NameCensus.

UK surname

Wardall

A surname derived from a residence near a hill or guard post.

In the 1881 census there were 76 people recorded with the Wardall surname, ranking it #22,745 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 87, ranked #32,476, down from #22,745 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dawley, Magna, Polesworth and Grimsby, Great. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Warwickshire, Thanet and East Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wardall is 167 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.5%.

1881 census count

76

Ranked #22,745

Modern count

87

2016, ranked #32,476

Peak year

1861

167 bearers

Map years

4

1861 to 1911

Key insights

  • Wardall had 76 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,745 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 87 in 2016, ranked #32,476.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 167 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Wardall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wardall surname density by area, 1911 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wardall 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 76 #20,127
1861 historical 167 #13,956
1881 historical 76 #22,745
1891 historical 113 #22,162
1901 historical 125 #20,061
1911 historical 116 #20,850
1997 modern 90 #28,360
1998 modern 98 #27,923
1999 modern 96 #28,326
2000 modern 103 #27,280
2001 modern 101 #27,252
2002 modern 104 #27,303
2003 modern 99 #27,871
2004 modern 98 #28,297
2005 modern 94 #28,973
2006 modern 96 #28,946
2007 modern 98 #29,019
2008 modern 94 #29,950
2009 modern 90 #31,094
2010 modern 92 #31,366
2011 modern 96 #30,721
2012 modern 94 #31,258
2013 modern 97 #31,239
2014 modern 96 #31,667
2015 modern 93 #31,972
2016 modern 87 #32,476

Geography

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Where Wardalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dawley, Magna, Polesworth, Grimsby, Great, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Pinchbeck, Cowbit. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Warwickshire, Thanet, East Northamptonshire and Tamworth. 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 Dawley, Magna Shropshire
2 Polesworth Warwickshire
3 Grimsby, Great Lincolnshire
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Pinchbeck, Cowbit Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Warwickshire 002 North Warwickshire
2 Thanet 010 Thanet
3 East Northamptonshire 005 East Northamptonshire
4 North Warwickshire 003 North Warwickshire
5 Tamworth 005 Tamworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wardall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wardall

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Wardall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Wardall household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Wardall is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wardall is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wardall falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wardall

The surname Wardall has its origins in England, with its etymology pointing towards Anglo-Saxon roots. The name is believed to have originated around the medieval period, specifically between the 12th and 15th centuries. It is primarily linked to areas in the East Midlands, particularly Lincolnshire and Norfolk.

The name Wardall is a variant of Wardle, derived from the Old English words "weard," meaning guardian, and "halh," meaning a nook or corner of land. Therefore, the name likely referred to someone who was a protector or guardian of a specific parcel of land. Alternative spellings found in historical records include Wardale and Wardil.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Wardall appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where variations of the name can be found among the tenants and landowners. Another early mention is in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, dated 1192, where a Reginald de Wardehal is listed as a landholder.

In 1379, the Poll Tax records of Yorkshire list a Ralph Wardil, while the Subsidy Rolls of Norfolk in 1524 mention a John Wardale. These documents suggest that the surname was fairly widespread across England during the Middle Ages.

Sir Richard Wardall, born in 1542 and died in 1611, was a notable figure who served as a knight under Queen Elizabeth I. His contributions to the English military campaigns are well-documented in historical manuscripts from the era.

Another prominent person with the surname was Edward Wardall, an early 17th-century explorer. Born in 1590, Edward embarked on numerous expeditions to the New World and played a significant role in mapping parts of the Caribbean before his death in 1643.

Margaret Wardall, born in 1667 and died in 1723, is remembered for her literary works and poems. Her writings provide a glimpse into the cultural and social dynamics of late 17th and early 18th-century England.

During the early 18th century, Thomas Wardall, born in 1705, was documented as a merchant who significantly influenced trade routes between England and the American colonies. He passed away in 1778, leaving behind a legacy of business acumen and resilience.

Throughout history, the Wardall surname has been associated with various professions and contributions to society. The name’s evolution through different regions and periods highlights its enduring legacy and the rich tapestry of history woven by individuals bearing this distinguished surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wardall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wardall 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 21 Wardalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.86x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 21 2.86x
Shropshire 8 12.49x
Buckinghamshire 7 15.62x
Lancashire 7 0.80x
Essex 6 4.10x
Lincolnshire 6 5.06x
Nottinghamshire 5 5.01x
Derbyshire 3 2.59x
Middlesex 3 0.40x
Northumberland 3 2.72x
Norfolk 2 1.76x
Suffolk 2 2.22x
Hertfordshire 1 1.96x
Leicestershire 1 1.22x
Wiltshire 1 1.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dawley in Shropshire leads with 8 Wardalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 343.35x.

Place Total Index
Dawley 8 343.35x
Stoke Poges 7 1272.73x
Colchester St Giles 6 413.79x
Middlesbrough 6 62.76x
Leeds 5 12.06x
Skegby 5 819.67x
Cleethorpes 4 571.43x
Oswaldtwistle 4 128.62x
Elswick 3 34.09x
Holy Trinity 3 16.98x
Linthorpe 3 68.49x
Ipswich St Clement 2 87.34x
Litchurch 2 42.83x
Skiplam 2 10000.00x
Wiggenhall St German 2 1538.46x
Barlborough 1 232.56x
Bishop Stortford 1 58.48x
Great Grimsby 1 13.30x
Keighley 1 12.77x
Louth 1 36.76x
Manchester 1 2.53x
Mile End Old Town 1 8.55x
Parr 1 31.75x
Sibson 1 1000.00x
Sledmere Cum Croom 1 769.23x
Swindon 1 19.69x
Tottenham 1 8.47x
Toxteth Park 1 3.36x
Westminster St James 1 13.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
James 6
William 5
Thomas 4
Charles 3
George 3
Arthur 2
Fredrick 2
John 2
Philip 2
Richard 2
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Henry 1
Paschal 1
Ricd. 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1

FAQ

Wardall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wardall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 76 people were recorded with the Wardall surname. That placed it at #22,745 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wardall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 87 in 2016. That gives Wardall a modern rank of #32,476.

What does the Wardall surname mean?

A surname derived from a residence near a hill or guard post.

What does the Wardall map show?

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