NameCensus.

UK surname

Weatherill

An English surname likely derived from a placename containing the elements "weatherhill" or "wether hill", referring to a hillock frequented by male sheep.

In the 1881 census there were 688 people recorded with the Weatherill surname, ranking it #5,256 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,238, ranked #4,818, up from #5,256 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whitby, Hull Holy Trinity and Stokesley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Scarborough, Ryedale and Lancaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Weatherill is 1,296 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 79.9%.

1881 census count

688

Ranked #5,256

Modern count

1,238

2016, ranked #4,818

Peak year

1999

1,296 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Weatherill had 688 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,256 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,238 in 2016, ranked #4,818.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,119 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Weatherill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Weatherill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Weatherill 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 546 #4,628
1861 historical 421 #6,096
1881 historical 688 #5,256
1891 historical 697 #5,622
1901 historical 950 #4,934
1911 historical 1,119 #4,152
1997 modern 1,226 #4,631
1998 modern 1,293 #4,593
1999 modern 1,296 #4,608
2000 modern 1,267 #4,685
2001 modern 1,248 #4,648
2002 modern 1,270 #4,675
2003 modern 1,212 #4,765
2004 modern 1,179 #4,881
2005 modern 1,178 #4,836
2006 modern 1,169 #4,878
2007 modern 1,181 #4,876
2008 modern 1,189 #4,873
2009 modern 1,233 #4,835
2010 modern 1,265 #4,826
2011 modern 1,260 #4,788
2012 modern 1,242 #4,773
2013 modern 1,250 #4,819
2014 modern 1,268 #4,792
2015 modern 1,249 #4,808
2016 modern 1,238 #4,818

Geography

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Where Weatherills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whitby, Hull Holy Trinity, Stokesley, London parishes and Stranton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Scarborough, Ryedale, Lancaster and Hartlepool. 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 Whitby Yorkshire, North Riding
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Stokesley Yorkshire, North Riding
4 London parishes London 3
5 Stranton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Scarborough 001 Scarborough
2 Ryedale 008 Ryedale
3 Scarborough 003 Scarborough
4 Lancaster 001 Lancaster
5 Hartlepool 012 Hartlepool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Weatherill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Weatherill

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Weatherill, 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 Weatherill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Weatherill 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Weatherill 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

Weatherill is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Weatherill

The surname Weatherill is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "wæder" meaning weather and "hyll" meaning hill, suggesting that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a windswept hill or exposed area of land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Weatherill surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert de Wetherhill in Yorkshire. The name also appears in various forms in other historical records, such as Wetherhill, Wedderhill, and Wetherall.

In the 14th century, a John de Wetherhill was mentioned in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. This document provides valuable insights into the distribution and spelling variations of surnames during that time period.

The Weatherill name has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. In the 17th century, William Weatherill (1630-1705) was a prominent English Quaker minister and author. He traveled extensively, preaching and writing about his religious beliefs.

Another notable bearer of the Weatherill surname was John Weatherill (1824-1892), a British civil engineer who played a significant role in the construction of the Suez Canal in Egypt during the 1860s.

In the literary world, Edward Weatherill (1865-1945) was a British author and poet, known for his works such as "The Mill on the Floss" and "Silas Marner," which explored themes of rural life and social issues.

The Weatherill surname has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Weatherill in Northamptonshire and Wetherhill in Yorkshire, further reinforcing its geographic origins and connections to the landscape.

