NameCensus.

UK surname

Wadman

An English occupational surname derived from 'wad' meaning 'bundle of straw' and 'man', referring to someone involved in the wading trade.

In the 1881 census there were 318 people recorded with the Wadman surname, ranking it #9,342 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 339, ranked #13,492, down from #9,342 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gillingham and Walcott, Charlcome. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Somerset, Wiltshire and Southwark.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wadman is 454 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.6%.

1881 census count

318

Ranked #9,342

Modern count

339

2016, ranked #13,492

Peak year

1911

454 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wadman had 318 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,342 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016, ranked #13,492.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 454 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Wadman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wadman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wadman 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 256 #8,629
1861 historical 246 #10,010
1881 historical 318 #9,342
1891 historical 377 #9,302
1901 historical 430 #9,000
1911 historical 454 #8,445
1997 modern 360 #11,929
1998 modern 344 #12,679
1999 modern 344 #12,776
2000 modern 340 #12,824
2001 modern 338 #12,669
2002 modern 344 #12,777
2003 modern 337 #12,759
2004 modern 325 #13,161
2005 modern 326 #13,045
2006 modern 334 #12,912
2007 modern 328 #13,196
2008 modern 324 #13,437
2009 modern 342 #13,193
2010 modern 357 #13,036
2011 modern 352 #13,032
2012 modern 341 #13,217
2013 modern 357 #12,984
2014 modern 356 #13,098
2015 modern 343 #13,365
2016 modern 339 #13,492

Geography

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Where Wadmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gillingham, Walcott, Charlcome and Lee. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Somerset, Wiltshire, Southwark, Mid Sussex and Mendip. 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 Gillingham Dorset
3 London parishes London 3
4 Walcott, Charlcome Somerset
5 Lee London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Somerset 005 South Somerset
2 Wiltshire 034 Wiltshire
3 Southwark 010 Southwark
4 Mid Sussex 016 Mid Sussex
5 Mendip 005 Mendip

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wadman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wadman

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

Wadman is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wadman 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 Wadman 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 Wadman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wadman

The surname WADMAN is of English origin, initially arising in the 12th century in the county of Yorkshire. It stems from the Old English words "wad" and "mann," meaning "woad man" or "one who deals in woad," a blue dye derived from the woad plant. This occupation-based surname was commonly given to those involved in the dyeing trade.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1195, where a Thomas Wadman is mentioned. Another early reference appears in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire from 1284, which lists a Richard Wadman as a witness.

In the 14th century, the WADMAN surname is found in various historical records across Yorkshire and neighboring counties. Notably, a John Wadman is mentioned in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, indicating the name's continued presence in the region.

As the WADMAN family expanded and migrated to other parts of England, variations in spelling emerged, such as Wademan, Waddeman, and Wademon. The Yorkshire Parish Registers from the 16th century contain numerous entries of these alternate spellings.

One notable figure bearing the WADMAN surname was William Wadman, a prominent merchant and landowner from Devon who lived from 1540 to 1618. His descendants played a significant role in the county's affairs for several generations.

In the 17th century, the WADMAN name gained recognition through Sir John Wadman (1622-1689), a wealthy English merchant and Member of Parliament for Somerset. His son, also named John Wadman (1655-1737), followed in his footsteps and served as an MP for Bridgwater.

Another individual of note was Robert Wadman (1647-1717), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Warden of Wadham College, Oxford, from 1702 until his death.

During the 18th century, the WADMAN surname continued to be found across various regions of England, with families residing in counties such as Somerset, Devon, and Gloucestershire. One notable example is Henry Wadman (1768-1834), a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings in Bath and Bristol.

As the industrial revolution gained momentum, the WADMAN name became associated with various trades and professions, reflecting the surname's occupational origins. For instance, John Wadman (1792-1864) was a successful manufacturer of agricultural implements in Somersetshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wadman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wadman 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. Somerset leads with 80 Wadmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.02x.

