NameCensus.

UK surname

Wainman

A surname derived from a wain driver or carter who transported goods by wagon.

In the 1881 census there were 366 people recorded with the Wainman surname, ranking it #8,490 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 680, ranked #7,884, up from #8,490 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Nottingham St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wainman is 691 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 85.8%.

1881 census count

366

Ranked #8,490

Modern count

680

2016, ranked #7,884

Peak year

2011

691 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wainman had 366 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,490 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 680 in 2016, ranked #7,884.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 606 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Wainman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wainman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wainman 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 336 #6,970
1861 historical 296 #8,532
1881 historical 366 #8,490
1891 historical 449 #8,085
1901 historical 555 #7,489
1911 historical 606 #6,794
1997 modern 612 #8,033
1998 modern 619 #8,209
1999 modern 636 #8,095
2000 modern 627 #8,163
2001 modern 619 #8,092
2002 modern 639 #8,064
2003 modern 626 #8,052
2004 modern 631 #8,018
2005 modern 617 #8,093
2006 modern 615 #8,127
2007 modern 622 #8,126
2008 modern 646 #7,952
2009 modern 663 #7,955
2010 modern 675 #7,995
2011 modern 691 #7,762
2012 modern 691 #7,676
2013 modern 690 #7,817
2014 modern 680 #7,962
2015 modern 681 #7,887
2016 modern 680 #7,884

Geography

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Where Wainmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary, Preston and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 026 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Kingston upon Hull 031 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Kingston upon Hull 003 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 Kingston upon Hull 033 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wainman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wainman

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Wainman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Wainman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Wainman is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wainman is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Wainman

The surname WAINMAN originated in England during the medieval period. It derives from the Old English words "waegn" meaning wagon or cart, and "mann" meaning man. The name likely referred to someone who worked as a wagon driver or maker.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Waynman" in Oxfordshire. The Suffolk Subsidy Rolls from 1327 also mention a John Waynman.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name was particularly prevalent in counties like Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Lincolnshire. Variations in spelling included Waynman, Waynneman, and Wayneman.

The Wainman family held lands in the village of Carleton, near Pontefract in Yorkshire. A notable member was Sir William Wainman (1530-1596), who served as a Member of Parliament and owned extensive estates in Yorkshire.

In the 17th century, the Wainmans were among the landed gentry of Yorkshire. John Wainman (1615-1675) was a Justice of the Peace and served as High Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1671.

The name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Wagemannus" in Nottinghamshire. This suggests the occupation of wagon driver or maker was established in England before the Norman Conquest.

Other notable individuals with the surname include Thomas Wainman (1766-1845), a Yorkshire landowner and Member of Parliament, and Richard Wainman (1809-1869), a British naval officer who served in the Crimean War.

During the English Civil War, Captain William Wainman (1602-1661) fought for the Parliamentarian forces and was known for his role in the siege of Pontefract Castle in 1644-1645.

The Wainman family also had connections to the West Indies. Caleb Wainman (1723-1767) was a wealthy plantation owner in Jamaica, and his son Caleb Wainman (1758-1821) inherited these estates.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wainman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wainman 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 147 Wainmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.40x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 147 3.40x
Yorkshire 139 3.84x
Nottinghamshire 46 9.35x
Middlesex 12 0.33x
Lanarkshire 6 0.51x
Isle of Man 5 7.38x
Surrey 4 0.23x
Channel Islands 3 2.78x
Cheshire 3 0.37x
Cumberland 3 0.96x
Derbyshire 1 0.18x
Durham 1 0.09x
Hampshire 1 0.13x
Kent 1 0.08x
Sussex 1 0.16x
Westmorland 1 1.25x

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 45 Wainmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.85x.

Place Total Index
Preston 45 38.85x
Nottingham St Mary 28 22.01x
Colne 23 178.29x
Leeds 20 9.80x
Armley 14 87.83x
Laxton 13 4333.33x
Ecclesall Bierlow 11 14.96x
Manningham 11 24.70x
Holy Trinity 9 10.35x
Maltby In Rotherham 8 792.08x
Airmyn 7 1129.03x
Church 7 114.57x
Great Little Marsden 7 35.30x
Barrow In Furness 6 10.19x
Blidworth Haywood 6 1132.08x
Burnley 6 16.46x
Falsgrave 6 112.57x
Holbeck 6 25.05x
Lenton 6 51.81x
Little Bolton 6 10.78x
Accrington 5 12.70x
Great Harwood 5 63.94x
Hulme 5 5.53x
Onchan 5 25.63x
Sculcoates 5 8.72x
Stoke Newington London 5 17.59x
Doncaster 4 15.15x
Glasgow 4 1.91x
Habergham Eaves 4 10.11x
Wortley In Bramley 4 13.97x
Barnacre With Bonds 3 263.16x
Bermondsey 3 2.76x
Croston 3 133.93x
Hackney London 3 1.47x
Layton With Warbreck 3 18.88x
Mile End Old Town 3 5.21x
Nottingham St Nicholas 3 44.78x
Rishton 3 59.06x
Sharlston 3 126.58x
St Helier 3 8.53x
Barony 2 0.67x
Blackburn 2 1.74x
Clayton Le Moors 2 23.81x
Cotness 2 5000.00x
Hook 2 25.16x
Manchester 2 1.03x
Rickergate 2 30.08x
Roundhay 2 198.02x
Salford 2 1.57x
Stalmine With Staynall 2 317.46x
Stayley 2 21.74x
Wray With Botton 2 256.41x
Wressell 2 425.53x
Applethwaite 1 41.84x
Aspatria 1 33.11x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 1 2.97x
Bishopwearmouth 1 1.07x
Brierley 1 163.93x
Brighton 1 0.81x
Carlton 1 17.83x
Chapel Allerton 1 18.48x
Codnor Park 1 74.63x
Drypool 1 18.08x
Eccleshill 1 11.36x
Fulwood 1 21.37x
Greasley 1 9.02x
Holme On Spalding Moor 1 42.19x
Islington London 1 0.28x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 34.48x
Little Sutton 1 92.59x
Pannal 1 28.82x
Portsea 1 0.68x
Ramsgate 1 4.92x
Richmond 1 4.01x
Sheffield 1 0.87x
Snenton 1 5.18x
Trawden 1 36.90x
Withington 1 7.17x
Woodplumpton 1 64.52x
York St Saviour 1 28.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 31
William 26
Thomas 14
James 12
George 8
Henry 8
Benjamin 7
Albert 4
Christopher 4
Isaac 4
Joseph 4
Robert 4
Samuel 4
Charles 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
David 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Matthew 2
Ben.Wm. 1
Benj. 1
Bernard 1
Clayton 1
Daniel 1
Donald 1
Elijah 1
Eliji 1
Emmanuel 1
Esarhaddon 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Gordon 1
Harold 1
Harvey 1
Herbert 1
Infant 1
Leonard 1
Levi 1
Mark 1
Michael 1
Philip 1
Raby 1
Tempest 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Wm.S.B. 1

FAQ

Wainman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wainman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 366 people were recorded with the Wainman surname. That placed it at #8,490 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wainman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 680 in 2016. That gives Wainman a modern rank of #7,884.

What does the Wainman surname mean?

A surname derived from a wain driver or carter who transported goods by wagon.

What does the Wainman map show?

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