NameCensus.

UK surname

Waud

A habitational surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from Waud, England.

In the 1881 census there were 154 people recorded with the Waud surname, ranking it #15,259 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 224, ranked #18,164, down from #15,259 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity and St Michael-le-Belfry and St Olave Marygate. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, East Riding of Yorkshire and Rosemount.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Waud is 273 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.5%.

1881 census count

154

Ranked #15,259

Modern count

224

2016, ranked #18,164

Peak year

1891

273 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Waud had 154 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,259 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016, ranked #18,164.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 273 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Waud surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Waud surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Waud 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 124 #14,792
1861 historical 129 #17,271
1881 historical 154 #15,259
1891 historical 273 #11,918
1901 historical 119 #20,624
1911 historical 141 #18,571
1997 modern 238 #15,760
1998 modern 240 #16,117
1999 modern 253 #15,667
2000 modern 247 #15,864
2001 modern 247 #15,637
2002 modern 248 #15,896
2003 modern 235 #16,291
2004 modern 232 #16,539
2005 modern 232 #16,480
2006 modern 223 #17,036
2007 modern 217 #17,520
2008 modern 227 #17,196
2009 modern 227 #17,544
2010 modern 232 #17,657
2011 modern 231 #17,530
2012 modern 225 #17,733
2013 modern 226 #17,969
2014 modern 242 #17,285
2015 modern 236 #17,477
2016 modern 224 #18,164

Geography

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Where Wauds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity, St Michael-le-Belfry and St Olave Marygate and Howden. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, East Riding of Yorkshire, Rosemount and South Staffordshire. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 St Michael-le-Belfry and St Olave Marygate Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Howden Yorkshire, East Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 019 Bradford
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 040 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Rosemount Aberdeen City
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 002 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 South Staffordshire 014 South Staffordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Waud

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Waud

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Waud, 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 Waud surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Waud 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, Waud 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

Waud 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

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

Meaning and origin of Waud

The surname WAUD has its origins in England, emerging in the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "wald," meaning a wood or forest. This suggests that the name may have initially been given as a descriptive identifier to someone who lived near or worked in a wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name WAUD can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1193, where it appears as "Walda." The Pipe Rolls were financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, providing valuable insight into the names and locations of individuals during that era.

The name WAUD has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Wold, Wold Newton, and Wold Green. These place names share a similar linguistic root, further reinforcing the connection between the surname and its association with wooded or forested areas.

In the 13th century, the WAUD surname appeared in the Hundredorum Rolls, which were administrative records documenting landholders and their holdings. One such entry from 1273 mentions a Robert de Waud in Lincolnshire.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the WAUD surname. In the 16th century, John Waud (c. 1550-1615) was an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge. Another prominent figure was Sir William Waud (1576-1644), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Ripon during the reign of King Charles I.

During the 17th century, the surname WAUD appeared in various records, including the Visitation of Yorkshire in 1665, which documented the pedigrees of families in the county. One entry mentions the Waud family of Carleton, whose coat of arms featured three martlets on a red field.

In the 18th century, James Waud (1723-1795) was a notable English engraver and printmaker, known for his landscapes and architectural prints. His works were highly regarded and can be found in collections worldwide.

Another significant figure was Sir John Waud (1771-1853), a British naval officer who played a crucial role in the Napoleonic Wars. He distinguished himself in several battles, including the Battle of Trafalgar, and was knighted for his services in 1815.

The surname WAUD has persisted through the centuries, with various spellings and variations appearing in historical records. While its origins can be traced back to the woodlands of England, the name has since spread and become associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds and achievements.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Waud families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Waud 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. Yorkshire leads with 122 Wauds recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.20x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 122 8.20x
Durham 11 2.46x
Lincolnshire 7 2.91x
Surrey 7 0.96x
Middlesex 4 0.27x
Essex 1 0.34x
Kent 1 0.20x
Sussex 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity in Yorkshire leads with 19 Wauds recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.07x.

Place Total Index
Holy Trinity 19 53.07x
Crook Billy Row 11 192.31x
Hunslet 10 43.08x
Sculcoates 10 42.37x
York St Maurice 10 357.14x
Manningham 9 49.07x
Clifton In York 6 192.93x
Lambeth 6 4.58x
Morton In Gainsborough 6 1276.60x
Norton In Malton 6 333.33x
South Duffield 6 6000.00x
Naburn 5 1724.14x
York St Giles In 5 357.14x
Bradford 4 11.10x
Drax 4 2105.26x
Kensington London 4 4.79x
Southcoates 4 48.43x
Crowle 3 205.48x
Flamborough 3 416.67x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 3 43.35x
York St Cuthbert 3 220.59x
Bilbrough 2 2000.00x
Burton Leonard 2 909.09x
Acomb 1 128.21x
Battersea 1 1.81x
Bishopthorpe 1 344.83x
Eastoft 1 322.58x
Horsemonden 1 133.33x
Leeds 1 1.19x
Littlehampton 1 49.51x
Morley 1 12.92x
Soothill 1 18.59x
Steeple 1 370.37x
Swinefleet 1 156.25x
York St Martin Mklgt W 1 294.12x
York St Michael Le 1 208.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Ann 6
Sarah 5
Hannah 4
Jane 4
Annie 3
Elizabeth 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Margaret 3
Ada 2
Desdemona 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Kate 2
Alice 1
Bessy 1
Betsey 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Constance 1
Eliza 1
Ethel 1
Helen 1
Helinear 1
Hilda 1
Jessee 1
Lilian 1
Lilly 1
Lydia 1
Polly 1
Rose 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 10
William 9
John 7
Charles 5
Frederick 4
James 4
Robert 4
Thomas 4
Walter 3
Arthur 2
Elisha 2
Tom 2
W. 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Amos 1
Arni 1
Benjamin 1
C. 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
E. 1
Edward 1
Fred 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Jacob 1
Louis 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Sam 1

FAQ

Waud surname: questions and answers

How common was the Waud surname in 1881?

In 1881, 154 people were recorded with the Waud surname. That placed it at #15,259 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Waud surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 224 in 2016. That gives Waud a modern rank of #18,164.

What does the Waud surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name, possibly referring to someone from Waud, England.

What does the Waud map show?

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