x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 3 29.67x
Crowmarsh Gifford 3 508.47x
Eastnor 3 389.61x
Gloucester St Nicholas 3 58.37x
Gloucester St Owen 3 245.90x
Hastings St Mary 3 12.64x
Hatfield Peverel 3 124.48x
Lower Ystradgynlais 3 42.98x
Moreton In Marsh 3 107.91x
Much Marcle 3 179.64x
Normanton 3 17.80x
Reading St Lawrence 3 33.00x
Wellingborough 3 11.21x
Westonsuper Mare 3 161.29x
Wheatenhurst 3 428.57x
Yatton 3 857.14x
Bishop Auckland 2 8.86x
Claines 2 9.86x
Leyton 2 10.40x
Quedgley 2 215.05x
Rainham 2 82.30x
Stoke Damerel 2 2.43x
Thaxted 2 53.91x
Toxteth Park 2 0.88x
Westbury On Severn East 2 7.97x
Witham 2 34.78x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 43
John 25
Charles 20
George 19
Thomas 18
James 17
Henry 15
Alfred 12
Edward 10
Richard 8
Frank 7
Walter 7
Arthur 6
Frederick 6
Harry 6
Joseph 6
Herbert 3
Philip 3
Samuel 3
Wm. 3
Abraham 2
Albert 2
Alfd. 2
Benjamin 2
David 2
Enoch 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Geo. 2
Matthew 2
Oswald 2
Robert 2
Timothy 2
Arch. 1
Clement 1
Cyril 1
D.C.Bloxome 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.J. 1
Fredk.J.L. 1
Fredrick 1
Graham 1
Jno. 1
Lewis 1
Mich. 1
Michael 1
Phillip 1
Roule 1
Zackariah 1

FAQ

Wadley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wadley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 580 people were recorded with the Wadley surname. That placed it at #6,010 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wadley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 735 in 2016. That gives Wadley a modern rank of #7,416.

What does the Wadley surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "woodland clearing near a ford."

What does the Wadley map show?

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