NameCensus.

UK surname

Wane

A surname derived from the Old English word "wana," meaning a lack or deficiency.

In the 1881 census there were 295 people recorded with the Wane surname, ranking it #9,842 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 359, ranked #12,898, down from #9,842 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, London parishes and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Richmondshire and Chorley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wane is 393 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.7%.

1881 census count

295

Ranked #9,842

Modern count

359

2016, ranked #12,898

Peak year

1911

393 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wane had 295 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,842 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016, ranked #12,898.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 393 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Wane surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wane surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wane 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 284 #7,977
1861 historical 337 #7,564
1881 historical 295 #9,842
1891 historical 360 #9,614
1901 historical 357 #10,280
1911 historical 393 #9,408
1997 modern 349 #12,197
1998 modern 353 #12,470
1999 modern 352 #12,552
2000 modern 363 #12,237
2001 modern 352 #12,318
2002 modern 363 #12,296
2003 modern 371 #11,901
2004 modern 367 #12,028
2005 modern 358 #12,176
2006 modern 362 #12,151
2007 modern 371 #12,053
2008 modern 356 #12,534
2009 modern 365 #12,558
2010 modern 380 #12,462
2011 modern 369 #12,600
2012 modern 354 #12,851
2013 modern 366 #12,733
2014 modern 373 #12,633
2015 modern 359 #12,906
2016 modern 359 #12,898

Geography

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Where Wanes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, London parishes, Wigan, Gargrave and Eccleston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Richmondshire and Chorley. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Gargrave Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Eccleston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Richmondshire 001 Richmondshire
2 Chorley 013 Chorley
3 Chorley 010 Chorley
4 Chorley 005 Chorley
5 Richmondshire 003 Richmondshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wane

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wane

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Wane is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wane is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Wane

The surname WANE is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged around the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "wanen," which means "to decrease" or "to wane," likely referring to someone living on a tract of land that was diminishing or waning in size.

The earliest known record of the name WANE dates back to the 14th century, appearing in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a William Wane was listed as a resident. This name is also found in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1279, where it was spelled as "Wane."

During the medieval period, the WANE surname was predominantly concentrated in the counties of Worcestershire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire. It is possible that the name may have originated from a place name, as many surnames were derived from the names of towns, villages, or geographical features.

One notable historical figure with the surname WANE was Sir John Wane (c. 1530-1596), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire in 1572. Another individual of note was Richard Wane (1601-1672), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of Eton College from 1661 until his death.

In the 16th century, the WANE surname appeared in various records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1559, where a Thomas Wane was mentioned, and the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1572, listing a William Wane.

Other notable individuals with the WANE surname include Henry Wane (1592-1668), an English clergyman and author, and Sir Henry Wane (1784-1834), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

The WANE surname has also been recorded with variations in spelling, such as Waine, Wayne, and Weyne, which were common in historical records due to inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation during that time period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wane families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wane 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 138 Wanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.01x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 138 4.01x
Yorkshire 32 1.11x
Cheshire 16 2.50x
Staffordshire 16 1.64x
Middlesex 15 0.52x
Gloucestershire 11 1.94x
Surrey 11 0.78x
Buckinghamshire 9 5.14x
Midlothian 9 2.32x
Durham 5 0.58x
Essex 5 0.87x
Warwickshire 5 0.68x
Cumberland 3 1.20x
Hertfordshire 3 1.50x
Leicestershire 3 0.93x
Hampshire 2 0.34x
Kent 2 0.20x
Sussex 2 0.41x
Westmorland 2 3.14x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.55x
Derbyshire 1 0.22x
Lincolnshire 1 0.22x
Monmouthshire 1 0.48x
Norfolk 1 0.22x
Somerset 1 0.21x
Suffolk 1 0.28x
Worcestershire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eccleston In Chorley in Lancashire leads with 41 Wanes recorded in 1881 and an index of 4606.74x.

