UK surname
A surname derived from the Germanic word "walh," meaning foreigner or someone of Celtic origin.
In the 1881 census there were 93 people recorded with the Walles surname, ranking it #20,593 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 61, ranked #34,287, down from #20,593 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Walles is 675 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 34.4%.
1881 census count
93
Ranked #20,593
Modern count
61
2016, ranked #34,287
Peak year
1861
675 bearers
Map years
5
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Walles surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Walles surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 322 | #7,215 |
| 1861 | historical | 675 | #3,977 |
| 1881 | historical | 93 | #20,593 |
| 1891 | historical | 484 | #7,621 |
| 1901 | historical | 126 | #19,970 |
| 1911 | historical | 207 | #14,635 |
| 1997 | modern | 56 | #32,004 |
| 1998 | modern | 57 | #32,226 |
| 1999 | modern | 54 | #32,660 |
| 2000 | modern | 55 | #32,609 |
| 2001 | modern | 54 | #32,583 |
| 2002 | modern | 53 | #33,021 |
| 2003 | modern | 54 | #32,990 |
| 2004 | modern | 55 | #33,154 |
| 2005 | modern | 57 | #33,178 |
| 2006 | modern | 55 | #33,688 |
| 2007 | modern | 55 | #33,965 |
| 2008 | modern | 58 | #33,918 |
| 2009 | modern | 58 | #34,144 |
| 2010 | modern | 59 | #34,273 |
| 2011 | modern | 64 | #33,917 |
| 2012 | modern | 57 | #34,452 |
| 2013 | modern | 60 | #34,378 |
| 2014 | modern | 62 | #34,281 |
| 2015 | modern | 58 | #34,470 |
| 2016 | modern | 61 | #34,287 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, St Pancras, St Werburgh and St Dunstan Stepney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | St Werburgh | Derbyshire |
| 5 | St Dunstan Stepney | London (East Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Walles surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Walles, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Walles surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Walles household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Walles is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Walles is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Walles, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname "WALLES" is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the Anglo-Saxon era. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "walh," meaning "foreigner" or "stranger," which was often used to refer to inhabitants of areas under Roman or Celtic influence.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the famous Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This historic document mentions a landowner named Walles in the county of Dorset.
During the medieval period, the name appeared in various forms such as Walles, Wallys, and Walleis, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings at the time. It is possible that some bearers of the name may have been of Welsh or Brittonic descent, as the word "walh" was also used to refer to these groups.
The name's association with specific places can be seen in the historical records of towns and villages like Walles Court in Worcestershire and Walles Park in Hertfordshire. These place names may have influenced the surname's development and distribution across different regions of England.
Notable historical figures with the surname WALLES include:
1. Sir John Walles, a prominent English judge and legal scholar who lived during the 14th century (c. 1300-1373). 2. Ralph de Walles, an English landowner and nobleman mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire in the late 12th century. 3. Richard Walles, a 15th-century English merchant and alderman of London, who served as the city's Sheriff in 1435. 4. William Walles, a 16th-century English clergyman and author, known for his work "The History of Parish Clerks" published in 1591. 5. Mary Walles, a 17th-century English woman who was accused and tried for witchcraft in the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692 in colonial Massachusetts.
While the surname WALLES has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement patterns, adapting to local linguistic and cultural influences along the way.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Walles surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Kent leads with 24 Walles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.75x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Kent | 24 | 7.75x |
| Middlesex | 19 | 2.09x |
| Durham | 7 | 2.59x |
| Surrey | 7 | 1.58x |
| Yorkshire | 6 | 0.67x |
| Cornwall | 5 | 4.87x |
| Hampshire | 5 | 2.69x |
| Nottinghamshire | 5 | 4.09x |
| Devon | 3 | 1.59x |
| Hertfordshire | 3 | 4.80x |
| Glamorgan | 2 | 1.27x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.19x |
| Ayrshire | 1 | 1.47x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.56x |
| Midlothian | 1 | 0.82x |
| Northamptonshire | 1 | 1.17x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 0.74x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ditton in Kent leads with 9 Walles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 9000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Ditton | 9 | 9000.00x |
| Stanhope | 7 | 250.90x |
| Tonbridge | 7 | 62.72x |
| High Halstow | 5 | 4166.67x |
| Mile End Old Town | 5 | 34.92x |
| Newark Upon Trent | 5 | 113.90x |
| Islington London | 4 | 4.55x |
| Lingfield | 4 | 465.12x |
| Paul | 4 | 213.90x |
| St Pancras London | 4 | 5.48x |
| Portsea | 3 | 8.23x |
| Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe | 3 | 71.77x |
| Woolwich | 3 | 26.25x |
| Bishop Wilton Cum | 2 | 1176.47x |
| Cardiff St Mary | 2 | 22.99x |
| Hammersmith London | 2 | 8.95x |
| Paddington London | 2 | 6.00x |
| Plymouth St Andrew | 2 | 13.75x |
| St Bartholomew Hyde | 2 | 454.55x |
| Tring | 2 | 119.76x |
| Beith | 1 | 49.26x |
| Camberwell | 1 | 1.73x |
| Desborough | 1 | 156.25x |
| Edinburgh Tron Church | 1 | 175.44x |
| Falmouth | 1 | 27.47x |
| Kimberworth | 1 | 20.04x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 1.26x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 1.53x |
| Manchester | 1 | 2.07x |
| Newcastle On Tyne St | 1 | 14.29x |
| Sandridge | 1 | 384.62x |
| St Giles In Fields | 1 | 31.95x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 2.06x |
| Stoke Damerel | 1 | 7.57x |
| Streatham | 1 | 14.86x |
| Wanstead | 1 | 31.85x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Walles surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Walles surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Walles households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 11 |
| Annuitant | 2 |
| Cook | 2 |
| Domestic Servant | 2 |
| Dressmaker | 2 |
| Fisherman | 2 |
| Limestone Quarryman | 2 |
| Wheelwright | 2 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Agricultural Laborer | 1 |
| Agricultural Laborer Wife | 1 |
| Artist Painter | 1 |
| Bank Rider | 1 |
| Builders Machinist | 1 |
| Cab Driver | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Cigar Maker | 1 |
| Crane Driver Hydraulic (Engine) | 1 |
| Domestic | 1 |
| Domestic Servant (Out Of Employ) | 1 |
| Fisherman Daur | 1 |
| Fisherman Wife | 1 |
| Footman | 1 |
| Formerly Mate Of Ship | 1 |
| Gardener | 1 |
| Gardeners Wife | 1 |
| Genl Dom Serv | 1 |
| Governess | 1 |
| Grocers Warehouse Man | 1 |
| Groom (Dom) | 1 |
| Hawker Of Small Wares | 1 |
| Hosier | 1 |
| Housewife | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Labourer Agr | 1 |
| Mariners Wife | 1 |
| Master | 1 |
| Master (MS) | 1 |
| Musician | 1 |
| Mustard Manufactor | 1 |
| No Occupation | 1 |
| O S | 1 |
| Pianoforte Maker | 1 |
| Professinal Nurse (SMS) | 1 |
| Pupil Teacher | 1 |
| Solicitor Daur | 1 |
| Solicitor In Practice | 1 |
| Solicitor Son | 1 |
| Solicitor Wife | 1 |
| Solicitors Daur | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 93 people were recorded with the Walles surname. That placed it at #20,593 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 61 in 2016. That gives Walles a modern rank of #34,287.
A surname derived from the Germanic word "walh," meaning foreigner or someone of Celtic origin.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Walles bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.