NameCensus.

UK surname

Wand

An occupational surname derived from the Old High German word "want" meaning baton or staff.

In the 1881 census there were 499 people recorded with the Wand surname, ranking it #6,784 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 352, ranked #13,104, down from #6,784 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Kesteven and South Holland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wand is 718 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 29.5%.

1881 census count

499

Ranked #6,784

Modern count

352

2016, ranked #13,104

Peak year

1911

718 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wand had 499 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,784 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 352 in 2016, ranked #13,104.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 718 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wand surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wand surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wand 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 437 #5,632
1861 historical 361 #7,076
1881 historical 499 #6,784
1891 historical 584 #6,539
1901 historical 590 #7,155
1911 historical 718 #5,952
1997 modern 401 #10,989
1998 modern 408 #11,187
1999 modern 405 #11,344
2000 modern 403 #11,333
2001 modern 395 #11,324
2002 modern 396 #11,523
2003 modern 373 #11,857
2004 modern 364 #12,110
2005 modern 348 #12,410
2006 modern 357 #12,253
2007 modern 358 #12,383
2008 modern 370 #12,182
2009 modern 356 #12,800
2010 modern 391 #12,207
2011 modern 383 #12,244
2012 modern 376 #12,262
2013 modern 374 #12,521
2014 modern 372 #12,669
2015 modern 363 #12,793
2016 modern 352 #13,104

Geography

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Where Wands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Rippingale. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Kesteven and South Holland. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Rippingale Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Kesteven 011 South Kesteven
2 South Holland 001 South Holland
3 South Kesteven 010 South Kesteven
4 South Holland 005 South Holland
5 South Kesteven 007 South Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wand

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wand

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Wand is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wand is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wand falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wand

The surname WAND is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "wand" meaning a slender stick or rod. The name likely originated as an occupational surname for someone who made or sold wands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname WAND can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert le Wand in Oxfordshire. The "le" prefix was commonly used in Middle English to denote someone's occupation or place of origin.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various records with different spellings such as Wande, Waunde, and Wond. These variations were common due to the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time.

The WAND surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Wand Farm in Suffolk and Wand Green in Buckinghamshire. These place names may have influenced the surname's development or been influenced by it.

Notable individuals with the surname WAND include:

1. John Wand (c. 1545-1617), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Bishop of London.

2. William Wand (1854-1932), a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Organists.

3. Henry Wand (1592-1665), an English Member of Parliament who represented Sudbury during the English Civil War.

4. Jonah Wand (1765-1846), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.

5. Elizabeth Wand (1680-1758), an English poet and playwright whose works were published in several anthologies during the early 18th century.

While the WAND surname is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages, with roots in occupation and place names, as well as notable bearers throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wand families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wand 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. Lincolnshire leads with 105 Wands recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.49x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 105 13.49x
Middlesex 98 2.01x
Yorkshire 57 1.18x
Surrey 44 1.86x
Nottinghamshire 40 6.10x
Essex 26 2.71x
Leicestershire 24 4.45x
Kent 20 1.20x
Lancashire 17 0.29x
Hampshire 13 1.30x
Hertfordshire 12 3.58x
Cambridgeshire 6 1.95x
Berkshire 5 1.37x
Northamptonshire 5 1.09x
Westmorland 5 4.67x
Warwickshire 4 0.33x
Devon 3 0.30x
Glamorgan 3 0.35x
Durham 2 0.14x
Lanarkshire 2 0.13x
Northumberland 2 0.28x
Bedfordshire 1 0.40x
Shropshire 1 0.24x
Somerset 1 0.13x
Suffolk 1 0.17x
Sussex 1 0.12x
West Lothian 1 1.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rippingdale in Lincolnshire leads with 26 Wands recorded in 1881 and an index of 2826.09x.

Place Total Index
Rippingdale 26 2826.09x
Grantham 18 177.51x
Bermondsey 14 9.66x
St Pancras London 14 3.57x
Leicester St Margaret 13 9.88x
Nottingham St Mary 13 7.66x
Camberwell 11 3.54x
Edmonton 11 28.05x
Fulham London 11 15.58x
Mile End Old Town 11 14.32x
Snenton 11 42.67x
Breighton Cum Gunby 10 3333.33x
Manthorpe Cum Little 10 168.07x
Wales 10 262.47x
Aslackby 9 1184.21x
Barking 9 32.02x
Deptford St Paul 9 7.03x
Newark Upon Trent 9 38.17x
Hackney London 8 2.93x
Holy Trinity 8 6.90x
Rettendon 8 666.67x
Hacconby 7 1014.49x
Hartley Wintney 7 233.33x
Kensington London 7 2.59x
Dagenham 6 104.90x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 6 44.64x
Lambeth 6 1.41x
Plumstead 6 10.84x
Shoreditch London 6 2.84x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 6.13x
Spitalfields London 6 16.39x
Bow London 5 8.07x
Bray 5 46.55x
Bushey 5 62.58x
Garthorpe 5 531.91x
Hammersmith London 5 4.17x
Humberstone 5 112.87x
Hunslet 5 6.65x
Kirkland 5 219.30x
Leeds 5 1.84x
Londonthorpe 5 1666.67x
Newington 5 2.78x
Ardwick 4 7.68x
Edgbaston 4 10.51x
Eye 4 182.65x
Farnborough 4 38.17x
Hipperholme Cum 4 18.88x
Hulme 4 3.32x
Layton With Warbreck 4 18.87x
New Sleaford 4 80.16x
Rawdon 4 70.42x
St Michael Lincoln 4 189.57x
Balderton 3 167.60x
Croxton Keyrial 3 329.67x
Farnsfield 3 172.41x
Islington London 3 0.64x
Merthyr Tydfil 3 3.68x
Moss Side 3 9.87x
Royston 3 104.90x
York All Sts North 3 125.52x
Barrow In Furness 2 2.55x
Boothby Graffoe 2 714.29x
Govan 2 0.51x
Hungerton Cum Wyville 2 1052.63x
Kirkby Underwood 2 571.43x
Leicester St Mary 2 4.59x
Lewisham 2 2.26x
Longbenton 2 6.52x
North Bierley 2 7.68x
North Rauceby 2 444.44x
Norton 2 37.59x
St Swithin Lincoln 2 16.34x
Stoke Damerel 2 2.82x
Westminster St John 2 3.37x
Whitechapel London 2 4.17x
York St Mary 2 10.01x
Beeston 1 20.49x
Broxted 1 86.21x
Devonport 1 8.59x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 1 9.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 33
John 31
Charles 13
James 13
Alfred 12
George 12
Henry 12
Thomas 11
Edward 9
Robert 9
Joseph 8
Arthur 6
Frederick 5
Samuel 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
Harry 4
Richard 4
Ernest 3
Herbert 3
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Mark 2
Osbourn 2
Ralph 2
Benjamin 1
Brian 1
Cecil 1
Christopher 1
Corelli 1
Edgar 1
Fredrick 1
Gibson 1
Harold 1
Haydn 1
Helen 1
Isaac 1
Jno. 1
Louis 1
Matthew 1
Othneil 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Reuben 1
Rob. 1
Robrt. 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Wand surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wand surname in 1881?

In 1881, 499 people were recorded with the Wand surname. That placed it at #6,784 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wand surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 352 in 2016. That gives Wand a modern rank of #13,104.

What does the Wand surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Old High German word "want" meaning baton or staff.

What does the Wand map show?

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