NameCensus.

UK surname

Wallwork

A surname derived from an old occupation of building or repairing walls.

In the 1881 census there were 1,749 people recorded with the Wallwork surname, ranking it #2,473 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,367, ranked #4,406, down from #2,473 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Eccles and Bolton-le-Moors. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Salford, Tameside and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wallwork is 2,141 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 21.8%.

1881 census count

1,749

Ranked #2,473

Modern count

1,367

2016, ranked #4,406

Peak year

1911

2,141 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wallwork had 1,749 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,473 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,367 in 2016, ranked #4,406.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,141 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Wallwork surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wallwork surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wallwork 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 869 #3,135
1861 historical 822 #3,352
1881 historical 1,749 #2,473
1891 historical 1,645 #2,727
1901 historical 1,957 #2,703
1911 historical 2,141 #2,351
1997 modern 1,471 #3,977
1998 modern 1,506 #4,032
1999 modern 1,532 #4,005
2000 modern 1,533 #3,990
2001 modern 1,498 #3,987
2002 modern 1,500 #4,076
2003 modern 1,457 #4,091
2004 modern 1,417 #4,181
2005 modern 1,358 #4,291
2006 modern 1,316 #4,403
2007 modern 1,369 #4,308
2008 modern 1,390 #4,281
2009 modern 1,412 #4,307
2010 modern 1,471 #4,252
2011 modern 1,427 #4,303
2012 modern 1,400 #4,303
2013 modern 1,422 #4,314
2014 modern 1,428 #4,328
2015 modern 1,396 #4,359
2016 modern 1,367 #4,406

Geography

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Where Wallworks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Eccles, Bolton-le-Moors, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Prestwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Salford, Tameside, Wigan and Bolton. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Eccles Lancashire
3 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
4 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
5 Prestwich Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Salford 012 Salford
2 Salford 014 Salford
3 Tameside 015 Tameside
4 Wigan 022 Wigan
5 Bolton 034 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wallwork

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wallwork

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Wallwork surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Wallwork household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Wallwork is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Wallwork is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Wallwork

The surname WALLWORK is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "walh" meaning "foreigner" or "stranger" and "worc" meaning "work" or "laborer." It likely emerged during the medieval period as a descriptive occupational surname for someone who performed labor or manual work, perhaps as a servant or worker for a landowner. The name may have initially been applied to someone perceived as a "foreign worker" or immigrant laborer.

In its earliest form, the surname was likely spelled variations like Wallewerke, Wallewurche, or Walleworth. It first appeared in historical records in the 13th century, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mention a William Wallewurche. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 also list a John Wallewurthe.

The WALLWORK surname was particularly prevalent in the northern counties of England, including Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cheshire. Some early bearers of the name were likely associated with the town of Wallwork near Bury in Lancashire, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname.

Notable historical figures with the WALLWORK surname include John Wallwork (c.1553-1617), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Chichester. Another early bearer was William Wallwork (1628-1668), a English Presbyterian minister who was ejected from his living after the Restoration of the monarchy in 1662.

In the 18th century, Joseph Wallwork (1737-1800) was a renowned English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in Liverpool and Chester. During the Victorian era, James Wallwork (1819-1898) was a prominent manufacturer and philanthropist in Manchester, credited with establishing several schools and charities in the city.

Moving into the 20th century, Sidney Wallwork (1900-1979) was a British politician and trade unionist who served as the General Secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen from 1963 to 1975.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wallwork families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wallwork 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 1,659 Wallworks recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.23x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,659 8.23x
Cheshire 44 1.17x
Yorkshire 8 0.05x
Durham 7 0.14x
Derbyshire 6 0.23x
Middlesex 6 0.04x
Staffordshire 3 0.05x
Surrey 3 0.04x
Ayrshire 1 0.08x
Hampshire 1 0.03x
Hertfordshire 1 0.09x
Perthshire 1 0.13x
Warwickshire 1 0.02x
Worcestershire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Worsley in Lancashire leads with 171 Wallworks recorded in 1881 and an index of 137.58x.

