NameCensus.

UK surname

Wakelin

An English surname derived from the Middle English "Wachen" meaning "watchman" or "sentry."

In the 1881 census there were 1,111 people recorded with the Wakelin surname, ranking it #3,584 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,426, ranked #4,288, down from #3,584 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Tamworth and Ealing, Chiswick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Warwickshire, Tamworth and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wakelin is 1,679 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.4%.

1881 census count

1,111

Ranked #3,584

Modern count

1,426

2016, ranked #4,288

Peak year

1911

1,679 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wakelin had 1,111 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,584 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,426 in 2016, ranked #4,288.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,679 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wakelin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wakelin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wakelin 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 665 #3,904
1861 historical 673 #3,989
1881 historical 1,111 #3,584
1891 historical 1,246 #3,466
1901 historical 1,427 #3,561
1911 historical 1,679 #2,916
1997 modern 1,472 #3,975
1998 modern 1,531 #3,981
1999 modern 1,564 #3,938
2000 modern 1,564 #3,924
2001 modern 1,513 #3,956
2002 modern 1,559 #3,951
2003 modern 1,499 #4,004
2004 modern 1,469 #4,073
2005 modern 1,463 #4,043
2006 modern 1,444 #4,094
2007 modern 1,439 #4,141
2008 modern 1,432 #4,186
2009 modern 1,471 #4,178
2010 modern 1,514 #4,165
2011 modern 1,460 #4,224
2012 modern 1,456 #4,179
2013 modern 1,488 #4,175
2014 modern 1,458 #4,263
2015 modern 1,443 #4,259
2016 modern 1,426 #4,288

Geography

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Where Wakelins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Tamworth, Ealing, Chiswick and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Warwickshire, Tamworth, Doncaster, Aylesbury Vale and Ashford. 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 Tamworth Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Warwickshire 002 North Warwickshire
2 Tamworth 002 Tamworth
3 Doncaster 034 Doncaster
4 Aylesbury Vale 023 Aylesbury Vale
5 Ashford 001 Ashford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wakelin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wakelin

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Wakelin is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Wakelin 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

Wakelin 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 Wakelin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wakelin

The surname Wakelin originates from England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have evolved from the Old English personal name Waccelinus, which is a diminutive form of the name Wacca, meaning "watchful" or "vigilant." The name was initially prevalent in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wakelin can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where it appears as "Wacelin." The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also mention a "Wakelyn de Drayton" from Oxfordshire.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholders in England compiled in 1086, does not include the name Wakelin or its variants. However, it does feature several entries with the root name "Wacca," suggesting the name's ancestral origins.

In the 13th century, the name Wakelin appeared in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1221, which documented legal proceedings in the royal court. One entry mentions a "Walkelinus de Ardern" from Warwickshire.

During the 14th century, the surname Wakelin was found in various historical records, such as the Patent Rolls of 1348, which reference a "John Wakelyn" from Norfolk. In the same century, a "William Wakelyn" was recorded as a Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire in 1376.

Notable individuals with the surname Wakelin throughout history include:

1. Sir John Wakelin (1528-1586), Lord Mayor of London in 1585. 2. Thomas Wakelin (1616-1692), an English clergyman and author. 3. Robert Wakelin (1771-1852), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. 4. George Wakelin (1834-1910), a British architect and surveyor. 5. William Wakelin (1875-1942), an English cricketer who played for Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

The surname Wakelin has also been associated with various place names, such as Wakelin Green in Hertfordshire and Wakelin Farm in Oxfordshire, which may have influenced the name's evolution and distribution across different regions of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wakelin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wakelin 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. Middlesex leads with 211 Wakelins recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.96x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 211 1.96x
Oxfordshire 142 21.41x
Warwickshire 110 4.06x
Staffordshire 107 2.95x
Yorkshire 62 0.58x
Lincolnshire 60 3.49x
Essex 53 2.50x
Northamptonshire 52 5.15x
Kent 45 1.23x
Surrey 40 0.76x
Nottinghamshire 29 2.00x
Suffolk 27 2.06x
Leicestershire 19 1.60x
Derbyshire 17 1.01x
Midlothian 16 1.11x
Berkshire 15 1.86x
Buckinghamshire 15 2.31x
Lancashire 10 0.08x
Hertfordshire 9 1.22x
Worcestershire 9 0.64x
Durham 8 0.25x
Radnorshire 8 9.23x
Ayrshire 5 0.62x
Devon 5 0.22x
Glamorgan 4 0.21x
Sussex 4 0.22x
Hampshire 3 0.14x
Montgomeryshire 3 1.22x
Norfolk 3 0.18x
Cardiganshire 2 0.76x
Lanarkshire 2 0.06x
Bedfordshire 1 0.18x
Cheshire 1 0.04x
Gloucestershire 1 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.47x
Monmouthshire 1 0.13x
Wiltshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ealing in Middlesex leads with 34 Wakelins recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.42x.

