NameCensus.

UK surname

Welborn

A surname derived from a place name meaning "spring or stream by a spring or well."

In the 1881 census there were 162 people recorded with the Welborn surname, ranking it #14,746 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 200, ranked #19,591, down from #14,746 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Harlaxton, Woolsthorpe and Muston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Welborn is 218 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.5%.

1881 census count

162

Ranked #14,746

Modern count

200

2016, ranked #19,591

Peak year

1911

218 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Welborn had 162 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,746 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016, ranked #19,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 218 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Welborn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Welborn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Welborn 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 140 #13,593
1861 historical 156 #14,813
1881 historical 162 #14,746
1891 historical 173 #16,600
1901 historical 179 #16,227
1911 historical 218 #14,177
1997 modern 200 #17,618
1998 modern 207 #17,749
1999 modern 205 #17,960
2000 modern 207 #17,833
2001 modern 206 #17,624
2002 modern 204 #18,062
2003 modern 198 #18,252
2004 modern 188 #18,919
2005 modern 183 #19,194
2006 modern 186 #19,140
2007 modern 186 #19,337
2008 modern 194 #19,011
2009 modern 199 #19,090
2010 modern 198 #19,577
2011 modern 198 #19,410
2012 modern 196 #19,463
2013 modern 194 #19,932
2014 modern 198 #19,841
2015 modern 200 #19,567
2016 modern 200 #19,591

Geography

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Where Welborns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Harlaxton, Woolsthorpe, Muston, Hull Holy Trinity and Plungar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell. 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 Harlaxton Lincolnshire
2 Woolsthorpe Lincolnshire
3 Muston Yorkshire, North Riding
4 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Plungar Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 021 Sandwell
2 Sandwell 010 Sandwell
3 Sandwell 027 Sandwell
4 Sandwell 039 Sandwell
5 Sandwell 013 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Welborn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Welborn

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Welborn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Welborn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Welborn is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Welborn is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Welborn falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Welborn is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Welborn

The surname Welborn has its origins in England, with the earliest records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "wæl," meaning "slaughter" or "carnage," and "burna," meaning "stream" or "brook." This suggests that the name may have referred to a person living near a stream or river where a battle or slaughter had taken place.

The name Welborn is closely related to the place name Welbourn, a village located in Lincolnshire, England. This place name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Welleburne," which further supports the theory of its Old English origins. It is possible that some of the earliest bearers of the surname Welborn may have come from or lived in this village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Welborn can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, which mention a person named William Welburne. Another early record is from the Curia Regis Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1221, where a Roger Welburn is mentioned.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various spellings, such as Welleborne, Welleburne, and Welburne, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that time period.

Notable individuals with the surname Welborn throughout history include:

1. John Welborn (c. 1590-1660), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Norfolk from 1633 to 1660.

2. Thomas Welborn (c. 1640-1707), an English Quaker minister and writer who traveled extensively and published several religious works.

3. James Welborn (1778-1847), an American politician and lawyer from Kentucky who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1827 to 1835.

4. William Welborn (1828-1899), an American Civil War soldier and businessman from Tennessee who later became a prominent figure in the cattle industry in Texas.

5. John Welborn Root (1887-1963), an American architect and author who designed several notable buildings in Chicago, including the Aon Center (formerly the Standard Oil Building).

While the surname Welborn may not be as widespread as some others, its historical roots in England and association with place names and notable individuals spanning several centuries contribute to its distinctive identity and legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Welborn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Welborn 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. Yorkshire leads with 78 Welborns recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.98x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 78 4.98x
Lincolnshire 48 19.00x
Leicestershire 11 6.28x
Middlesex 11 0.70x
Cheshire 4 1.15x
Derbyshire 4 1.62x
Kent 3 0.56x
Gloucestershire 2 0.65x
Durham 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Harlaxton in Lincolnshire leads with 20 Welborns recorded in 1881 and an index of 9523.81x.

Place Total Index
Harlaxton 20 9523.81x
Holy Trinity 13 34.52x
Woolsthorpe 13 4062.50x
Gristhorpe Newbiggin 8 7272.73x
Muston 7 3333.33x
Willerby In Scarborough 7 3043.48x
Leeds 6 6.79x
Scarborough 6 42.16x
Thirsk 6 331.49x
Waltham On The Wolds 6 1875.00x
Westminster St James 6 36.95x
Denton 5 1666.67x
Sculcoates 5 20.14x
Macclesfield 4 25.81x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 3 160.43x
Bottesford 3 416.67x
Folkton Flixton 3 1666.67x
Grantham 3 91.19x
Hunmanby 3 410.96x
Spittlegate 3 85.96x
Knockholt 2 465.12x
Long Eaton 2 61.16x
St George Bloomsbury 2 22.05x
St Pancras London 2 1.57x
Yate 2 294.12x
Aldbrough 1 1111.11x
Alfreton 1 13.30x
Barmston 1 909.09x
Beverley St Mary 1 43.67x
Billingham 1 123.46x
Carlton Scroop 1 833.33x
Chatham 1 6.74x
Flamborough 1 131.58x
Folkton 1 1250.00x
Fraisthorpe 1 1666.67x
Gilling 1 212.77x
Haydor 1 500.00x
Illston On The Hill 1 588.24x
Leicester St Martin 1 84.75x
Little Driffield 1 833.33x
Long Bennington 1 204.08x
Manthorpe Cum Little 1 51.81x
Mile End Old Town 1 4.01x
New Malton 1 53.48x
Ripley 1 32.68x
Snainton 1 238.10x
Watton 1 588.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 7
Charlotte 6
Ann 5
Sarah 5
Emma 4
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Ada 2
Amy 2
Ellen 2
Eva 2
Jane 2
Julia 2
Adela 1
Anne 1
Betsy 1
Blanche 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Emley 1
Florence 1
Fras. 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 14
John 14
William 13
Thomas 6
Robert 5
Charles 3
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Richard 3
Edward 2
Frederic 2
Otto 2
Tom 2
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
Coats 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edmund 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Rd. 1
Seth 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Welborn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Welborn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 162 people were recorded with the Welborn surname. That placed it at #14,746 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Welborn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016. That gives Welborn a modern rank of #19,591.

What does the Welborn surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name meaning "spring or stream by a spring or well."

What does the Welborn map show?

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