NameCensus.

UK surname

Wafer

A German occupational surname meaning a baker or dealer of wafers or thin cakes.

In the 1881 census there were 51 people recorded with the Wafer surname, ranking it #26,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 301, ranked #14,696, up from #26,428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Tyneside, Knowsley and Plymouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wafer is 343 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 490.2%.

1881 census count

51

Ranked #26,428

Modern count

301

2016, ranked #14,696

Peak year

2000

343 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wafer had 51 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 301 in 2016, ranked #14,696.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 99 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Wafer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wafer surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wafer 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 30 #27,891
1861 historical 29 #30,287
1881 historical 51 #26,428
1891 historical 60 #29,204
1901 historical 89 #24,154
1911 historical 99 #22,850
1997 modern 324 #12,859
1998 modern 336 #12,889
1999 modern 339 #12,892
2000 modern 343 #12,746
2001 modern 332 #12,841
2002 modern 336 #12,992
2003 modern 329 #13,001
2004 modern 326 #13,122
2005 modern 316 #13,351
2006 modern 314 #13,474
2007 modern 310 #13,730
2008 modern 312 #13,764
2009 modern 324 #13,689
2010 modern 334 #13,690
2011 modern 321 #13,940
2012 modern 303 #14,415
2013 modern 300 #14,744
2014 modern 301 #14,809
2015 modern 299 #14,796
2016 modern 301 #14,696

Geography

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Where Wafers 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 North Tyneside, Knowsley, Plymouth and Mid Devon. 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 North Tyneside 021 North Tyneside
2 Knowsley 002 Knowsley
3 Plymouth 013 Plymouth
4 North Tyneside 029 North Tyneside
5 Mid Devon 006 Mid Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wafer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wafer

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wafer, 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 Wafer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Wafer 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Wafer 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

Wafer is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wafer falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wafer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wafer

The surname Wafer originates from England, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "wafre," which referred to a thin, crisp cake or wafer commonly used in religious ceremonies. The name likely originated as a descriptive occupational name for someone who made or sold these wafers.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries that may be early variants of the surname Wafer. These include "Wafre" and "Wafres," suggesting that the name existed in some form during the Norman conquest of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Wafer is in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1273, where a "William Wafre" is mentioned. In the Hundred Rolls of 1275, there is a reference to a "John Wafre" in Oxfordshire.

During the 14th century, the name Wafer appeared in various spellings, such as "Wafere," "Wafyr," and "Wafour." This variation in spelling was common in the Middle Ages due to the lack of standardized orthography.

A notable individual with the surname Wafer was John Wafer (c. 1685-1734), a Scottish navigator and explorer who traveled to the Pacific Coast of North America in the early 18th century. He is known for his account of the area, which he named "New Albion."

Another prominent figure was Sir John Wafer (1601-1653), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. He supported the Parliamentarian cause and was a signatory of King Charles I's death warrant.

In the 16th century, there was a family of Wafers who resided in the village of Wasperton, Warwickshire. Records from this period mention individuals such as Thomas Wafer (b. 1542) and William Wafer (b. 1576).

The surname Wafer is also associated with several place names in England, including Wafer's Field in Oxfordshire and Wafer's Farm in Gloucestershire, suggesting that individuals with this surname may have owned or lived in these locations.

Throughout its history, the surname Wafer has been carried by various individuals from different walks of life, including explorers, politicians, and landowners, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and occupations of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wafer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wafer 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 27 Wafers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.58x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 27 4.58x
Middlesex 10 2.01x
Nottinghamshire 7 10.44x
Surrey 4 1.65x
Derbyshire 1 1.28x
Devon 1 0.97x
Kent 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 17 Wafers recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.45x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 17 47.45x
Kirkdale 8 80.56x
St Pancras London 8 19.99x
Nottingham St Mary 7 40.39x
Bermondsey 4 27.03x
Bethnal Green London 2 9.26x
Claylane 1 92.59x
Devonport 1 84.03x
Everton 1 5.32x
Milton In Gravesend 1 39.37x
Toxteth Park 1 5.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Thomas 6
James 4
George 3
William 3
Arthur 2
Peter 2
Andrew 1
Francis 1
John 1
Patrick 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 Wafer households.

FAQ

Wafer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wafer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 51 people were recorded with the Wafer surname. That placed it at #26,428 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wafer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 301 in 2016. That gives Wafer a modern rank of #14,696.

What does the Wafer surname mean?

A German occupational surname meaning a baker or dealer of wafers or thin cakes.

What does the Wafer map show?

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