NameCensus.

UK surname

Weddell

A toponymic surname originating from Weddell, a village in North Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 512 people recorded with the Weddell surname, ranking it #6,654 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 614, ranked #8,552, down from #6,654 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newcastle St Andrew, Gateshead and Newcastle All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland and Gorgie West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Weddell is 720 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.9%.

1881 census count

512

Ranked #6,654

Modern count

614

2016, ranked #8,552

Peak year

1901

720 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Weddell had 512 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,654 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 614 in 2016, ranked #8,552.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 720 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Weddell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Weddell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Weddell 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 349 #6,747
1861 historical 404 #6,354
1881 historical 512 #6,654
1891 historical 655 #5,925
1901 historical 720 #6,139
1911 historical 545 #7,342
1997 modern 628 #7,884
1998 modern 652 #7,890
1999 modern 651 #7,931
2000 modern 647 #7,961
2001 modern 627 #8,005
2002 modern 633 #8,133
2003 modern 612 #8,203
2004 modern 628 #8,053
2005 modern 623 #8,038
2006 modern 613 #8,151
2007 modern 608 #8,262
2008 modern 614 #8,263
2009 modern 623 #8,353
2010 modern 629 #8,475
2011 modern 633 #8,333
2012 modern 609 #8,508
2013 modern 631 #8,407
2014 modern 636 #8,402
2015 modern 617 #8,541
2016 modern 614 #8,552

Geography

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Where Weddells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newcastle St Andrew, Gateshead, Newcastle All Saints, Edinburgh and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland and Gorgie West. 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 Newcastle St Andrew Northumberland
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 008 Northumberland
3 Northumberland 010 Northumberland
4 Northumberland 018 Northumberland
5 Gorgie West City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Weddell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Weddell

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

Weddell 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

Weddell falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Weddell

The surname Weddell has its origins in England, tracing back to the late medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "wæd" meaning "ford" and "hyll" meaning "hill," referring to a settlement near a ford on a hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1199, where it appears as "Wedehyll." This suggests that the surname originated in the county of Yorkshire, possibly in a place called Wedhyll or a similar variation.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records as "Wedhill," "Wedhyll," and "Wedell." The Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a Robert de Wedhyll, indicating the use of the surname in that era.

The Weddell family's presence can also be traced in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in the 14th century, where names like "Johannes de Wedhyll" and "Willelmus de Wedhill" are documented.

One notable individual with the surname Weddell was Hugh Weddell (c. 1519-1578), an English merchant and sea captain who was instrumental in establishing trade routes between England and Russia during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent figure was John Weddell (1583-1642), an English clergyman and academic who served as the president of St. John's College, Oxford, and was a renowned scholar of his time.

In the 17th century, the Weddell family had a presence in the county of Wiltshire, where John Weddell (1607-1677), an English landowner and politician, served as a Member of Parliament for Hindon.

During the 18th century, James Weddell (1787-1834), a British naval officer and seal hunter, gained fame for his exploration of the Antarctic regions and the discovery of the Weddell Sea, which was named in his honor.

