NameCensus.

UK surname

Wallbank

A surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone living near a defensive wall or embankment.

In the 1881 census there were 931 people recorded with the Wallbank surname, ranking it #4,131 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,559, ranked #3,972, up from #4,131 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Polesworth, Preston and Rugeley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ribble Valley, Chorley and Craven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wallbank is 1,701 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 67.5%.

1881 census count

931

Ranked #4,131

Modern count

1,559

2016, ranked #3,972

Peak year

1911

1,701 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wallbank had 931 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,131 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,559 in 2016, ranked #3,972.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,701 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Wallbank surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wallbank surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wallbank 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 362 #6,537
1861 historical 466 #5,573
1881 historical 931 #4,131
1891 historical 1,168 #3,659
1901 historical 1,440 #3,529
1911 historical 1,701 #2,887
1997 modern 1,592 #3,714
1998 modern 1,656 #3,718
1999 modern 1,647 #3,769
2000 modern 1,641 #3,758
2001 modern 1,601 #3,775
2002 modern 1,651 #3,732
2003 modern 1,628 #3,708
2004 modern 1,602 #3,780
2005 modern 1,578 #3,774
2006 modern 1,558 #3,814
2007 modern 1,592 #3,784
2008 modern 1,589 #3,817
2009 modern 1,595 #3,889
2010 modern 1,628 #3,903
2011 modern 1,600 #3,910
2012 modern 1,559 #3,938
2013 modern 1,601 #3,913
2014 modern 1,593 #3,952
2015 modern 1,561 #3,988
2016 modern 1,559 #3,972

Geography

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Where Wallbanks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Polesworth, Preston, Rugeley, Blackburn and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ribble Valley, Chorley and Craven. 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 Polesworth Warwickshire
2 Preston Lancashire
3 Rugeley Staffordshire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ribble Valley 001 Ribble Valley
2 Chorley 005 Chorley
3 Craven 001 Craven
4 Ribble Valley 006 Ribble Valley
5 Craven 003 Craven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wallbank

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wallbank

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wallbank, 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 Wallbank surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Wallbank 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Wallbank 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

Wallbank 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

Wallbank 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 Wallbank 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 Wallbank, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wallbank

The surname Wallbank is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the northern counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "wall" and "bank," which together refer to a dwelling located near a defensive wall or embankment.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wallbank can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1379, where it is spelled "Wallebonk." This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the 14th century.

In the late 16th century, the Wallbank surname appears in the parish records of Whalley, Lancashire. The earliest known bearer of the name was John Wallbank, who was born around 1580 in this area.

During the 17th century, the Wallbank family seems to have expanded their presence across northern England. Notable individuals from this period include Richard Wallbank (1610-1685), a yeoman farmer from Clitheroe, Lancashire, and William Wallbank (1632-1701), a merchant and landowner in Yorkshire.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, many Wallbanks migrated to urban centers in search of employment. One prominent figure was James Wallbank (1794-1876), a successful industrialist and philanthropist from Manchester.

Another notable individual was Elizabeth Wallbank (1850-1922), a pioneering educator and suffragette from Liverpool, who campaigned for women's rights and established several schools for underprivileged children.

In the 20th century, the name Wallbank continued to be associated with various professions and achievements. For instance, John Wallbank (1901-1979) was a renowned British architect responsible for designing several iconic buildings in London and other cities.

Additionally, Thomas Wallbank (1919-2005) was a highly decorated British Army officer who served in World War II and later played a crucial role in the development of military aviation technology.

While the origins of the Wallbank surname can be traced back to medieval England, its bearers have since spread across various parts of the world, contributing to diverse fields and leaving their mark on history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wallbank families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wallbank 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. Lancashire leads with 372 Wallbanks recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.46x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 372 3.46x
Staffordshire 153 5.00x
Yorkshire 142 1.58x
Warwickshire 123 5.38x
Middlesex 63 0.69x
Derbyshire 9 0.63x
Hertfordshire 9 1.44x
Worcestershire 9 0.76x
Cheshire 6 0.30x
Hampshire 6 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.49x
Surrey 6 0.14x
Lincolnshire 4 0.28x
Norfolk 4 0.29x
Durham 3 0.11x
Kent 3 0.10x
Leicestershire 3 0.30x
Northumberland 3 0.22x
Cumberland 1 0.13x
Flintshire 1 0.41x
Gloucestershire 1 0.06x
Roxburghshire 1 0.61x
Royal Navy 1 0.93x
Sussex 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Polesworth in Warwickshire leads with 40 Wallbanks recorded in 1881 and an index of 368.32x.

