NameCensus.

UK surname

Waters

An occupational surname referring to someone who lived near or worked with water, such as a sailor or fisherman.

In the 1881 census there were 12,022 people recorded with the Waters surname, ranking it #356 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 16,319, ranked #382, down from #356 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newport, Carmarthenshire and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Waters is 16,777 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.7%.

1881 census count

12,022

Ranked #356

Modern count

16,319

2016, ranked #382

Peak year

2002

16,777 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Waters had 12,022 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #356 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 16,319 in 2016, ranked #382.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14,783 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Waters surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Waters surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Waters 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 8,375 #324
1861 historical 7,795 #353
1881 historical 12,022 #356
1891 historical 12,532 #352
1901 historical 14,411 #367
1911 historical 14,783 #331
1997 modern 16,126 #374
1998 modern 16,706 #376
1999 modern 16,761 #378
2000 modern 16,765 #374
2001 modern 16,443 #372
2002 modern 16,777 #372
2003 modern 16,238 #378
2004 modern 16,127 #378
2005 modern 15,769 #378
2006 modern 15,745 #381
2007 modern 15,795 #383
2008 modern 15,910 #382
2009 modern 16,234 #386
2010 modern 16,604 #384
2011 modern 16,357 #384
2012 modern 16,051 #384
2013 modern 16,419 #382
2014 modern 16,497 #383
2015 modern 16,353 #383
2016 modern 16,319 #382

Geography

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Where Waters' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, St Pancras and Bedwelty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newport, Carmarthenshire, Wiltshire, Neath Port Talbot and Monmouthshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Bedwelty Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newport 004 Newport
2 Carmarthenshire 027 Carmarthenshire
3 Wiltshire 060 Wiltshire
4 Neath Port Talbot 014 Neath Port Talbot
5 Monmouthshire 011 Monmouthshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Waters

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Waters

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Waters is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Waters is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Waters falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Waters

The surname Waters originated in England during the medieval period. It is a topographic name that refers to someone who lived near a body of water, such as a river, lake, or stream. The name is derived from the Old English word "waeter," which means water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Waters surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Watere." This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various records with different spellings, such as "Atte Watere," "Ater Watere," and "de la Water." These variations reflect the influence of Norman French on the English language during that time.

The Waters surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Water Newton in Cambridgeshire and Waterhead in Cumbria. These place names likely contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname in those areas.

One notable figure with the surname Waters was John Waters (1628-1692), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Northampton during the reign of Charles II. Another was Thomas Waters (1738-1798), an English composer and organist known for his church music.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Waters surname dates back to the 17th century. John Waters (1666-1744) was an English-born merchant who settled in Philadelphia and became a prominent figure in the city's commerce and politics.

Sarah Waters (born 1966) is a contemporary Welsh novelist known for her novels set in Victorian England, such as "Tipping the Velvet" and "Fingersmith." Her works explore themes of gender, sexuality, and social class during that era.

Another famous individual with the surname is Roger Waters (born 1943), the co-founder, bassist, and principal songwriter of the legendary English rock band Pink Floyd. He is renowned for his conceptual albums and lyrical explorations of various sociopolitical themes.

Overall, the Waters surname has a long and rich history, originating from England and reflecting the country's linguistic and geographical influences over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Waters families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Waters 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. Kent leads with 1,352 Waters' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.38x.

