NameCensus.

UK surname

Wass

A surname derived from a Germanic personal name meaning "woods bearer" or "forest keeper".

In the 1881 census there were 1,630 people recorded with the Wass surname, ranking it #2,624 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,072, ranked #3,123, down from #2,624 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Duffield, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashfield, Ryedale and North East Derbyshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wass is 2,310 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.1%.

1881 census count

1,630

Ranked #2,624

Modern count

2,072

2016, ranked #3,123

Peak year

1911

2,310 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wass had 1,630 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,624 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,072 in 2016, ranked #3,123.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,310 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wass surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wass surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wass 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 1,052 #2,662
1861 historical 995 #2,801
1881 historical 1,630 #2,624
1891 historical 1,784 #2,563
1901 historical 2,135 #2,523
1911 historical 2,310 #2,200
1997 modern 2,106 #2,930
1998 modern 2,158 #2,963
1999 modern 2,212 #2,930
2000 modern 2,168 #2,957
2001 modern 2,116 #2,964
2002 modern 2,098 #3,050
2003 modern 2,108 #2,968
2004 modern 2,078 #3,021
2005 modern 2,008 #3,077
2006 modern 2,018 #3,068
2007 modern 2,016 #3,105
2008 modern 2,029 #3,105
2009 modern 2,084 #3,106
2010 modern 2,126 #3,116
2011 modern 2,130 #3,067
2012 modern 2,053 #3,120
2013 modern 2,128 #3,063
2014 modern 2,142 #3,066
2015 modern 2,084 #3,119
2016 modern 2,072 #3,123

Geography

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Where Wass' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Duffield, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood, Sheffield and Tibshelf. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashfield, Ryedale and North East Derbyshire. 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 Duffield Derbyshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood Nottinghamshire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Tibshelf Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashfield 004 Ashfield
2 Ashfield 003 Ashfield
3 Ryedale 001 Ryedale
4 North East Derbyshire 009 North East Derbyshire
5 Ashfield 005 Ashfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wass

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wass

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Wass is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Wass 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

Wass falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wass

The surname Wass is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word "wæsse", which means a marsh or a boggy area. This name first arose in areas of England that were characterized by marshy or wetland terrain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Wasse" in reference to an individual residing in Nottinghamshire. The name continued to evolve over time, with various spellings like Wase, Wasse, Whas, and Whass emerging in different regions of England.

During the Middle Ages, the Wass family established itself in Yorkshire, where they held lands and properties near the town of Wass, which likely took its name from the same Old English root. This connection to a specific place contributed to the widespread adoption of Wass as a hereditary surname.

Notable historical figures bearing the Wass surname include Sir John Wass (c. 1512-1578), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Yorkshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another noteworthy individual was Christopher Wass (c. 1654-1712), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Glendalough in Ireland.

In Scotland, the name Wass is associated with the Clan Gunn, a Highland Scottish clan with roots in Caithness. One of the earliest recorded members of this clan was Alexander Wass (c. 1550-1620), a prominent landowner and chieftain of the Clan Gunn.

The Wass family also had a presence in Ireland, with records indicating that members of the family settled in County Westmeath and County Longford during the 17th century. One notable individual from this branch was Robert Wass (c. 1690-1768), an Irish landowner and magistrate.

Over the centuries, the Wass surname has been carried by various individuals across different fields, including military leaders, clergymen, landowners, and scholars. While not as numerous as some other English surnames, the name Wass has left its mark on the historical records of several regions, reflecting its origins in the marshy landscapes of ancient England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wass families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wass 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. Yorkshire leads with 308 Wass' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.96x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 308 1.96x
Lincolnshire 253 9.98x
Derbyshire 244 9.83x
Nottinghamshire 222 10.38x
Essex 121 3.86x
Middlesex 75 0.47x
Durham 74 1.57x
Lancashire 65 0.35x
Suffolk 44 2.28x
Staffordshire 31 0.58x
Surrey 30 0.39x
Cheshire 18 0.51x
Leicestershire 18 1.02x
Northamptonshire 13 0.87x
Glamorgan 12 0.43x
Midlothian 12 0.56x
Northumberland 10 0.42x
Warwickshire 10 0.25x
Kent 9 0.17x
Norfolk 8 0.33x
Rutland 8 6.87x
Huntingdonshire 6 1.91x
Somerset 6 0.24x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.40x
Cumberland 4 0.29x
Oxfordshire 4 0.41x
Gloucestershire 3 0.10x
Bedfordshire 2 0.24x
Hampshire 2 0.06x
Sussex 2 0.07x
Worcestershire 2 0.10x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.16x
Devon 1 0.03x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.20x
Royal Navy 1 0.53x
Shropshire 1 0.07x
Wiltshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sutton In Ashfield in Nottinghamshire leads with 71 Wass' recorded in 1881 and an index of 153.05x.

