NameCensus.

UK surname

Wareham

A locational surname derived from any of several places in England meaning "homestead by a fishing weir."

In the 1881 census there were 1,670 people recorded with the Wareham surname, ranking it #2,573 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,544, ranked #2,600, down from #2,573 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Southampton St Mary and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mendip, North Dorset and Campbeltown.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wareham is 2,714 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.3%.

1881 census count

1,670

Ranked #2,573

Modern count

2,544

2016, ranked #2,600

Peak year

1999

2,714 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wareham had 1,670 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,573 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,544 in 2016, ranked #2,600.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,474 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wareham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wareham surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Wareham 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 981 #2,847
1861 historical 987 #2,820
1881 historical 1,670 #2,573
1891 historical 1,851 #2,483
1901 historical 2,240 #2,417
1911 historical 2,474 #2,076
1997 modern 2,574 #2,465
1998 modern 2,713 #2,445
1999 modern 2,714 #2,456
2000 modern 2,676 #2,475
2001 modern 2,600 #2,485
2002 modern 2,689 #2,465
2003 modern 2,611 #2,476
2004 modern 2,617 #2,475
2005 modern 2,564 #2,484
2006 modern 2,564 #2,485
2007 modern 2,579 #2,491
2008 modern 2,625 #2,473
2009 modern 2,635 #2,523
2010 modern 2,642 #2,577
2011 modern 2,608 #2,575
2012 modern 2,556 #2,569
2013 modern 2,582 #2,591
2014 modern 2,610 #2,581
2015 modern 2,559 #2,598
2016 modern 2,544 #2,600

Geography

Back to top

Where Warehams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Southampton St Mary, Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken, Iwerne Minster and Wimborne Minster, Gussage All Saints, Chalbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mendip, North Dorset and Campbeltown. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
3 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
4 Iwerne Minster Dorset
5 Wimborne Minster, Gussage All Saints, Chalbury Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mendip 009 Mendip
2 North Dorset 003 North Dorset
3 Campbeltown Argyll and Bute
4 North Dorset 008 North Dorset
5 North Dorset 007 North Dorset

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Wareham

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Wareham

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

Wareham 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

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

Meaning and origin of Wareham

The surname WAREHAM originated in England, specifically in the county of Dorset. It is a locational name derived from the town of Wareham, which dates back to the Saxon period. The name is believed to come from the Old English words "waeringa" meaning "dwellers" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "settlement."

One of the earliest references to the name WAREHAM can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already established in England by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a William de Wareham who was a prominent landowner in Dorset. During this time, the spelling of the name varied, with versions such as Warham,Wareham, and Warreham appearing in various documents.

The town of Wareham itself has a rich history, having been an important Saxon settlement and later a Norman fortified town. It was also a significant port in the Middle Ages, which may have contributed to the spread of the name as people migrated to other parts of England.

One notable bearer of the WAREHAM surname was Robert Wareham, who was the Bishop of Norwich from 1493 to 1499. He was a significant figure in the ecclesiastical and political spheres of his time.

Another individual of note was William Wareham, born in 1516, who was a prominent merchant and citizen of London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, a John Wareham, born in 1635, was a renowned Puritan minister and author, known for his religious writings and sermons.

The WAREHAM name has also been associated with several places in England, such as Wareham Forest in Dorset and Wareham St. Mary, a village in Suffolk.

Over the centuries, the WAREHAM surname has been carried by various individuals across different walks of life, including clergymen, merchants, landowners, and more. While its origins can be traced back to a specific town in Dorset, the name has since spread throughout England and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Wareham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wareham 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. Dorset leads with 410 Warehams recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.21x.

County Total Index
Dorset 410 38.21x
Hampshire 358 10.68x
Warwickshire 125 3.03x
Middlesex 106 0.65x
Lancashire 102 0.53x
Staffordshire 81 1.47x
Surrey 75 0.94x
Cheshire 69 1.91x
Yorkshire 64 0.40x
Sussex 49 1.78x
Somerset 38 1.44x
Kent 30 0.54x
Wiltshire 24 1.66x
Gloucestershire 23 0.72x
Derbyshire 14 0.55x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.54x
Cornwall 9 0.49x
Durham 8 0.16x
Norfolk 8 0.32x
Midlothian 7 0.32x
Berkshire 6 0.49x
Devon 6 0.18x
Hertfordshire 6 0.53x
Oxfordshire 6 0.59x
Worcestershire 6 0.28x
Channel Islands 5 1.03x
Northamptonshire 5 0.33x
Monmouthshire 4 0.34x
Dumfriesshire 3 0.83x
Glamorgan 3 0.11x
Shropshire 3 0.21x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.19x
Essex 2 0.06x
Argyllshire 1 0.22x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.10x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.15x
Leicestershire 1 0.06x
Merionethshire 1 0.33x
Renfrewshire 1 0.08x
Royal Navy 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Iwerne Courtnay in Dorset leads with 99 Warehams recorded in 1881 and an index of 1371.19x.

