NameCensus.

UK surname

Wedlock

A surname denoting a child born lawfully to married parents.

In the 1881 census there were 242 people recorded with the Wedlock surname, ranking it #11,333 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 358, ranked #12,931, down from #11,333 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bedminster and Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, Craigmillar and Fairhill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wedlock is 374 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.9%.

1881 census count

242

Ranked #11,333

Modern count

358

2016, ranked #12,931

Peak year

2010

374 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wedlock had 242 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,333 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 358 in 2016, ranked #12,931.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 287 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Wedlock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wedlock surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wedlock 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 224 #9,534
1861 historical 184 #12,856
1881 historical 242 #11,333
1891 historical 263 #12,261
1901 historical 287 #12,001
1911 historical 284 #11,862
1997 modern 339 #12,464
1998 modern 351 #12,511
1999 modern 353 #12,522
2000 modern 348 #12,614
2001 modern 330 #12,893
2002 modern 339 #12,911
2003 modern 340 #12,685
2004 modern 339 #12,744
2005 modern 342 #12,579
2006 modern 336 #12,842
2007 modern 343 #12,773
2008 modern 346 #12,813
2009 modern 366 #12,534
2010 modern 374 #12,597
2011 modern 366 #12,667
2012 modern 350 #12,965
2013 modern 358 #12,952
2014 modern 359 #13,025
2015 modern 359 #12,906
2016 modern 358 #12,931

Geography

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Where Wedlocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bedminster, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, New Monkland and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, Craigmillar, Fairhill, Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields and Monmouthshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bedminster Somerset
3 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
4 New Monkland Lanark
5 London parishes London 1

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 005 Blaenau Gwent
2 Craigmillar City of Edinburgh
3 Fairhill South Lanarkshire
4 Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields South Ayrshire
5 Monmouthshire 002 Monmouthshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wedlock

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wedlock

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Wedlock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Wedlock household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Wedlock 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

Wedlock is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wedlock falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wedlock is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wedlock

The surname "Wedlock" is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Old English word "wedlac," which means a pledge or covenant, specifically in reference to marriage. This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who was involved in officiating or overseeing marriage ceremonies.

The name can be found in various historical records, such as parish registers and court documents from the 16th and 17th centuries. One notable example is John Wedlock, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1587. There is also a record of a Thomas Wedlock from the village of Chetton in Shropshire, who was listed in the Hearth Tax Returns of 1672.

In the 18th century, the name appears in various parts of England, with instances in Warwickshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire. One notable figure from this period was William Wedlock (1707-1785), a prominent attorney and landowner from Derbyshire.

As the name spread across England, variations in spelling emerged, such as Wedlok, Wedlocke, and Wedlick. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping at the time.

In the 19th century, the name can be found in various parts of the country, with notable individuals including John Wedlock (1798-1873), a renowned architect from Gloucestershire, and Mary Wedlock (1829-1901), a prominent educationist and advocate for women's rights from Lancashire.

Other notable figures throughout history include:

1. Henry Wedlock (1546-1612), a respected scholar and theologian from Oxfordshire. 2. Elizabeth Wedlock (1701-1779), a noted herbalist and midwife from Lincolnshire. 3. James Wedlock (1832-1904), a successful industrialist and philanthropist from Yorkshire. 4. Thomas Wedlock (1867-1942), a celebrated artist and illustrator from Kent. 5. Catherine Wedlock (1898-1976), a pioneering aviator and one of the first women to obtain a commercial pilot's license in Britain.

While the name "Wedlock" is not among the most common surnames in England, it has a rich history and has been associated with various notable individuals across different fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wedlock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wedlock 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. Middlesex leads with 50 Wedlocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.12x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 50 2.12x
Cornwall 45 16.84x
Glamorgan 36 8.76x
Essex 17 3.65x
Somerset 14 3.68x
Lancashire 13 0.46x
Buckinghamshire 10 7.01x
Devon 10 2.04x
Lanarkshire 10 1.31x
Gloucestershire 6 1.30x
Monmouthshire 6 3.52x
Oxfordshire 5 3.43x
Cheshire 4 0.77x
Hertfordshire 4 2.46x
Surrey 4 0.35x
Berkshire 2 1.13x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.63x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.67x
Dorset 1 0.65x
Kent 1 0.12x
Renfrewshire 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. Helston in Cornwall leads with 15 Wedlocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 539.57x.