Place Total Index
Eccleston In Chorley 41 4606.74x
Skelmersdale 20 349.04x
Gargrave 17 1328.13x
Chorley 12 62.21x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 9 5.76x
Lancaster 9 44.01x
Birkenhead 7 13.73x
Dukinfield 7 23.69x
Moss Side 6 33.17x
Northleach 6 714.29x
Rugeley 6 85.47x
Barrow In Furness 5 10.69x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 9.16x
Croston 5 280.90x
Dagenham 5 147.06x
Gisburn 5 943.40x
Ince In Makerfield 5 31.25x
Iveston 5 125.94x
Manchester 5 3.23x
Pendleton In Salford 5 12.21x
Wolverhampton 5 6.65x
Wycombe 5 38.28x
Elton 4 33.67x
Great Marlow 4 84.57x
Kensington London 4 2.48x
Kinver 4 141.84x
Salford 4 3.96x
Sheffield 4 4.38x
Aston 3 1.49x
Camberwell 3 1.62x
Clerkenwell London 3 4.39x
Egham 3 34.60x
Fairford 3 197.37x
Hatfield 3 74.07x
Loughborough 3 20.58x
St George Hanover 3 7.93x
Ardwick 2 6.45x
Bourton On Dunsmore 2 689.66x
Bradford 2 12.43x
Carlton In Skipton 2 119.05x
Cheltenham 2 4.56x
Flasby Cum Winterburn 2 1538.46x
Kendal 2 17.15x
North Ambersham 2 1176.47x
Paddington London 2 1.88x
Penrith 2 21.72x
Turton 2 35.52x
Woolwich 2 5.48x
Wrightington 2 133.33x
Accrington 1 3.20x
Austwick 1 212.77x
Chepstow St Arvans 1 204.08x
Croydon 1 1.28x
Crumpsall 1 12.35x
Derby St Werburgh 1 3.82x
Dorking 1 10.55x
Giggleswick 1 103.09x
Great Budworth 1 88.50x
High Leigh 1 119.05x
Holdenhurst 1 6.42x
Islington London 1 0.36x
Kentford 1 500.00x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.95x
Mawdesley 1 108.70x
Newington 1 0.93x
Northwood 1 11.82x
Oldbury 1 5.37x
Rolleston 1 133.33x
South Creake 1 99.01x
Southwark Christchurch 1 7.36x
St George Bloomsbury 1 6.02x
St Margaret Lincoln 1 238.10x
Tydd St Giles 1 114.94x
Westminster St James 1 3.36x
Whitehaven 1 7.52x
Winsham 1 117.65x
Withington 1 9.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Alice 9
Ann 8
Ellen 8
Sarah 8
Eliza 7
Emma 7
Jane 7
Elizabeth 5
Annie 4
Agnes 3
Hannah 3
Isabella 3
Lucy 3
Margaret 3
Ada 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Selina 2
Amelia 1
Caroline 1
Christianne 1
Dora 1
Eblim 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Harriet 1
Harriette 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Louisia 1
Maraget 1
Margsret 1
Margt.Eve 1
Maria 1
Marianne 1
Marrian 1
Maude 1
Rosanna 1
Ruth 1
Susanah 1
Sushana 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 20
John 18
Thomas 18
James 13
Henry 8
Joseph 7
Robert 6
Richard 5
George 4
Edward 3
Alfred 2
Anthony 2
Oliver 2
Peter 2
Samuel 2
Adam 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Harold 1
Isaac 1
Jeremiah 1
Jonathan 1
Jos. 1
Levi 1
Lewis 1
Marshall 1
Robt. 1
Saml. 1
Solomon 1
Thos. 1
Thos.Wm. 1
Wm.Chas. 1

FAQ

Wane surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wane surname in 1881?

In 1881, 295 people were recorded with the Wane surname. That placed it at #9,842 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wane surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016. That gives Wane a modern rank of #12,898.

What does the Wane surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "wana," meaning a lack or deficiency.

What does the Wane map show?

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