NameCensus.

UK surname

Warn

A variant of the surname "Warner", referring to a keeper or tenant of a game preserve.

In the 1881 census there were 541 people recorded with the Warn surname, ranking it #6,379 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 399, ranked #11,902, down from #6,379 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Uttlesford, Southampton and Eastleigh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Warn is 742 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 26.2%.

1881 census count

541

Ranked #6,379

Modern count

399

2016, ranked #11,902

Peak year

1861

742 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Warn had 541 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,379 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 399 in 2016, ranked #11,902.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 742 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Warn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Warn surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Warn 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 694 #3,762
1861 historical 742 #3,675
1881 historical 541 #6,379
1891 historical 579 #6,585
1901 historical 505 #7,988
1911 historical 596 #6,875
1997 modern 473 #9,706
1998 modern 481 #9,893
1999 modern 471 #10,098
2000 modern 453 #10,371
2001 modern 463 #10,009
2002 modern 471 #10,076
2003 modern 476 #9,830
2004 modern 456 #10,188
2005 modern 449 #10,230
2006 modern 463 #10,015
2007 modern 451 #10,318
2008 modern 441 #10,600
2009 modern 451 #10,649
2010 modern 440 #11,101
2011 modern 440 #10,977
2012 modern 415 #11,403
2013 modern 414 #11,624
2014 modern 402 #11,949
2015 modern 399 #11,928
2016 modern 399 #11,902

Geography

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Where Warns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea and Plymouth St Charles the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Uttlesford, Southampton, Eastleigh, Chelmsford and Test Valley. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 Plymouth St Charles the Martyr Devon
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Uttlesford 008 Uttlesford
2 Southampton 012 Southampton
3 Eastleigh 009 Eastleigh
4 Chelmsford 001 Chelmsford
5 Test Valley 015 Test Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Warn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Warn

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Warn, 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 Warn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Warn 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Warn is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Warn is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Warn falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Warn

The surname WARN originates from England and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "waern," meaning "alert" or "cautious." This name was likely given to individuals who exhibited a watchful or wary nature.

WARN was a common surname in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Devon, Somerset, and Wiltshire. Historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries show variations in spelling, such as Warne, Waryn, and Warene.

One of the earliest documented mentions of the WARN surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a "Robertus Warne" is listed as a landowner in Wiltshire. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of 1334 record a "Johannes Waryn" from Somerset.

In the famous Domesday Book of 1086, compiled by order of William the Conqueror, there are several references to places with names similar to WARN, such as "Warnford" in Hampshire and "Warnham" in Sussex.

Notable individuals bearing the WARN surname throughout history include:

1. William Warn (c. 1540-1609), an English clergyman and writer who served as the Rector of Barnwell, Northamptonshire. 2. Thomas Warn (c. 1670-1737), a British architect and surveyor known for his work on several churches and country houses. 3. Mary Warn (1737-1809), an English author and educator who published several books on grammar and etiquette. 4. John Warn (1789-1856), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament. 5. Richard Warn (1862-1932), a prominent Australian politician and member of the first federal parliament after the Federation of Australia in 1901.

Throughout its history, the WARN surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Warnborough in Hampshire, Warndon in Worcestershire, and Warnham in West Sussex. These place names often reflect the presence of individuals with the WARN surname in those areas during earlier times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Warn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Warn 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 82 Warns recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.54x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 82 1.54x
Cornwall 79 13.13x
Devon 77 6.96x
Hampshire 76 6.97x
Yorkshire 39 0.74x
Surrey 35 1.35x
Gloucestershire 33 3.16x
Suffolk 26 4.02x
Kent 21 1.16x
Lincolnshire 18 2.12x
Norfolk 11 1.35x
Derbyshire 8 0.96x
Durham 7 0.44x
Staffordshire 7 0.39x
Royal Navy 6 9.47x
Wiltshire 5 1.06x
Monmouthshire 4 1.04x
Dorset 3 0.86x
Lancashire 2 0.03x
Somerset 2 0.23x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.20x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Essex 1 0.10x
Leicestershire 1 0.17x

