NameCensus.

UK surname

Wakeley

A habitational surname derived from a location named Wakeley or Wakely.

In the 1881 census there were 328 people recorded with the Wakeley surname, ranking it #9,126 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 505, ranked #9,919, down from #9,126 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors and Rainham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Telford and Wrekin and Blaenau Gwent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wakeley is 545 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.0%.

1881 census count

328

Ranked #9,126

Modern count

505

2016, ranked #9,919

Peak year

1999

545 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wakeley had 328 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,126 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 505 in 2016, ranked #9,919.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 533 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wakeley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wakeley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wakeley 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 160 #12,347
1861 historical 255 #9,699
1881 historical 328 #9,126
1891 historical 377 #9,302
1901 historical 533 #7,697
1911 historical 436 #8,711
1997 modern 493 #9,399
1998 modern 535 #9,118
1999 modern 545 #9,044
2000 modern 536 #9,133
2001 modern 526 #9,112
2002 modern 520 #9,377
2003 modern 510 #9,350
2004 modern 489 #9,652
2005 modern 466 #9,935
2006 modern 465 #9,988
2007 modern 472 #9,978
2008 modern 476 #10,012
2009 modern 505 #9,774
2010 modern 528 #9,651
2011 modern 509 #9,821
2012 modern 504 #9,803
2013 modern 520 #9,734
2014 modern 524 #9,763
2015 modern 517 #9,777
2016 modern 505 #9,919

Geography

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Where Wakeleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Rainham, London parishes and Bideford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Telford and Wrekin and Blaenau Gwent. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors Shropshire
3 Rainham Kent
4 London parishes London 3
5 Bideford Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 019 Cornwall
2 Telford and Wrekin 008 Telford and Wrekin
3 Telford and Wrekin 005 Telford and Wrekin
4 Cornwall 032 Cornwall
5 Blaenau Gwent 005 Blaenau Gwent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wakeley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wakeley

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Wakeley 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

Wakeley 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

Wakeley falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wakeley

The surname Wakeley originated in England, with records dating back to the late 13th century. It is believed to be a habitational name derived from a place called Wakeley or Wakeleigh, which is thought to have been located in either Devon or Somerset. The name is likely derived from the Old English words "wacol," meaning "a watchman," and "leah," meaning "a meadow or clearing."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wakeley can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a Robert de Wakeleg is mentioned. The Subsidy Rolls were records of tax assessments made by the government at the time.

The Wakeley surname also appears in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Somerset in 1379, where a John Wakeley is listed. These records were used to collect taxes from the local population.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various parish records, such as the registers of St. Mary's Church in Taunton, Somerset, where a William Wakeley was baptized in 1592.

One notable individual with the Wakeley surname was Sir Thomas Wakeley (1595-1672), an English landowner and Member of Parliament who represented Somerset in the Long Parliament during the English Civil War.

Another prominent figure was John Wakeley (1751-1826), an English farmer and agricultural writer who published several works on improving farming practices in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

In the 19th century, William Henry Wakeley (1801-1875) was a notable English surgeon and medical writer who made significant contributions to the field of surgery.

The name Wakeley can also be found in various historical records from the 17th and 18th centuries, such as court rolls, manorial records, and wills, indicating its presence in various parts of England during those times.

One interesting historical reference is the mention of a Wakeley family in the records of the Society of Friends (Quakers) in the late 17th century, suggesting that some members of the Wakeley family were among the early Quakers in England.

While the Wakeley surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wakeley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wakeley 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. Shropshire leads with 53 Wakeleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.89x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 53 18.89x
Devon 30 4.44x
Middlesex 29 0.89x
Hampshire 25 3.75x
Kent 25 2.26x
Gloucestershire 21 3.30x
Wiltshire 21 7.31x
Glamorgan 20 3.54x
Dorset 12 5.63x
Staffordshire 12 1.09x
Lancashire 11 0.29x
Surrey 9 0.57x
Flintshire 8 9.16x
Warwickshire 8 0.98x
Monmouthshire 7 2.98x
Sussex 7 1.28x
Channel Islands 6 6.23x
Derbyshire 6 1.18x
Somerset 6 1.15x
Yorkshire 6 0.19x
Leicestershire 5 1.39x
Cornwall 2 0.54x
Worcestershire 2 0.47x
Cumberland 1 0.36x
Essex 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wrockwardine in Shropshire leads with 22 Wakeleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 356.56x.

