NameCensus.

UK surname

Weavers

A surname derived from the occupation of weaving cloth or fabric.

In the 1881 census there were 591 people recorded with the Weavers surname, ranking it #5,910 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 643, ranked #8,243, down from #5,910 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Beccles and Kidderminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waveney, Braintree and Babergh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Weavers is 870 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.8%.

1881 census count

591

Ranked #5,910

Modern count

643

2016, ranked #8,243

Peak year

1911

870 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Weavers had 591 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,910 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 643 in 2016, ranked #8,243.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 870 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Weavers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Weavers surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Weavers 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 449 #5,493
1861 historical 491 #5,322
1881 historical 591 #5,910
1891 historical 664 #5,855
1901 historical 765 #5,848
1911 historical 870 #5,109
1997 modern 719 #7,096
1998 modern 737 #7,200
1999 modern 757 #7,098
2000 modern 739 #7,190
2001 modern 744 #7,027
2002 modern 745 #7,146
2003 modern 724 #7,192
2004 modern 718 #7,237
2005 modern 688 #7,453
2006 modern 677 #7,565
2007 modern 676 #7,651
2008 modern 682 #7,633
2009 modern 694 #7,690
2010 modern 690 #7,864
2011 modern 694 #7,738
2012 modern 655 #8,030
2013 modern 663 #8,082
2014 modern 649 #8,266
2015 modern 647 #8,224
2016 modern 643 #8,243

Geography

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Where Weavers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Beccles, Kidderminster, Bures, Lamarsh, Alphamstone and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waveney, Braintree and Babergh. 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 3
2 Beccles Suffolk
3 Kidderminster Worcestershire
4 Bures, Lamarsh, Alphamstone Suffolk
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waveney 012 Waveney
2 Braintree 002 Braintree
3 Waveney 004 Waveney
4 Babergh 008 Babergh
5 Braintree 004 Braintree

Forenames

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First names often paired with Weavers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Weavers

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Weavers is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Weavers is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Weavers falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Weavers

The surname Weavers has its origins in medieval England, dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is an occupational surname, derived from the Middle English word "weven," meaning to weave, and "wever", which means a weaver. It refers to someone who was involved in the craft of weaving, a vital occupation in many towns and villages during that period due to the importance of cloth production in medieval society.

The surname Weavers is predominantly found in areas where the textile industry flourished. Places like Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Norfolk were known for their weaving communities, and it is likely that individuals who adopted this surname originally hailed from these regions. Records show that the earliest instances of this name appear in the 12th century, with variations in spelling including Weaver, Wever, and Wefere.

Historical references to the surname include its appearance in the Subsidy Rolls of the early 14th century and other medieval tax records. One notable documentation is the presence of the surname in the 1297 Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns, where Richard le Wevere is listed. The Domesday Book of 1086, though primarily a record of landholders, also notes occupational surnames related to trades, and while Weavers is not explicitly listed, it can be inferred that many weavers existed as part of the feudal economy.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname is John le Wevere, mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of 1273 in Cambridgeshire. This indicates that the surname was established and recognized as a distinct occupational identity by the late 13th century. Another early instance includes Robert le Wever, recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1293.

Prominent individuals with the surname Weavers include Edmund Weavers, a known merchant in the 14th century, who was recorded in several English trade documents. In the 15th century, we find Thomas Weavers, who served as alderman and was involved in local governance in Norwich. John Weavers, born in 1480 and died in 1543, was a notable figure in the cloth industry in Yorkshire, contributing to the regional economy and trade.

The name continued to flourish in subsequent centuries, with Robert Weavers born in 1604, which documents indicate was an influential weaver and guild member in the town of Coventry. Another notable bearer is Lawrence Weavers, a prominent weaver in the early 18th century, whose family played a significant role in the textile trade in Lancashire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Weavers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Weavers 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 188 Weavers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.52x.