Place Total Index
Ealing 34 35.42x
Birmingham 33 3.66x
St Pancras London 31 3.59x
Oxford St Ebbe 19 97.34x
Kensington London 18 3.01x
Clerkenwell London 17 6.71x
Edmonton 16 18.49x
Bicester Market End 15 123.15x
Greenwich 15 8.77x
Blackwell 14 169.49x
Croughton 14 627.80x
Newbold Upon Avon 14 544.75x
Brill 13 273.11x
Hackney London 13 2.16x
Lambeth 13 1.39x
Bulkington 12 205.13x
Greens Norton 12 373.83x
Islington London 12 1.15x
Peterborough 12 16.41x
Lichfield St Mary 11 105.16x
Oxford St Thomas 11 35.54x
Coventry Holy Trinity 10 12.37x
Shoreditch London 10 2.15x
Tottenham 10 5.85x
Wolverhampton 10 3.59x
Braintree 9 47.27x
Bucknell 9 927.84x
Bulwell 9 28.60x
Chigwell 9 44.98x
Clifton Hampden 9 703.13x
Henley On Thames 9 66.23x
Kings Norton 9 7.16x
Neithrop 9 40.38x
Paddington London 9 2.28x
Witney 9 81.15x
Burgh In Marsh 8 191.39x
Cowley 8 38.65x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 1.38x
Handsworth 8 8.95x
Hertingfordbury 8 264.90x
Horninglow 8 46.84x
Inveresk 8 20.53x
Oxford St Clement 8 47.79x
Presteigne 8 145.45x
Tamworth 8 41.26x
Witham 8 73.26x
Wolstanton Chesterton 8 43.17x
Alford 7 65.79x
Banbury 7 52.71x
Bow London 7 5.12x
Coventry St Michael 7 8.05x
Deptford St Paul 7 2.48x
Kingsey 7 786.52x
Long Lawford 7 277.78x
Louth 7 17.78x
Nottingham St Mary 7 1.87x
Rugby 7 19.10x
St Maryle Wigford 7 52.47x
Sutton 7 57.71x
Walsall Foreign 7 3.74x
Foleshill 6 21.05x
Friskney 6 109.89x
Great Ashfield 6 410.96x
Holy Trinity 6 2.34x
Mansfield 6 11.98x
New Village 6 188.09x
Newborough 6 251.05x
Newcastle Under Lyme 6 9.35x
Normanby In 6 21.09x
Penge 6 8.75x
Stone 6 12.94x
Whetstone 6 137.61x
Bishopwearmouth 5 1.82x
Lichfield St Michael 5 43.94x
Lower Heyford 5 259.07x
Newington In Milton 5 130.89x
Norton Canes 5 37.85x
Oxford St Giles 5 15.80x
Prittlewell 5 17.02x
Raithby In Louth 5 806.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 68
John 53
George 44
Henry 34
Thomas 33
Charles 26
James 21
Joseph 15
Alfred 14
Arthur 13
Frederick 13
Samuel 11
Walter 11
Edward 10
Richard 9
Francis 8
Ernest 7
Albert 6
Edwin 6
Herbert 6
Frank 5
Harry 5
Benjamin 4
Daniel 4
Frederic 3
Geo. 3
Moses 3
Wm. 3
Christopher 2
Fred 2
Jesse 2
Lewis 2
Archibald 1
Benjaman 1
Benjamn 1
Benjeman 1
Benjemin 1
Benjn. 1
Colin 1
Cyril 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Eli 1
Emanuel 1
Eusebius 1
Horrace 1
Isaac 1
J.S. 1
Jacob 1

FAQ

Wakelin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wakelin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,111 people were recorded with the Wakelin surname. That placed it at #3,584 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wakelin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,426 in 2016. That gives Wakelin a modern rank of #4,288.

What does the Wakelin surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Middle English "Wachen" meaning "watchman" or "sentry."

What does the Wakelin map show?

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