NameCensus.

UK surname

Wearmouth

A locational surname referring to someone from Wearmouth, a place near Sunderland, England.

In the 1881 census there were 408 people recorded with the Wearmouth surname, ranking it #7,852 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 561, ranked #9,145, down from #7,852 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Walsingham, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside and Auckland St Andrew. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Eden, County Durham and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wearmouth is 638 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.5%.

1881 census count

408

Ranked #7,852

Modern count

561

2016, ranked #9,145

Peak year

1911

638 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wearmouth had 408 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,852 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 561 in 2016, ranked #9,145.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 638 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wearmouth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wearmouth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wearmouth 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 231 #9,334
1861 historical 262 #9,458
1881 historical 408 #7,852
1891 historical 484 #7,621
1901 historical 563 #7,409
1911 historical 638 #6,534
1997 modern 548 #8,679
1998 modern 562 #8,765
1999 modern 587 #8,569
2000 modern 566 #8,744
2001 modern 556 #8,732
2002 modern 552 #8,961
2003 modern 543 #8,932
2004 modern 550 #8,865
2005 modern 546 #8,827
2006 modern 536 #8,994
2007 modern 540 #9,015
2008 modern 542 #9,074
2009 modern 570 #8,920
2010 modern 596 #8,831
2011 modern 588 #8,825
2012 modern 578 #8,847
2013 modern 572 #9,042
2014 modern 569 #9,132
2015 modern 573 #9,028
2016 modern 561 #9,145

Geography

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Where Wearmouths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Walsingham, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Auckland St Andrew, Middleton-in-Teesdale and Stanhope. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Eden, County Durham and Northumberland. 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 Walsingham Durham
2 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
3 Auckland St Andrew Durham
4 Middleton-in-Teesdale Durham
5 Stanhope Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Eden 007 Eden
2 County Durham 065 County Durham
3 County Durham 042 County Durham
4 County Durham 066 County Durham
5 Northumberland 020 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wearmouth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wearmouth

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Wearmouth surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Wearmouth household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Wearmouth is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wearmouth 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

Wearmouth falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wearmouth 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 Wearmouth, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wearmouth

The surname Wearmouth originated in England, specifically in the northeastern county of Durham. It can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period, likely around the 7th or 8th century CE. The name is derived from the Old English words "wer" meaning "winding" and "mutha" meaning "mouth" or "estuary." This suggests that the name originally referred to a person who lived near a winding river mouth or estuary.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wearmouth can be found in the renowned Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Weremuda," referring to the area now known as Wearmouth, located on the River Wear.

In the 12th century, the name Wearmouth was associated with the Benedictine monastery of St. Peter and St. Paul, commonly known as Wearmouth-Jarrow Abbey. This influential monastic community was founded in 674 CE by Benedict Biscop and was renowned for its scholarship and production of the Codex Amiatinus, one of the earliest surviving copies of the Vulgate Bible.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Wearmouth include:

1. Thomas Wearmouth (c. 1590-1662), an English Catholic priest and writer who was a member of the Benedictine Order. 2. John Wearmouth (c. 1620-1677), an English merchant and landowner who served as the Mayor of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1671. 3. William Wearmouth (1744-1819), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. 4. Elizabeth Wearmouth (1779-1858), a renowned English author and poet known for her works on religious themes. 5. Robert Wearmouth (1834-1912), a British industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Wearmouth Colliery in County Durham and made significant contributions to the local community.

The surname Wearmouth is also associated with various place names in northeastern England, such as Wearmouth Bridge, Wearmouth Colliery, and Wearmouth Hall, reflecting the historical significance of the name in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wearmouth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wearmouth 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. Durham leads with 324 Wearmouths recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.30x.

County Total Index
Durham 324 27.30x
Yorkshire 44 1.11x
Westmorland 22 25.09x
Northumberland 13 2.19x
Middlesex 3 0.08x
Surrey 2 0.10x
Derbyshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stanhope in Durham leads with 80 Wearmouths recorded in 1881 and an index of 652.53x.

Place Total Index
Stanhope 80 652.53x
Newbiggin 33 3928.57x
Evenwood Barony 18 445.54x
Coundon Grange 16 615.38x
Bishop Auckland 15 94.22x
Mickleton 14 1538.46x
Darlington 11 24.00x
Shotton 11 375.43x
Crook Billy Row 10 65.79x
Stainmore 10 1470.59x
Auckland St Helen 9 720.00x
Cotherston 9 1034.48x
Forest Frith 9 865.38x
Willington 9 131.20x
Ellerton Upon Swale 8 3478.26x
Gateshead 8 9.00x
East Thickley 7 290.46x
Ryhope 7 84.95x
Shildon 7 73.38x
Bowes 6 652.17x
Hilbeck 6 7500.00x
Middleton In Teesdale 6 191.69x
Newbrough 6 571.43x
Birtley 5 103.31x
Chester Le Street 5 54.88x
Eldon 5 265.96x
Ferryhill 5 120.48x
Framwellgate 5 71.12x
Esh 4 46.30x
Garmondsway Moor 4 1904.76x
Kyo 4 71.56x
Mallerstang 4 1081.08x
Sunderland Bridge 4 212.77x
West Auckland 4 92.17x
Witton Gilbert 4 85.29x
Elswick 3 6.33x
Gainford 3 243.90x
Hexham 3 32.64x
Wolsingham 3 27.73x
Camberwell 2 0.78x
Holwick 2 625.00x
Plawsworth 2 155.04x
St George Hanover 2 3.84x
Sunderland 2 9.54x
Thornley 2 46.51x
Chelsea London 1 0.83x
Chesterfield 1 4.27x
Elvet 1 11.67x
Lamesley 1 15.65x
Lanchester 1 45.87x
Lartington 1 344.83x
Lunedale 1 188.68x
Marton In Middlesbrough 1 69.44x
Merrington 1 43.86x
Middleton 1 312.50x
Rastrick 1 9.11x
Ravenstonedale 1 81.97x
Sedbergh 1 68.49x
St Giles 1 13.50x
Warden 1 82.64x
Westwick 1 1000.00x
Witton Le Wear 1 29.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 38
Margaret 21
Elizabeth 18
Jane 17
Ann 15
Sarah 11
Hannah 7
Isabella 7
Annie 6
Frances 5
Martha 5
Ellen 4
Margret 3
Margt. 3
Eleanor 2
Maria 2
Nancy 2
Rebecca 2
Susanna 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Anne 1
Barbary 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Deborah 1
Eleonor 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Elizh. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Harriet 1
Harriot 1
John 1
Lizzie 1
M. 1
Mable 1
Maggie 1
Margart 1
Margery 1
Meggie 1
Philis 1
Phoeby 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 40
Joseph 28
William 26
Thomas 17
George 16
Robert 15
Nicholas 7
Wm. 5
Abraham 3
Charles 3
David 3
Henry 3
James 3
Lancelott 3
Mark 3
Matthew 3
Richard 3
Robt. 3
Thos. 3
Isaac 2
Jonathan 2
Cecil 1
Earnest 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
J. 1
Jno.Wm. 1
Joselph 1
Luke 1
Margaret 1
Michael 1
Nicol 1
Oliver 1
Osborn 1
Peter 1
Ralph 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Wearmouth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wearmouth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 408 people were recorded with the Wearmouth surname. That placed it at #7,852 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wearmouth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 561 in 2016. That gives Wearmouth a modern rank of #9,145.

What does the Wearmouth surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Wearmouth, a place near Sunderland, England.

What does the Wearmouth map show?

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