NameCensus.

UK surname

Wauchope

Derived from Scottish place names, likely referring to a valley-dwelling.

In the 1881 census there were 48 people recorded with the Wauchope surname, ranking it #26,869 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 112, ranked #28,844, down from #26,869 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheviot East, Hammersmith and Fulham and Lewes.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wauchope is 113 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 133.3%.

1881 census count

48

Ranked #26,869

Modern count

112

2016, ranked #28,844

Peak year

2013

113 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wauchope had 48 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,869 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016, ranked #28,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 57 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Wauchope surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wauchope surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wauchope 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 28 #28,274
1861 historical 36 #29,463
1881 historical 48 #26,869
1891 historical 51 #30,158
1901 historical 57 #27,846
1911 historical 4 #33,595
1997 modern 88 #28,611
1998 modern 90 #28,920
1999 modern 87 #29,398
2000 modern 94 #28,573
2001 modern 93 #28,382
2002 modern 92 #29,040
2003 modern 89 #29,380
2004 modern 87 #29,897
2005 modern 84 #30,359
2006 modern 83 #30,808
2007 modern 89 #30,383
2008 modern 95 #29,822
2009 modern 104 #28,982
2010 modern 105 #29,453
2011 modern 100 #30,058
2012 modern 107 #29,017
2013 modern 113 #28,502
2014 modern 109 #29,452
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 112 #28,844

Geography

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Where Wauchopes 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 Cheviot East, Hammersmith and Fulham, Lewes, Paisley West and Brent. 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 Cheviot East Scottish Borders
2 Hammersmith and Fulham 003 Hammersmith and Fulham
3 Lewes 013 Lewes
4 Paisley West Renfrewshire
5 Brent 021 Brent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wauchope

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wauchope

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Wauchope surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Wauchope household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Wauchope 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

Wauchope is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wauchope 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 Wauchope 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 Wauchope, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wauchope

The surname Wauchope originated in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "wache" meaning "watchman" and "hop" meaning a small valley or enclosed space, suggesting that the name may have referred to a watchman or guardian of a small valley or enclosure.

The earliest recorded use of the name Wauchope can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of documents recording the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence. One notable entry in the Ragman Rolls is Robert de Wachehope, who was a landowner from the Scottish Borders region.

The Wauchope name is also closely associated with the town of Wauchope in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. The town's name is believed to have been derived from the same Old English roots as the surname, further reinforcing the connection between the name and the geographical location.

Over the centuries, the Wauchope surname has undergone various spellings, such as Wachehope, Wahope, and Wauhope, reflecting the evolution of language and regional variations in pronunciation. One notable figure from the 16th century was Sir Robert Wauchope (c. 1502-1551), a Scottish nobleman and soldier who served as a diplomat and military commander under Mary, Queen of Scots.

In the 17th century, the Wauchope family gained prominence in Scotland, with several members holding influential positions. Robert Wauchope (1610-1662) was a Scottish landowner and politician who served as a member of the Parliament of Scotland. Another notable figure was Sir John Wauchope (1637-1705), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland.

Moving into the 18th century, General Francis Wauchope (1738-1810) was a distinguished Scottish military officer who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. He later became the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia in Canada.

In the 19th century, Archibald Geddes Wauchope (1846-1899) was a Scottish landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the Edinburghshire constituency. His son, Sir Arthur Greville Wauchope (1874-1917), followed in his footsteps and had a notable career in politics and the military, serving as a member of the British Parliament and as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army during World War I.

While these are just a few examples, the Wauchope surname has a rich history spanning centuries and has been associated with various notable figures, particularly in Scotland, where the name originated and has deep roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wauchope families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wauchope 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. Midlothian leads with 18 Wauchopes recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.71x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 18 28.71x
Lanarkshire 15 9.91x
Stirlingshire 6 34.76x
Dunbartonshire 4 31.80x
Middlesex 3 0.64x
Dumfriesshire 1 9.67x
East Lothian 1 16.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 15 Wauchopes recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.15x.

Place Total Index
Barony 15 39.15x
Airth 6 2727.27x
Newton 6 2857.14x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 19.83x
Liberton 5 515.46x
Kirkintilloch 4 233.92x
Kensington London 3 11.53x
Dalkeith 2 161.29x
Moffat 1 212.77x
Tranent 1 119.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Agnes 1
Edith 1
Helen 1

FAQ

Wauchope surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wauchope surname in 1881?

In 1881, 48 people were recorded with the Wauchope surname. That placed it at #26,869 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wauchope surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016. That gives Wauchope a modern rank of #28,844.

What does the Wauchope surname mean?

Derived from Scottish place names, likely referring to a valley-dwelling.

What does the Wauchope map show?

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