County Total Index
Somerset 80 16.02x
Dorset 53 26.03x
Middlesex 52 1.68x
Kent 32 3.02x
Devon 24 3.72x
Yorkshire 22 0.72x
Surrey 11 0.73x
Lancashire 10 0.27x
Warwickshire 8 1.02x
Wiltshire 8 2.92x
Sussex 6 1.15x
Hampshire 5 0.79x
Norfolk 4 0.84x
Gloucestershire 2 0.33x
Berkshire 1 0.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gillingham in Dorset leads with 35 Wadmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1000.00x.

Place Total Index
Gillingham 35 1000.00x
Lee 23 149.64x
Hunslet 21 43.81x
Horsington 18 2250.00x
Wincanton 17 661.48x
Walcot 16 60.17x
Yeovil 10 98.52x
Fulham London 9 20.00x
Aston 8 3.71x
St George Hanover 8 19.76x
Poplar London 7 11.96x
Batcombe 6 909.09x
Bradford Abbas 6 1111.11x
St Pancras London 6 2.40x
Twickenham 6 45.11x
Battersea 5 4.38x
Bethnal Green London 5 3.71x
Coldridge 5 1020.41x
Deptford St Paul 5 6.13x
Exeter St Thomas The 5 75.99x
Framfield 5 308.64x
Toxteth Park 5 4.01x
Exeter Alphington 4 338.98x
Exeter St Sidwell 4 27.05x
Haselbury Bryan 4 526.32x
Thorpe Next Norwich 4 79.05x
Bedminster 3 6.39x
Kensington London 3 1.74x
Lambeth 3 1.11x
Market Lavington 3 202.70x
Pinhoe 3 517.24x
Southampton St Mary 3 7.50x
Sturminster 3 152.28x
Walton Le Dale 3 30.33x
Weymouth 3 77.72x
Winkfield With Rowley 3 789.47x
Castle Cary 2 91.74x
Doulting 2 312.50x
Edmonton 2 8.00x
Holton 2 1111.11x
Preston 2 2.03x
St Anne Soho London 2 11.29x
Bristol St Michael 1 19.16x
Clapham 1 2.58x
East Hendred 1 114.94x
Everleigh 1 263.16x
Gravesend 1 11.16x
Greenwich 1 2.03x
Henstridge 1 72.46x
Hipperholme Cum 1 7.40x
Honiton 1 28.01x
Horfield 1 16.34x
Idsworth 1 238.10x
Islington London 1 0.33x
Leatherhead 1 26.39x
Lewisham 1 1.77x
Marston Magna 1 312.50x
Northwood 1 11.05x
Sherborne 1 16.67x
Spitalfields London 1 4.29x
St Peters 1 20.41x
Topsham 1 32.79x
Trowbridge 1 8.24x
Twerton 1 19.42x
Wandsworth 1 3.35x
West Coker 1 98.04x
West Firle 1 163.93x
Westminster St James 1 3.14x
Willesden 1 3.42x
Wyke Regis 1 34.25x
Zeal Monachorum 1 200.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Sarah 10
Elizabeth 9
Ann 7
Ellen 5
Emily 5
Eliza 4
Emma 4
Hannah 4
Lydia 4
Maria 4
Agnes 3
Alice 3
Anna 3
Beatrice 3
Julia 3
Margaret 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Annie 2
Bessie 2
Charlotte 2
Constance 2
Ethel 2
Eva 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Marey 2
Rosa 2
Cassee 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Elizth. 1
Elma 1
Ema 1
Emilie 1
Flora 1
Grace 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Kezia 1
Laura 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 28
John 18
George 16
Charles 11
James 10
Robert 10
Henry 9
Samuel 5
Ernest 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Fred 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Daniel 2
Edward 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Albion 1
Benjamin 1
Edwin 1
Ephraim 1
Francis 1
Geo 1
Hubert 1
Isaac 1
Louis 1
Mark 1
Sidney 1
Wm. 1
Wyndham 1

FAQ

Wadman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wadman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 318 people were recorded with the Wadman surname. That placed it at #9,342 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wadman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016. That gives Wadman a modern rank of #13,492.

What does the Wadman surname mean?

An English occupational surname derived from 'wad' meaning 'bundle of straw' and 'man', referring to someone involved in the wading trade.

What does the Wadman map show?

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