NameCensus.

UK surname

Weeden

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "hill covered with grass" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 614 people recorded with the Weeden surname, ranking it #5,725 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 733, ranked #7,430, down from #5,725 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley, London parishes and Pirton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Maidstone, Hastings and West Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Weeden is 1,068 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.4%.

1881 census count

614

Ranked #5,725

Modern count

733

2016, ranked #7,430

Peak year

1911

1,068 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Weeden had 614 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,725 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 733 in 2016, ranked #7,430.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,068 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Weeden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Weeden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Weeden 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 373 #6,385
1861 historical 293 #8,589
1881 historical 614 #5,725
1891 historical 662 #5,873
1901 historical 880 #5,221
1911 historical 1,068 #4,335
1997 modern 843 #6,287
1998 modern 862 #6,364
1999 modern 854 #6,457
2000 modern 838 #6,531
2001 modern 815 #6,549
2002 modern 794 #6,818
2003 modern 783 #6,774
2004 modern 771 #6,872
2005 modern 734 #7,074
2006 modern 727 #7,154
2007 modern 728 #7,230
2008 modern 745 #7,139
2009 modern 743 #7,305
2010 modern 765 #7,279
2011 modern 756 #7,261
2012 modern 737 #7,322
2013 modern 749 #7,353
2014 modern 750 #7,378
2015 modern 739 #7,400
2016 modern 733 #7,430

Geography

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Where Weedens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley, London parishes, Pirton and Shitlington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Maidstone, Hastings and West Dorset. 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 Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 Pirton Hertfordshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Shitlington Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Maidstone 013 Maidstone
2 Maidstone 006 Maidstone
3 Hastings 009 Hastings
4 Maidstone 004 Maidstone
5 West Dorset 012 West Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Weeden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Weeden

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Weeden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Weeden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Weeden is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Weeden is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Weeden 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 Weeden is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Weeden

The surname Weeden is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "wēod," meaning "weed." It is believed to have originated as a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived near a weedy or overgrown area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1221, where a William de Wedene is mentioned. This suggests that the name was prevalent in the West Midlands region of England during the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Wedene, Wedyn, and Weden, reflecting the variations in spelling during that time period. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 list a John de Wedene, indicating the continued presence of the name in the region.

During the 16th century, the surname began to take on its modern spelling of Weeden. The Parish Registers of Tenbury, Worcestershire, recorded the marriage of Thomas Weeden in 1562, providing evidence of the surname's evolution.

Notable individuals with the surname Weeden throughout history include:

1. John Weeden (c. 1635-1718), an English-born settler in Rhode Island, who served as the Attorney General of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

2. William Bayard Weeden (1834-1912), an American historian and author, best known for his work "New England Hist-Biography."

3. Howard Weeden (1847-1924), an American architect who designed several notable buildings in Providence, Rhode Island, including the Rhode Island State House.

4. Robert Walter Weeden (1838-1927), an English-born American businessman and philanthropist, who co-founded the American Dyewood Company.

5. John Weeden (1903-1988), a British actor and comedian, known for his roles in films such as "Carry On Sergeant" and "Carry On Constable."

While the name Weeden has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration and migration patterns.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Weeden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Weeden 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 297 Weedens recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.93x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 297 4.93x
Kent 81 3.94x
Surrey 75 2.55x
Hertfordshire 29 6.98x
Essex 22 1.85x
Suffolk 17 2.32x
Buckinghamshire 16 4.39x
Oxfordshire 14 3.76x
Lancashire 10 0.14x
Sussex 10 0.98x
Bedfordshire 8 2.56x
Gloucestershire 8 0.68x
Dorset 7 1.77x
Lincolnshire 6 0.62x
Staffordshire 6 0.29x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.79x
Berkshire 2 0.44x
Hampshire 1 0.08x
Northamptonshire 1 0.18x
Renfrewshire 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 1.39x
Somerset 1 0.10x
Warwickshire 1 0.07x
Yorkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Poplar London in Middlesex leads with 36 Weedens recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.64x.

Place Total Index
Poplar London 36 31.64x
Islington London 30 5.13x
Lambeth 22 4.19x
Pirton 18 769.23x
Chelsea London 17 9.36x
St Pancras London 17 3.50x
Bethnal Green London 16 6.11x
Ruislip 14 466.67x
Tottenham 14 14.58x
Westminster St 14 63.01x
Farnham 13 56.92x
Battersea 12 5.41x
St George Hanover 12 15.25x
Hillingdon 11 57.23x
Clerkenwell London 10 7.03x
Hornsey 10 13.12x
Lewisham 10 9.12x
Berkhampstead 9 96.36x
Snodland 9 154.37x
Tonbridge 9 12.13x
Wycombe 9 33.12x
East Wickham 8 327.87x
Helmingham 8 1142.86x
Bromley London 7 5.28x
Limehouse London 7 10.58x
Clifton 6 10.04x
Cowley 6 582.52x
Deptford St Paul 6 3.78x
Eastbourne 6 12.83x
Kirton 6 155.44x
Luton 6 11.10x
Marsh Baldon 6 923.08x
Mile End Old Town 6 6.31x
Newcastle Under Lyme 6 16.66x
Paddington London 6 2.71x
St Stephen Coleman 6 372.67x
Streatham 6 13.41x
Burham 5 176.06x
Camberwell 5 1.30x
Colne 5 23.46x
Freston 5 877.19x
Ickenham 5 609.76x
Isleworth 5 18.66x
Kensington London 5 1.49x
Little Chesterford 5 1136.36x
Maidstone 5 8.16x
Southwark Christchurch 5 17.70x
Southwark St John 5 27.12x
St Mary Cray 5 127.23x
Stoke Newington London 5 10.65x
Wrotham 5 73.42x
Great Chesterford 4 212.77x
Hackney London 4 1.18x
Hammersmith London 4 2.69x
Ipswich St Peter 4 40.49x
Pendleton In Salford 4 4.69x
Saffron Walden 4 31.82x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 3.30x
St Lawrence 4 28.29x
St Luke London 4 4.14x
Toot Baldon 4 888.89x
West Ham 4 1.52x
Ealing 3 5.57x
Great Missenden 3 66.82x
Hanwell 3 28.06x
Hastings St Mary In The 3 13.84x
Plumstead 3 4.38x
Shoreditch London 3 1.15x
St Marylebone London 3 0.93x
Upway 3 200.00x
Buckland 2 112.36x
Hayes 2 32.52x
Ibberton 2 512.82x
Lee 2 6.70x
Ramsgate 2 5.96x
Shere 2 56.34x
Shillington 2 43.48x
St Bartholomew Great 2 36.43x
Thornham 2 149.25x
Wanstead 2 9.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 50
Charles 25
James 24
John 24
George 17
Edward 15
Thomas 14
Henry 11
Alfred 9
Frederick 7
Joseph 7
Frank 6
Fredk. 6
Arthur 5
Benjamin 4
Edwin 4
Herbert 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
Albert 3
Richard 3
Benj. 2
Harry 2
Earnest 1
Eldrew 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
H.C. 1
Harold 1
Infant 1
Jas.Jos. 1
Jno. 1
Jonothan 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Nathan 1
Pelham 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Robert 1
Saml.C. 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Simri 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Weeden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Weeden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 614 people were recorded with the Weeden surname. That placed it at #5,725 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Weeden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 733 in 2016. That gives Weeden a modern rank of #7,430.

What does the Weeden surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "hill covered with grass" in Old English.

What does the Weeden map show?

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