Place Total Index
Worsley 171 137.58x
Clifton 164 1083.94x
Oldham 106 16.29x
Pendleton In Salford 76 31.64x
Salford 63 10.62x
Ashton Under Lyne 56 12.71x
Manchester 55 6.07x
Little Hulton 54 161.73x
Newchurch 39 23.64x
Pendlebury 38 89.26x
Radcliffe 36 37.04x
Thornham 34 311.64x
Tottington Higher End 32 139.43x
Castleton 31 15.39x
Farnworth 30 24.83x
Great Bolton 30 11.23x
Bury 29 12.59x
Haslingden 28 33.54x
Hulme 27 6.41x
Kearsley 27 63.63x
Burnley 25 14.72x
Cheetham 25 16.62x
Little Lever 21 81.43x
Rochdale 20 136.05x
Tottington Lower End 20 20.87x
Westhoughton 20 37.17x
Wuerdle Wardle 20 32.67x
Musbury 18 305.08x
Blackburn 16 2.98x
Turton 16 48.46x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 16 27.56x
Little Bolton 15 5.79x
Walmersley Cum 15 46.55x
Heap 14 13.09x
Spotland 14 6.25x
Elton 13 18.66x
Pilkington 13 16.97x
Atherton 12 16.35x
Chadderton 12 12.17x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 12 55.68x
Barton Upon Irwell 11 7.25x
Lower Booths 11 30.45x
Broughton In Salford 10 5.42x
Heaton Norris 10 8.71x
Wigan 10 3.55x
Chorley 9 7.95x
Great Lever 9 42.08x
North Meols 9 4.56x
Openshaw 9 9.53x
Rumworth 9 31.23x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 2.50x
Stayley 8 18.66x
Bradford 7 7.42x
Hurdsfield 7 30.33x
Barrow In Furness 6 2.19x
Lymm 6 22.00x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 5 28.57x
Cheadle 5 6.98x
Habergham Eaves 5 2.71x
Harwood 5 47.48x
Kirkdale 5 1.47x
Middle Hulton 5 41.88x
Rishton 5 21.14x
Witton Gilbert 5 25.05x
Brindle 4 57.55x
Dukinfield 4 2.31x
Great Little Marsden 4 4.33x
Leeds 4 0.42x
Manningham 4 1.93x
Newton 4 2.57x
Sale 4 8.69x
Stretford 4 3.61x
West Derby 4 0.68x
Bedford 3 7.11x
Everton 3 0.47x
Halliwell 3 4.09x
Hammersmith London 3 0.72x
Newington 3 0.48x
Pemberton 3 3.73x
West Bromwich 3 0.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 145
Sarah 87
Alice 72
Elizabeth 65
Ann 48
Jane 47
Ellen 40
Martha 34
Hannah 28
Margaret 22
Annie 20
Emma 20
Eliza 17
Clara 15
Betsy 13
Betty 13
Emily 12
Nancy 9
Louisa 8
Maria 8
Bertha 7
Edith 7
Esther 7
Fanny 7
Susannah 7
Betsey 5
Elizebeth 5
Harriet 5
Rachel 5
Rebecca 5
Ada 4
Agnes 4
Anne 4
Charlotte 4
Isabella 4
Eleanor 3
Florence 3
Harriett 3
Laura 3
Lillian 3
May 3
Amy 2
Ethel 2
Lilly 2
Lily 2
Lizzie 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Maggie 2
Margret 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 120
John 104
William 97
Thomas 75
Joseph 38
Robert 33
George 25
Richard 22
Henry 17
Samuel 16
Alfred 15
Charles 13
Edward 13
Nathan 10
Roger 8
Wm. 8
Fred 7
Jacob 7
Peter 7
Walter 7
David 6
Edwin 6
Frank 6
Albert 5
Frederick 5
Harry 5
Herbert 5
Jas. 5
Arthur 4
Benjamin 4
Edmund 4
Moses 4
Andrew 3
Jesse 3
Jos. 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
Adam 2
Cyrus 2
Daniel 2
Handel 2
Isaac 2
Johnson 2
Joshua 2
Lawrence 2
Ralph 2
Rd. 2
Richd. 2
Enoch 1
Wm.Edward 1

FAQ

Wallwork surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wallwork surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,749 people were recorded with the Wallwork surname. That placed it at #2,473 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wallwork surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,367 in 2016. That gives Wallwork a modern rank of #4,406.

What does the Wallwork surname mean?

A surname derived from an old occupation of building or repairing walls.

What does the Wallwork map show?

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