NameCensus.

UK surname

Washington

A locational surname referring to a town in northeastern England or someone from the U.S. capital city.

In the 1881 census there were 1,488 people recorded with the Washington surname, ranking it #2,809 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,214, ranked #2,927, down from #2,809 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolstanton, Halifax and Astbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, Aylesbury Vale and Lincoln.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Washington is 2,241 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.8%.

1881 census count

1,488

Ranked #2,809

Modern count

2,214

2016, ranked #2,927

Peak year

2010

2,241 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Washington had 1,488 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,809 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,214 in 2016, ranked #2,927.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,989 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Washington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Washington surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Washington 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 987 #2,829
1861 historical 1,207 #2,350
1881 historical 1,488 #2,809
1891 historical 1,651 #2,719
1901 historical 1,815 #2,888
1911 historical 1,989 #2,496
1997 modern 1,872 #3,218
1998 modern 2,166 #2,957
1999 modern 2,196 #2,948
2000 modern 2,198 #2,926
2001 modern 2,119 #2,959
2002 modern 2,153 #2,979
2003 modern 2,154 #2,919
2004 modern 2,171 #2,905
2005 modern 2,126 #2,916
2006 modern 2,129 #2,917
2007 modern 2,125 #2,949
2008 modern 2,135 #2,964
2009 modern 2,164 #3,001
2010 modern 2,241 #2,966
2011 modern 2,214 #2,957
2012 modern 2,146 #2,980
2013 modern 2,206 #2,955
2014 modern 2,213 #2,964
2015 modern 2,182 #2,980
2016 modern 2,214 #2,927

Geography

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Where Washingtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolstanton, Halifax, Astbury, London parishes and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, Aylesbury Vale, Lincoln, Stoke-on-Trent and West Lancashire. 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 Wolstanton Staffordshire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Astbury Cheshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 038 Wigan
2 Aylesbury Vale 008 Aylesbury Vale
3 Lincoln 007 Lincoln
4 Stoke-on-Trent 031 Stoke-on-Trent
5 West Lancashire 011 West Lancashire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Washington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Washington

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Washington is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Washington is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Washington

The surname Washington originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "Hwæssingatun," meaning a settlement or estate belonging to the family or followers of a person named Hwaessa.

In the 11th century, the name was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Wassingeton" and "Wassinton." These early spellings likely referred to places in Durham and Northamptonshire, where the name was first established.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname was William de Wessynton, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1195. The surname also appeared in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire (1273) and the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex (1296).

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name was often associated with the village of Wassingtone in County Durham, which later became known as Washington. Notable individuals from this period include Robert de Wessyngton (born c. 1280) and John de Wessingtone (born c. 1320), whose descendants likely adopted the surname Washington.

One of the most famous bearers of the name was George Washington (1732-1799), the first President of the United States. He was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, and his family traced their ancestry back to the Washingtons of Sulgrave Manor in Northamptonshire, England.

Other notable individuals with the surname Washington include Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), an influential African American educator and author, and Denzel Washington (born 1954), the acclaimed American actor and director.

