NameCensus.

UK surname

Wale

An occupational surname originally referring to someone from Wales.

In the 1881 census there were 1,427 people recorded with the Wale surname, ranking it #2,919 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,550, ranked #3,994, down from #2,919 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Bedworth and Whetstone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hinckley and Bosworth, Nuneaton and Bedworth and Blaby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wale is 1,965 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.6%.

1881 census count

1,427

Ranked #2,919

Modern count

1,550

2016, ranked #3,994

Peak year

1911

1,965 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wale had 1,427 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,919 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,550 in 2016, ranked #3,994.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,965 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wale surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wale surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wale 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 1,103 #2,547
1861 historical 1,407 #2,034
1881 historical 1,427 #2,919
1891 historical 1,574 #2,821
1901 historical 1,670 #3,085
1911 historical 1,965 #2,527
1997 modern 1,625 #3,645
1998 modern 1,683 #3,666
1999 modern 1,703 #3,652
2000 modern 1,713 #3,618
2001 modern 1,662 #3,644
2002 modern 1,642 #3,749
2003 modern 1,587 #3,794
2004 modern 1,591 #3,804
2005 modern 1,559 #3,823
2006 modern 1,557 #3,819
2007 modern 1,524 #3,935
2008 modern 1,565 #3,871
2009 modern 1,623 #3,836
2010 modern 1,631 #3,891
2011 modern 1,617 #3,881
2012 modern 1,590 #3,868
2013 modern 1,613 #3,886
2014 modern 1,593 #3,952
2015 modern 1,572 #3,959
2016 modern 1,550 #3,994

Geography

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Where Wales are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Bedworth, Whetstone and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hinckley and Bosworth, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Blaby and Leicester. 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 Bedworth Warwickshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Whetstone Leicestershire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hinckley and Bosworth 007 Hinckley and Bosworth
2 Nuneaton and Bedworth 006 Nuneaton and Bedworth
3 Blaby 009 Blaby
4 Nuneaton and Bedworth 001 Nuneaton and Bedworth
5 Leicester 034 Leicester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wale

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wale

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

Wale 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

Wale falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wale

The surname Wale has its origins in England, tracing back to the Anglo-Saxon era around the 5th to 11th centuries AD. It is derived from the Old English word "walh," which referred to a Briton or a foreigner, particularly those of Celtic descent.

During the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, the term "walh" was used to distinguish the native Britons from the invading Germanic tribes. As time passed, the name Wale likely emerged as a descriptive surname or a nickname for someone who was perceived as a foreigner or had Welsh ancestry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Wale appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is found in various locations across the country, indicating its widespread use during that period.

In the 12th century, the name Wale is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, where a person named Robert Wale is recorded as a landowner. This demonstrates the continued use of the surname in different regions of England.

During the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Wale was Simon Wale, a merchant and alderman in the city of London. He is mentioned in historical records from the reign of King Henry III (1216-1272).

Another prominent individual was Sir Thomas Wale, who lived in the 15th century and served as Lord Mayor of London in 1472. He played a significant role in the city's governance and was involved in various commercial and political affairs.

In the 16th century, the surname Wale was held by a family of gentry from Wiltshire, England. One member of this family, Walter Wale (1520-1592), was a notable landowner and Member of Parliament for Malmesbury.

The name Wale can also be found in various place names across England, such as Walesby in Lincolnshire, which likely derives from the Old English "Walesbyrig," meaning "the settlement of the Welsh people."

