NameCensus.

UK surname

Wardman

A locational surname derived from a place with a topographical feature involving a warden or watchman.

In the 1881 census there were 768 people recorded with the Wardman surname, ranking it #4,815 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 900, ranked #6,303, down from #4,815 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall and Wirksworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Wakefield and Derbyshire Dales.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wardman is 1,001 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.2%.

1881 census count

768

Ranked #4,815

Modern count

900

2016, ranked #6,303

Peak year

1911

1,001 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wardman had 768 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,815 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 900 in 2016, ranked #6,303.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,001 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wardman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wardman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wardman 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 497 #5,031
1861 historical 600 #4,419
1881 historical 768 #4,815
1891 historical 887 #4,648
1901 historical 924 #5,043
1911 historical 1,001 #4,544
1997 modern 872 #6,113
1998 modern 916 #6,064
1999 modern 934 #6,030
2000 modern 916 #6,097
2001 modern 903 #6,068
2002 modern 903 #6,186
2003 modern 875 #6,208
2004 modern 903 #6,077
2005 modern 865 #6,220
2006 modern 857 #6,276
2007 modern 868 #6,274
2008 modern 881 #6,236
2009 modern 889 #6,327
2010 modern 908 #6,348
2011 modern 910 #6,273
2012 modern 915 #6,168
2013 modern 914 #6,274
2014 modern 918 #6,282
2015 modern 899 #6,330
2016 modern 900 #6,303

Geography

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Where Wardmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall, Wirksworth, Bradford and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Wakefield and Derbyshire Dales. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Wirksworth Derbyshire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 057 Bradford
2 Bradford 058 Bradford
3 Wakefield 021 Wakefield
4 Derbyshire Dales 007 Derbyshire Dales
5 Bradford 046 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wardman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wardman

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

Wardman is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wardman falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wardman

The surname Wardman is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "weard" meaning guard or watchman, and "mann" meaning man. It likely originated in the early medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century.

This surname was initially used to identify individuals who served as guards or watchmen, often in roles such as castle wardens, town watchmen, or forest wardens. It was a occupational surname, denoting the profession or trade of the bearer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wardman can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1198, where a William Wardman is mentioned. This indicates that the surname was already in use by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1275 mention a Ralph le Wardman, using the Norman French prefix "le" before the surname. This was a common practice at the time, reflecting the influence of Norman French on English language and naming conventions.

During the 14th century, the surname Wardman appeared in various records, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where a John Wardman is listed. This suggests that the name had spread to different regions of England by this time.

One notable figure bearing the surname Wardman was Thomas Wardman, a 16th-century English scholar and academic. Born in Hackney, London, in 1528, he was educated at Cambridge University and later became a fellow of Trinity College.

In the 17th century, a Richard Wardman is recorded as a landowner in the Hearth Tax Returns of Lincolnshire in 1674, indicating that individuals with this surname had achieved a certain level of social standing and wealth.

Another notable Wardman was John Wardman, an 18th-century English clockmaker from Sunderland, who was active between 1740 and 1780. His clocks are now considered valuable antiques and sought after by collectors.

In the 19th century, a prominent figure with this surname was Charles Wardman, a successful businessman and real estate developer in Washington D.C., born in 1856. He played a significant role in the development of the city's residential neighborhoods.

Throughout its history, the surname Wardman has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Wardman's Close in Dorset and Wardman's Field in Derbyshire, reflecting the occupations and landholdings of individuals bearing this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wardman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wardman 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 495 Wardmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.67x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 495 6.67x
Derbyshire 84 7.16x
Lancashire 43 0.48x
Shropshire 42 6.49x
Northumberland 26 2.33x
Durham 21 0.94x
Cumberland 10 1.55x
Gloucestershire 9 0.61x
Cheshire 6 0.36x
Midlothian 6 0.60x
Sussex 6 0.48x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.50x
Staffordshire 4 0.16x
Middlesex 3 0.04x
Leicestershire 2 0.24x
Lincolnshire 2 0.17x
Hampshire 1 0.07x
Herefordshire 1 0.33x
Kent 1 0.04x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Horton In Bradford in Yorkshire leads with 66 Wardmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.93x.