Place Total Index
Helston 15 539.57x
Bedminster 12 33.61x
Eglwysilan 10 140.25x
New Monkland 10 44.31x
Calstock 8 152.67x
Llanwonno 8 54.16x
Stoke Damerel 8 23.26x
Swansea St Thomas 8 193.70x
Twickenham 8 79.05x
Hedgerley Dean 7 4375.00x
Staines 7 187.17x
Blaenhonddan 6 314.14x
Poplar London 6 13.47x
Ramsden Bell House 6 1875.00x
Roche 6 441.18x
Walton On Hill 6 39.55x
Llanwenarth Ultra 5 400.00x
St Martin In Fields 5 35.39x
Barrow In Furness 4 10.50x
Breage 4 163.93x
Higher Bebington 4 119.76x
Llantwit Lower 4 110.80x
St Pancras London 4 2.11x
Stanstead 4 1025.64x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 4.90x
Bishop Stortford 3 55.25x
Chelsea London 3 4.22x
Clerkenwell London 3 5.38x
Cury 3 857.14x
Illogan 3 42.37x
Monks Risborough 3 441.18x
Nettlebed 3 555.56x
Sithney 3 111.11x
St George Hanover 3 9.74x
Woking 3 43.29x
Arkesden 2 588.24x
Bath St James 2 50.51x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 4.59x
Kensington London 2 1.52x
Little Stanmore 2 285.71x
Paddington London 2 2.30x
Pishill 2 1428.57x
Selston 2 56.34x
Witham 2 83.33x
Wolborough 2 32.21x
Blandford Forum 1 32.68x
Bristol St James In 1 14.68x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 6.48x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 1 23.70x
Bristol St Paul In 1 8.11x
Cookham 1 18.12x
Cranleigh 1 59.52x
East Ham 1 11.56x
Feltham 1 42.37x
Greenock Oldor West 1 200.00x
Henham 1 151.52x
Islington London 1 0.44x
Mynyddyslwyn 1 14.86x
Papworth St Agnes 1 833.33x
Phillack 1 28.99x
Plumstead 1 3.72x
Reading St Lawrence 1 26.39x
Saffron Walden 1 20.33x
St Anne Soho London 1 7.42x
St Dennis 1 100.00x
St Germans 1 53.76x
St Luke London 1 2.64x
Watford 1 7.93x
Westminster St James 1 4.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Eliza 10
Elizabeth 9
Jane 8
Sarah 8
Alice 6
Ann 5
Caroline 4
Emily 4
Louisa 4
Ellen 3
Charlotte 2
Emma 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Mabel 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Betsy 1
Catherine 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Ester 1
Esther 1
Evey 1
Henrietta 1
Jenefer 1
Jenifer 1
Joanna 1
Lillie 1
Martha 1
Mercy 1
Minnie 1
Pricilia 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Rosey 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 20
James 17
John 9
Henry 7
Thomas 7
Charles 5
Walter 5
George 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Herbert 3
Joseph 3
Francis 2
Richard 2
Albert 1
Christfor 1
Derwent 1
Earnest 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
Lambert 1
Martin 1
Peter 1
Shedrock 1
Simon 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Weden 1
Wm. 1
Xenophon 1

FAQ

Wedlock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wedlock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 242 people were recorded with the Wedlock surname. That placed it at #11,333 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wedlock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 358 in 2016. That gives Wedlock a modern rank of #12,931.

What does the Wedlock surname mean?

A surname denoting a child born lawfully to married parents.

What does the Wedlock map show?

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