NameCensus.

UK surname

Welburn

A locational surname derived from places in Yorkshire meaning "well burn" or stream.

In the 1881 census there were 591 people recorded with the Welburn surname, ranking it #5,910 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,132, ranked #5,203, up from #5,910 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Brandesburton and St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingston upon Hull, Selby and Ryedale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Welburn is 1,170 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 91.5%.

1881 census count

591

Ranked #5,910

Modern count

1,132

2016, ranked #5,203

Peak year

2013

1,170 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Welburn had 591 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,910 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,132 in 2016, ranked #5,203.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 942 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Welburn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Welburn surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Welburn 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 369 #6,443
1861 historical 264 #9,385
1881 historical 591 #5,910
1891 historical 651 #5,962
1901 historical 828 #5,467
1911 historical 942 #4,774
1997 modern 1,082 #5,146
1998 modern 1,133 #5,123
1999 modern 1,156 #5,084
2000 modern 1,143 #5,096
2001 modern 1,127 #5,067
2002 modern 1,154 #5,082
2003 modern 1,077 #5,273
2004 modern 1,110 #5,150
2005 modern 1,091 #5,161
2006 modern 1,077 #5,226
2007 modern 1,101 #5,183
2008 modern 1,101 #5,210
2009 modern 1,125 #5,218
2010 modern 1,153 #5,228
2011 modern 1,150 #5,179
2012 modern 1,145 #5,106
2013 modern 1,170 #5,102
2014 modern 1,170 #5,130
2015 modern 1,150 #5,156
2016 modern 1,132 #5,203

Geography

Back to top

Where Welburns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Brandesburton, St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles, Beverley St Martin and St Nicholas and Snaith (Carleton), Drax (Camblesforth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kingston upon Hull, Selby, Ryedale and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Brandesburton Yorkshire, East Riding
3 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Beverley St Martin and St Nicholas Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Snaith (Carleton), Drax (Camblesforth) Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingston upon Hull 031 Kingston upon Hull, City of
2 Selby 005 Selby
3 Ryedale 002 Ryedale
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 008 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Ryedale 004 Ryedale

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Welburn

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Welburn

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Welburn 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

Welburn 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

Welburn 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 Welburn 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 Welburn, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Welburn

The surname Welburn is of English origin, originating in the county of Yorkshire. It is a locational surname, referring to people who hailed from the village of Welburn, located near the town of Kirkbymoorside in North Yorkshire. The name is derived from the Old English words "wella" meaning "spring" or "stream" and "burna" meaning "a stream or brook."

The earliest recorded instance of the name Welburn can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Welleburne." This entry refers to the village itself, indicating that the name was already in use as a place name during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records as "Welleburn" and "Welburn." One notable early bearer of the name was John de Welburn, who was recorded as a landowner in Yorkshire in 1279.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the name continued to be associated with Yorkshire and the surrounding areas. In 1379, a Thomas Welburn was mentioned in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls. Another record from 1428 lists a William Welburn as a resident of Kirkbymoorside.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various parish records throughout Yorkshire. One notable bearer from this period was Robert Welburn (c. 1530-1599), a clergyman who served as the Rector of Slingsby in North Yorkshire.

In the 17th century, the name spread beyond Yorkshire as people migrated to other parts of England. One notable figure was Ralph Welburn (1622-1685), a merchant and landowner from Westmorland who served as a Justice of the Peace.

In the 18th century, the name continued to be prominent in Yorkshire, but also appeared in other parts of northern England. One notable figure from this time was John Welburn (1720-1798), a renowned clockmaker from Scarborough, Yorkshire.

In the 19th century, the surname Welburn became more widely dispersed across England, as well as in other parts of the world due to emigration. One notable bearer from this period was William Welburn (1836-1906), a mining engineer and inventor from County Durham, who was instrumental in the development of mining safety technology.

Other notable individuals with the surname Welburn throughout history include Sir Ralph Welburn (1879-1936), a British civil engineer and architect, and Ronald Welburn (1921-2011), a Canadian author and academic specializing in Native American studies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Welburn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Welburn 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 499 Welburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.76x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 499 8.76x
Durham 18 1.05x
Lincolnshire 17 1.85x
Lancashire 16 0.23x
Angus 8 1.50x
Middlesex 8 0.14x
Derbyshire 7 0.78x
Surrey 4 0.14x
Kent 3 0.15x
Wiltshire 3 0.59x
Suffolk 2 0.29x
Northamptonshire 1 0.19x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.13x
Oxfordshire 1 0.28x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camblesforth in Yorkshire leads with 29 Welburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 5272.73x.

