NameCensus.

UK surname

Walkington

An English surname originating as a locational name for someone from Walkington, Yorkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 352 people recorded with the Walkington surname, ranking it #8,718 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 416, ranked #11,533, down from #8,718 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Leeds and Kirby Misperton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Walkington is 479 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.2%.

1881 census count

352

Ranked #8,718

Modern count

416

2016, ranked #11,533

Peak year

1911

479 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Walkington had 352 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,718 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 416 in 2016, ranked #11,533.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 479 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Walkington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Walkington surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Walkington 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 191 #10,808
1861 historical 231 #10,572
1881 historical 352 #8,718
1891 historical 410 #8,694
1901 historical 450 #8,700
1911 historical 479 #8,088
1997 modern 437 #10,299
1998 modern 453 #10,358
1999 modern 475 #10,042
2000 modern 460 #10,245
2001 modern 444 #10,348
2002 modern 459 #10,264
2003 modern 439 #10,487
2004 modern 445 #10,418
2005 modern 440 #10,382
2006 modern 436 #10,506
2007 modern 446 #10,409
2008 modern 430 #10,834
2009 modern 450 #10,669
2010 modern 443 #11,046
2011 modern 442 #10,942
2012 modern 430 #11,065
2013 modern 436 #11,106
2014 modern 443 #11,038
2015 modern 435 #11,120
2016 modern 416 #11,533

Geography

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Where Walkingtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Leeds, Kirby Misperton, Bridlington and Sculcoates. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Kirby Misperton Yorkshire, North Riding
4 Bridlington Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Sculcoates Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 005 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 015 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Kingston upon Hull 017 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 002 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 028 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Walkington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Walkington

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Walkington is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Walkington 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

Walkington falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Walkington

The surname Walkington originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the town of Walkington in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "walc" meaning "ridge" and "ing" meaning "people of," thus translating to "the dwellers on the ridge."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Walkington can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documents a landowner named Radulfus de Walchintone in Yorkshire. This suggests that the surname was already established by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Feet of Fines records for Yorkshire, where a Thomas de Walkyngton is mentioned in 1276. The surname also crops up in the Subsidy Rolls of 1297, where a William de Walkinton is listed as a taxpayer in Yorkshire.

Notable individuals with the surname Walkington include Sir Thomas Walkington (1545-1621), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Ripon. Another prominent figure was William Walkington (1622-1680), a Church of England clergyman who became the Archdeacon of Northampton.

In the 18th century, John Walkington (1720-1801) was a renowned English theologian and author, best known for his work "The Tutor's Assistant." Additionally, Robert Walkington (1751-1819) was a notable English physician and natural philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of botany.

One of the most famous bearers of the Walkington name was Sir Cedric Walkington (1892-1972), a British diplomat and civil servant who served as the Governor of the Windward Islands from 1949 to 1954.

Throughout its history, the surname Walkington has maintained its strong ties to its Yorkshire roots, with many variations in spelling, such as Walkington, Walkinton, and Walchintone, reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic evolution over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Walkington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Walkington 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 252 Walkingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.30x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 252 7.30x
Lincolnshire 23 4.13x
Middlesex 16 0.46x
Durham 14 1.35x
Cheshire 12 1.56x
Leicestershire 12 3.11x
Kent 6 0.51x
Isle of Man 5 7.73x
Nottinghamshire 5 1.07x
Surrey 5 0.29x
Caernarfonshire 3 2.13x
Lancashire 2 0.05x
Devon 1 0.14x
Hampshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 35 Walkingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.96x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 35 17.96x
Bridlington 32 405.06x
Holy Trinity 21 25.30x
Louth 10 78.37x
Newton Upon Ouse 10 1428.57x
Birkenhead 9 14.69x
Bradford 9 10.77x
Kirby Misperton 9 2727.27x
Church Fenton 8 1290.32x
Gate Fulford 8 99.26x
Hunmanby 8 496.89x
York St Cuthbert 8 253.16x
Higham On The Hill 7 1296.30x
Kirk Hammerton 6 1818.18x
Lewisham 6 9.47x
Wolviston 6 833.33x
Allerton Bywater 5 267.38x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 5 42.37x
Bitteswell 5 1162.79x
Bow London 5 11.28x
Great Carlton 5 1612.90x
Hilderthorpe 5 287.36x
Holbeck 5 21.87x
Hovingham 5 694.44x
Hunslet 5 9.29x
Malew 5 88.50x
Newington 5 3.89x
Tottenham 5 9.02x
Wortley In Bramley 5 18.29x
Yarm 5 282.49x
York St Margaret 5 233.64x
Alvingham 4 1250.00x
Bishop Wilton Cum 4 606.06x
Darlington 4 10.00x
Dewsbury 4 11.30x
Lockton 4 833.33x
Monkwearmouth Shore 4 19.78x
Nottingham St Mary 4 3.29x
St Andrew Holborn 4 33.87x
Sutton Stoneferry 4 40.53x
Falsgrave 3 58.94x
Farndale Low Quarter 3 1500.00x
Great Driffield 3 42.37x
Ruston Parva 3 2000.00x
Sculcoates 3 5.48x
Chapel Allerton 2 38.76x
Conway 2 73.26x
Great Grimsby 2 5.66x
New Malton 2 48.43x
North Meols 2 4.94x
Pickering 2 46.08x
Scarborough 2 6.38x
Tranmere 2 7.08x
Bessingby 1 588.24x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.42x
Eglwys Rhos 1 56.50x
Grantham 1 13.77x
Great Ayton 1 47.39x
Haisthorpe 1 666.67x
Heworth 1 111.11x
Hotham 1 227.27x
Kensington London 1 0.52x
Linton In Wetherby 1 526.32x
Mile End Old Town 1 1.82x
Ness 1 222.22x
Pannal 1 30.21x
Pickering Marishes 1 263.16x
Rempstone 1 263.16x
Ruswarp 1 26.04x
Scrayingham 1 588.24x
Southampton All Sts 1 8.16x
Strubby 1 294.12x
Sutton 1 25.45x
Tollerton 1 163.93x
Tormoham 1 3.26x
Walton In Wetherby 1 434.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 25
John 17
George 15
Thomas 10
Robert 9
Richard 7
Alfred 6
Herbert 6
Arthur 4
Henry 4
Albert 3
Christopher 3
David 3
Edwin 3
Geo. 3
Jonathan 3
Joseph 3
Walter 3
Alma 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Jackson 2
Melcha 2
Strickland 2
Benjamin 1
Bernard 1
Charles 1
Cooper 1
Cussans 1
Dinah 1
Dolway 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Gains 1
Gladwin 1
Henery 1
James 1
Jesse 1
Mark 1
Marmaduke 1
Peter 1
Rbt.Fairburn 1
Robt.A. 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Soloman 1
Tom 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Walkington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Walkington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 352 people were recorded with the Walkington surname. That placed it at #8,718 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Walkington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 416 in 2016. That gives Walkington a modern rank of #11,533.

What does the Walkington surname mean?

An English surname originating as a locational name for someone from Walkington, Yorkshire.

What does the Walkington map show?

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