NameCensus.

UK surname

Wathey

An English surname thought to derive from a place name referring to a valley or marshland.

In the 1881 census there were 42 people recorded with the Wathey surname, ranking it #27,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 144, ranked #24,390, up from #27,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stockton-on-Tees, Wakefield and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wathey is 183 in 2001. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 242.9%.

1881 census count

42

Ranked #27,721

Modern count

144

2016, ranked #24,390

Peak year

2001

183 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wathey had 42 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016, ranked #24,390.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 83 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Wathey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wathey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wathey 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 25 #28,853
1861 historical 76 #24,114
1881 historical 42 #27,721
1891 historical 53 #29,946
1901 historical 81 #25,130
1911 historical 83 #24,531
1997 modern 140 #22,031
1998 modern 153 #21,387
1999 modern 172 #20,009
2000 modern 172 #19,974
2001 modern 183 #18,980
2002 modern 178 #19,671
2003 modern 172 #19,893
2004 modern 169 #20,206
2005 modern 161 #20,799
2006 modern 166 #20,534
2007 modern 175 #20,090
2008 modern 170 #20,672
2009 modern 174 #20,782
2010 modern 172 #21,404
2011 modern 170 #21,407
2012 modern 168 #21,516
2013 modern 160 #22,621
2014 modern 153 #23,537
2015 modern 145 #24,246
2016 modern 144 #24,390

Geography

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Where Watheys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stockton-on-Tees, Wakefield and Barnsley. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stockton-on-Tees 004 Stockton-on-Tees
2 Wakefield 044 Wakefield
3 Wakefield 043 Wakefield
4 Wakefield 045 Wakefield
5 Barnsley 013 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wathey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wathey

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Wathey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Wathey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Wathey 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

Wathey is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wathey 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 Wathey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wathey

The surname Wathey has its roots in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "wath," which means a ford or shallow crossing in a river. This suggests that the name may have been derived from a place name associated with a location near a ford or river crossing.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, where it is recorded as "Wathay." This spelling variation highlights the fluid nature of surnames during that period, as they often evolved based on local dialects and phonetic adaptations.

While the Wathey surname does not appear in the famous Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 for William the Conqueror, it is possible that the name's origins can be traced back to the pre-Norman era, as many English place names and surnames have roots in Anglo-Saxon and Old English words.

During the Middle Ages, the Wathey family is believed to have been concentrated in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. One notable figure from this period was Robert de Wathey, a landowner mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1303.

As time progressed, the surname spread to other parts of England, and various spellings emerged, such as Wathey, Wathy, and Wathe. In the 16th century, records show a John Wathey born in 1541 in Yorkshire, who was a prominent merchant and landowner.

Another individual of note was William Wathey, born in 1602 in Lincolnshire, who was a respected scholar and author of several theological works. His writings were widely circulated during the Puritan era and influenced the religious discourse of the time.

In the 18th century, the Wathey family continued to contribute to various fields. Thomas Wathey (1726-1803) was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including St. George's Church in Bloomsbury.

Moving into the 19th century, a notable figure was James Wathey (1819-1891), a pioneering industrialist from Yorkshire who played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in the region.

Throughout its history, the Wathey surname has been associated with various professions and achievements, from landowners and merchants to scholars and industrialists. While not a widespread name, it has left its mark on the annals of English history, tracing its origins back to the early medieval period and the Old English language.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wathey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wathey 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. Derbyshire leads with 20 Watheys recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.19x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 20 31.19x
Lancashire 12 2.47x
Leicestershire 7 15.42x
Brecknockshire 1 12.21x
Wiltshire 1 2.76x
Yorkshire 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. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 11 Watheys recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.32x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 11 50.32x
Hugglescote 7 1044.78x
Ilkeston 7 388.89x
West Hallam 7 8750.00x
Derby St Peter 3 147.06x
Codnor Loscoe 2 392.16x
Barnsley 1 23.87x
Hilperton 1 833.33x
Hulme 1 9.85x
Llanhamlach 1 2500.00x
Wirksworth 1 172.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 7
Thomas 3
John 2
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Jethra 1

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 Wathey households.

FAQ

Wathey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wathey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 42 people were recorded with the Wathey surname. That placed it at #27,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wathey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016. That gives Wathey a modern rank of #24,390.

What does the Wathey surname mean?

An English surname thought to derive from a place name referring to a valley or marshland.

What does the Wathey map show?

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