The surname Washington has also been associated with various place names, such as Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, and the U.S. states of Washington and West Virginia, named in honor of George Washington.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Washington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Washington 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. Cheshire leads with 210 Washingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.46x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 210 6.46x
Staffordshire 206 4.14x
Yorkshire 201 1.38x
Lancashire 196 1.12x
Middlesex 113 0.77x
Surrey 79 1.10x
Sussex 76 3.06x
Bedfordshire 49 6.42x
Cambridgeshire 47 5.04x
Buckinghamshire 44 4.94x
Essex 36 1.24x
Oxfordshire 35 3.85x
Kent 27 0.54x
Warwickshire 19 0.51x
Shropshire 18 1.41x
Worcestershire 16 0.83x
Nottinghamshire 14 0.71x
Channel Islands 13 2.98x
Hertfordshire 13 1.28x
Cumberland 11 0.87x
Gloucestershire 9 0.31x
Hampshire 8 0.27x
Isle of Man 7 2.56x
Dorset 6 0.62x
Flintshire 6 1.52x
Suffolk 6 0.33x
Derbyshire 5 0.22x
Midlothian 5 0.25x
Denbighshire 4 0.72x
Durham 4 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.85x
Westmorland 4 1.24x
Lincolnshire 3 0.13x
Renfrewshire 3 0.26x
Somerset 3 0.13x
Ayrshire 2 0.18x
Leicestershire 2 0.12x
Banffshire 1 0.33x
Cornwall 1 0.06x
Devon 1 0.03x
Monmouthshire 1 0.09x
Northamptonshire 1 0.07x
Royal Navy 1 0.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 67 Washingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.71x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 67 12.71x
Congleton 59 105.02x
Brighton 54 10.78x
Biddulph 30 106.95x
Halifax 30 14.00x
Littleport 30 168.35x
Wolstanton 29 19.20x
Skircoat 26 45.17x
Liverpool 25 2.36x
Salford 25 4.86x
Buglawton 22 280.97x
West Ham 20 3.12x
Hove 19 17.44x
Lambeth 19 1.48x
Leighton Buzzard 18 54.86x
Wolstanton Knutton 18 59.29x
Hackney London 17 2.06x
Marple 17 76.16x
Westcott 17 1452.99x
Wombwell 17 39.94x
Chester Holy Trinity 16 104.99x
Manchester 15 1.91x
Huddersfield 14 6.58x
Leek Lowe 14 21.16x
Hoose 13 213.46x
St Peter Port 13 16.10x
Stone 13 188.13x
Toxteth Park 13 2.20x
Wandsworth 13 9.17x
Wheatley 13 252.92x
Bethnal Green London 12 1.88x
Oldham 12 2.13x
Romford 12 26.11x
West Derby 12 2.35x
Clifton 11 149.46x
Dorking 11 22.83x
Dudley 11 4.70x
Newton In Northwich 11 111.11x
Northowram 11 10.75x
Stockport 11 6.57x
Chelsea London 10 2.25x
Higher Booths 10 31.74x
March 10 32.01x
Southill 10 161.81x
Tonbridge 10 5.52x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 2.36x
Middlewich 9 134.53x
Norton In Moors 9 34.19x
Stoneleigh 9 145.87x
Walsall Foreign 9 3.50x
Almondsbury 8 72.53x
Bermondsey 8 1.82x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 2.88x
Mile End Old Town 8 3.44x
Penrith 8 17.08x
Shepley 8 99.38x
St George Bloomsbury 8 9.47x
Wombridge 8 50.92x
Abbots Langley 7 46.42x
Chester St Peter St 7 200.57x
Great Meolse 7 343.14x
Hammersmith London 7 1.93x
Onchan 7 8.88x
Shoreditch London 7 1.10x
Westminster St John 7 3.90x
Brightside Bierlow 6 2.10x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 6 14.75x
Great Warford 6 338.98x
Leckhampstead 6 350.88x
Newchurch 6 4.20x
Odd Rode 6 37.27x
Pendleton In Salford 6 2.88x
Pinxton 6 51.19x
Poulton Barre 6 30.17x
Saxmundham 6 90.09x
Scarborough 6 4.52x
Stokenchurch 6 73.71x
Whitford 6 29.24x
Bradford 5 1.42x
Golcar 5 12.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 112
Sarah 59
Elizabeth 51
Martha 29
Ellen 26
Emma 26
Emily 25
Annie 24
Jane 23
Eliza 22
Ann 20
Hannah 17
Alice 16
Florence 14
Maria 14
Fanny 13
Margaret 10
Frances 9
Louisa 9
Harriet 8
Ada 7
Amelia 7
Charlotte 7
Clara 7
Edith 7
Lucy 7
Amy 6
Elizth. 6
Bertha 5
Betsy 5
Caroline 5
Rose 5
Ruth 5
Susan 5
Agnes 4
Anna 4
Catherine 4
E. 4
Gertrude 4
Jessie 4
Kate 4
Minnie 4
Harriett 3
Julia 3
Lydia 3
Rebecca 3
Selina 3
Susannah 3
Augusta 2
Lavinia 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 92
William 90
John 65
James 57
Thomas 49
Joseph 31
Henry 29
Charles 26
Alfred 21
Arthur 16
Samuel 15
Frederick 14
Robert 13
Harry 11
Richard 10
Walter 10
Herbert 9
Albert 8
Edward 8
Matthew 8
Daniel 7
Geo. 6
Ernest 5
Fred 4
Isaac 4
Thos. 4
Timothy 4
W. 4
David 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Jasper 3
Tom 3
Wm. 3
Adam 2
Edmund 2
Enoch 2
General 2
Harold 2
Hy. 2
Infant 2
Ingram 2
Jesse 2
Jonathan 2
Mark 2
Noah 2
Ralph 2
Stephen 2
Friend 1
Geo.Hy. 1

FAQ

Washington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Washington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,488 people were recorded with the Washington surname. That placed it at #2,809 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Washington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,214 in 2016. That gives Washington a modern rank of #2,927.

What does the Washington surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a town in northeastern England or someone from the U.S. capital city.

What does the Washington map show?

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