NameCensus.

UK surname

Wardle

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "watch or lookout hill."

In the 1881 census there were 5,805 people recorded with the Wardle surname, ranking it #759 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,578, ranked #883, down from #759 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North West Leicestershire, Derbyshire Dales and Broxtowe.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wardle is 8,186 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.5%.

1881 census count

5,805

Ranked #759

Modern count

7,578

2016, ranked #883

Peak year

1998

8,186 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wardle had 5,805 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #759 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,578 in 2016, ranked #883.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,116 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wardle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wardle surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wardle 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 3,596 #792
1861 historical 3,545 #796
1881 historical 5,805 #759
1891 historical 6,402 #717
1901 historical 7,328 #741
1911 historical 8,116 #618
1997 modern 7,837 #825
1998 modern 8,186 #817
1999 modern 8,139 #830
2000 modern 8,052 #832
2001 modern 7,866 #834
2002 modern 8,066 #830
2003 modern 7,795 #838
2004 modern 7,782 #835
2005 modern 7,675 #834
2006 modern 7,577 #854
2007 modern 7,588 #864
2008 modern 7,640 #858
2009 modern 7,833 #858
2010 modern 7,994 #857
2011 modern 7,899 #855
2012 modern 7,629 #868
2013 modern 7,772 #867
2014 modern 7,790 #871
2015 modern 7,623 #882
2016 modern 7,578 #883

Geography

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Where Wardles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Gateshead and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North West Leicestershire, Derbyshire Dales and Broxtowe. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North West Leicestershire 010 North West Leicestershire
2 Derbyshire Dales 003 Derbyshire Dales
3 Broxtowe 001 Broxtowe
4 North West Leicestershire 011 North West Leicestershire
5 North West Leicestershire 013 North West Leicestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wardle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wardle

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wardle, 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 Wardle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Wardle 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Wardle is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wardle 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

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

Meaning and origin of Wardle

The surname Wardle originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English words "woer" meaning "marsh" and "doel" meaning "valley" or "share". This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived in a marshy valley area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Wardle surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared as "Wardel" in records from Cheshire.

Over time, the spelling evolved to include variations such as Wardale, Wardell, and Wardill before settling on the more modern form of Wardle. Many of these early spellings were found in records from Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire, indicating that the name was concentrated in northern England during its early history.

In the 13th century, a notable bearer of the name was William de Wardle, who was listed as a landowner in Lancashire. Another early record comes from the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, which included a John Wardale.

During the 16th century, the Wardle surname appeared in several parish records from Lancashire and Cheshire. One notable individual was Thomas Wardle, who was born in 1590 in Runcorn, Cheshire.

In the 18th century, John Wardle (1742-1809) was a prominent English industrialist and textile manufacturer from Manchester. He played a key role in the development of the cotton industry in the region.

Another significant figure was Sir Thomas Wardle (1831-1909), a British entomologist and silk expert. He was born in Leek, Staffordshire and made important contributions to the silk industry through his research and travels.

Throughout its history, the Wardle surname has maintained a strong presence in northern England, particularly in the counties of Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire, where its origins can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon era.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wardle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wardle 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 1,099 Wardles recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.64x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,099 1.64x
Yorkshire 693 1.24x
Durham 631 3.75x
Staffordshire 596 3.12x
Derbyshire 499 5.64x
Leicestershire 452 7.21x
Northumberland 450 5.35x
Cheshire 395 3.17x
Nottinghamshire 372 4.88x
Middlesex 154 0.27x
Warwickshire 71 0.50x
Lincolnshire 68 0.75x
Worcestershire 59 0.80x
Surrey 45 0.16x
Cumberland 22 0.45x
Kent 21 0.11x
Norfolk 21 0.24x
Somerset 15 0.16x
Northamptonshire 14 0.26x
Gloucestershire 11 0.10x
Shropshire 11 0.23x
Bedfordshire 10 0.34x
Devon 10 0.09x
Hampshire 9 0.08x
Renfrewshire 9 0.21x
Midlothian 8 0.11x
Essex 7 0.06x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.25x
Lanarkshire 5 0.03x
Flintshire 4 0.26x
Suffolk 4 0.06x
Sussex 4 0.04x
Glamorgan 3 0.03x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.06x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.06x
Denbighshire 2 0.09x
Westmorland 2 0.16x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.02x
Angus 1 0.02x
Dorset 1 0.03x
Herefordshire 1 0.04x
Hertfordshire 1 0.03x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.12x
Merionethshire 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 0.15x
Wiltshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pilkington in Lancashire leads with 141 Wardles recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.34x.

