NameCensus.

UK surname

Wardlaw

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place meaning "enclosed area by a lake or stream."

In the 1881 census there were 544 people recorded with the Wardlaw surname, ranking it #6,344 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 875, ranked #6,427, down from #6,344 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edinburgh, Bathgate and Tillicoultry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bridge of Earn and Abernethy, Buckhaven, Denbeath and Muiredge and Falkirk - Merchiston and New Carron Village.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wardlaw is 888 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.8%.

1881 census count

544

Ranked #6,344

Modern count

875

2016, ranked #6,427

Peak year

2010

888 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wardlaw had 544 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,344 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 875 in 2016, ranked #6,427.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 642 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Wardlaw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wardlaw surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wardlaw 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 454 #5,427
1861 historical 469 #5,536
1881 historical 544 #6,344
1891 historical 641 #6,051
1901 historical 642 #6,705
1911 historical 147 #18,104
1997 modern 815 #6,441
1998 modern 838 #6,510
1999 modern 860 #6,423
2000 modern 878 #6,294
2001 modern 856 #6,301
2002 modern 862 #6,401
2003 modern 852 #6,333
2004 modern 864 #6,277
2005 modern 858 #6,268
2006 modern 863 #6,242
2007 modern 858 #6,331
2008 modern 847 #6,445
2009 modern 869 #6,456
2010 modern 888 #6,463
2011 modern 853 #6,594
2012 modern 847 #6,548
2013 modern 872 #6,506
2014 modern 881 #6,477
2015 modern 879 #6,423
2016 modern 875 #6,427

Geography

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Where Wardlaws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edinburgh, Bathgate, Tillicoultry, Glasgow and Cambusnethan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bridge of Earn and Abernethy, Buckhaven, Denbeath and Muiredge, Falkirk - Merchiston and New Carron Village, Polmont and IZ12. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Edinburgh Edinburgh
2 Bathgate Linlithgow
3 Tillicoultry Clackmannan
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Cambusnethan Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bridge of Earn and Abernethy Perth and Kinross
2 Buckhaven, Denbeath and Muiredge Fife
3 Falkirk - Merchiston and New Carron Village Falkirk
4 Polmont Falkirk
5 IZ12 West Dunbartonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wardlaw

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wardlaw

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Wardlaw surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Wardlaw household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Wardlaw is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wardlaw is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wardlaw 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 Wardlaw is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Wardlaw, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wardlaw

The surname Wardlaw originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "weard" meaning "watch" and "hlaw" meaning "hill" or "mound." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a prominent hill or mound that served as a lookout point.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 12th century in the county of Roxburghshire, Scotland. A notable early bearer of the name was Sir Henry de Wardlaw, who was recorded as the Sheriff of Roxburghshire in 1296.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Wardlaw family held lands and properties in the Scottish Borders region, particularly around the town of Dryburgh. The name appears in various medieval charters and records from this area.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Wardlaw was Walter Wardlaw (c. 1390-1470), who served as the Bishop of Glasgow from 1368 to 1387 and later became the Bishop of St. Andrews, one of the most influential positions in the Scottish church at the time.

In the 15th century, the Wardlaw family established themselves as lairds (landed gentry) in the county of Fife, where they held the estate of Torry. A notable member from this line was Sir Henry Wardlaw of Torry (c. 1500-1570), who was a prominent figure in the Scottish Reformation.

Other notable individuals with the surname Wardlaw include Ralph Wardlaw (c. 1510-1589), a Scottish nobleman and landowner in East Lothian, and William Wardlaw (c. 1550-1617), a Scottish clergyman who served as the Bishop of St. Andrews in the early 17th century.

Over time, various spellings of the name emerged, such as Wardlaw, Wardlawe, and Wardelaw, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations common in historical records.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wardlaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wardlaw 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. Fife leads with 111 Wardlaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.33x.