County Total Index
Kent 1,352 3.38x
Middlesex 1,117 0.95x
Lancashire 819 0.59x
Surrey 700 1.22x
Monmouthshire 539 6.35x
Norfolk 502 2.78x
Yorkshire 491 0.42x
Sussex 461 2.33x
Cornwall 453 3.41x
Durham 421 1.21x
Northumberland 309 1.77x
Hampshire 291 1.21x
Glamorgan 289 1.41x
Wiltshire 278 2.68x
Warwickshire 276 0.93x
Caithness 246 15.31x
Lanarkshire 246 0.65x
Gloucestershire 236 1.03x
Northamptonshire 226 2.05x
Suffolk 209 1.46x
Lincolnshire 176 0.94x
Essex 175 0.76x
Pembrokeshire 160 4.29x
Berkshire 132 1.50x
Midlothian 130 0.83x
Cumberland 119 1.18x
Worcestershire 115 0.75x
Cambridgeshire 112 1.51x
Somerset 99 0.52x
Cheshire 98 0.38x
Staffordshire 92 0.23x
Derbyshire 88 0.48x
Nottinghamshire 79 0.50x
Devon 72 0.29x
Fife 70 1.01x
Renfrewshire 69 0.76x
Hertfordshire 65 0.80x
Oxfordshire 65 0.90x
Leicestershire 56 0.43x
Brecknockshire 52 2.22x
Dorset 50 0.65x
Shropshire 45 0.44x
Bedfordshire 42 0.69x
Carmarthenshire 36 0.73x
Buckinghamshire 32 0.45x
Dunbartonshire 28 0.89x
Angus 26 0.24x
Huntingdonshire 26 1.12x
Perthshire 26 0.49x
Royal Navy 20 1.43x
Ayrshire 17 0.19x
Montgomeryshire 16 0.59x
Aberdeenshire 15 0.14x
Roxburghshire 15 0.71x
Channel Islands 13 0.37x
Dumfriesshire 13 0.50x
Buteshire 10 1.41x
Westmorland 10 0.39x
Inverness-shire 9 0.26x
Stirlingshire 9 0.21x
Sutherland 9 1.00x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 0.41x
Morayshire 7 0.38x
Wigtownshire 7 0.45x
Clackmannanshire 6 0.62x
Herefordshire 6 0.12x
Kinross-shire 5 1.69x
Berwickshire 4 0.28x
Cardiganshire 4 0.14x
East Lothian 4 0.26x
Isle of Man 4 0.18x
Orkney 4 0.31x
Argyllshire 3 0.09x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.06x
Peeblesshire 3 0.54x
Selkirkshire 3 0.28x
Denbighshire 2 0.05x
Flintshire 2 0.06x
Kincardineshire 2 0.14x
Rutland 2 0.23x
West Lothian 2 0.11x
Radnorshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 133 Waters' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.17x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 133 1.17x
Lambeth 120 1.17x
St Pancras London 108 1.14x
Govan 103 1.10x
Camberwell 102 1.36x
Liverpool 93 1.10x
Maidstone 92 7.71x
St Marylebone London 92 1.47x
Wick 77 14.83x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 72 1.14x
Barony 71 0.74x
Deptford St Paul 65 2.10x
Great Yarmouth 61 4.08x
Battersea 60 1.39x
Hackney London 59 0.90x
Middleton Cheney 58 120.58x
Birmingham 57 0.58x
Portsea 57 1.21x
Bishopwearmouth 55 1.83x
Bower 55 84.97x
Kensington London 55 0.84x
Tonbridge 52 3.60x
Croydon 51 1.61x
Whitstable 51 25.96x
Gateshead 50 1.91x
St Woollos 50 5.28x
Manchester 48 0.77x
Aston 47 0.58x
Camborne 43 7.85x
Pendleton In Salford 43 2.59x
Shoreditch London 42 0.83x
Thurso 42 16.75x
West Ham 42 0.82x
Chelsea London 41 1.16x
Newington 41 0.95x
Trevethin 41 5.12x
Cleator 40 9.51x
St George Hanover 40 2.61x
Cirencester 39 12.51x
Woolwich 39 2.64x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 38 2.51x
Kenwyn 38 10.93x
Nottingham St Mary 38 0.93x
Brighton 37 0.93x
Everton 37 0.83x
Milton In Gravesend 37 6.16x
Bromley 36 5.90x
Lowestoft 36 5.33x
East Grinstead 35 12.49x
St Andrews 35 11.07x
St Just In Penwith 35 13.57x
Bedwellty 34 2.27x
Christchurch 34 12.95x
Hammersmith London 34 1.18x
Merthyr Tydfil 33 1.68x
Ardwick 32 2.55x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 32 1.48x
Northfleet 32 9.07x
Chepstow 31 21.45x
Kingston On Thames 31 2.26x
Southwold 31 36.63x
St Issells 31 39.31x
Toxteth Park 31 0.66x
West Derby 31 0.76x
Blackrod 30 17.33x
Finchley 30 6.67x
Goudhurst 30 27.06x
Paddington London 30 0.70x
Shalbourn 30 90.83x
Bedminster 29 1.63x
Coventry Holy Trinity 29 3.28x
Mile End Old Town 29 1.57x
St Luke London 29 1.54x
Aberystruth 28 3.74x
Clerkenwell London 28 1.01x
Coventry St Michael 28 2.94x
Hastings St Mary In The 28 6.63x
Kirkdale 28 1.20x
St Agnes 28 15.04x
Glasgow 27 0.40x
Southwark St George Martyr 27 1.14x
Bletchingley 26 34.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 828
Elizabeth 424
Sarah 362
Jane 216
Ann 205
Eliza 183
Annie 161
Emma 153
Ellen 149
Alice 143
Emily 128
Margaret 115
Hannah 112
Martha 102
Louisa 88
Charlotte 82
Edith 75
Catherine 72
Florence 70
Caroline 68
Harriet 68
Maria 62
Kate 54
Agnes 51
Susan 50
Fanny 49
Rose 47
Anne 44
Frances 44
Ada 42
Harriett 40
Lucy 39
Amelia 36
Clara 36
Isabella 34
Rebecca 29
Matilda 28
Jessie 26
Minnie 25
Amy 24
Esther 24
Bridget 23
Grace 23
Julia 23
Laura 22
Sophia 22
Eleanor 19
Anna 18
Bessie 18
Rachel 18

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 711
John 602
Thomas 402
George 398
James 348
Charles 241
Henry 223
Joseph 133
Robert 129
Alfred 116
Samuel 103
Edward 99
Arthur 96
Frederick 94
Richard 93
Albert 74
Walter 63
Harry 55
David 52
Frank 50
Edwin 42
Benjamin 41
Ernest 40
Stephen 38
Daniel 35
Herbert 35
Patrick 35
Wm. 30
Michael 28
Peter 28
Francis 24
Fred 22
Isaac 22
Mark 22
Thos. 22
Alexander 20
Chas. 17
Sidney 15
Fredk. 14
Tom 14
Edmund 13
Sydney 13
Edgar 12
Percy 12
Jno. 11
Willm. 11
Philip 10
Geo. 8
Horace 8
Jesse 8

Top occupations

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 Waters households.

FAQ

Waters surname: questions and answers

How common was the Waters surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12,022 people were recorded with the Waters surname. That placed it at #356 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Waters surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 16,319 in 2016. That gives Waters a modern rank of #382.

What does the Waters surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who lived near or worked with water, such as a sailor or fisherman.

What does the Waters map show?

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