NameCensus.

UK surname

Wald

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near or in a forest.

In the 1881 census there were 21 people recorded with the Wald surname, ranking it #30,609 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 103, ranked #30,515, up from #30,609 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Pancras, Manchester and Stromness. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Oxford and Barnet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wald is 155 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 390.5%.

1881 census count

21

Ranked #30,609

Modern count

103

2016, ranked #30,515

Peak year

1861

155 bearers

Map years

3

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wald had 21 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,609 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016, ranked #30,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 155 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Wald surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wald surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wald 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 37 #26,673
1861 historical 155 #14,881
1881 historical 21 #30,609
1891 historical 92 #25,109
1901 historical 30 #30,724
1911 historical 50 #27,806
1997 modern 99 #27,039
1998 modern 110 #26,129
1999 modern 98 #28,050
2000 modern 97 #28,142
2001 modern 97 #27,823
2002 modern 97 #28,383
2003 modern 95 #28,536
2004 modern 95 #28,746
2005 modern 84 #30,359
2006 modern 89 #30,027
2007 modern 84 #31,067
2008 modern 87 #30,999
2009 modern 92 #30,820
2010 modern 100 #30,225
2011 modern 100 #30,058
2012 modern 99 #30,442
2013 modern 100 #30,773
2014 modern 100 #31,033
2015 modern 101 #30,816
2016 modern 103 #30,515

Geography

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Where Walds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Pancras, Manchester, Stromness, Glasgow and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kensington and Chelsea, Oxford, Barnet, Isle of Wight and Lincoln. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Stromness Orkney
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 010 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Oxford 003 Oxford
3 Barnet 014 Barnet
4 Isle of Wight 017 Isle of Wight
5 Lincoln 005 Lincoln

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wald

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wald

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Wald surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Wald 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Wald is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wald is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wald falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wald

The surname WALD originated in Germany and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old German word "wald" which means "forest" or "wooded area". The name likely referred to someone who lived near or in a forested area.

In the early days, the WALD surname was found primarily in regions of Germany such as Bavaria, Saxony, and Westphalia. Variations in spelling included Waldt, Walde, and Walth. The name appears in some early German records and manuscripts from the 13th and 14th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the WALD surname is from a 1295 document in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, which mentions a "Heinricus Walde". Another early example is a 1327 record from the city of Nuremberg that references a "Conrad Wald".

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the WALD surname. These include Johann Wald (1556-1637), a German Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Jena. Another was Johann Gottfried Wald (1686-1766), a German organist and composer from Erfurt.

In the 19th century, there was Friedrich Wald (1817-1870), a German painter and lithographer from Nuremberg. Additionally, there was Eduard Wald (1861-1935), a German author and playwright born in Königsberg.

Another prominent figure was Oskar Wald (1879-1955), an Austrian conductor and composer who worked extensively in Germany and Austria during the early 20th century.

The WALD surname has also been associated with various place names in Germany, such as Waldau, Waldeck, and Waldsee, which likely contributed to the name's origins and spread.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wald families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wald 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. Orkney leads with 7 Walds recorded in 1881 and an index of 311.11x.

County Total Index
Orkney 7 311.11x
Yorkshire 5 2.46x
Middlesex 3 1.46x
Hampshire 2 4.76x
Surrey 2 2.00x
Lancashire 1 0.41x
Northumberland 1 3.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stromness in Orkney leads with 7 Walds recorded in 1881 and an index of 4117.65x.

Place Total Index
Stromness 7 4117.65x
Hook 3 666.67x
St Pancras London 3 18.20x
Whitby 2 294.12x
Camberwell 1 7.65x
Croydon 1 18.05x
North Shields 1 163.93x
Portsea 1 12.15x
Portsmouth 1 103.09x
Rusholme 1 153.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 2
Ada 1
Anna 1
Dora 1
Elizabeth 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Arthur 1
Ceharl 1
Charles 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Henry 1
Wm. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Wald households.

FAQ

Wald surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wald surname in 1881?

In 1881, 21 people were recorded with the Wald surname. That placed it at #30,609 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wald surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016. That gives Wald a modern rank of #30,515.

What does the Wald surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near or in a forest.

What does the Wald map show?

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