UK surname
A topographic name derived from wart meaning "little hill" in Middle English.
In the 1881 census there were 30 people recorded with the Wart surname, ranking it #29,363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 17, ranked #36,904, down from #29,363 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Pancras, Lambeth and Enfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wart is 318 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 43.3%.
1881 census count
30
Ranked #29,363
Modern count
17
2016, ranked #36,904
Peak year
1861
318 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Wart surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Wart surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 85 | #18,940 |
| 1861 | historical | 318 | #7,999 |
| 1881 | historical | 30 | #29,363 |
| 1891 | historical | 191 | #15,437 |
| 1901 | historical | 75 | #25,852 |
| 1911 | historical | 44 | #28,454 |
| 1997 | modern | 7 | #37,533 |
| 1998 | modern | 9 | #37,189 |
| 1999 | modern | 13 | #36,693 |
| 2000 | modern | 7 | #37,430 |
| 2001 | modern | 4 | #37,862 |
| 2002 | modern | 4 | #37,921 |
| 2003 | modern | 5 | #37,750 |
| 2004 | modern | 7 | #37,496 |
| 2005 | modern | 10 | #37,180 |
| 2006 | modern | 10 | #37,224 |
| 2007 | modern | 9 | #37,435 |
| 2008 | modern | 8 | #37,597 |
| 2009 | modern | 8 | #37,689 |
| 2010 | modern | 11 | #37,411 |
| 2011 | modern | 9 | #37,598 |
| 2012 | modern | 11 | #37,394 |
| 2013 | modern | 13 | #37,224 |
| 2014 | modern | 13 | #37,256 |
| 2015 | modern | 14 | #37,157 |
| 2016 | modern | 17 | #36,904 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Pancras, Lambeth, Enfield, Bishop Wearmouth and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 2 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 3 | Enfield | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 4 | Bishop Wearmouth | Durham |
| 5 | London parishes | London 2 |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Wart surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wart, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Wart surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Wart household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Wart is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wart is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Wart, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname WART originates from Germany, with its earliest known origins dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "warten," which means "to watch" or "to guard." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone employed as a watchman or a guard.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the WART surname can be found in the parish records of the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria, where a family with the name Wart is mentioned in 1578. This indicates that the name was already established in that region by the late 16th century.
In the 17th century, the WART surname appears in various historical documents across different regions of Germany. For instance, in 1632, a man named Hans Wart is recorded as a landowner in the village of Unterrinsingen, near Stuttgart.
The name WART is also linked to several place names in Germany, such as Wartenberg and Wartburg, both of which contain the root "wart" and may have influenced the surname's development.
One notable individual with the WART surname was Johann Wart, a German painter and engraver who lived from 1592 to 1666. His works, primarily religious scenes and portraits, are still preserved in various museums and churches across Germany.
Another prominent figure was Friedrich Wart, a German philosopher and theologian born in 1792. He is best known for his writings on ethics and his contributions to the field of speculative philosophy.
In the 19th century, the WART surname gained recognition through Gustav Wart, a German composer and violinist who lived from 1818 to 1892. His compositions, which included chamber music and violin concertos, were widely performed during his lifetime.
The name WART also appears in historical records outside of Germany. For instance, in the late 18th century, a family with the surname Wart is mentioned in the parish records of the town of Aalst in Belgium.
Finally, one of the more recent individuals with the WART surname was Hans Wart, a German-American engineer who lived from 1897 to 1979. He made significant contributions to the development of automotive safety systems and is widely recognized for his work on improving vehicle braking systems.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wart surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Surrey leads with 7 Warts recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.91x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Surrey | 7 | 4.91x |
| Hampshire | 5 | 8.34x |
| Devon | 3 | 4.93x |
| Somerset | 3 | 6.37x |
| Yorkshire | 3 | 1.04x |
| Lanarkshire | 2 | 2.11x |
| Middlesex | 2 | 0.68x |
| Warwickshire | 2 | 2.71x |
| Wiltshire | 2 | 7.73x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 1.96x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Penge in Surrey leads with 4 Warts recorded in 1881 and an index of 213.90x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Penge | 4 | 213.90x |
| Romsey Extra | 4 | 1111.11x |
| Plymouth Charles The | 3 | 111.94x |
| Birmingham | 2 | 8.14x |
| Clevedon | 2 | 408.16x |
| Harrow On The Hill | 2 | 344.83x |
| Lambeth | 2 | 7.84x |
| Leeds | 2 | 12.22x |
| Barony | 1 | 4.18x |
| Glasgow | 1 | 5.96x |
| Great Bedwin | 1 | 555.56x |
| Mirfield | 1 | 62.89x |
| Salisbury St Thomas | 1 | 500.00x |
| Shanklin | 1 | 555.56x |
| Southwark St George Martyr | 1 | 17.01x |
| Swansea Town | 1 | 23.98x |
| Whitchurch | 1 | 2000.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Wart surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Wart surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Wart households.
FAQ
In 1881, 30 people were recorded with the Wart surname. That placed it at #29,363 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 17 in 2016. That gives Wart a modern rank of #36,904.
A topographic name derived from wart meaning "little hill" in Middle English.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Wart bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.