In the field of science, Thomas Weddell (1788-1858), an English botanist and horticulturist, made significant contributions to the study of plants and is remembered for his work on the genus Stanhopea, a group of orchids native to tropical America.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Weddell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Weddell 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. Northumberland leads with 159 Weddells recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.57x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 159 21.57x
Midlothian 106 15.97x
Yorkshire 42 0.86x
Middlesex 30 0.61x
Surrey 30 1.24x
Lanarkshire 20 1.25x
Durham 19 1.29x
Lancashire 15 0.26x
Renfrewshire 14 3.65x
Berwickshire 13 21.66x
Kent 9 0.53x
Angus 8 1.74x
Fife 6 2.05x
Sussex 6 0.72x
Glamorgan 5 0.58x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.60x
Perthshire 4 1.80x
East Lothian 3 4.57x
Argyllshire 2 1.45x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.50x
Lincolnshire 2 0.25x
Roxburghshire 2 2.23x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.33x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Derbyshire 1 0.13x
Devon 1 0.10x
Kinross-shire 1 7.98x
Northamptonshire 1 0.21x
Ross-shire 1 0.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 38 Weddells recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.23x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 38 14.23x
Newcastle On Tyne St 21 54.95x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 14 31.80x
Byker 13 35.67x
Newington 13 7.10x
North Leith 13 42.32x
Edinburgh Greenside 12 136.83x
Ratho 12 387.10x
Norton Le Clay 11 6470.59x
Alnwick 10 78.86x
St George In East 10 29.66x
Ancroft 9 347.49x
Bamburgh 9 1525.42x
Jesmond 9 86.79x
Westgate 9 19.71x
Abbey 8 13.65x
Brandsby Cum Stearsby 8 1568.63x
Dundee 8 4.67x
Edinburgh Old 8 198.51x
Abbey St Bathans 7 1666.67x
Berwick Upon Tweed 7 44.81x
Bothwell 7 16.11x
Dorking 7 43.18x
Elswick 7 11.90x
North Charlton 7 2592.59x
Barony 6 1.48x
Edinburgh Canongate 6 35.52x
Haltwhistle 6 167.60x
Manningham 6 9.92x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 6.02x
Cardiff St John 5 17.74x
Chatton 5 221.24x
Chillingham 5 2173.91x
Frant 5 84.46x
Govan 5 1.26x
Islington London 5 1.04x
Lauder 5 150.60x
Paisley High Church 5 16.36x
Pendleton In Salford 5 7.14x
Riddells Quarter 5 2272.73x
Sheffield 5 3.20x
Dartford 4 23.13x
Kirkcaldy 4 27.49x
Penicuik 4 44.35x
Perth St Pauls 4 77.67x
Pollards Land 4 384.62x
South Leith 4 5.35x
Tottenham 4 5.07x
Waldridge 4 161.94x
West Derby 4 2.33x
Clarborough 3 60.00x
Coxlodge 3 53.48x
Edinburgh Old Church 3 56.29x
Gateshead 3 2.72x
Lambeth 3 0.69x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 3 30.96x
Norham 3 182.93x
North Dalton 3 361.45x
Prestonkirk 3 91.46x
Shawdon 3 1764.71x
Stockton On Tees 3 4.22x
Widdrington 3 170.45x
Bethnal Green London 2 0.93x
Dunoon Kilmun 2 18.59x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 2 12.74x
Edinburgh St Georges 2 14.51x
Glanton 2 235.29x
Hackney London 2 0.72x
Holy Trinity 2 1.69x
Kelso 2 22.37x
Kilconquhar 2 57.31x
Manchester 2 0.76x
Oldham 2 1.05x
Otley 2 16.78x
St Pancras London 2 0.50x
Stamford All Sts 2 45.05x
Westminster St 2 10.95x
Wiston Robertson 2 208.33x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 0.78x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 1 5.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 15
Mary 15
Elizabeth 12
Annie 9
Isabella 9
Sarah 9
Ann 6
Hannah 6
Margaret 6
Charlotte 5
Emily 5
Ada 4
Florence 4
Agnes 3
Anne 3
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Alice 2
Barbara 2
Caroline 2
Deborah 2
Dorothy 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Frances 2
Grace 2
Jemima 2
Johanna 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Margt. 2
Maron 2
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Daisy 1
Elizth.M. 1
Ellen 1
Ellenor 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Isaa. 1
Jessie 1
June 1
Kate 1
Katie 1
Laura 1
Lena 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 25
Thomas 18
John 17
George 10
James 10
Robert 8
Henry 6
David 4
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Joseph 4
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Alexander 2
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Newton 2
Walter 2
Benjamin 1
Christopher 1
Christpr. 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Graham 1
Henery 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Ridley 1
Timothy 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Weddell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Weddell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 512 people were recorded with the Weddell surname. That placed it at #6,654 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Weddell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 614 in 2016. That gives Weddell a modern rank of #8,552.

What does the Weddell surname mean?

A toponymic surname originating from Weddell, a village in North Yorkshire, England.

What does the Weddell map show?

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