NameCensus.

UK surname

Ware

An English occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold pottery or other goods.

In the 1881 census there were 4,915 people recorded with the Ware surname, ranking it #903 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,637, ranked #1,190, down from #903 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Devon, Winchester and Mid Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ware is 6,803 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.7%.

1881 census count

4,915

Ranked #903

Modern count

5,637

2016, ranked #1,190

Peak year

1911

6,803 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ware had 4,915 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #903 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,637 in 2016, ranked #1,190.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,803 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ware surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ware surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Ware 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 3,296 #876
1861 historical 3,345 #855
1881 historical 4,915 #903
1891 historical 5,362 #873
1901 historical 6,174 #897
1911 historical 6,803 #758
1997 modern 5,766 #1,136
1998 modern 5,952 #1,140
1999 modern 6,025 #1,134
2000 modern 5,954 #1,138
2001 modern 5,820 #1,141
2002 modern 5,878 #1,149
2003 modern 5,761 #1,148
2004 modern 5,716 #1,152
2005 modern 5,630 #1,151
2006 modern 5,568 #1,164
2007 modern 5,544 #1,177
2008 modern 5,549 #1,183
2009 modern 5,715 #1,177
2010 modern 5,829 #1,176
2011 modern 5,850 #1,164
2012 modern 5,652 #1,174
2013 modern 5,745 #1,176
2014 modern 5,763 #1,182
2015 modern 5,687 #1,189
2016 modern 5,637 #1,190

Geography

Back to top

Where Wares are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Leonard Shoreditch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Devon, Winchester, Mid Devon and Mendip. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Devon 001 West Devon
2 West Devon 002 West Devon
3 Winchester 014 Winchester
4 Mid Devon 004 Mid Devon
5 Mendip 009 Mendip

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Ware

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Ware

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Ware is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Ware 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

Ware falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ware

The surname "WARE" is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "wær" or "wær-mann," meaning a person who lived by a weir or dam for catching fish. The name is believed to have originated in the 11th century, particularly in areas with a concentration of weirs or dams, such as riverside settlements.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname "WARE" dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Wara" and "Ware." This suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 12th century, the name "WARE" was documented in various forms, including "Wara," "Warre," and "de la Ware." The "de la" prefix was commonly used to indicate a person's place of origin or residence, suggesting that some individuals bearing this surname may have lived near a weir or dam.

One notable individual with the surname "WARE" was Sir James Ware (1594-1666), an Irish historian and antiquarian. He was born in Dublin and is best known for his works on Irish history, including "De Hibernia et Antiquitatibus ejus Disquisitiones" (1654) and "The Whole Works of Sir James Ware Concerning Ireland" (1705).

Another prominent figure was Henry Ware Jr. (1794-1843), an American Unitarian minister and author. He served as a professor of pulpit eloquence and pastoral care at Harvard Divinity School and wrote several influential works, including "On the Formation of Christian Character" (1831).

In England, the name "WARE" was associated with several notable families, such as the Wares of Ware Park in Hertfordshire. This family can trace its ancestry back to the 13th century, with records indicating that they held lands in the area since at least 1275.

The surname "WARE" was also found in various place names, such as Ware in Hertfordshire, which was likely named after the River Lea's weir or dam. Similarly, the town of Wareham in Dorset may have derived its name from the Old English "wær-ham," meaning a homestead by a weir.