Throughout history, the surname Wale has undergone various spellings, including Walle, Wale, and Waley, reflecting the diverse regional dialects and orthographic variations common in earlier times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wale families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wale 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. Warwickshire leads with 286 Wales recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.10x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 286 8.10x
Leicestershire 242 15.58x
Middlesex 190 1.36x
Kent 88 1.84x
Surrey 78 1.14x
Staffordshire 67 1.42x
Lancashire 48 0.29x
Hampshire 34 1.18x
Nottinghamshire 34 1.80x
Durham 28 0.67x
Shropshire 25 2.07x
Cambridgeshire 24 2.71x
Somerset 24 1.06x
Yorkshire 24 0.17x
Derbyshire 21 0.96x
Suffolk 21 1.23x
Devon 20 0.69x
Worcestershire 20 1.09x
Essex 19 0.69x
Berkshire 17 1.62x
Norfolk 15 0.70x
Dorset 14 1.52x
Oxfordshire 13 1.50x
Bedfordshire 11 1.52x
Gloucestershire 11 0.40x
Huntingdonshire 8 2.88x
Lincolnshire 8 0.36x
Channel Islands 7 1.69x
Northamptonshire 6 0.46x
Hertfordshire 5 0.52x
Monmouthshire 5 0.49x
Cheshire 4 0.13x
Northumberland 4 0.19x
Sussex 4 0.17x
Lanarkshire 3 0.07x
Cornwall 2 0.13x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.17x
Glamorgan 1 0.04x
Midlothian 1 0.05x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.22x
Royal Navy 1 0.60x
Wiltshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 68 Wales recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.95x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 68 17.95x
Whetstone 68 1195.08x
Bedworth 55 213.34x
Aston 38 3.91x
Coventry St Michael 37 32.60x
Coventry Holy Trinity 23 21.81x
Hackney London 23 2.93x
Birmingham 21 1.78x
Bromley 20 27.45x
Hammersmith London 19 5.51x
Chelsea London 17 4.03x
Gamlingay 16 173.16x
Wolverhampton 16 4.40x
Worksop 16 28.57x
Sheepshed 15 70.46x
West Bromwich 15 5.54x
Brading 14 36.69x
Lambeth 14 1.15x
Leicester St Mary 14 11.16x
Fulham London 13 6.40x
Chardstock 12 188.38x
Haslingden 11 15.98x
St George In East 11 11.54x
Thorpe Next Norwich 11 48.18x
Bedminster 10 4.72x
Camberwell 10 1.12x
East Garston 10 450.45x
Whitwick 10 50.63x
Amblecote 9 66.77x
Bermondsey 9 2.16x
Everton 9 1.70x
Faversham 9 19.75x
Henstead 9 348.84x
Kingskerswell 9 185.95x
Margate St John Baptist 9 10.28x
Newington 9 1.74x
Nottingham St Mary 9 1.84x
Nuneaton 9 21.99x
Orpington 9 61.52x
St Pancras London 9 0.80x
Tooting Graveney 9 47.39x
Benthall 8 372.09x
Cosby 8 166.32x
Great Gransden 8 262.30x
Kensington London 8 1.03x
Liverpool 8 0.79x
Lutterworth 8 84.48x
Paddington London 8 1.55x
Ryde 8 12.97x
West Ham 8 1.31x
Westoe 8 3.39x
Worcester Blockhouse 8 79.60x
Bethnal Green London 7 1.15x
Eckington 7 13.14x
Freckleton 7 128.21x
Lewisham 7 2.75x
Penshaw 7 55.91x
Spittlegate 7 22.60x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 7 35.30x
Worcester St Peter 7 20.22x
All Hallows London 6 576.92x
Bideford 6 19.21x
Brinklow 6 159.57x
Edmonton 6 5.32x
Great Horkesley 6 157.48x
Hampstead London 6 2.75x
Hornsey 6 3.39x
Islington London 6 0.44x
Leicester St Martin 6 57.53x
Loxley 6 389.61x
Luton 6 4.78x
Richmond 6 6.27x
South Normanton 6 38.94x
St George Hanover 6 3.28x
St Peter Port 6 7.81x
Swinford 6 310.88x
Ventnor 6 21.97x
Whichford 6 309.28x
Woolwich 6 3.40x
Little Shelford 5 202.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 85
Elizabeth 69
Sarah 57
Ann 38
Emma 34
Emily 26
Eliza 25
Jane 24
Annie 22
Alice 21
Ellen 21
Harriet 16
Edith 15
Clara 12
Hannah 12
Caroline 11
Florence 11
Martha 11
Ada 10
Maria 10
Charlotte 9
Louisa 9
Lucy 9
Catherine 8
Fanny 8
Harriett 6
Isabella 6
Kate 6
Matilda 6
Rose 6
Amy 5
Anne 5
Elizth. 5
Esther 5
Margaret 5
Sophia 5
Susan 5
Adelaide 4
Lizzie 4
Minnie 4
Frances 3
Jessie 3
Laura 3
Rhoda 3
Carry 2
Flora 2
Leah 2
Lewsia 2
Maud 2
Olive 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 104
William 95
George 71
Thomas 41
James 39
Charles 29
Joseph 26
Henry 24
Arthur 19
Samuel 19
Edward 15
Frederick 14
Alfred 11
Walter 11
Harry 9
Richard 9
Robert 9
Daniel 7
David 7
Albert 6
Frank 6
Herbert 6
Alexander 4
Ernest 4
Fred 4
Wm. 4
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Aaron 2
Benjamin 2
Earnest 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Infant 2
Josiah 2
Laurence 2
Matthew 2
Percy 2
Stephen 2
Alexis 1
Amos 1
Andrew 1
Austin 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Edwd. 1
Henery 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Wale surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wale surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,427 people were recorded with the Wale surname. That placed it at #2,919 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wale surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,550 in 2016. That gives Wale a modern rank of #3,994.

What does the Wale surname mean?

An occupational surname originally referring to someone from Wales.

What does the Wale map show?

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