Place Total Index
Sutton In Ashfield 71 153.05x
Belper 37 76.86x
Stockton On Tees 37 16.27x
Sheffield 27 5.40x
Tibshelf 27 221.67x
Chesterfield 26 27.93x
Hasland 23 90.98x
Alfreton 22 29.16x
Basford 22 22.33x
Toft Lound Manthorpe 22 1527.78x
Mile End 21 367.13x
Windley 20 1941.75x
Nottingham St Mary 19 3.44x
Holy Trinity 18 4.76x
Islington London 18 1.17x
Ropsley 18 511.36x
Brightside Bierlow 17 5.51x
Aldham 14 600.86x
Droylsden 14 22.80x
Stoke Upon Trent 14 2.47x
Worksop 14 22.08x
Blackrod 13 55.58x
Camberwell 13 1.28x
Fulnetby 13 3250.00x
Headingley Cum Burley 13 12.85x
Colne Engaine 12 424.03x
St Nicholas Lincoln 12 49.51x
Annesley 11 136.65x
Ault Hucknall 11 270.27x
Bilsdale Midcable 11 298.91x
Chester Le Street 11 30.35x
Crich 11 67.86x
Great Gonerby 11 168.45x
Mansfield 11 14.87x
Radford 11 10.13x
Beeston 10 62.89x
Earls Colne 10 115.74x
Farndale West Side 10 1818.18x
Halstead 10 27.38x
Pleasley 10 159.74x
Roath 10 7.97x
Willesden 10 6.69x
Allestree 9 283.02x
Corby 9 211.76x
Ecclesall Bierlow 9 2.82x
Great Cornard 9 205.95x
Lambeth 9 0.65x
Leicester St Mary 9 6.33x
Morley 9 11.01x
Nottingham St Nicholas 9 30.91x
Spotland 9 4.30x
Sudbury St Gregory 9 58.14x
Towcester 9 58.48x
Asenby 8 860.22x
Burton Extra 8 26.06x
East Leake 8 155.95x
Fulham London 8 3.48x
Jesmond 8 24.09x
Kirkby Cum Osgodby 8 394.09x
Leeds 8 0.90x
Little Smeaton In 8 509.55x
Nayland 8 163.27x
Ripon 8 21.94x
Skirbeck 8 56.30x
Teigh 8 1111.11x
Welton 8 216.22x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 7 4.78x
Austerfield 7 366.49x
Clifton In York 7 21.29x
Corringham 7 173.27x
Deeping St James 7 78.13x
Hackney London 7 0.79x
Rowley Regis 7 4.69x
Scole Cum Frenze 7 197.18x
Sculcoates 7 2.81x
St Paul Lincoln 7 157.66x
Stoke By Nayland 7 112.18x
York St Maurice 7 23.65x
Hooton Roberts 6 468.75x
Selston 6 25.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 138
Sarah 75
Elizabeth 64
Ann 40
Eliza 34
Hannah 28
Annie 26
Jane 26
Emma 21
Emily 20
Ellen 18
Alice 14
Fanny 14
Lucy 14
Martha 14
Charlotte 13
Harriet 13
Louisa 12
Catherine 10
Harriett 10
Clara 9
Rebecca 9
Florence 7
Margaret 7
Maria 7
Ada 6
Anne 6
Betsy 6
Susannah 6
Eleanor 5
Agnes 4
Betsey 4
Elizth. 4
Frances 4
Maud 4
Rachel 4
Rose 4
Ruth 4
Beatrice 3
Caroline 3
Edith 3
Ethel 3
Isabella 3
Kate 3
Matilda 3
Minnie 3
Rosa 3
Selina 3
Susan 3
Amy 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 112
William 104
George 63
Joseph 54
Thomas 54
James 40
Charles 32
Samuel 31
Robert 25
Henry 20
Arthur 14
Edward 13
Alfred 11
Frank 11
Harry 11
Frederick 10
Fred 9
Richard 8
Albert 7
Edwin 7
Walter 7
Ernest 5
Ralph 5
Wm. 5
Christopher 4
Francis 4
Isaac 4
Morris 4
Sampson 4
Tom 4
Chas. 3
David 3
Elijah 3
Geo. 3
Herbert 3
Luke 3
Matthew 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Amos 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Fredrick 2
Oliver 2
Reuben 2
Robt. 2
Anthony 1
Ellis 1
Emanuel 1
Enoch 1

FAQ

Wass surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wass surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,630 people were recorded with the Wass surname. That placed it at #2,624 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wass surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,072 in 2016. That gives Wass a modern rank of #3,123.

What does the Wass surname mean?

A surname derived from a Germanic personal name meaning "woods bearer" or "forest keeper".

What does the Wass map show?

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