NameCensus.

UK surname

Wash

An occupational surname referring to someone who washed clothes or textiles for a living.

In the 1881 census there were 311 people recorded with the Wash surname, ranking it #9,470 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 232, ranked #17,694, down from #9,470 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Weathersfield, London parishes and Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Braintree, North Lincolnshire and Oldham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wash is 602 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 25.4%.

1881 census count

311

Ranked #9,470

Modern count

232

2016, ranked #17,694

Peak year

1861

602 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wash had 311 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,470 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 232 in 2016, ranked #17,694.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 602 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wash surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wash surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wash 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 309 #7,449
1861 historical 602 #4,399
1881 historical 311 #9,470
1891 historical 600 #6,384
1901 historical 395 #9,562
1911 historical 416 #9,028
1997 modern 270 #14,515
1998 modern 273 #14,803
1999 modern 278 #14,705
2000 modern 284 #14,457
2001 modern 265 #14,915
2002 modern 268 #15,081
2003 modern 254 #15,454
2004 modern 254 #15,540
2005 modern 251 #15,590
2006 modern 246 #15,907
2007 modern 250 #15,901
2008 modern 248 #16,163
2009 modern 252 #16,323
2010 modern 244 #17,056
2011 modern 242 #17,001
2012 modern 234 #17,291
2013 modern 241 #17,202
2014 modern 246 #17,079
2015 modern 241 #17,235
2016 modern 232 #17,694

Geography

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Where Washs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Weathersfield, London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a, Chapel or Pontisbright, Wakes Colne, Mount Bures and Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Braintree, North Lincolnshire, Oldham and Aylesbury Vale. 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 Weathersfield Essex
2 London parishes London 3
3 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
4 Chapel or Pontisbright, Wakes Colne, Mount Bures Essex
5 Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Braintree 003 Braintree
2 Braintree 016 Braintree
3 North Lincolnshire 004 North Lincolnshire
4 Oldham 028 Oldham
5 Aylesbury Vale 002 Aylesbury Vale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wash

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wash

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Wash is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wash is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wash falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wash

The surname "Wash" is believed to have originated from the Old English word "wæsc," which means "a washing" or "a place of washing." This name is thought to have emerged in England during the 11th century.

The earliest recorded instances of the name "Wash" can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was listed as a place name in various counties of England, such as Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, and Norfolk. These place names were likely derived from locations near streams or rivers where people would wash their clothes or other items.

One notable example of the name's early usage is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1176, which mentions a person named Radulfus de Wasce. This suggests that the surname was already in use as a byname or a locational surname by the late 12th century.

During the medieval period, the name "Wash" was often associated with people who lived near bodies of water or worked in occupations related to washing or cleaning. For instance, Roger atte Wassh was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, indicating that he lived near a place called "Wash."

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as "Washe," "Wasshe," and "Wayshe," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. One notable bearer of the name was John Washe (c. 1535-1588), an English translator and clergyman who translated several works from Latin and Greek.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname "Wash." These include:

1. William Wash (c. 1610-1665), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. 2. Thomas Wash (1662-1736), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Gospel Revealed Unto Babes." 3. George Wash (1813-1900), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Savings Bank Department of the Post Office. 4. Isaac Wash (1819-1893), an American farmer and politician who served as a member of the Indiana House of Representatives. 5. James Wash (1853-1932), an American politician who served as the mayor of Helena, Montana, from 1903 to 1905.

While the surname "Wash" is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a rich history that can be traced back to the Middle Ages and is deeply rooted in the linguistic and geographical heritage of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wash families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wash 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. Essex leads with 148 Washs recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.71x.

County Total Index
Essex 148 24.71x
Middlesex 43 1.42x
Kent 28 2.71x
Surrey 16 1.08x
Warwickshire 14 1.83x
Hampshire 11 1.77x
Suffolk 11 2.98x
Cheshire 7 1.05x
Lancashire 6 0.17x
Cambridgeshire 4 2.08x
Staffordshire 4 0.39x
Yorkshire 4 0.13x
Sussex 3 0.59x
Huntingdonshire 2 3.32x
Norfolk 2 0.43x
Berkshire 1 0.44x
Channel Islands 1 1.11x
Devon 1 0.16x
Durham 1 0.11x
Isle of Man 1 1.78x
Pembrokeshire 1 1.04x
Somerset 1 0.20x
Worcestershire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wethersfield in Essex leads with 26 Washs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1721.85x.

