NameCensus.

UK surname

Waylett

An occupational surname from Middle English referring to a waylayer, guard, or gatekeeper.

In the 1881 census there were 143 people recorded with the Waylett surname, ranking it #15,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 101, ranked #30,929, down from #15,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Braintree, Burstead, Great and Silkstone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Camden, Wealden and Braintree.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Waylett is 205 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 29.4%.

1881 census count

143

Ranked #15,955

Modern count

101

2016, ranked #30,929

Peak year

1911

205 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Waylett had 143 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016, ranked #30,929.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 205 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Waylett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Waylett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Waylett 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 129 #14,406
1861 historical 94 #21,883
1881 historical 143 #15,955
1891 historical 177 #16,330
1901 historical 175 #16,469
1911 historical 205 #14,733
1997 modern 107 #25,924
1998 modern 108 #26,417
1999 modern 109 #26,439
2000 modern 109 #26,381
2001 modern 108 #26,184
2002 modern 112 #26,165
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 101 #27,813
2005 modern 99 #28,177
2006 modern 101 #28,125
2007 modern 102 #28,351
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 103 #29,127
2010 modern 101 #30,078
2011 modern 94 #31,016
2012 modern 95 #31,107
2013 modern 108 #29,379
2014 modern 108 #29,658
2015 modern 104 #30,269
2016 modern 101 #30,929

Geography

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Where Wayletts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Braintree, Burstead, Great, Silkstone, London parishes and Clavering. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Camden, Wealden, Braintree, Reigate and Banstead and Bournemouth. 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 Braintree Essex
2 Burstead, Great Essex
3 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
4 London parishes London 3
5 Clavering Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Camden 005 Camden
2 Wealden 007 Wealden
3 Braintree 016 Braintree
4 Reigate and Banstead 006 Reigate and Banstead
5 Bournemouth 016 Bournemouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Waylett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Waylett

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Waylett is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Waylett 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

Waylett 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 Waylett is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Waylett

The surname Waylett has its origins in medieval England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "weg" meaning "way" or "path" and "leah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow". This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a clearing along a pathway or road.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Waylett surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a certain William Waylet is mentioned. The name appears to have been concentrated in the West Midlands region of England during the Middle Ages, particularly in Worcestershire and neighboring counties.

In the 15th century, the surname is found in various spellings such as Weylett, Wailett, and Waylette. These variations likely reflect the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping during that time period.

The Waylett name is also associated with several place names in England, such as Waylett's Green in Cheshire and Waylett's Farm in Gloucestershire. These locations may have been named after individuals bearing the Waylett surname, or the names could have influenced the surname's development.

One notable figure in the history of the Waylett surname was John Waylett (c. 1500-1568), a prominent merchant and landowner in Warwickshire. He was known for his successful wool trade and acquired considerable wealth and property during his lifetime.

Another individual of note was Thomas Waylett (1632-1701), a Puritan minister and author from Worcestershire. He wrote several religious treatises and was active in the non-conformist movement during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, the Waylett family had a presence in the village of Ombersley, Worcestershire. Among them was Richard Waylett (1720-1789), a farmer and landowner who played a role in the local community.

The 19th century saw the Waylett name spread to other parts of England and beyond. One notable figure was William Waylett (1809-1887), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Gloucestershire. He made his fortune in the textile industry and contributed generously to various charitable causes.

Another individual of significance was Emily Waylett (1856-1932), a pioneering educator and feminist from Warwickshire. She was instrumental in establishing several schools for girls and advocating for women's rights and education.

While the Waylett surname may not be among the most common in modern times, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the English countryside and the lives of individuals who made their mark across various fields over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Waylett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Waylett 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. Essex leads with 55 Wayletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.98x.

County Total Index
Essex 55 19.98x
Surrey 34 5.00x
Middlesex 25 1.79x
Hertfordshire 11 11.44x
Suffolk 7 4.12x
Yorkshire 6 0.43x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.19x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.13x
Kent 1 0.21x
Lancashire 1 0.06x
Sussex 1 0.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hutton in Essex leads with 15 Wayletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 6818.18x.

Place Total Index
Hutton 15 6818.18x
Bermondsey 12 28.90x
Newington 11 21.35x
Bishop Stortford 10 311.53x
Great Burstead 10 1000.00x
Ealing 7 56.18x
Thundersley 7 2800.00x
Barnsley 6 42.08x
Fairsted 5 3571.43x
St Pancras London 5 4.45x
Streatham 5 48.31x
Beyton 4 2500.00x
Chelmsford 4 84.75x
Clavering 4 800.00x
Islington London 4 2.96x
Widford 4 2857.14x
Bethnal Green London 2 3.30x
Bow London 2 11.27x
Buttsbury 2 909.09x
Camberwell 2 2.24x
Tostock 2 1176.47x
Tottenham 2 9.01x
Beddington 1 38.02x
Braintree 1 40.49x
Bures St Mary 1 384.62x
Clerkenwell London 1 3.04x
Farnham Royal 1 200.00x
Furneux Pelham 1 370.37x
Great Bolton 1 4.56x
Hastings St Mary 1 17.09x
Lambeth 1 0.82x
Little Bardfield 1 588.24x
Mundon 1 666.67x
Reigate Foreign 1 13.59x
St Marylebone London 1 1.34x
Stoke Newington London 1 9.21x
Tonbridge 1 5.83x
Walsham Le Willows 1 175.44x
Wandsworth 1 7.45x
Wisbech St Peter 1 22.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Sarah 9
Annie 8
Alice 4
Jane 4
Elizabeth 3
Emma 3
Florence 3
Caroline 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Ada 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Clara 1
Elizh. 1
Ellen 1
Honor 1
Infant 1
Isabella 1
Jeanette 1
Jenie 1
Jessey 1
Lois 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Rebekah 1
Ruth 1
Thurza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
William 9
Charles 8
James 7
George 5
Henry 3
Walter 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Chas. 2
Richard 2
Abraham 1
Elizabeth 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.J. 1
Fredrick 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Joe 1
Joseph 1
Lulin 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Wm.R. 1

FAQ

Waylett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Waylett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 143 people were recorded with the Waylett surname. That placed it at #15,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Waylett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 101 in 2016. That gives Waylett a modern rank of #30,929.

What does the Waylett surname mean?

An occupational surname from Middle English referring to a waylayer, guard, or gatekeeper.

What does the Waylett map show?

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