NameCensus.

UK surname

Welding

An occupational surname referring to someone who joined or united metal pieces together.

In the 1881 census there were 213 people recorded with the Welding surname, ranking it #12,328 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 372, ranked #12,539, down from #12,328 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rowley Regis, Preston and Ormskirk. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens, Dudley and Hinckley and Bosworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Welding is 483 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 74.6%.

1881 census count

213

Ranked #12,328

Modern count

372

2016, ranked #12,539

Peak year

1891

483 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Welding had 213 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,328 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 372 in 2016, ranked #12,539.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 483 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Welding surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Welding surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Welding 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 196 #10,573
1861 historical 327 #7,788
1881 historical 213 #12,328
1891 historical 483 #7,638
1901 historical 332 #10,863
1911 historical 425 #8,877
1997 modern 386 #11,295
1998 modern 398 #11,377
1999 modern 400 #11,439
2000 modern 407 #11,252
2001 modern 399 #11,252
2002 modern 403 #11,382
2003 modern 395 #11,364
2004 modern 402 #11,244
2005 modern 390 #11,397
2006 modern 395 #11,364
2007 modern 381 #11,798
2008 modern 383 #11,876
2009 modern 388 #12,000
2010 modern 399 #12,018
2011 modern 389 #12,106
2012 modern 363 #12,592
2013 modern 365 #12,766
2014 modern 367 #12,801
2015 modern 371 #12,567
2016 modern 372 #12,539

Geography

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Where Weldings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rowley Regis, Preston, Ormskirk, Blackburn and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens, Dudley and Hinckley and Bosworth. 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 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
2 Preston Lancashire
3 Ormskirk Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 015 St. Helens
2 St. Helens 010 St. Helens
3 Dudley 025 Dudley
4 St. Helens 020 St. Helens
5 Hinckley and Bosworth 011 Hinckley and Bosworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Welding

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Welding

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Welding is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Welding is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Welding

The surname Welding is believed to have originated in England, likely derived from the Old English word "wealdend," meaning "ruler" or "governor." The name may have initially been used as an occupational surname for someone who held a position of authority or governed a particular area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Welding can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Weldingus in the county of Lincolnshire.

During the Middle Ages, the name Welding appeared in various medieval records and documents across England. One notable example is Sir John Welding, a knight who fought alongside Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century.

The Welding surname also has connections to certain place names in England. For instance, the village of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire is believed to have derived its name from the Old English "Welling" or "Welding," potentially referring to a former ruler or landowner in the area.

In the 16th century, a variant spelling of the name, "Weldinge," can be found in the records of the Parish of St. Mary's in Nottingham, indicating the presence of the Welding family in that region.

Notable individuals with the surname Welding throughout history include:

1. Thomas Welding (c. 1570 - 1638), an English clergyman and author known for his works on theology and religious controversies. 2. Edward Welding (1667 - 1716), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire. 3. Sarah Welding (1718 - 1788), an English author and poet whose works explored themes of love, nature, and philosophy. 4. William Welding (1792 - 1865), a British architect renowned for his designs of churches and public buildings in London. 5. James Welding (1835 - 1902), a Scottish inventor and engineer who made significant contributions to the development of early steam engines.

While the surname Welding has evolved over the centuries, it remains rooted in its English origins, reflecting a rich history spanning various historical periods and encompassing individuals from diverse walks of life.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Welding families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Welding 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. Lancashire leads with 125 Weldings recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.32x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 125 5.32x
Middlesex 20 1.01x
Warwickshire 17 3.40x
Kent 9 1.33x
Surrey 8 0.83x
Essex 6 1.54x
Staffordshire 6 0.90x
Durham 5 0.85x
Brecknockshire 1 2.53x
Derbyshire 1 0.32x
Gloucestershire 1 0.26x
Lincolnshire 1 0.32x
Monmouthshire 1 0.70x
Worcestershire 1 0.39x
Yorkshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Windle in Lancashire leads with 28 Weldings recorded in 1881 and an index of 211.80x.

Place Total Index
Windle 28 211.80x
Parr 20 237.81x
Eccleston In Prescot 17 144.07x
Birmingham 15 9.01x
St Pancras London 8 5.02x
Skelmersdale 7 178.57x
Southwark St Saviour 7 68.76x
Warrington 7 25.13x
Woolwich 7 28.04x
Burnham 6 416.67x
Atherton 5 58.48x
Darlington 5 21.99x
Over Darwen 5 26.64x
Sutton 5 63.45x
Bow London 4 15.87x
Prescot 4 94.12x
Rowley Regis 4 21.47x
Salford 4 5.79x
Everton 3 4.01x
Mile End Old Town 3 9.60x
Aston 2 1.45x
Hulme 2 4.08x
Little Hoole 2 666.67x
Liverpool 2 1.40x
Quarnford 2 666.67x
Sefton 2 769.23x
Ashton In Makerfield 1 14.95x
Berkeley 1 46.30x
Blackburn 1 1.60x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 5.36x
Braithwell 1 400.00x
Brindle 1 123.46x
Castleton 1 4.26x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.14x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.92x
Hackney London 1 0.90x
Haslingden 1 10.28x
Heanor 1 21.55x
Horncastle 1 30.58x
Hougham 1 24.88x
Islington London 1 0.52x
Kensington London 1 0.91x
Kings Norton 1 4.31x
Little Bolton 1 3.31x
Llangattock 1 31.06x
Monmouth 1 26.32x
Spotland 1 3.83x
St Marylebone London 1 0.95x
Stoke 1 21.98x
West Derby 1 1.45x
Widnes 1 5.90x
Wigan 1 3.05x
Worsley 1 6.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Elizabeth 11
Ellen 9
Jane 7
Margaret 6
Ann 4
Annie 4
Edith 3
Eliza 3
Elizth. 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Emma 2
Helen 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Betoy 1
Betty 1
Blanche 1
Catharine 1
Elen 1
Emily 1
Emmaline 1
Florence 1
Francies 1
Gertrude 1
Helena 1
Leonard 1
Louise 1
Maria 1
Maryann 1
Octavia 1
Pricilla 1
Rebecca 1
Ruth 1
Susannah 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
William 16
James 10
Thomas 7
Samuel 6
George 5
Joseph 5
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Wm. 4
Richard 3
Charles 2
Edwin 2
Frederick 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Annie 1
Daniel 1
David 1
H. 1
Henry 1
Jane 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Michael 1
Rich.W. 1
Robert 1
Sandyland 1
Sidney 1

FAQ

Welding surname: questions and answers

How common was the Welding surname in 1881?

In 1881, 213 people were recorded with the Welding surname. That placed it at #12,328 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Welding surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 372 in 2016. That gives Welding a modern rank of #12,539.

What does the Welding surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who joined or united metal pieces together.

What does the Welding map show?

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