Place Total Index
Wethersfield 26 1721.85x
Earls Colne 18 1090.91x
Bocking 12 333.33x
Greenwich 11 22.78x
Colchester St Botolph 10 196.46x
St Marylebone London 10 6.17x
Tollesbury 10 666.67x
Finchingfield 9 478.72x
Haverhill 9 274.39x
Islington London 8 2.72x
Coventry St Michael 7 28.49x
Guildford Holy Trinity 7 248.23x
Maldon St Peter 7 229.51x
Barking 6 34.25x
Eynsford 6 338.98x
Kings Worthy 6 1304.35x
Toppesfield 6 674.16x
Birdbrook 5 833.33x
Birkenhead 5 9.37x
Gosfield 5 781.25x
Hackney London 5 2.94x
Maidstone 5 16.22x
Bradwell 4 388.35x
Edgbaston 4 16.86x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 4 47.73x
North Fambridge 4 2666.67x
Romsey Extra 4 108.11x
Wednesbury 4 15.63x
Ardleigh 3 180.72x
Great Coggeshall 3 96.46x
Halstead 3 42.92x
Hammersmith London 3 4.01x
Lambeth 3 1.13x
Limehouse London 3 9.01x
Livesey 3 47.47x
Maldon All Sts 3 252.10x
Messing 3 400.00x
St Gilesin Fields 3 169.49x
Waltham Holy Cross 3 53.57x
Chelmsford 2 19.47x
Clerkenwell London 2 2.79x
Coventry Holy Trinity 2 8.76x
Glatton 2 344.83x
Heigham 2 7.99x
Kensington London 2 1.19x
Southcoates 2 11.98x
Bermondsey 1 1.11x
Braintree 1 18.59x
Camberwell 1 0.52x
Chelsea London 1 1.09x
Chertsey 1 10.47x
Croome D Abitot 1 526.32x
Dengie 1 303.03x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.25x
East Grinstead 1 13.81x
Farnham 1 8.70x
Fobbing 1 227.27x
Foulness 1 135.14x
Ickworth 1 1000.00x
Lewisham 1 1.81x
Lezayre 1 39.53x
Liverpool 1 0.46x
Lowestoft 1 5.73x
Lynesack Softley 1 40.98x
Milverton 1 44.64x
Newington 1 0.89x
Paddington London 1 0.90x
Pembroke St Mary 1 8.05x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 2.06x
Ramsgate 1 5.92x
Rickling 1 212.77x
Rowley 1 151.52x
St Clement Danes 1 20.37x
St Helier 1 3.42x
St Martin In Fields 1 5.51x
St Mary Extra 1 20.00x
Stockport 1 2.90x
Tonbridge 1 2.68x
Walkington 1 98.04x
Westminster St 1 8.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 16
Mary 10
Elizabeth 8
Emma 8
Alice 7
Ann 7
Emily 7
Annie 6
Edith 4
Eliza 4
Hannah 4
Eleanor 3
Ellen 3
Lucy 3
Susan 3
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Gertrude 2
Jane 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Mabel 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Phoebe 2
Rose 2
Susannah 2
Ava 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Christinna 1
Elizibella 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Jular 1
Kathlin 1
Lavina 1
Letitia 1
Lizie 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Sybil 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 15
Walter 13
Charles 11
Arthur 9
George 9
James 9
John 8
Frederick 6
Thomas 6
Henry 4
Herbert 4
Robert 4
Alfred 3
David 3
Edward 3
Frank 3
Albert 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
J. 2
Joseph 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Arnold 1
Benjamin 1
Charls. 1
Daniel 1
F. 1
Hector 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Llewelly 1
Louis 1
Phillip 1
Richard 1
Ruben 1
Rueben 1
Sydney 1
T.Hardy 1
Willm.C. 1

FAQ

Wash surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wash surname in 1881?

In 1881, 311 people were recorded with the Wash surname. That placed it at #9,470 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wash surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 232 in 2016. That gives Wash a modern rank of #17,694.

What does the Wash surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who washed clothes or textiles for a living.

What does the Wash map show?

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