Place Total Index
Polesworth 40 368.32x
Clitheroe 36 113.64x
Rugeley 34 154.76x
Aston 32 5.08x
Shoreditch London 31 7.88x
Blackburn 30 10.47x
Habergham Eaves 28 28.46x
Stoke Upon Trent 28 8.62x
Dilworth 25 378.79x
Cannock 24 44.92x
Leeds 17 3.35x
Woodplumpton 17 441.56x
Burslem 16 18.24x
Chipping 16 521.17x
Preston 16 5.56x
Wilnecote 16 243.90x
Euxton 15 420.17x
Trawden 14 207.72x
Birmingham 13 1.70x
Burnley 13 14.34x
North Meols 13 12.34x
Hackney London 12 2.36x
Aighton Bailey 11 211.95x
Clapham Cum Newby 11 523.81x
Goosnargh 10 287.36x
Keighley 10 10.44x
St Pancras London 10 1.37x
Bentham 9 131.39x
Billington 9 205.01x
Lawkland 9 957.45x
Wolverhampton 9 3.82x
Haworth 8 37.44x
Kings Norton 8 7.53x
Walsall Foreign 8 5.06x
Wednesfield 8 17.75x
Abram 7 84.75x
Burntwood Edial 7 35.79x
Butterworth 7 26.69x
Calverley Cum Farsley 7 27.42x
Great Little Marsden 7 14.20x
Kingsbury 7 143.15x
Rickmansworth 7 40.65x
Sherburn 7 94.72x
Thornton In Craven 7 97.09x
Waddington 7 503.60x
Alton 6 181.82x
Ashton Under Lyne 6 2.55x
Austwick 6 408.16x
Bolehall Glascote 6 61.92x
Brampton Bierlow 6 52.13x
Lower Holker 6 291.26x
Pendleton In Salford 6 4.68x
Reddish 6 40.46x
Shipley 6 12.86x
Thornham 6 103.09x
Colne 5 15.59x
Halliwell 5 12.76x
Heaton Norris 5 8.16x
Hyde 5 8.46x
Ilkley 5 34.04x
Ingleton 5 98.81x
Lancaster 5 7.81x
Little Bolton 5 3.61x
Sharples 5 42.81x
Tottington Higher End 5 40.82x
Barnoldswick 4 31.87x
Bulwell 4 15.04x
Edlaston 4 615.38x
Halton East 4 465.12x
Huddersfield 4 3.05x
Lambeth 4 0.51x
Newcastle Under Lyme 4 7.38x
Portsea 4 1.10x
St George Martyr 4 26.16x
Thornley Cum Wheatley 4 366.97x
Wolstanton 4 4.30x
Ashby De La Zouch 3 12.86x
Berwick Upon Tweed 3 10.49x
Clayton Le Moors 3 14.36x
Hulland Ward 3 247.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 63
Elizabeth 43
Sarah 37
Alice 28
Jane 24
Ellen 22
Margaret 21
Hannah 18
Emma 17
Ann 16
Annie 15
Harriet 9
Maria 9
Louisa 6
Lucy 6
Amelia 5
Eliza 5
Betsy 4
Emily 4
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Amanda 3
Betsey 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Grace 3
Martha 3
Nancy 3
Susan 3
Agnes 2
Dinah 2
Edith 2
Francis 2
Gertrude 2
Isabella 2
Janet 2
Kate 2
Lavinia 2
Lilian 2
Mabel 2
Maud 2
Rachel 2
Rebecca 2
Rosina 2
Susannah 2
Beatrice 1
Dorthy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 68
John 61
Thomas 36
James 31
Richard 23
Joseph 21
George 19
Charles 16
Henry 16
Robert 16
Walter 13
Alfred 12
Edward 9
Arthur 7
Ernest 6
Albert 5
Samuel 5
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Isaac 4
Fred 3
Herbert 3
Stephen 3
Wm. 3
David 2
Dennis 2
Dick 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Enoch 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Frederic 2
Jesse 2
Jonas 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Robt. 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Amos 1
Andrew 1
Esaw 1
Fryer 1
H. 1
Jno. 1
Mark 1
Nathaniel 1
Oliver 1
Wm.Charles 1

FAQ

Wallbank surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wallbank surname in 1881?

In 1881, 931 people were recorded with the Wallbank surname. That placed it at #4,131 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wallbank surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,559 in 2016. That gives Wallbank a modern rank of #3,972.

What does the Wallbank surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, likely referring to someone living near a defensive wall or embankment.

What does the Wallbank map show?

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