Place Total Index
Wrockwardine 22 356.56x
Rainham 17 557.38x
Lilleshall 16 372.96x
Holdenhurst 12 68.73x
Bethnal Green London 11 7.80x
Bideford 11 151.93x
Cardiff St John 11 59.56x
Bitton 9 162.16x
Awre 8 610.69x
Gelligaer 8 61.92x
Northop Soughton 8 1212.12x
East Stonehouse 7 52.55x
Maiden Newton 7 786.52x
Eyton Upon Wild Moors 6 1250.00x
Morley 6 35.84x
St Peter Port 6 33.69x
Stapenhill 6 79.26x
Stoke Damerel 6 12.68x
Whitley 6 1578.95x
Alverstoke 5 20.75x
Barrow In Furness 5 9.54x
Broughton Gifford 5 735.29x
Corsham 5 119.33x
New Romney 5 438.60x
Trevethin 5 22.54x
Edgbaston 4 15.75x
Eling 4 59.35x
Fulham London 4 8.49x
Kingswinford 4 10.05x
Leicester St Margaret 4 4.55x
Preston 4 41.84x
Rowley Regis 4 13.09x
Trowbridge 4 31.50x
Wandsworth 4 12.79x
Wellington 4 25.36x
West Derby 4 3.55x
Westminster St John 4 10.11x
Wolverhampton 4 4.74x
Wombridge 4 115.61x
Birmingham 3 1.10x
Brighton 3 2.72x
Mile End Old Town 3 5.85x
Morthoe 3 625.00x
Otterford 3 666.67x
Streatham 3 12.45x
Whitchurch Canonicorum 3 252.10x
Aberystruth 2 9.66x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 3.33x
Gulval 2 84.39x
Hampstead London 2 3.95x
Kensington London 2 1.11x
Milford 2 103.09x
Portsea 2 1.53x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 3.45x
Bathwick 1 17.27x
Branscombe 1 107.53x
Brigham 1 75.76x
Bristol St Paul In 1 5.89x
Cardiff St Mary 1 3.21x
Chardstock 1 67.57x
Charmouth 1 142.86x
Chelsea London 1 1.02x
Clapham 1 2.46x
Cullompton 1 33.90x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.17x
Didsbury 1 19.53x
East Ham 1 8.40x
Edgmond 1 32.36x
Godalming 1 10.04x
Hungarton 1 204.08x
Isle Abbotts 1 256.41x
Leamington Priors 1 4.96x
Margate St John Baptist 1 4.93x
Milford 1 64.94x
St Martin In Fields 1 5.14x
Tenbury 1 43.10x
Tonbridge 1 2.50x
Walcot 1 3.59x
Westbury On Trym 1 4.63x
Westminster St 1 8.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Sarah 15
Jane 10
Annie 9
Ann 7
Eliza 7
Elizabeth 6
Alice 5
Margaret 5
Emily 4
Florence 4
Ruth 4
Charlotte 3
Emma 3
Jessie 3
Louisa 3
Anne 2
Ellen 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Harriet 2
Kate 2
Martha 2
Amy 1
Anna 1
Asenath 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Cath. 1
Clara 1
Cordelia 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth.A. 1
Esther 1
Ethal 1
Ethel 1
H. 1
Hanh. 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Jemima 1
Johanna 1
Kathleen 1
Laura 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 16
William 15
Thomas 12
George 11
Charles 8
James 8
Henry 7
Richard 7
Walter 6
Joseph 5
Alfred 4
Samuel 4
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Harry 3
Albert 2
David 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Peter 2
Reuben 2
Richd. 2
Robert 2
Wm. 2
Benjn. 1
Daniel 1
Danl. 1
Edmund 1
Edw 1
Enoch 1
Enock 1
Ephraim 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Geo. 1
Hubert 1
Infant 1
Jasper 1
Jno. 1
Lewis 1
Moses 1
Nathaniel 1
Osman 1
Percy 1
Sampson 1
Seymores 1
Sydney 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Wakeley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wakeley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 328 people were recorded with the Wakeley surname. That placed it at #9,126 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wakeley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 505 in 2016. That gives Wakeley a modern rank of #9,919.

What does the Wakeley surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a location named Wakeley or Wakely.

What does the Wakeley map show?

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