NameCensus.

UK surname

Walburn

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "wall stream or burn".

In the 1881 census there were 92 people recorded with the Walburn surname, ranking it #20,709 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 95, ranked #31,782, down from #20,709 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Stockport and Darlington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hambleton, Weymouth and Portland and Darlington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Walburn is 156 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.3%.

1881 census count

92

Ranked #20,709

Modern count

95

2016, ranked #31,782

Peak year

1901

156 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2006

Key insights

  • Walburn had 92 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,709 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 95 in 2016, ranked #31,782.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 156 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Walburn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Walburn surname density by area, 2006 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Walburn 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 61 #22,412
1861 historical 107 #20,008
1881 historical 92 #20,709
1891 historical 148 #18,506
1901 historical 156 #17,638
1911 historical 150 #17,866
1997 modern 103 #26,498
1998 modern 109 #26,273
1999 modern 110 #26,315
2000 modern 104 #27,150
2001 modern 99 #27,534
2002 modern 99 #28,082
2003 modern 96 #28,381
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 97 #28,485
2006 modern 105 #27,479
2007 modern 98 #29,019
2008 modern 97 #29,527
2009 modern 101 #29,445
2010 modern 103 #29,780
2011 modern 102 #29,759
2012 modern 104 #29,543
2013 modern 101 #30,591
2014 modern 99 #31,186
2015 modern 94 #31,872
2016 modern 95 #31,782

Geography

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Where Walburns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Stockport, Darlington, Durham St Oswald and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hambleton, Weymouth and Portland, Darlington and South Gloucestershire. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Darlington Durham
4 Durham St Oswald Durham
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hambleton 004 Hambleton
2 Weymouth and Portland 009 Weymouth and Portland
3 Darlington 005 Darlington
4 Darlington 008 Darlington
5 South Gloucestershire 011 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Walburn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Walburn

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Walburn 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

Walburn 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

Walburn falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Walburn

The surname Walburn originated in England, and its earliest recorded use dates back to the 13th century. It is a locational name derived from the place name Walburn, which means "a stream in a wood" or "a stream by a wall" in Old English. The first part of the name, "wal" or "wall," comes from the Old English word "weall," meaning a wall or rampart, while the second part, "burn," comes from the Old English word "burna," meaning a stream or brook.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Walburn can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Richard de Walburn in Yorkshire. This suggests that the name originated in the northern county of Yorkshire, where there are several places with similar names, such as Walburn and Walburn Gate.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various historical records, including the Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which mentions a John de Walburn in Yorkshire. This document provides valuable insight into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during that era.

Over the centuries, the name Walburn has been spelled in various ways, including Walborne, Walburne, and Walbourn. One notable bearer of this name was John Walburn (c. 1550 - 1619), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, from 1604 until his death.

Another individual with this surname was William Walburn (c. 1610 - 1680), an English merchant and politician who served as the Mayor of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1668. He was a prominent figure in the city's commercial and political circles during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the name Walburn was associated with the textile industry in Yorkshire. One example is Richard Walburn (1721 - 1798), a successful wool merchant and landowner in the town of Skipton.

In the 19th century, the name Walburn gained recognition in the field of engineering and manufacturing. Thomas Walburn (1834 - 1912) was a renowned British engineer and inventor who patented several innovations in textile machinery, contributing significantly to the industrial revolution.

Finally, a more recent bearer of the surname Walburn was William Walburn Ellison (1888 - 1976), an English businessman and philanthropist who founded the Ellison Trust, a charitable organization dedicated to promoting education and social welfare in the North East of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Walburn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Walburn 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. Yorkshire leads with 38 Walburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.27x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 38 4.27x
Durham 30 11.24x
Lancashire 7 0.66x
Dorset 6 10.19x
Surrey 6 1.37x
Middlesex 4 0.45x
Cheshire 1 0.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lanchester in Durham leads with 7 Walburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 1428.57x.

Place Total Index
Lanchester 7 1428.57x
Bridport 6 495.87x
Heaton Norris 6 99.01x
Lambeth 6 7.67x
Stranton 6 66.74x
Elton 5 16666.67x
Whitwell 5 25000.00x
East Thickley 4 740.74x
Hackney London 4 7.95x
Melsonby 4 2500.00x
Well 4 4000.00x
Danby Wiske 3 3333.33x
Dishforth 3 3333.33x
Snape 3 2142.86x
Witton Le Wear 3 394.74x
Haughton Le Skerne 2 909.09x
Moulton 2 2222.22x
Redcar 2 281.69x
Thirsk 2 194.17x
Birkenhead 1 6.33x
Brompton In 1 250.00x
Byram Cum Poole 1 5000.00x
Crakehall 1 666.67x
Crigglestone 1 116.28x
Elvet 1 51.81x
High Worsall 1 5000.00x
Leeds 1 1.99x
Manchester 1 2.09x
Middlesbrough 1 8.64x
Middleton Quernhow 1 3333.33x
North Bailey South 1 769.23x
North Bedburn 1 133.33x
Pannal 1 117.65x
York St Martin Le Grand 1 833.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Jane 5
Martha 3
Alice 2
Edith 2
Emma 2
Harriet 2
Rebecca 2
Ann 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bessy 1
Catherine 1
Dina 1
Dorothy 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Eliz. 1
Evaline 1
F. 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Kate 1
Keziah 1
Lilly 1
Margaret 1
P.Gertrude 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Walburn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Walburn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 92 people were recorded with the Walburn surname. That placed it at #20,709 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Walburn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 95 in 2016. That gives Walburn a modern rank of #31,782.

What does the Walburn surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "wall stream or burn".

What does the Walburn map show?

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