NameCensus.

UK surname

Wassall

A surname derived from the location Wassall, a village in Derbyshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 290 people recorded with the Wassall surname, ranking it #9,946 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 393, ranked #12,032, down from #9,946 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kings Norton, Wednesbury and Dalton-in-Furness. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lichfield, Birmingham and Cheshire East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wassall is 439 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.5%.

1881 census count

290

Ranked #9,946

Modern count

393

2016, ranked #12,032

Peak year

2010

439 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wassall had 290 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,946 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 393 in 2016, ranked #12,032.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 364 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Wassall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wassall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wassall 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 115 #15,634
1861 historical 136 #16,556
1881 historical 290 #9,946
1891 historical 316 #10,639
1901 historical 364 #10,128
1911 historical 355 #10,172
1997 modern 422 #10,571
1998 modern 422 #10,928
1999 modern 419 #11,055
2000 modern 422 #10,960
2001 modern 420 #10,811
2002 modern 424 #10,950
2003 modern 429 #10,684
2004 modern 419 #10,903
2005 modern 403 #11,120
2006 modern 405 #11,131
2007 modern 424 #10,867
2008 modern 421 #11,010
2009 modern 421 #11,246
2010 modern 439 #11,121
2011 modern 422 #11,359
2012 modern 413 #11,451
2013 modern 411 #11,669
2014 modern 405 #11,880
2015 modern 390 #12,139
2016 modern 393 #12,032

Geography

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Where Wassalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kings Norton, Wednesbury, Dalton-in-Furness, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lichfield, Birmingham, Cheshire East, Medway and Tamworth. 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 Kings Norton Worcestershire
2 Wednesbury Staffordshire
3 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lichfield 008 Lichfield
2 Birmingham 056 Birmingham
3 Cheshire East 028 Cheshire East
4 Medway 018 Medway
5 Tamworth 002 Tamworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wassall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wassall

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Wassall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Wassall household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Central and City

Within London, Wassall is most associated with areas classed as Central and City, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

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Group profile

These high density central neighbourhoods are characterised by high levels of residential turnover. Few children are in evidence. Few individuals experience live with disability, with many in full-time employment or study. Levels of separation or divorce are low relative to the Supergroup average. The workforce is well-educated but not in the top flight of managerial occupations. Levels of affiliation to non-Christian religions are high.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wassall is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wassall 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 Wassall is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wassall

The surname Wassall is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "wascel," which means "a toast" or "a wassail," referring to the ancient custom of drinking to one's health or well-being. The name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who was known for their love of wassailing or participating in these festive gatherings.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Wassall can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a John Wassail is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the 14th century in the West Midlands region of England.

In the 16th century, the surname appears in various historical records, including the Parish Registers of Oxfordshire, where a William Wassall was recorded in 1592. Around the same time, a John Wassall was mentioned in the Musters of Sussex in 1588, indicating the name's presence in different parts of England.

The Wassall surname has also been associated with certain place names, such as Wassall Grove in Nottinghamshire and Wassall Hill in Staffordshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname over time, including Wassell, Warsall, and Worsall.

Notable individuals with the surname Wassall throughout history include:

1. William Wassall (c. 1540-1605), an English Catholic printer and publisher active in the late 16th century. 2. Richard Wassall (1671-1737), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas. 3. John Wassall (1736-1811), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. 4. Mary Wassall (1773-1849), an English poet and writer known for her religious works and hymns. 5. Edward Wassall (1824-1894), a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Wassall Charitable Trust in Birmingham.

The Wassall surname, with its rich history and connections to ancient English customs and traditions, continues to be a part of the diverse tapestry of British surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wassall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wassall 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. Staffordshire leads with 103 Wassalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.75x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 103 10.75x
Warwickshire 77 10.76x
Worcestershire 58 15.65x
Lancashire 11 0.33x
Shropshire 10 4.08x
Middlesex 7 0.25x
Flintshire 6 7.86x
Hampshire 5 0.86x
Monmouthshire 4 1.95x
Wiltshire 3 1.20x
Cheshire 2 0.32x
Derbyshire 2 0.45x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.58x
Kent 1 0.10x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kingswinford in Staffordshire leads with 64 Wassalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 183.96x.

Place Total Index
Kingswinford 64 183.96x
Birmingham 45 18.86x
Aston 32 16.23x
Wednesbury 16 66.83x
Kidderminster Borough 12 55.33x
Barrow In Furness 11 24.01x
Cradley 11 328.36x
Kings Norton 11 33.09x
Harborne 8 26.05x
Lye 8 129.66x
Wolverley 7 215.38x
Mold 6 86.71x
Poplar London 6 11.20x
Shrewsbury St Chad 6 69.69x
Wolverhampton 6 8.14x
Dudley 4 8.88x
Panteg 4 123.84x
Rowley Regis 4 14.98x
Northfield 3 42.67x
Whiteparish 3 280.37x
Albrighton 2 169.49x
Droxford 2 90.09x
Pedmore 2 408.16x
Shifnal 2 30.03x
Aldershot 1 5.13x
Amblecote 1 36.63x
Basford 1 5.67x
Blacon Cum Crabwall 1 434.78x
Cannock 1 5.98x
Chalfont St Peter 1 70.92x
Congleton 1 9.23x
Duffield 1 28.57x
Fareham 1 14.31x
Hackney London 1 0.63x
Litchurch 1 5.59x
Maidstone 1 3.47x
St Faith Winchester 1 36.90x
Tipton 1 3.41x
Uttoxeter 1 20.41x
Walsall Borough 1 13.44x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 22
Thomas 19
John 18
Joseph 11
James 10
Samuel 10
George 8
Alfred 3
Benjamin 3
Charles 3
Harry 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Cornelius 2
Daniel 2
Enoch 2
Ernest 2
Henry 2
Philip 2
Adam 1
Benjn. 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Edwin 1
Enoach 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Herbert 1
Isiah 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Jos.T. 1
Josiah 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Titus 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Wassall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wassall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 290 people were recorded with the Wassall surname. That placed it at #9,946 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wassall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 393 in 2016. That gives Wassall a modern rank of #12,032.

What does the Wassall surname mean?

A surname derived from the location Wassall, a village in Derbyshire, England.

What does the Wassall map show?

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