NameCensus.

UK surname

Walshaw

A locational surname referring to someone from the valley of the woods or a wooded area.

In the 1881 census there were 800 people recorded with the Walshaw surname, ranking it #4,654 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 934, ranked #6,122, down from #4,654 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkheaton, Birstall and Thornhill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Barnsley and Craven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Walshaw is 1,082 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.8%.

1881 census count

800

Ranked #4,654

Modern count

934

2016, ranked #6,122

Peak year

1911

1,082 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Walshaw had 800 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,654 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 934 in 2016, ranked #6,122.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,082 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Walshaw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Walshaw surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Walshaw 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 508 #4,924
1861 historical 572 #4,606
1881 historical 800 #4,654
1891 historical 884 #4,658
1901 historical 987 #4,812
1911 historical 1,082 #4,289
1997 modern 984 #5,576
1998 modern 1,006 #5,647
1999 modern 1,001 #5,710
2000 modern 990 #5,734
2001 modern 966 #5,747
2002 modern 968 #5,834
2003 modern 942 #5,867
2004 modern 950 #5,842
2005 modern 913 #5,958
2006 modern 913 #5,967
2007 modern 914 #6,023
2008 modern 932 #5,976
2009 modern 946 #6,016
2010 modern 972 #6,006
2011 modern 968 #5,971
2012 modern 957 #5,939
2013 modern 967 #5,988
2014 modern 984 #5,937
2015 modern 955 #6,046
2016 modern 934 #6,122

Geography

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Where Walshaws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkheaton, Birstall, Thornhill, Batley and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Barnsley, Craven and Wakefield. 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 Kirkheaton Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Thornhill Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 018 Kirklees
2 Barnsley 010 Barnsley
3 Craven 003 Craven
4 Wakefield 020 Wakefield
5 Wakefield 026 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Walshaw

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Walshaw

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Walshaw is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Walshaw is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Walshaw

The surname Walshaw has its origins in England, and it can be traced back to the early medieval period. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "walh" and "sceaga," which together mean "a grove or small wood inhabited by foreigners or strangers."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Walshaw can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, including Walshag and Walshagh, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.

The Walshaw surname is closely associated with several place names in Lancashire, England, such as Walshaw Dean and Walshaw Bridge. These place names likely originated from the presence of settlements or communities of people with the surname Walshaw in those areas.

One notable individual with the surname Walshaw was John Walshaw (1644-1717), an English Quaker and author who wrote several religious works, including "A Brief Account of the Life and Writings of John Walshaw" and "A Collection of the Christian Writings, Letters, and Testimonies of that Ancient and Faithful Servant of Christ, John Walshaw."

Another prominent figure with the Walshaw surname was William Walshaw (1768-1851), a British army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars. He was appointed as the Lieutenant-Governor of the Isle of Man in 1830 and held this position until his death in 1851.

In the 18th century, a branch of the Walshaw family emigrated to the British colonies in North America. One member of this branch, Samuel Walshaw (1720-1798), was a prominent landowner and merchant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Robert Walshaw (1828-1899) was a British industrialist and businessman who founded the Walshaw Cotton Spinning Company in Bolton, Lancashire. The company played a significant role in the textile industry during the Industrial Revolution.

Another notable individual with the Walshaw surname was Emily Walshaw (1836-1920), an English writer and philanthropist. She was actively involved in charitable work and wrote several books on social issues, including "The Story of a Penitent Soul" and "Glimpses of Life in Lancashire."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Walshaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Walshaw 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 616 Walshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.97x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 616 7.97x
Lancashire 65 0.70x
Durham 35 1.51x
Cheshire 21 1.22x
Sussex 10 0.76x
Staffordshire 9 0.34x
Essex 7 0.45x
Middlesex 6 0.08x
Northamptonshire 6 0.82x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.57x
Lincolnshire 5 0.40x
Lanarkshire 4 0.16x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.61x
Derbyshire 3 0.25x
Fife 1 0.22x
Kent 1 0.04x
Surrey 1 0.03x
Wiltshire 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. Thornhill in Yorkshire leads with 46 Walshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 203.90x.