Place Total Index
Horton In Bradford 66 56.93x
Wirksworth 55 515.95x
Bradford 38 21.14x
North Bierley 38 94.81x
Leeds 22 5.25x
Killinghall 20 1149.43x
Bowling 19 25.84x
Otley 19 105.38x
Worthen 17 247.09x
Morton In Keighley 14 240.14x
Holbeck 12 24.40x
Fewston 11 1325.30x
Shipley 11 28.56x
York St Maurice 11 78.68x
Baildon 10 71.53x
Harewood 10 543.48x
Easingwold 9 171.76x
High Low Bishopside 9 136.57x
Holmside 8 145.72x
Ilkley 8 65.95x
Keighley 8 10.11x
Lesbury 8 325.20x
Pudsey 8 20.16x
Benwell 7 57.47x
Crowle 7 96.02x
Dewsbury 7 9.19x
Elswick 7 7.87x
Hunsworth 7 179.49x
Pennington In Ulverston 7 158.37x
Ratlinghope 7 1014.49x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 1.49x
Featherstone 6 71.94x
Fernhurst 6 214.29x
Heptonstall 6 57.58x
Hyssington 6 740.74x
Litchurch 6 12.71x
Rigton 6 612.24x
Skelton In Guisbrough 6 29.88x
Westbury On Trym 6 12.05x
Witton Gilbert 6 68.18x
Worsley 6 10.95x
Aspull 5 23.91x
Bonsall 5 144.09x
Clowne 5 107.30x
Frodsham 5 78.00x
Gorton 5 5.98x
Nottingham St Mary 5 1.91x
Ripon 5 29.04x
Thirsk 5 58.34x
Wetheral 5 58.55x
Winster 5 233.64x
Worthen Hope 5 364.96x
Wyke In Bradford 5 37.65x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 2.06x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 4 15.75x
Clint 4 396.04x
Earswick 4 1111.11x
Flimby 4 73.39x
Hasland 4 33.50x
Knaresborough 4 34.31x
Long Witton 4 1538.46x
Manchester 4 1.00x
Norton In Malton 4 44.44x
Oldham 4 1.39x
Ovenden 4 12.11x
Sowerby In Thirsk 4 89.49x
Tanshelf 4 67.45x
Tong 4 27.89x
Wednesbury 4 6.33x
Eccleston In Prescot 3 6.72x
Glass Houghton 3 111.52x
Huddersfield 3 2.77x
Hunslet 3 2.59x
Kirkby Overblow 3 441.18x
Lillings Ambo 3 535.71x
Normanton 3 13.45x
Purston Jaglin 3 165.75x
Sicklinghall 3 517.24x
Stockton On Tees 3 2.79x
York St Cuthbert 3 44.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 64
Sarah 33
Elizabeth 29
Jane 17
Hannah 15
Martha 15
Ann 14
Annie 12
Emma 12
Ellen 11
Margaret 10
Alice 9
Eliza 7
Maria 6
Anne 4
Catherine 4
Edith 4
Emily 4
Frances 4
Ruth 4
Clara 3
Florence 3
Isabella 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Rachel 3
Rebecca 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Beatrice 2
Bertha 2
Betty 2
Cathrine 2
Eleanor 2
Eliz. 2
Harriet 2
Lavinia 2
Lilly 2
Mabel 2
Minnie 2
Patience 2
Rose 2
Sushannah 2
Carletta 1
Caroline 1
Carrie 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizh. 1
Honnor 1
Zilpah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 62
William 45
Robert 23
Thomas 23
James 19
George 17
Henry 13
Charles 12
Edward 10
Joseph 9
Richard 8
Albert 7
Isaac 7
Arthur 6
Harry 6
Peter 6
Samuel 6
Anthony 5
Daniel 4
Frank 4
Herbert 4
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Francis 3
Jonathan 3
Sam 3
Willie 3
Abraham 2
Benjamin 2
Edwd. 2
Eli 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Jesse 2
Joe 2
Simeon 2
Stephen 2
Amos 1
Chas.Herbert 1
Claude 1
David 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Friderick 1
Gent 1
Geo. 1
Lister 1
Matthew 1
Mitchell 1
Wm.Afred 1

FAQ

Wardman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wardman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 768 people were recorded with the Wardman surname. That placed it at #4,815 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wardman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 900 in 2016. That gives Wardman a modern rank of #6,303.

What does the Wardman surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place with a topographical feature involving a warden or watchman.

What does the Wardman map show?

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