NameCensus.

UK surname

Watret

In the 1881 census there were 59 people recorded with the Watret surname, ranking it #25,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 278, ranked #15,579, up from #25,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Dalton and Dumfries. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North West Leicestershire, Charnwood and Summerston North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Watret is 281 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 371.2%.

1881 census count

59

Ranked #25,281

Modern count

278

2016, ranked #15,579

Peak year

2014

281 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Watret had 59 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 278 in 2016, ranked #15,579.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 146 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Watret surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Watret surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Watret 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 52 #23,915
1861 historical 84 #23,058
1881 historical 59 #25,281
1891 historical 98 #24,313
1901 historical 146 #18,335
1911 historical 22 #31,030
1997 modern 259 #14,912
1998 modern 269 #14,941
1999 modern 265 #15,187
2000 modern 268 #15,018
2001 modern 263 #14,999
2002 modern 262 #15,327
2003 modern 263 #15,109
2004 modern 263 #15,189
2005 modern 268 #14,905
2006 modern 262 #15,255
2007 modern 265 #15,295
2008 modern 268 #15,311
2009 modern 263 #15,843
2010 modern 269 #15,935
2011 modern 272 #15,653
2012 modern 275 #15,459
2013 modern 276 #15,683
2014 modern 281 #15,583
2015 modern 276 #15,673
2016 modern 278 #15,579

Geography

Back to top

Where Watrets are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Dalton, Dumfries, Closeburn and Kirkmahoe. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North West Leicestershire, Charnwood, Summerston North and Annandale West. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Dalton Dumfries
3 Dumfries Dumfries
4 Closeburn Dumfries
5 Kirkmahoe Dumfries

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North West Leicestershire 007 North West Leicestershire
2 Charnwood 006 Charnwood
3 Charnwood 005 Charnwood
4 Summerston North Glasgow City
5 Annandale West Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Watret

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Watret

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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, Watret 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

Watret is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Watret falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Watret is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Watret families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Watret 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. Dumfriesshire leads with 46 Watrets recorded in 1881 and an index of 355.76x.

County Total Index
Dumfriesshire 46 355.76x
Lanarkshire 7 3.70x
Ayrshire 3 6.85x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 35.42x
Cumberland 1 1.98x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kirkmahoe in Dumfriesshire leads with 31 Watrets recorded in 1881 and an index of 12400.00x.

Place Total Index
Kirkmahoe 31 12400.00x
Dalton 12 10000.00x
Govan 7 14.96x
New Cumnock 3 394.74x
Troqueer 2 180.18x
Dryfesdale 1 166.67x
Glencairn 1 285.71x
Newabbey 1 555.56x
Stanwix 1 243.90x
Tinwald 1 588.24x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 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 Watret households.

Occupation Count
Gardener 1

FAQ

Watret surname: questions and answers

How common was the Watret surname in 1881?

In 1881, 59 people were recorded with the Watret surname. That placed it at #25,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Watret surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 278 in 2016. That gives Watret a modern rank of #15,579.

What does the Watret map show?

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