NameCensus.

UK surname

Webdale

In the 1881 census there were 79 people recorded with the Webdale surname, ranking it #22,357 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 98, ranked #31,470, down from #22,357 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chesterford, Great, St Albans or The Abbey and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breckland, North Norfolk and Torridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Webdale is 138 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.1%.

1881 census count

79

Ranked #22,357

Modern count

98

2016, ranked #31,470

Peak year

1911

138 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2006

Key insights

  • Webdale had 79 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,357 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 98 in 2016, ranked #31,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 138 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Webdale surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Webdale surname density by area, 2006 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Webdale 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 35 #27,037
1861 historical 53 #27,253
1881 historical 79 #22,357
1891 historical 122 #21,053
1901 historical 126 #19,970
1911 historical 138 #18,811
1997 modern 100 #26,901
1998 modern 102 #27,314
1999 modern 100 #27,757
2000 modern 97 #28,142
2001 modern 100 #27,402
2002 modern 104 #27,303
2003 modern 98 #28,046
2004 modern 98 #28,297
2005 modern 96 #28,671
2006 modern 105 #27,479
2007 modern 104 #28,020
2008 modern 103 #28,519
2009 modern 102 #29,286
2010 modern 101 #30,078
2011 modern 99 #30,218
2012 modern 96 #30,949
2013 modern 98 #31,078
2014 modern 103 #30,539
2015 modern 99 #31,168
2016 modern 98 #31,470

Geography

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Where Webdales are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Chesterford, Great, St Albans or The Abbey, Sheffield, Luton and Weasenham All Saints. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breckland, North Norfolk, Torridge, Gosport and South Cambridgeshire. 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 Chesterford, Great Essex
2 St Albans or The Abbey Hertfordshire
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Luton Bedfordshire
5 Weasenham All Saints Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breckland 004 Breckland
2 North Norfolk 009 North Norfolk
3 Torridge 008 Torridge
4 Gosport 006 Gosport
5 South Cambridgeshire 011 South Cambridgeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Webdale

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Webdale

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Webdale is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Webdale is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Webdale 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 Webdale is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Webdale families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Webdale 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. Norfolk leads with 36 Webdales recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.39x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 36 30.39x
Hertfordshire 12 22.60x
Essex 9 5.92x
Suffolk 7 7.46x
Yorkshire 6 0.79x
Bedfordshire 5 12.53x
Surrey 2 0.53x
Middlesex 1 0.13x
Somerset 1 0.81x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Weasenham All Sts in Norfolk leads with 13 Webdales recorded in 1881 and an index of 13000.00x.

Place Total Index
Weasenham All Sts 13 13000.00x
St Albans 12 1100.92x
Great Chesterford 9 3750.00x
Crimplesham 5 6250.00x
East Rudham 5 2380.95x
Luton 5 72.36x
Eston 4 240.96x
Uggeshall 4 5714.29x
Egmere 3 10000.00x
Great Massingham 3 1304.35x
Croydon 2 9.60x
Halsham 2 3333.33x
Hoe 2 4000.00x
Rougham 2 2000.00x
Wangford 2 1111.11x
Bintree 1 833.33x
Gressenhall 1 454.55x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 28.09x
Ratcliffe London 1 23.53x
Sproughton 1 625.00x
Walcot 1 15.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Elizabeth 3
Ann 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Daisy 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Harriett 1
Jennet 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Louisa 1
Maggie 1
Margaret 1
Robert 1
Rose 1
Rosina 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Webdale households.

FAQ

Webdale surname: questions and answers

How common was the Webdale surname in 1881?

In 1881, 79 people were recorded with the Webdale surname. That placed it at #22,357 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Webdale surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 98 in 2016. That gives Webdale a modern rank of #31,470.

What does the Webdale map show?

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