NameCensus.

UK surname

Wakeham

An English residential surname derived from the place name Wakeham, Norfolk.

In the 1881 census there were 1,081 people recorded with the Wakeham surname, ranking it #3,672 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,217, ranked #4,889, down from #3,672 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Devonport Stonehouse, East, Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin and Amberley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Hams, Cornwall and Stratford-on-Avon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wakeham is 1,329 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.6%.

1881 census count

1,081

Ranked #3,672

Modern count

1,217

2016, ranked #4,889

Peak year

1911

1,329 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wakeham had 1,081 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,672 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,217 in 2016, ranked #4,889.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,329 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wakeham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wakeham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wakeham 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 762 #3,497
1861 historical 806 #3,413
1881 historical 1,081 #3,672
1891 historical 1,094 #3,863
1901 historical 1,184 #4,138
1911 historical 1,329 #3,597
1997 modern 1,205 #4,691
1998 modern 1,215 #4,836
1999 modern 1,249 #4,754
2000 modern 1,239 #4,773
2001 modern 1,195 #4,812
2002 modern 1,220 #4,835
2003 modern 1,188 #4,850
2004 modern 1,204 #4,800
2005 modern 1,192 #4,786
2006 modern 1,198 #4,778
2007 modern 1,187 #4,855
2008 modern 1,172 #4,928
2009 modern 1,218 #4,881
2010 modern 1,224 #4,956
2011 modern 1,203 #4,960
2012 modern 1,138 #5,136
2013 modern 1,191 #5,019
2014 modern 1,202 #5,013
2015 modern 1,202 #4,964
2016 modern 1,217 #4,889

Geography

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Where Wakehams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Devonport Stonehouse, East, Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, Amberley, Tormoham with Torquay and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Hams, Cornwall, Stratford-on-Avon and Merthyr Tydfil. 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 Devonport Stonehouse, East Devon
2 Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin Devon
3 Amberley Sussex
4 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Hams 002 South Hams
2 Cornwall 028 Cornwall
3 Stratford-on-Avon 015 Stratford-on-Avon
4 Merthyr Tydfil 005 Merthyr Tydfil
5 South Hams 008 South Hams

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wakeham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wakeham

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Wakeham is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wakeham 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

Wakeham 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 Wakeham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wakeham

The surname Wakeham is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the village of Wakeham in the county of Sussex. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "wac" meaning "a watch" or "a vigil," and "ham" signifying "a homestead" or "a village."

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Wakeham can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Sussex, a census-like record compiled in 1273. This document mentions a certain William de Wakeham, indicating the surname's existence during the 13th century.

In the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, another early reference to the name appears, with a Richard de Wakeham listed among the taxpayers. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region by the late 13th century.

The Domesday Book, the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not explicitly mention the surname Wakeham. However, it does record the existence of the village of Wakeham itself, which was likely the source of the surname's origin.

One notable bearer of the Wakeham surname was Sir William Wakeham (c. 1520 - 1584), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Arundel in 1558 and 1563. He served as a Justice of the Peace for Sussex and held various positions in the local government.

Another prominent figure was John Wakeham (1529 - 1573), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, from 1567 until his death.

In the 17th century, Captain John Wakeham (c. 1630 - 1670) was a notable English sailor and explorer who voyaged to Hudson Bay in Canada in search of the Northwest Passage.

The Wakeham surname also has a connection to the world of literature through the poet and dramatist Edward Wakeham (1664 - 1738), best known for his play "The Tragic Revenge," which premiered in 1697.

Lastly, Sir Henry Wakeham (1821 - 1899) was a British naval officer and explorer who participated in several Arctic expeditions and made significant contributions to the mapping of the Canadian Arctic region.

These historical examples demonstrate the longevity and prominence of the Wakeham surname, which has been present in various spheres of English society for centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wakeham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wakeham 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. Devon leads with 529 Wakehams recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.97x.

County Total Index
Devon 529 22.97x
Middlesex 130 1.18x
Sussex 88 4.72x
Cornwall 85 6.79x
Channel Islands 49 14.95x
Lancashire 40 0.30x
Surrey 37 0.69x
Kent 29 0.77x
Staffordshire 18 0.48x
Warwickshire 15 0.54x
Glamorgan 14 0.73x
Derbyshire 11 0.64x
Hampshire 11 0.49x
Cheshire 10 0.41x
Somerset 10 0.56x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.54x
Dorset 6 0.83x
Gloucestershire 6 0.28x
Yorkshire 6 0.05x
Brecknockshire 5 2.26x
Royal Navy 4 3.03x
Argyllshire 3 0.97x
Essex 2 0.09x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.91x
Lanarkshire 2 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.57x
Renfrewshire 2 0.23x
Wiltshire 2 0.20x
Berkshire 1 0.12x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.21x
Midlothian 1 0.07x
Perthshire 1 0.20x
Ross-shire 1 0.33x
Shropshire 1 0.10x
Suffolk 1 0.07x
Worcestershire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. East Stonehouse in Devon leads with 43 Wakehams recorded in 1881 and an index of 94.80x.

