NameCensus.

UK surname

Websdale

In the 1881 census there were 209 people recorded with the Websdale surname, ranking it #12,475 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 309, ranked #14,442, down from #12,475 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, London parishes and Methley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waveney, South Norfolk and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Websdale is 318 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.8%.

1881 census count

209

Ranked #12,475

Modern count

309

2016, ranked #14,442

Peak year

1998

318 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Websdale had 209 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,475 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 309 in 2016, ranked #14,442.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 312 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Websdale surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Websdale surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Websdale 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 176 #11,489
1861 historical 136 #16,556
1881 historical 209 #12,475
1891 historical 240 #13,123
1901 historical 266 #12,617
1911 historical 312 #11,130
1997 modern 311 #13,217
1998 modern 318 #13,362
1999 modern 318 #13,444
2000 modern 310 #13,618
2001 modern 314 #13,318
2002 modern 311 #13,666
2003 modern 300 #13,823
2004 modern 303 #13,812
2005 modern 312 #13,462
2006 modern 295 #14,053
2007 modern 296 #14,172
2008 modern 299 #14,177
2009 modern 308 #14,161
2010 modern 303 #14,626
2011 modern 298 #14,666
2012 modern 283 #15,115
2013 modern 301 #14,718
2014 modern 312 #14,430
2015 modern 311 #14,369
2016 modern 309 #14,442

Geography

Back to top

Where Websdales are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, London parishes, Methley, Hardingham and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waveney, South Norfolk, Wakefield, Breckland and Arun. 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 St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju Norfolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Methley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Hardingham Norfolk
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waveney 002 Waveney
2 South Norfolk 007 South Norfolk
3 Wakefield 041 Wakefield
4 Breckland 002 Breckland
5 Arun 014 Arun

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Websdale

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Websdale

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Websdale is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Websdale is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Websdale falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Websdale families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Websdale 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 89 Websdales recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.39x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 89 28.39x
Surrey 31 3.12x
Suffolk 30 12.08x
Yorkshire 21 1.04x
Middlesex 14 0.69x
Staffordshire 8 1.16x
Kent 7 1.01x
Cambridgeshire 3 2.32x
Northamptonshire 3 1.56x
Devon 1 0.24x
Durham 1 0.16x
Wiltshire 1 0.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hardingham in Norfolk leads with 19 Websdales recorded in 1881 and an index of 5277.78x.

Place Total Index
Hardingham 19 5277.78x
Gorleston 16 253.57x
Methley 15 528.17x
Hingham 14 1284.40x
Croydon 9 16.32x
Kingston On Thames 8 33.53x
Oulton 8 952.38x
Rotherhithe 8 31.76x
St Pancras London 8 4.88x
East Dereham 7 176.77x
Norwich St Julian 7 530.30x
Tutbury 7 416.67x
St Marylebone London 6 5.51x
Addington 5 1063.83x
Alburgh 5 1162.79x
Bedingham 5 2380.95x
Greenwich 5 15.41x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 5 53.14x
Bacton 4 888.89x
Roydon In Guiltcross 4 930.23x
Southcoates 4 35.68x
Tibenham 4 909.09x
Great Yarmouth 3 11.56x
New Buckenham 3 769.23x
Dickleburgh 2 344.83x
Hawkedon 2 1052.63x
Little Wilbraham 2 689.66x
Poringland 2 606.06x
Wellingborough 2 20.75x
Aslacton 1 476.19x
Barnstaple 1 15.02x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 1 17.76x
Gissing 1 312.50x
Great Snoring 1 303.03x
Kettering 1 12.89x
Lambeth 1 0.56x
Leconfield Arram 1 454.55x
Little Cressingham 1 666.67x
Middridge 1 166.67x
Moulton St Michael 1 400.00x
Norwich St Andrew 1 185.19x
Norwich St Stephen 1 34.72x
Pulham St Mary Magdalen 1 126.58x
Rochester St Margaret 1 13.64x
Rokeby 1 714.29x
Salisbury St Thomas 1 69.93x
Saxlingham Thorpe 1 1000.00x
Stone 1 11.36x
Woolwich 1 3.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
James 17
George 15
William 15
Robert 7
Henry 5
John 5
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Harry 4
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Francis 3
Herbert 3
Elijah 2
Ernest 2
Abraham 1
Arther 1
Christmas 1
Clement 1
Ezekiel 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredric 1
Frost 1
Headly 1
Horace 1
Jonathon 1
Laban 1
Lewis 1
R. 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Smith 1
Thomas 1
Timothy 1
Valentine 1

FAQ

Websdale surname: questions and answers

How common was the Websdale surname in 1881?

In 1881, 209 people were recorded with the Websdale surname. That placed it at #12,475 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Websdale surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 309 in 2016. That gives Websdale a modern rank of #14,442.

What does the Websdale map show?

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