Place Total Index
Pilkington 141 55.34x
Leeds 96 3.03x
Macclesfield 86 15.51x
Manchester 81 2.69x
Hartington Upper 75 177.64x
Leicester St Margaret 75 4.91x
Nottingham St Mary 73 3.70x
Kearsley 66 46.76x
Stoke Upon Trent 66 3.26x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 60 8.24x
Longbenton 60 16.84x
Oldham 60 2.77x
Sutton In Macclesfield 54 41.70x
Leek Lowe 51 20.09x
Ashton Under Lyne 49 3.34x
Burslem 49 8.96x
Hulme 47 3.36x
Gateshead 43 3.41x
Bury 42 5.48x
Ipstones 40 145.88x
Dukinfield 39 6.76x
Newcastle On Tyne St 39 8.95x
Thringstone 39 162.77x
Nether Hallam 38 5.01x
Basford 37 10.54x
Radford 36 9.30x
Loughborough 35 12.31x
Greasley 34 19.78x
Leicester St Mary 34 6.71x
Swannington 34 146.93x
Buxton 33 44.05x
Heworth 33 9.96x
Pendleton In Salford 33 4.13x
Hayfield 32 58.93x
Selston 32 37.60x
Horton In Bradford 31 3.54x
Pendlebury 30 21.18x
Westoe 30 3.15x
Aston 28 0.71x
West Derby 28 1.43x
Belper 26 15.15x
Bromsgrove 26 10.46x
Elswick 25 3.72x
Witton Gilbert 25 37.66x
Ardwick 24 3.97x
Claylane 24 19.51x
Farnworth 24 5.97x
Alfreton 23 8.55x
Glossop Dale 23 5.55x
Sheffield 23 1.29x
Whitwick 23 28.87x
Islington London 22 0.40x
Radcliffe 22 6.80x
Trentham 22 13.56x
Wednesbury 22 4.61x
Westgate 22 4.22x
Wigan 22 2.35x
Great Bolton 21 2.36x
Great Grimsby 21 3.66x
Kegworth 21 50.41x
Monkwearmouth Shore 21 6.40x
Salford 21 1.06x
Toxteth Park 21 0.92x
Bethnal Green London 20 0.81x
Bishopwearmouth 20 1.39x
Bulwell 20 12.07x
Chesterfield 20 6.03x
Seaton Delaval 20 27.08x
Stafford St Mary 20 7.40x
Stockport 20 3.11x
Willesden 20 3.75x
Burton Upon Trent 19 4.26x
Church Gresley 19 13.49x
Handforth 19 133.43x
Brightside Bierlow 18 1.64x
Chilton 18 34.29x
Horton 18 77.05x
Lenton 18 10.03x
Middlesbrough 18 2.47x
Snenton 18 6.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 449
Elizabeth 263
Sarah 257
Ann 132
Jane 132
Hannah 110
Annie 89
Alice 85
Margaret 84
Emma 81
Eliza 77
Martha 69
Ellen 68
Harriet 53
Emily 45
Frances 39
Fanny 37
Isabella 33
Ada 28
Maria 27
Anne 23
Catherine 22
Clara 21
Florence 20
Caroline 18
Charlotte 18
Rebecca 18
Edith 17
Louisa 15
Ruth 14
Betsy 13
Eleanor 13
Elizth. 12
Esther 12
Lucy 12
Selina 12
Agnes 11
Amy 11
Dorothy 11
Harriett 11
Kate 11
Phoebe 11
Amelia 9
Lizzie 9
Minnie 9
Susan 9
Henrietta 8
Julia 8
Rachel 8
Grace 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 402
William 344
Thomas 257
James 205
George 200
Joseph 192
Robert 111
Henry 81
Charles 70
Samuel 64
Arthur 56
Edward 54
Richard 36
Alfred 33
Frederick 33
Harry 33
Isaac 30
Walter 29
Albert 25
Herbert 24
David 23
Thos. 21
Edwin 20
Frank 19
Benjamin 17
Wm. 15
Ernest 14
Abraham 13
Jacob 13
Ralph 13
Daniel 12
Geo. 12
Joshua 12
Francis 11
Michael 11
Christopher 10
Fred 9
Jonathan 9
Matthew 8
Peter 8
Alexander 7
Enoch 7
Fredk. 7
Nathan 7
Noah 7
Andrew 6
Anthony 6
Robt. 6
Aaron 5
Jas. 5

FAQ

Wardle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wardle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,805 people were recorded with the Wardle surname. That placed it at #759 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wardle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,578 in 2016. That gives Wardle a modern rank of #883.

What does the Wardle surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "watch or lookout hill."

What does the Wardle map show?

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