NameCensus.

UK surname

Warhurst

A locational surname from a place where warhursts (watchtowers) were situated.

In the 1881 census there were 841 people recorded with the Warhurst surname, ranking it #4,486 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 722, ranked #7,525, down from #4,486 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Glossop, Manchester and Mottram-in-Longdendale. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include High Peak and Tameside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Warhurst is 1,136 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.1%.

1881 census count

841

Ranked #4,486

Modern count

722

2016, ranked #7,525

Peak year

1911

1,136 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Warhurst had 841 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,486 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 722 in 2016, ranked #7,525.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,136 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Warhurst surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Warhurst surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Warhurst 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 465 #5,332
1861 historical 654 #4,101
1881 historical 841 #4,486
1891 historical 901 #4,577
1901 historical 1,013 #4,708
1911 historical 1,136 #4,098
1997 modern 823 #6,393
1998 modern 852 #6,423
1999 modern 866 #6,389
2000 modern 856 #6,419
2001 modern 835 #6,434
2002 modern 859 #6,417
2003 modern 818 #6,535
2004 modern 828 #6,485
2005 modern 815 #6,512
2006 modern 804 #6,601
2007 modern 774 #6,883
2008 modern 767 #6,983
2009 modern 784 #6,995
2010 modern 812 #6,930
2011 modern 799 #6,961
2012 modern 766 #7,120
2013 modern 763 #7,237
2014 modern 750 #7,378
2015 modern 736 #7,429
2016 modern 722 #7,525

Geography

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Where Warhursts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Glossop, Manchester, Mottram-in-Longdendale, Sheffield and Stockport. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to High Peak and Tameside. 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 Glossop Derbyshire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Mottram-in-Longdendale Lancashire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Stockport Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 High Peak 003 High Peak
2 Tameside 020 Tameside
3 High Peak 006 High Peak
4 Tameside 023 Tameside
5 Tameside 001 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Warhurst

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Warhurst

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Warhurst surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Warhurst household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Warhurst 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

Warhurst 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

Warhurst 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 Warhurst is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Warhurst

The surname WARHURST is of English origin, derived from a place name in the county of Lancashire. It is believed to have originated in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century.

The name WARHURST is a combination of two Old English words: "wer" meaning "a dam or weir" and "hurst" meaning "a wooded hill or knoll." This suggests that the name originally referred to a person or family who lived near a wooded hill or knoll with a dam or weir.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name WARHURST can be found in the Lancashire Inquests, Extents, and Feudal Aids from 1310, which mentions a place called "Werhurst" in the township of Tottington.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various spellings such as "Warrehurst," "Warehurst," and "Wearehurst" in records from Lancashire and the surrounding areas.

One notable bearer of the name WARHURST was Richard Warhurst (1628-1688), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, from 1673 until his death.

Another notable figure was John Warhurst (1734-1806), a British painter and engraver known for his landscapes and portraits. He was born in Manchester and received training from the Society of Arts.

In the 19th century, Thomas Warhurst (1808-1884) was a successful businessman and philanthropist who founded the Warhurst Spinning Company in Lancashire. He made significant contributions to the development of the cotton industry in the region.

Towards the end of the 19th century, James Warhurst (1860-1935) was a prominent English cricketer who played for Lancashire County Cricket Club and represented England in several Test matches.

Edward Warhurst (1870-1948) was a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party, representing the Blackburn constituency from 1922 to 1931.

The surname WARHURST has maintained a strong presence in Lancashire and the surrounding areas throughout history, with many bearers of the name contributing to various fields, including academia, arts, business, and politics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Warhurst families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Warhurst 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 300 Warhursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.09x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 300 3.09x
Cheshire 220 12.16x
Derbyshire 166 12.94x
Yorkshire 105 1.29x
Nottinghamshire 14 1.27x
Durham 13 0.53x
Shropshire 8 1.13x
Middlesex 7 0.09x
Essex 6 0.37x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashton Under Lyne in Lancashire leads with 93 Warhursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.76x.