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 26 Warns recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.17x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 26 12.17x
Plymouth St Andrew 23 26.98x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 19 19.35x
Stoke Damerel 18 23.24x
Plymouth Charles The 15 30.77x
Shoreditch London 12 5.21x
Tetbury 12 203.05x
Exbury 10 1587.30x
Carshalton 9 90.82x
Christchurch 9 38.09x
Linkinhorne 9 214.80x
South Stoneham 9 38.07x
Southcoates 9 30.77x
Ipswich St Margaret 8 36.41x
Normanton 8 113.80x
St Endellion 8 382.78x
Westerham 8 191.39x
Bethnal Green London 7 3.03x
Cardynham 7 1372.55x
Chelsea London 7 4.37x
Great Yarmouth 7 10.34x
Harborne 7 12.17x
Mile End Old Town 7 8.34x
Southampton All Sts 7 37.43x
Stanwell 7 178.12x
Bishopwearmouth 6 4.42x
East Clandon 6 1200.00x
Islington London 6 1.16x
Langtoft 6 566.04x
Liversedge 6 25.59x
Mevagissey 6 150.00x
Otford 6 237.15x
Royal Navy 6 11.08x
St Johns 6 1764.71x
Tamerton Foliott 6 281.69x
Clapham 5 7.52x
Croydon 5 3.48x
Fowey 5 181.16x
Heeley 5 31.23x
Lambeth 5 1.08x
Shafton 5 641.03x
St Teath 5 137.74x
St Tudy 5 526.32x
Stoke Climsland 5 130.21x
Stonehouse East 5 89.13x
Alverstoke 4 10.14x
Barholm 4 1212.12x
Bradford 4 3.14x
Campsea Ash 4 571.43x
Chippenham 4 40.57x
Hackney London 4 1.34x
Hampstead London 4 4.83x
Huddersfield 4 5.21x
Kensington London 4 1.35x
Spitalfields London 4 10.00x
St Pancras London 4 0.93x
Sway 4 273.97x
West Looe 4 251.57x
Framlingham 3 65.22x
Ipswich St Helen 3 39.06x
Southill 3 326.09x
Westminster St John 3 4.63x
Bawtry 2 120.48x
Calstock 2 16.95x
Camberwell 2 0.59x
Dorrington 2 277.78x
East Stonehouse 2 9.17x
Falmouth 2 9.39x
Lanreath 2 194.17x
Manthorpe Cum Little 2 30.77x
Northfleet 2 12.52x
Paddington London 2 1.02x
Plumstead 2 3.31x
Plymstock 2 34.54x
Portskewett 2 224.72x
Portsmouth 2 7.97x
Rushall 2 526.32x
Shadwell London 2 13.44x
St Ive 2 51.81x
St Stephens By Saltash 2 77.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Elizabeth 27
Emma 17
Sarah 14
Eliza 12
Ann 10
Ellen 9
Emily 9
Alice 7
Harriet 7
Florence 6
Hannah 6
Annie 5
Caroline 5
Esther 5
Martha 5
Catherine 4
Jane 4
Maria 4
Amelia 3
Bessie 3
Fanny 3
Kate 3
Laura 3
Louisa 3
Margaret 3
Sophia 3
Susan 3
Anna 2
Edith 2
Jessie 2
Lucy 2
Matilda 2
Naomi 2
Nelly 2
Rebecca 2
Ruth 2
Anne 1
Cecelia 1
Emmus 1
Etta 1
Eva 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Letitia 1
Levenia 1
Lilian 1
Lillian 1
Lindonia 1
Wedgwood 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 35
John 30
George 21
James 18
Charles 13
Henry 11
Richard 9
Alfred 8
Edward 8
Joseph 8
Samuel 7
Frederick 6
Arthur 5
Thomas 5
Abraham 4
Albert 4
Daniel 4
Francis 4
Fredrick 4
Robert 4
Ernest 3
Leonard 3
Wm. 3
David 2
Edwin 2
Eli 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Libia 2
Matthew 2
Maurice 2
Reuben 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Bertram 1
Chas.W. 1
Clifford 1
Demetrius 1
Digery 1
Frances 1
Fred 1
Glendening 1
Harry 1
Howard 1
Jno. 1
Jonathan 1
Montague 1
Nicholas 1
Richd. 1
Sampson 1

FAQ

Warn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Warn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 541 people were recorded with the Warn surname. That placed it at #6,379 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Warn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 399 in 2016. That gives Warn a modern rank of #11,902.

What does the Warn surname mean?

A variant of the surname "Warner", referring to a keeper or tenant of a game preserve.

What does the Warn map show?

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