NameCensus.

UK surname

Warnock

A surname of English origin referring to someone who lived near a river with a weir or dam.

In the 1881 census there were 650 people recorded with the Warnock surname, ranking it #5,494 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,472, ranked #4,183, up from #5,494 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hamilton, Rutherglen and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chapelton, Glengavel and Sandford, Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath and Tweeddale West Area.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Warnock is 1,518 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 126.5%.

1881 census count

650

Ranked #5,494

Modern count

1,472

2016, ranked #4,183

Peak year

2010

1,518 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Warnock had 650 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,494 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,472 in 2016, ranked #4,183.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 812 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Warnock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Warnock surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Warnock 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 432 #5,676
1861 historical 545 #4,820
1881 historical 650 #5,494
1891 historical 720 #5,479
1901 historical 812 #5,565
1911 historical 246 #13,054
1997 modern 1,311 #4,372
1998 modern 1,368 #4,354
1999 modern 1,392 #4,329
2000 modern 1,389 #4,314
2001 modern 1,358 #4,311
2002 modern 1,427 #4,226
2003 modern 1,376 #4,280
2004 modern 1,388 #4,255
2005 modern 1,430 #4,128
2006 modern 1,420 #4,146
2007 modern 1,441 #4,138
2008 modern 1,455 #4,121
2009 modern 1,485 #4,149
2010 modern 1,518 #4,154
2011 modern 1,483 #4,188
2012 modern 1,456 #4,179
2013 modern 1,481 #4,189
2014 modern 1,481 #4,211
2015 modern 1,467 #4,216
2016 modern 1,472 #4,183

Geography

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Where Warnocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hamilton, Rutherglen, Govan Combination, London parishes and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chapelton, Glengavel and Sandford, Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath, Tweeddale West Area, Dalry East and Rural and Muirhouse and Knowetop. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Hamilton Lanark
2 Rutherglen Lanark
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 London parishes London 3
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chapelton, Glengavel and Sandford South Lanarkshire
2 Carstairs, Carstairs Junction and Carnwath South Lanarkshire
3 Tweeddale West Area Scottish Borders
4 Dalry East and Rural North Ayrshire
5 Muirhouse and Knowetop North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Warnock

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Warnock

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Warnock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Warnock household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Warnock 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

Warnock is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Warnock falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Warnock 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Warnock

The surname Warnock has its origins in England and Scotland, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "warnian," meaning "to warn" or "take heed," and the Middle English suffix "-ock," a diminutive form.

The name Warnock was initially found in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in England, as well as in the Scottish Lowlands. It is believed that the name may have been given to someone employed as a watchman or sentinel, whose role was to warn others of potential danger or threats.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Warnock surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, dated 1195, which mention a person named Robert Warnoc. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also contain references to individuals with the surname Warnock in Yorkshire.

In Scotland, the name is thought to have originated in the town of Warnocktown, now known as Monkton, in Ayrshire. The earliest known Scottish bearer of the name was John Warnok, who was mentioned in the records of the Burgh of Prestwick in 1490.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Warnock:

1. Ralph Warnock (1591-1677), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works. 2. James Warnock (1774-1848), a Scottish-born American pioneer and soldier who fought in the War of 1812. 3. Benjamin Warnock (1805-1871), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois. 4. Neil Warnock (born 1948), an English former professional football player and manager who has managed several Premier League teams. 5. John Warnock (born 1940), an American computer scientist and co-founder of Adobe Systems, best known for developing the widely used PostScript software and PDF file format.