County Total Index
Essex 188 16.52x
Suffolk 174 24.78x
Norfolk 73 8.24x
Middlesex 38 0.66x
Kent 21 1.07x
Worcestershire 19 2.52x
Hampshire 16 1.35x
Surrey 13 0.46x
Shropshire 12 2.41x
Durham 9 0.52x
Lancashire 7 0.10x
Gloucestershire 4 0.35x
Warwickshire 4 0.28x
Yorkshire 4 0.07x
Northamptonshire 3 0.55x
Berkshire 1 0.23x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Cornwall 1 0.15x
Dorset 1 0.26x
Lincolnshire 1 0.11x
Sussex 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Twinstead in Essex leads with 24 Weavers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6000.00x.

Place Total Index
Twinstead 24 6000.00x
Great Henny 20 3389.83x
Pebmarsh 18 1764.71x
Alphamstone 17 3469.39x
Deptford St Paul 17 11.21x
Alverstoke 16 37.41x
Lowestoft 16 48.24x
Islington London 14 2.51x
Gorleston 13 72.87x
Heigham 13 27.32x
Palgrave 12 810.81x
Stisted 12 816.33x
Beccles 11 97.35x
Wilby 11 1182.80x
Ballingdon Cum Brundon 10 694.44x
Ipswich St Mary At Elms 9 403.59x
Kidderminster Borough 9 20.43x
Braintree 8 78.28x
Colchester St Botolph 8 82.64x
Durham St Nicholas 8 190.02x
Hartlebury 8 178.57x
Kessingland 8 329.22x
Southminster 8 320.00x
St Marylebone London 8 2.60x
Bulmer 7 510.95x
Redgrave 7 636.36x
South Elmham St James 7 1521.74x
St Pancras London 7 1.51x
Bungay St Mary 6 172.41x
Bures St Mary 6 566.04x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 6 45.52x
Eye 6 132.16x
Great Oakley 6 329.67x
Heybridge 6 181.27x
Ipswich St Margaret 6 25.18x
Lakenham 6 47.66x
Mile End New Town 6 76.24x
Ellingham 5 746.27x
Halstead 5 37.65x
Henstead 5 471.70x
Kenninghall 5 205.76x
Norwich St Augustine 5 140.06x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 5 112.36x
Norwich St Stephen 5 61.43x
South Elmham St Michael 5 2000.00x
Sudbury All Sts 5 233.64x
Barking 4 12.01x
Boxted 4 245.40x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 4 70.80x
Croydon 4 2.57x
Hornchurch 4 71.68x
Norwich St Michael At 4 77.82x
Redenhall 4 116.28x
Tollesbury 4 140.35x
Westbury 4 155.64x
Cheltenham 3 3.44x
Everton 3 1.38x
Horsford 3 217.39x
Norbury 3 405.41x
Stuston 3 810.81x
Wanstead 3 15.05x
Woodbridge 3 33.41x
Birmingham 2 0.41x
Bromeswell 2 487.80x
Camberwell 2 0.54x
Catterick 2 156.25x
Claydon 2 190.48x
Debenham 2 85.84x
Great Bromley 2 139.86x
Heap 2 5.51x
Ipswich St Clement 2 11.20x
Kingsthorpe 2 33.17x
Norwich St George Colegate 2 62.11x
Oakley 2 370.37x
Ringsfield 2 357.14x
Roxwell 2 124.22x
Shadwell London 2 12.40x
Stoke Ash 2 327.87x
Wetheringsett Cum 2 98.04x
Wimbledon 2 6.34x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 32
John 27
Charles 22
James 22
George 20
Henry 14
Robert 13
Thomas 12
Arthur 10
Joseph 8
Samuel 8
Walter 8
Harry 5
Alfred 4
Benjamin 4
Edward 4
Albert 3
Benjaman 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Chas. 2
Edmund 2
Emanuel 2
Fredrick 2
Archibald 1
Basil 1
Bertie 1
Cornelius 1
Cornielius 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edmond 1
Egerton 1
Enoch 1
Ezekiel 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Frerick 1
Henery 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Isac 1
Jas. 1
Joshua 1
Martin 1
Richard 1
Sidney 1
Simon 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Weavers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Weavers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 591 people were recorded with the Weavers surname. That placed it at #5,910 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Weavers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 643 in 2016. That gives Weavers a modern rank of #8,243.

What does the Weavers surname mean?

A surname derived from the occupation of weaving cloth or fabric.

What does the Weavers map show?

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