County Total Index
Fife 111 35.33x
Lanarkshire 104 6.06x
Midlothian 104 14.63x
Stirlingshire 47 24.01x
West Lothian 33 41.29x
Northumberland 26 3.29x
Clackmannanshire 22 50.19x
Durham 19 1.20x
Lancashire 16 0.25x
Perthshire 12 5.04x
Middlesex 11 0.21x
Dunbartonshire 10 7.01x
Renfrewshire 9 2.19x
Angus 6 1.22x
Aberdeenshire 5 1.02x
Cheshire 3 0.26x
Cumberland 2 0.44x
Dorset 1 0.29x
Surrey 1 0.04x
Sussex 1 0.11x
Worcestershire 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. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 52 Wardlaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.18x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 52 18.18x
Dunfermline 43 89.03x
Barony 30 6.91x
Cambusnethan 30 78.70x
Bathgate 25 144.09x
Dysart 22 104.02x
Saline 19 1091.95x
Glasgow 18 5.91x
Gateshead 15 12.69x
Mid Calder 14 454.55x
Muiravonside 14 281.69x
Alloa 12 56.47x
North Leith 11 33.43x
Carnock 10 520.83x
Falkirk 9 19.64x
Abbotshall 8 68.14x
Backworth 8 382.78x
Bonhill 8 34.95x
Renfrew 8 58.91x
Tillicoultry 8 82.05x
Auchterderran 7 88.61x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 7 41.62x
Rattray 7 126.35x
Shotts 7 34.08x
Airth 6 240.96x
Balfron 6 247.93x
Bootle Cum Linacre 6 12.00x
Chatton 5 206.61x
Dalziel 5 27.09x
Elswick 5 7.93x
Gargunnock 5 393.70x
Polmont 5 69.16x
Udny 5 167.79x
West Derby 5 2.71x
Chirton 4 22.38x
Corstorphine 4 102.04x
Dalserf 4 23.35x
Dundee 4 2.18x
Edinburgh Tron Church 4 120.12x
Govan 4 0.94x
Hackney London 4 1.34x
Toxteth Park 4 1.88x
Bedlington 3 11.38x
Edinburgh Greenside S 3 116.28x
Islington London 3 0.58x
Linlithgow 3 29.27x
Old Monkland 3 4.40x
Tanfield 3 15.98x
Caldewgate 2 7.99x
Cardross 2 11.68x
Colinton 2 25.22x
Dollar 2 44.05x
Edinburgh New North 2 32.31x
Hamilton 2 4.18x
Lasswade 2 12.31x
Monks Coppenhall 2 4.52x
Paddington London 2 1.03x
Tulliallan 2 49.51x
Uphall 2 22.75x
Westminster St 2 10.22x
Whitburn 2 17.32x
Birkenhead 1 1.07x
Cathcart 1 4.49x
Culross 1 48.54x
Cupar 1 7.32x
Edinburgh St Andrews 1 17.04x
Forfar 1 3.76x
Hanley Castle 1 24.10x
Hove 1 2.55x
Inverkeithing 1 21.14x
Kilmadock 1 18.25x
Kirkdale 1 0.94x
Liberton 1 9.12x
Liff Benvie 1 1.34x
Livingstone 1 36.63x
Maryhill 1 2.98x
North Shields 1 6.35x
Sherborne 1 9.75x
South Leith 1 1.25x
Stirling 1 4.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Alice 5
Elizabeth 3
Isabella 3
Jane 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Annie 2
Ellen 2
Helena 2
Margaret 2
Adelaide 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Horatia 1
Julia 1
Lilian 1
Lucy 1
Magdalene 1
Maud 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
Thomas 5
Joseph 4
George 3
Andrew 2
James 2
Robert 2
William 2
Wm. 2
Alex. 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Isaac 1
J. 1

FAQ

Wardlaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wardlaw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 544 people were recorded with the Wardlaw surname. That placed it at #6,344 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wardlaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 875 in 2016. That gives Wardlaw a modern rank of #6,427.

What does the Wardlaw surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place meaning "enclosed area by a lake or stream."

What does the Wardlaw map show?

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