Throughout history, the surname "WARE" has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, clergy, military leaders, and landowners. Despite its humble origins, the name has persisted and is still present in many parts of the world today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Ware families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ware 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. Middlesex leads with 741 Wares recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.54x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 741 1.54x
Devon 587 5.87x
Surrey 543 2.32x
Somerset 453 5.86x
Kent 445 2.72x
Hampshire 262 2.66x
Yorkshire 262 0.55x
Lancashire 208 0.36x
Gloucestershire 152 1.61x
Glamorgan 139 1.66x
Sussex 119 1.47x
Essex 112 1.18x
Berkshire 99 2.75x
Buckinghamshire 80 2.75x
Dorset 75 2.38x
Monmouthshire 64 1.84x
Wiltshire 61 1.44x
Cornwall 59 1.09x
Nottinghamshire 58 0.90x
Lincolnshire 56 0.73x
Staffordshire 55 0.34x
Warwickshire 55 0.45x
Durham 31 0.22x
Hertfordshire 22 0.66x
Suffolk 22 0.38x
Norfolk 20 0.27x
Herefordshire 17 0.86x
Cheshire 16 0.15x
Northumberland 14 0.20x
Brecknockshire 12 1.25x
Northamptonshire 12 0.27x
Royal Navy 10 1.75x
Oxfordshire 8 0.27x
Carmarthenshire 7 0.35x
Cumberland 6 0.15x
Leicestershire 6 0.11x
Lanarkshire 5 0.03x
Midlothian 5 0.08x
Channel Islands 4 0.28x
Anglesey 3 0.35x
Derbyshire 3 0.04x
Worcestershire 3 0.05x
Bedfordshire 2 0.08x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.07x
Westmorland 2 0.19x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.10x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.07x
Radnorshire 1 0.26x
Wigtownshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 74 Wares recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.84x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 74 3.84x
Lambeth 70 1.67x
Hackney London 63 2.34x
Shoreditch London 60 2.88x
St Pancras London 55 1.42x
West Ham 54 2.58x
Deptford St Paul 52 4.11x
Camberwell 51 1.66x
Islington London 47 1.01x
Kensington London 46 1.72x
Battersea 43 2.43x
Croydon 41 3.16x
Bermondsey 40 2.80x
Tiverton 37 21.48x
Bethnal Green London 36 1.73x
Pembury 36 154.97x
St Marylebone London 36 1.40x
Clevedon 35 43.53x
Newington 35 1.97x
Tonbridge 35 5.92x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 33 3.72x
Reigate Foreign 33 13.02x
Nottingham St Mary 32 1.91x
Bedminster 30 4.13x
Bridgewater 30 14.29x
Over Stowey 29 336.43x
Chelsea London 28 1.93x
Crediton 28 29.55x
Paddington London 28 1.59x
St George Hanover 28 4.47x
Woodbury 28 94.47x
Coedfrank 27 46.60x
Southwick 26 237.88x
Birmingham 24 0.59x
Burghfield 23 107.83x
Clifton 23 4.83x
Horley 23 58.63x
Ottery St Mary 23 35.07x
Stogumber 23 112.63x
Clapham 22 3.66x
Winkleigh 22 109.56x
Hampstead London 21 2.81x
Minster In Sheppey 21 7.73x
Aston 20 0.60x
Reading St Giles 20 5.65x
Southampton St Mary 20 3.23x
Southwark St George Martyr 20 2.07x
Westbury On Trym 20 6.27x
Leeds 19 0.71x
Lewisham 19 2.17x
Northfleet 19 13.16x
Wolverhampton 19 1.52x
Exeter St Sidwell 18 7.86x
Plymouth St Andrew 18 2.34x
Sculcoates 18 2.39x
Blackburn 17 1.12x
Clerkenwell London 17 1.50x
Ealing 17 3.96x
Gillingham 17 5.03x
Newton 17 3.87x
Puriton 17 136.99x
St Woollos 17 4.39x
Woolwich 17 2.81x
Calstock 16 15.00x
Chatham 16 3.55x
Dartford 16 9.55x
Hove 16 4.50x
Little Missenden 16 87.43x
Llandaff 16 5.75x
St Luke London 16 2.08x
Taunton St Mary 16 11.27x
Ystradyfodwg 16 2.18x
Acton 15 5.33x
Broad Clist 15 43.48x
Holy Trinity 15 1.31x
Mile End Old Town 15 1.98x
Millbrook 15 6.05x
Tottenham 15 1.96x
Westminster St James 15 3.04x
Willesden 15 3.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 321
Elizabeth 193
Sarah 144
Jane 99
Emily 89
Emma 84
Ellen 83
Eliza 81
Ann 76
Annie 73
Alice 64
Charlotte 45
Louisa 45
Hannah 40
Harriet 36
Margaret 34
Maria 34
Martha 33
Edith 32
Kate 30
Caroline 28
Fanny 26
Susan 26
Lucy 24
Florence 23
Ada 22
Clara 22
Rose 19
Agnes 17
Amelia 17
Frances 17
Sophia 17
Anne 16
Esther 15
Bessie 14
Catherine 13
Amy 12
Harriett 12
Elizth. 11
Matilda 11
Rosa 11
Ruth 11
Anna 10
Minnie 10
Grace 9
Gertrude 8
Isabella 8
Laura 8
Selina 8
Jessie 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 351
John 250
George 210
James 165
Thomas 145
Charles 138
Henry 109
Frederick 72
Robert 66
Alfred 62
Joseph 56
Richard 53
Edward 50
Walter 50
Arthur 44
Samuel 39
Albert 36
Frank 25
Edwin 24
Harry 22
Herbert 21
Wm. 16
Benjamin 15
Ernest 13
Francis 13
David 9
Geo. 9
Tom 9
Fredk. 8
Sydney 8
Daniel 7
Fredrick 7
Christopher 6
Edmund 6
Eli 6
Fred 6
Jno. 6
Mark 6
Stephen 6
Percy 5
Sidney 5
Willie 5
Edwd. 4
Frederic 4
Jacob 4
Jas. 4
Martin 4
Reginald 4
Thos. 4
Moses 3

FAQ

Ware surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ware surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,915 people were recorded with the Ware surname. That placed it at #903 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ware surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,637 in 2016. That gives Ware a modern rank of #1,190.

What does the Ware surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold pottery or other goods.

What does the Ware map show?

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