Place Total Index
Camblesforth 29 5272.73x
Lofthouse 22 258.82x
Brandesburton 21 1409.40x
York All Sts North 13 460.99x
Holy Trinity 12 8.76x
Skelton In Guisbrough 12 77.92x
Bainton 11 1392.41x
Beverley St Martin 11 115.79x
Beverley St Nicholas 11 235.55x
Bridlington 11 84.36x
Norton In Malton 11 159.42x
Carlton In Selby 10 680.27x
Great Driffield 10 85.62x
Seaton Wassand 10 1204.82x
Wharram Le Street 10 3703.70x
Gorton 9 14.04x
Hunslet 9 10.14x
Pickering Marishes 9 1451.61x
Acaster Malbis 8 1538.46x
Bradfield 8 36.45x
Dundee 8 4.03x
Middlesbrough 8 10.79x
Midgley 8 131.80x
Millington W Little 8 2222.22x
York St Mary 8 33.93x
Holgate 7 630.63x
Leeds 7 2.18x
Norton 7 94.47x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 7 34.41x
Scarborough 7 13.53x
Sculcoates 7 7.75x
Sowerby In Thirsk 7 204.08x
Suffield Cum Everley 7 2592.59x
West Ayton 7 777.78x
Bradford 6 4.35x
Clifton In York 6 50.38x
Hampstead London 6 6.71x
Newington 6 38.27x
North Holme 6 30000.00x
Bishop Auckland 5 21.81x
Boynton 5 1612.90x
Hirst Courtney 5 2272.73x
Kirkby Moorside 5 138.12x
Orby 5 617.28x
Southcoates 5 15.82x
Tickton Hull Bridge 5 675.68x
Willoughby 5 413.22x
Wortley In Bramley 5 11.09x
Appleton Le Moors 4 677.97x
East Heslerton 4 666.67x
Garton On Wolds 4 392.16x
Great Aycliffe 4 242.42x
Lambeth 4 0.80x
Lockngtn In Kilnwck 4 396.04x
Rillington 4 231.21x
Skipton On Swale 4 1379.31x
Stranton 4 6.95x
Tonge 4 27.97x
Walton In Wakefield 4 327.87x
Balne 3 428.57x
Beverley St Mary 3 36.06x
Filey 3 65.22x
Gate Fulford 3 22.57x
Holy Trinity St Mary 3 34.60x
Hook 3 23.96x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 3 43.23x
Middleton On Wolds 3 240.00x
Pickering 3 41.84x
Rochester St Margaret 3 14.51x
Roos 3 285.71x
South Kilvington 3 588.24x
Stockton On Tees 3 3.64x
Swinton Broughton In 3 337.08x
Weel 3 1363.64x
West Overton 3 225.56x
Caytn Deepdal Kilrby 2 166.67x
East Ayton 2 256.41x
Kirton 2 54.35x
Pontefract 2 16.31x
York St Maurice 2 18.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 52
William 52
Thomas 29
George 25
James 13
Robert 13
Alfred 8
Henry 8
Ernest 7
Arthur 5
Geo. 5
Joseph 5
Charles 4
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Herbert 4
Richard 4
Albert 3
Tom 3
Walter 3
Christopher 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Mark 2
Peter 2
Samuel 2
Smith 2
Thos.H. 2
Wray 2
Aron 1
Barmby 1
Coates 1
David 1
Enoch 1
Francis 1
Fred. 1
Fredric 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.Wm. 1
Harold 1
Heber 1
Jno. 1
Mathew 1
Rueben 1
Rustin 1
Sam 1
Septimus 1
Sidney 1

FAQ

Welburn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Welburn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 591 people were recorded with the Welburn surname. That placed it at #5,910 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Welburn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,132 in 2016. That gives Welburn a modern rank of #5,203.

What does the Welburn surname mean?

A locational surname derived from places in Yorkshire meaning "well burn" or stream.

What does the Welburn map show?

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