The name Warnock has also been associated with various place names in England and Scotland, such as Warnock Hill in Derbyshire and Warnock Burn in Lanarkshire, further indicating its historical significance in these regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Warnock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Warnock 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. Lanarkshire leads with 374 Warnocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.21x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 374 18.21x
Ayrshire 55 11.57x
Lancashire 52 0.69x
Renfrewshire 43 8.74x
Yorkshire 24 0.38x
Dunbartonshire 22 12.89x
Middlesex 16 0.25x
Midlothian 14 1.65x
Kent 11 0.51x
Cheshire 7 0.50x
Fife 7 1.86x
Kirkcudbrightshire 6 6.53x
Surrey 5 0.16x
Leicestershire 4 0.57x
Glamorgan 2 0.18x
Perthshire 2 0.70x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.17x
Argyllshire 1 0.57x
Cumberland 1 0.18x
Durham 1 0.05x
East Lothian 1 1.19x
Hertfordshire 1 0.23x
Stirlingshire 1 0.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 75 Warnocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.57x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 75 20.57x
Barony 60 11.54x
Govan 58 11.42x
East Kilbride 31 352.67x
Rutherglen 28 92.93x
Bonhill 20 73.02x
Abbey 18 23.97x
Hamilton 16 27.93x
Liverpool 16 3.50x
Shettleston 16 87.00x
Lesmahagow 12 55.25x
Avondale 11 91.59x
Castleton 10 13.29x
Kilbirnie 10 87.64x
Whitby 10 47.15x
Blantyre 9 42.10x
Bothwell 9 16.16x
Cambusnethan 9 19.73x
Kilmarnock 9 15.91x
Old Monkland 9 11.04x
Riccarton Hurlford 9 107.91x
Thornton In Sefton 9 1500.00x
Bootle Cum Linacre 8 13.37x
Birkenhead 7 6.26x
Cadder 7 46.14x
Dalry 7 31.31x
Dunfermline 7 12.11x
Monkton Prestwick 7 151.19x
Nether Hallam 7 8.22x
Carmunnock 6 379.75x
Edinburgh Old Church 6 87.85x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 6 1.75x
Glassford 6 189.87x
Paisley High Church 6 15.31x
Port Glasgow 6 25.22x
St Quivox 6 37.34x
Ayr 5 22.29x
Bromley London 5 3.58x
Plumstead 5 6.92x
Sheffield 5 2.50x
Woolwich 5 6.25x
Belgrave 4 25.17x
Bermondsey 4 2.12x
Carnwath 4 31.50x
Clerkenwell London 4 2.67x
Eastwood 4 13.20x
New Monkland 4 6.59x
St Andrew Holborn 4 18.58x
Troqueer 4 33.17x
West Greenock 4 4.53x
Birkdale 2 10.49x
Cardiff St Mary 2 3.28x
Dunblane 2 29.33x
East Greenock 2 4.30x
Hulme 2 1.27x
Maryhill 2 4.98x
Barrow In Furness 1 0.98x
Bishopwearmouth 1 0.62x
Cambuslang 1 4.83x
Cardross 1 4.88x
Chertsey 1 5.00x
Crumpsall 1 5.63x
Dalton In Furness 1 3.44x
Edinburgh St Stephens 1 5.97x
Great Crosby 1 4.87x
Hawsker Cum Stainsacre 1 47.85x
Kilninian Kilmore 1 18.45x
Kilwinning 1 6.51x
Kirkpatrick Durham 1 34.97x
Larbert 1 7.14x
New Kilpatrick 1 6.16x
North Meols 1 1.36x
Paisley Middle Church 1 3.49x
Rickergate 1 8.64x
Ruswarp 1 14.29x
Standon 1 22.22x
Stoke Newington London 1 2.02x
Wandell Lamington 1 144.93x
Whittinghame 1 71.94x
Willesden 1 1.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Catherine 4
Elizabeth 4
Margaret 4
Annie 3
Ellen 3
Sarah 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Ann 2
Anne 2
Emma 2
Janet 2
Andrewetta 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Elenor 1
Eliza 1
Emelia 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Johana 1
Lilian 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
M. 1
Margret 1
Mosena 1
Nancy 1
Patience 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Williamina 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Warnock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Warnock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 650 people were recorded with the Warnock surname. That placed it at #5,494 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Warnock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,472 in 2016. That gives Warnock a modern rank of #4,183.

What does the Warnock surname mean?

A surname of English origin referring to someone who lived near a river with a weir or dam.

What does the Warnock map show?

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