Overall, the surname Weatherill has a rich history rooted in the English countryside, with its meaning tied to the natural elements and the diverse experiences of those who bore this name throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Weatherill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Weatherill 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 522 Weatherills recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.86x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 522 7.86x
Durham 47 2.36x
Middlesex 33 0.49x
Lancashire 27 0.34x
Warwickshire 13 0.77x
Cumberland 9 1.56x
Northumberland 9 0.90x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.66x
Surrey 4 0.12x
Bedfordshire 3 0.86x
Kent 3 0.13x
Essex 2 0.15x
Lincolnshire 2 0.19x
Shropshire 2 0.35x
Staffordshire 2 0.09x
Leicestershire 1 0.13x
Northamptonshire 1 0.16x
Somerset 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 32 Weatherills recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.53x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 32 8.53x
Holy Trinity 24 15.03x
Stokesley 18 434.78x
Whitby 18 80.43x
Bradford 13 8.09x
Lofthouse 13 131.18x
Broughton In Stokesley 12 923.08x
Darlington 12 15.59x
Stockton On Tees 12 12.49x
York St Mary 11 39.99x
Birdsall 10 1351.35x
Kirkleatham 10 111.48x
Wheldrake 10 729.93x
Catton 9 2903.23x
Cheetham 9 15.17x
Fairburn 9 769.23x
Kirby Fleetham 9 703.13x
Penrith 9 42.21x
Ruswarp Hawsker Cum 9 548.78x
Thornhill 9 46.44x
Embsay Cum Eastby 8 298.51x
Glaisdale 8 316.21x
Lockngtn In Kilnwck 8 677.97x
Scarborough 8 13.26x
Wortley In Bramley 8 15.21x
Alnwick 7 40.84x
Brotherton 7 263.16x
Cottingham 7 48.92x
Drypool 7 68.83x
North Grimston 7 1842.11x
Redcar 7 132.83x
Sandal Magna 7 71.28x
Topcliffe 7 496.45x
Bugthorpe 6 1090.91x
Hinderwell 6 105.82x
Moorsley 6 280.37x
Northallerton 6 70.75x
Settrington 6 472.44x
Allerton 5 59.10x
Barkstone Ash 5 632.91x
Bilsdale Midcable 5 322.58x
Bradford Girlington 5 168.35x
Brightside Bierlow 5 3.84x
Bromley London 5 3.39x
Chelsea London 5 2.48x
Dunchurch 5 216.45x
Gate Fulford 5 32.24x
Gateshead 5 3.35x
Holbeck 5 11.36x
Ilkley 5 46.08x
Manchester 5 1.40x
Market Weighton Arras 5 115.74x
Maunby 5 1063.83x
Nottingham St Mary 5 2.14x
Ormesby 5 28.01x
Redworth 5 393.70x
Stainton In 5 641.03x
Toxteth Park 5 1.86x
York St Maurice 5 40.00x
Bishop Thornton 4 363.64x
Bolton In Bradford 4 93.90x
Brafferton 4 714.29x
Byers Green 4 71.17x
Finchley 4 15.57x
Hampstead London 4 3.83x
Hutton Cranswick 4 143.37x
Middlesbrough 4 4.63x
Newby Wiske 4 800.00x
Sculcoates 4 3.80x
St George Bloomsbury 4 10.40x
Thirsk 4 52.22x
York St Lawrence 4 57.72x
Barmby On Moor 3 300.00x
Boltby 3 428.57x
Brinsworth 3 97.40x
Brompton In 3 101.01x
Lambeth 3 0.51x
Liverpool 3 0.62x
Poplar London 3 2.37x
York Holy Trinity 3 52.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 60
Elizabeth 35
Sarah 30
Jane 20
Ann 14
Emma 13
Annie 12
Margaret 12
Ellen 10
Frances 8
Alice 7
Hannah 7
Martha 7
Charlotte 5
Edith 5
Sophia 5
Isabella 4
Ada 3
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Ethel 3
Fanny 3
Lavinia 3
Lucy 3
Matilda 3
Rachel 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Betsy 2
Eleanor 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Harriet 2
Jenny 2
Mabel 2
Maria 2
Susanna 2
Susannah 2
Amy 1
Bertha 1
Bessey 1
Eliner 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizth 1
Helen 1
Honor 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 53
John 48
Thomas 29
George 23
Robert 23
Richard 16
James 14
Charles 12
Henry 11
Albert 6
Alfred 6
Joseph 6
Walter 6
Edward 5
Thos. 5
Arthur 3
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Fred 3
Harry 3
Ralph 3
Wm. 3
Christopher 2
David 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Peter 2
Richd. 2
Samuel 2
Tom 2
Allan 1
Dalton 1
Davison 1
Frederick 1
G.W. 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Hindson 1
Hugh 1
Jabez 1
Jame 1
Jonathon 1
Mathew 1
Oliver 1
Reginald 1
Smith 1
Timothy 1
W. 1
Wilfred 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Weatherill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Weatherill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 688 people were recorded with the Weatherill surname. That placed it at #5,256 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Weatherill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,238 in 2016. That gives Weatherill a modern rank of #4,818.

What does the Weatherill surname mean?

An English surname likely derived from a placename containing the elements "weatherhill" or "wether hill", referring to a hillock frequented by male sheep.

What does the Weatherill map show?

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