Place Total Index
Thornhill 46 203.90x
Heckmondwike 43 172.90x
Dewsbury 34 42.87x
Barnsley 24 30.09x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 24 90.02x
Bradford 23 12.29x
Huddersfield 23 20.42x
Halifax 22 19.38x
Bishopwearmouth 21 10.54x
Kirkheaton 19 151.52x
Batley 18 24.49x
Thurlstone 18 235.91x
Ingbirchworth 16 1797.75x
Soothill 15 53.71x
Emley 14 404.62x
Dodworth 12 149.44x
Dukinfield 12 15.08x
Ecclesfield 12 21.16x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 12 33.40x
Wakefield 11 18.53x
Almondbury 10 26.75x
Brighton 10 3.77x
Leeds 10 2.29x
Rastrick 10 46.55x
Silkstone 10 261.10x
Mirfield 9 21.20x
Purston Jaglin 9 476.19x
Stoke Upon Trent 9 3.22x
Flockton 8 253.97x
Lockwood 8 28.76x
Manchester 8 1.92x
Manningham 8 8.40x
Scarborough 8 11.38x
Shitlington 8 100.00x
Bowling 7 9.14x
Cleckheaton 7 24.57x
Northowram 7 12.91x
Oldham 7 2.34x
Skircoat 7 22.95x
Easingwold 6 109.89x
Hemlington 6 2142.86x
Hunslet 6 4.98x
Kirkburton 6 65.79x
Paddington London 6 2.09x
Peterborough 6 11.29x
Pontefract 6 36.01x
Skelmanthorpe 6 71.86x
Stretford 6 11.78x
Ugthorpe 6 923.08x
West Ham 6 1.76x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 5 17.81x
Dawdon 5 17.51x
Denby 5 119.90x
Hunshelf 5 131.93x
Nottingham St Mary 5 1.84x
Scunthorpe 5 89.13x
Stayley 5 25.39x
Wortley In Bramley 5 8.16x
Barony 4 0.63x
Barrowford Booth 4 39.02x
Horton In Bradford 4 3.31x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 4 42.46x
Middlestone 4 85.84x
West Clayton 4 104.17x
Blackwell 3 49.92x
Bradfield 3 10.06x
Chadderton 3 6.63x
Cumberworth 3 76.14x
Glaisdale 3 101.69x
Gorton 3 3.45x
Holbeck 3 5.86x
Hoyland Swaine 3 150.00x
Ickleton 3 169.49x
Lepton 3 37.13x
Shafton 3 260.87x
Tranmere 3 4.74x
Westoe 3 2.28x
Methley 2 18.37x
Saddleworth 2 3.35x
Wentworth 2 41.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 55
Sarah 47
Elizabeth 30
Ann 23
Annie 15
Emma 13
Hannah 13
Martha 13
Eliza 12
Jane 11
Emily 9
Charlotte 8
Ellen 8
Florence 8
Ada 6
Alice 6
Edith 5
Fanny 5
Harriet 5
Caroline 4
Kate 4
Lily 4
Lucy 4
Rachel 4
Agnes 3
Amelia 3
Clara 3
Isabella 3
Margaret 3
Ruth 3
Sophia 3
Amy 2
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Betsey 2
Betty 2
Car. 2
Catherine 2
Christiana 2
Elizh. 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Lilly 2
Maboth 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Elenor 1
Elizabetg 1
Elizth. 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 52
William 30
Joseph 22
George 19
James 19
Charles 18
Robert 12
Henry 11
Arthur 10
Alfred 9
Thomas 9
Albert 8
Edward 8
Harry 7
David 6
Fred 6
Benjamin 5
Ernest 5
Richard 5
Herbert 4
Walter 4
Frederick 3
Hugh 3
Jabez 3
Jno. 3
Job 3
Joshua 3
Lister 3
Matthew 3
Richd. 3
Tom 3
Wm. 3
Ben 2
Chas. 2
Edwin 2
Fenton 2
Friend 2
Greenwood 2
Joe 2
Noah 2
Sam 2
Samuel 2
Wilson 2
Brooke 1
Charley 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.Adam 1
Geo.Wm. 1
Joab 1
Joah 1

FAQ

Walshaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Walshaw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 800 people were recorded with the Walshaw surname. That placed it at #4,654 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Walshaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 934 in 2016. That gives Walshaw a modern rank of #6,122.

What does the Walshaw surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from the valley of the woods or a wooded area.

What does the Walshaw map show?

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