Place Total Index
Iwerne Courtnay 99 1371.19x
Holdenhurst 55 62.57x
Southampton St Mary 46 21.83x
Stoke Upon Trent 42 7.18x
Coventry Holy Trinity 37 30.05x
Portsea 37 5.63x
Aston 30 2.64x
Birmingham 29 2.11x
Wimborne 29 223.42x
Blandford Forum 26 122.82x
Corscombe 24 657.53x
Manchester 23 2.64x
Parkstone 22 175.72x
Christchurch 18 24.77x
Sheffield 18 3.49x
Tarrant Monckton 16 1344.54x
Horton 15 579.15x
Kensington London 15 1.65x
Lambeth 15 1.05x
Marple 15 60.53x
Sparsholt 14 576.13x
Audley 13 23.81x
Farringdon 13 397.55x
Foleshill 12 27.66x
Stourpaine 12 380.95x
Wolstanton 12 7.16x
Bentworth 11 351.44x
Crondall 11 61.11x
Longfleet 11 88.50x
Brighton 10 1.80x
Chewton Mendip 10 229.89x
Fareham 10 24.83x
Mickleham 10 223.21x
Shaftesbury Holy Trinity 10 180.83x
St Marylebone London 10 1.15x
Whitchurch Canonicorum 10 167.50x
Bristol St Stephen 9 108.04x
Chidham 9 604.03x
Godley 9 115.53x
Hackney London 9 0.98x
Heston 9 16.57x
Newington 9 1.49x
Southampton St Michael 9 81.52x
Tarrant Gunville 9 452.26x
Bridport 8 36.22x
Buriton 8 124.03x
Clowne 8 78.66x
Micheldever 8 137.22x
Paddington London 8 1.33x
Plumstead 8 4.30x
Poole St James 8 19.84x
Radstock 8 46.24x
Ringwood 8 37.31x
St George Hanover 8 3.75x
Thorne 8 39.80x
Widnes 8 5.72x
Alsager 7 77.95x
Barnes 7 20.78x
Carisbrooke 7 15.05x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 2.27x
Clapham 7 3.42x
Clifton 7 4.32x
Donhead St Mary 7 95.24x
East Hoathly 7 145.83x
Edinburgh Greenside 7 24.19x
Hammersmith London 7 1.74x
Harton 7 36.42x
Hyde 7 6.57x
Milford 7 71.50x
Monks Coppenhall 7 5.14x
Rumworth 7 25.25x
Sherborne 7 22.15x
Sturminster 7 67.31x
Toxteth Park 7 1.07x
Wimborne Minster 7 40.35x
Child Okeford 6 126.85x
Kinson 6 28.61x
Mansfield Woodhouse 6 40.93x
St Bartholomew Hyde 6 74.91x
Stockport 6 3.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 97
George 85
John 82
James 58
Charles 51
Henry 39
Thomas 30
Joseph 25
Alfred 21
Harry 20
Edwin 19
Albert 17
Edward 17
Arthur 16
Frank 14
Frederick 14
Walter 13
Ernest 12
Robert 12
Richard 11
Stephen 9
Tom 9
Samuel 8
Francis 7
Sydney 7
Fred 6
Fredk. 6
Sidney 5
Herbert 4
Willm. 4
Benjamin 3
Daniel 3
Geo. 3
Josiah 3
Leonard 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Archibald 2
Chas. 2
David 2
Edgar 2
Edmund 2
Elias 2
Elijah 2
Elizabeth 2
Gilbert 2
Harold 2
Joshua 2
Nathaniel 2
Theophilus 2

FAQ

Wareham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wareham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,670 people were recorded with the Wareham surname. That placed it at #2,573 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wareham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,544 in 2016. That gives Wareham a modern rank of #2,600.

What does the Wareham surname mean?

A locational surname derived from any of several places in England meaning "homestead by a fishing weir."

What does the Wareham map show?

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