Place Total Index
East Stonehouse 43 94.80x
Tormoham 42 43.11x
Bigbury 30 1754.39x
Plymouth St Andrew 29 16.35x
Stoke Damerel 28 17.37x
Amberley 26 938.63x
St Helier 25 23.43x
Kingsbridge 21 362.69x
South Pool 21 1400.00x
Plymouth Charles The 19 18.73x
Shoreditch London 18 3.75x
Buckfastleigh 17 159.92x
Bromley London 16 6.57x
Islington London 16 1.49x
Toxteth Park 16 3.60x
Wolborough 16 54.96x
Birmingham 15 1.61x
North Huish 15 1094.89x
Feock 14 178.57x
Liverpool 14 1.76x
Staverton 14 494.70x
Ugborough 14 251.35x
Arundel 13 124.52x
Pelynt 13 511.81x
South Brent 13 262.63x
Stokenham 13 200.31x
Battersea 12 2.95x
Blackawton 12 299.25x
Exeter St Thomas The 12 51.13x
Limehouse London 12 9.88x
Claylane 10 41.53x
Cornworthy 10 628.93x
Grouville 10 109.53x
Liskeard 10 47.71x
Deal 9 27.96x
Ramsgate 9 14.61x
Brighton 8 2.13x
Churston Ferrers 8 330.58x
Croydon 8 2.67x
Dartmouth Townstall 8 85.29x
Hove 8 9.78x
Lenton 8 22.78x
Loddiswell 8 263.16x
Roath 8 9.14x
St George In East 8 10.63x
St Pancras London 8 0.90x
St Stephen In Brannel 8 70.05x
Beaworthy 7 625.00x
Brixham 7 26.24x
Devonport 7 26.46x
Exeter Holy Trinity 7 77.61x
Falmouth 7 15.79x
Portsea 7 1.58x
St Marylebone London 7 1.19x
Blackley 6 26.08x
Cardiff St John 6 9.54x
Dartington 6 250.00x
Fowey 6 104.53x
Kingskerswell 6 157.07x
Lambeth 6 0.62x
Lindfield 6 76.14x
Modbury 6 102.04x
Patching 6 576.92x
Stokefleming 6 206.90x
Wednesbury 6 6.43x
Bury 5 255.10x
Camberwell 5 0.71x
Castleton 5 1612.90x
Dartmouth St Saviour 5 75.99x
Denbury 5 400.00x
Diptford 5 199.20x
Hammersmith London 5 1.83x
Huntspill 5 68.59x
Kensington London 5 0.81x
Llanelly 5 18.89x
Newton Abbot St Nicholas 5 106.16x
Oakford 5 265.96x
St Germans 5 57.21x
St Owen 5 58.07x
Tetcott 5 500.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 80
Elizabeth 41
Sarah 31
Ellen 20
Emma 20
Jane 20
Ann 19
Emily 19
Alice 16
Maria 12
Susan 12
Edith 11
Eliza 11
Florence 11
Hannah 11
Louisa 11
Annie 9
Bessie 8
Caroline 8
Elizth. 7
Esther 7
Charlotte 6
Harriet 6
Bertha 5
Margaret 5
Ada 4
Amelia 4
Harriett 4
Joanna 4
Kate 4
Lucy 4
Martha 4
Matilda 4
Agnes 3
Anna 3
Catherine 3
Eva 3
Grace 3
Jessie 3
Laura 3
Lilian 3
Lizzie 3
Rose 3
Selina 3
Beatrice 2
Celia 2
Clara 2
Fanny 2
Lily 2
Zada 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 84
William 69
George 42
Thomas 39
James 24
Richard 24
Charles 23
Edward 19
Samuel 17
Henry 14
Nicholas 13
Frederick 11
Alfred 10
Walter 9
Arthur 8
Ernest 8
Robert 7
Albert 6
Joseph 5
Edwin 4
Frank 4
Wm. 4
Fredk. 3
Harry 3
Jno. 3
Joshua 3
Thos. 3
Abdon 2
Andrew 2
Benjamin 2
Edmund 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Harold 2
Herbert 2
Peter 2
Philip 2
Phillip 2
Allan 1
Benjiman 1
E. 1
Eduard 1
Elaih 1
Elick 1
Ellis 1
Emanuel 1
Hale 1
Horace 1
Hy. 1

FAQ

Wakeham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wakeham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,081 people were recorded with the Wakeham surname. That placed it at #3,672 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wakeham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,217 in 2016. That gives Wakeham a modern rank of #4,889.

What does the Wakeham surname mean?

An English residential surname derived from the place name Wakeham, Norfolk.

What does the Wakeham map show?

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