Place Total Index
Ashton Under Lyne 93 43.76x
Glossop Dale 91 151.46x
Dukinfield 49 58.63x
Wormhill 27 1007.46x
Hyde 25 46.84x
Hollingworth 20 268.10x
Mottram 20 244.20x
Hulme 18 8.87x
Ardwick 16 18.24x
Macclesfield 14 17.41x
Saddleworth 14 22.35x
Hurdsfield 13 116.80x
Manchester 13 2.97x
Chapel En Le Frith 11 93.94x
Culcheth 11 172.68x
Failsworth 11 49.46x
Newton 11 14.68x
Stayley 11 53.22x
Sutton In Ashfield 11 45.89x
Westleigh 10 45.29x
Brightside Bierlow 9 5.65x
Stretford 9 16.83x
Ulverston 9 31.78x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 8 94.79x
Handsworth 8 37.26x
Harpurhey 8 59.30x
Newton 8 285.71x
Royton 8 26.90x
Altrincham 7 22.15x
Golcar 7 32.60x
Heaton Norris 7 12.65x
Northowram 7 12.30x
Shrewsbury Holy Cross 7 89.51x
Stockport 7 7.52x
Stockton On Tees 7 5.96x
Toxteth Park 7 2.13x
Tytherington 7 795.45x
West Derby 7 2.46x
Bredbury 6 57.31x
Byers Green 6 87.21x
Catcliffe 6 526.32x
Eyam 6 167.60x
Gorton 6 6.56x
Kirkdale 6 3.67x
Leyton Low 6 18.25x
Sutton 6 64.86x
Alfreton 5 12.83x
Beswick 5 20.11x
Bradfield 5 15.97x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 3.24x
Disley Stanley 5 53.71x
Eckington 5 16.05x
Hawsker Cum Stainsacre 5 185.19x
Heckmondwike 5 19.14x
Hipperholme Cum 5 14.01x
Huddersfield 5 4.23x
Ludworth 5 82.78x
Armley 4 11.17x
Burnley 4 4.89x
Cheadle 4 11.58x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 2.42x
Halifax 4 3.36x
Heeley 4 16.21x
Liverpool 4 0.68x
Newton In Ashton Under 4 22.41x
St Pancras London 4 0.61x
Bollington In 3 18.63x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 3.89x
Broughton In Salford 3 3.37x
Great Bolton 3 2.33x
Higher Bebington 3 25.91x
Monks Coppenhall 3 4.40x
Openshaw 3 6.59x
Pilkington 3 8.12x
Romiley 3 58.82x
Bethnal Green London 2 0.56x
Chorley 2 3.67x
Litchurch 2 3.87x
Nether Hallam 2 1.82x
Tintwistle 2 20.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 70
Sarah 42
Elizabeth 41
Ann 20
Hannah 20
Jane 19
Alice 17
Eliza 13
Annie 11
Ellen 11
Margaret 10
Martha 10
Emma 8
Amelia 7
Harriet 7
Emily 6
Betty 5
Edith 5
Esther 5
Lucy 5
Lydia 5
Agnes 4
Anne 4
Fanny 4
Ruth 4
Ada 3
Beatrice 3
Bertha 3
Caroline 3
Harriett 3
Jessie 3
Nancy 3
Amy 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Isabella 2
Maria 2
Matilda 2
Selina 2
Sophia 2
Elizth. 1
Elizth.Alice 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Hellanor 1
Hester 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 53
James 43
William 33
Thomas 31
Joseph 26
Samuel 17
George 16
Henry 12
Charles 11
Albert 9
Edwin 7
Harry 7
Robert 7
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
Enoch 5
Frank 5
Walter 5
Abel 4
Edward 4
Elias 4
Frederick 4
Jas. 4
Fred 3
Isaac 3
Joe 3
Josiah 3
Thos. 3
Timothy 3
Tom 3
Aaron 2
Caleb 2
Eli 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Fredrick 2
Hy. 2
Jno. 2
Ralph 2
Reuben 2
Stephen 2
Tristram 2
Aron 1
Cabeb 1
Cecil 1
Enock 1
F.H. 1
Fred. 1
Johnathan 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Warhurst surname: questions and answers

How common was the Warhurst surname in 1881?

In 1881, 841 people were recorded with the Warhurst surname. That placed it at #4,486 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Warhurst surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 722 in 2016. That gives Warhurst a modern rank of #7,525.

What does the Warhurst surname mean?

A locational surname from a place where warhursts (watchtowers) were situated.

What does the Warhurst map show?

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