NameCensus.

UK surname

Weldon

Derived from a place name meaning "hill near a spring or stream," from Old English elements "well" and "dun."

In the 1881 census there were 1,196 people recorded with the Weldon surname, ranking it #3,371 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,091, ranked #3,093, up from #3,371 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Kilsyth East and Croy and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Weldon is 2,107 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 74.8%.

1881 census count

1,196

Ranked #3,371

Modern count

2,091

2016, ranked #3,093

Peak year

2014

2,107 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Weldon had 1,196 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,371 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,091 in 2016, ranked #3,093.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,544 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Weldon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Weldon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Weldon 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 705 #3,701
1861 historical 693 #3,894
1881 historical 1,196 #3,371
1891 historical 1,311 #3,314
1901 historical 1,544 #3,336
1911 historical 1,414 #3,411
1997 modern 1,908 #3,162
1998 modern 2,018 #3,138
1999 modern 2,033 #3,143
2000 modern 2,010 #3,156
2001 modern 1,961 #3,159
2002 modern 2,018 #3,150
2003 modern 1,920 #3,216
2004 modern 1,957 #3,170
2005 modern 1,932 #3,174
2006 modern 1,993 #3,106
2007 modern 2,004 #3,128
2008 modern 2,052 #3,080
2009 modern 2,051 #3,148
2010 modern 2,089 #3,160
2011 modern 2,065 #3,155
2012 modern 2,030 #3,152
2013 modern 2,057 #3,169
2014 modern 2,107 #3,119
2015 modern 2,087 #3,111
2016 modern 2,091 #3,093

Geography

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Where Weldons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hull Holy Trinity, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary and Whittlesey St Mary and St Andrew, Standground (Stilton & Peterborough, Northamptonshire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Kilsyth East and Croy, Birmingham and St. Helens. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Whittlesey St Mary and St Andrew, Standground (Stilton & Peterborough, Northamptonshire) Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 055 County Durham
2 Kilsyth East and Croy North Lanarkshire
3 Birmingham 056 Birmingham
4 St. Helens 004 St. Helens
5 County Durham 019 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Weldon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Weldon

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Weldon, 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 Weldon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Weldon 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, Weldon 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

Weldon 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

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

Meaning and origin of Weldon

The surname Weldon has its origins in England, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from a placename, referring to individuals who hailed from the town of Weldon in Northamptonshire.

The name Weldon is thought to be derived from the Old English words "well" and "dun," which together mean "hill by the spring" or "hill by the stream." This suggests that the town of Weldon was initially established near a natural water source, such as a spring or a stream, situated on a hill.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Weldon can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I. In these rolls, the name is spelled as "Welleden," reflecting the variation in spelling that was common during that era.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Weldon was John Weldon, who served as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire in 1388. Another early bearer of the name was William Weldon, a 15th-century English clergyman who held the position of Archdeacon of Northampton from 1451 to 1471.

During the 16th century, the Weldon family gained prominence in Northamptonshire, with Sir Raphael Weldon (1561-1636) being a notable member. He served as a Member of Parliament and was knighted by King James I in 1616.

In the 17th century, Sir Anthony Weldon (1583-1648) was a prominent figure who gained recognition for his writing. He authored a significant work titled "The Court and Character of King James," which provided insights into the life and reign of King James I.

Another individual of note with the surname Weldon was Walter Weldon (1832-1885), a 19th-century English mathematician and writer. He made significant contributions to the field of mathematics and authored several influential works, including "The Theory of Chances" and "The Doctrine of Chances."

Throughout history, the surname Weldon has been associated with various places and localities, such as Weldon in Northamptonshire, Weldon in Worcestershire, and Weldon in Buckinghamshire. These place names likely derived from the same Old English roots as the surname itself, reflecting the close connection between surnames and geographical locations during the medieval period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Weldon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Weldon 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 203 Weldons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.75x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 203 1.75x
Middlesex 169 1.45x
Lancashire 140 1.01x
Durham 67 1.93x
Nottinghamshire 59 3.75x
Lincolnshire 58 3.11x
Warwickshire 55 1.87x
Lanarkshire 53 1.40x
Surrey 44 0.77x
Leicestershire 32 2.47x
Northumberland 31 1.78x
Dorset 30 3.91x
Huntingdonshire 27 11.65x
Cambridgeshire 24 3.25x
Cheshire 22 0.85x
Hampshire 22 0.92x
Staffordshire 21 0.53x
Kent 15 0.38x
Rutland 13 15.16x
Worcestershire 12 0.79x
Derbyshire 10 0.55x
Isle of Man 10 4.61x
Northamptonshire 10 0.91x
Norfolk 9 0.50x
Devon 8 0.33x
Berkshire 7 0.80x
Midlothian 6 0.38x
Cumberland 5 0.50x
Gloucestershire 5 0.22x
Argyllshire 4 1.23x
Ayrshire 3 0.34x
Cornwall 3 0.23x
Essex 3 0.13x
Hertfordshire 3 0.37x
Sussex 3 0.15x
Buteshire 2 2.83x
Glamorgan 2 0.10x
Somerset 2 0.11x
Angus 1 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.27x
Renfrewshire 1 0.11x
Stirlingshire 1 0.23x
West Lothian 1 0.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 33 Weldons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.36x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 33 3.36x
Sheffield 28 7.60x
Barony 23 2.41x
Nottingham St Mary 21 5.16x
Holy Trinity 19 6.83x
Stranton 19 16.25x
Aston 18 2.22x
Shaftesbury Holy Trinity 16 405.06x
Pendleton In Salford 15 9.09x
Shaftesbury St James 14 350.00x
Syston 14 115.51x
Brightside Bierlow 13 5.73x
Leicester St Margaret 13 4.12x
Willesden 13 11.81x
Ecclesfield 12 14.14x
Farcett 12 421.05x
Mile End Old Town 12 6.51x
Nether Hallam 12 7.67x
Salford 12 2.94x
St Pancras London 12 1.28x
Windle 12 15.39x
Chelsea London 11 3.13x
Dukinfield 11 9.24x
Lewisham 11 5.18x
Liverpool 11 1.31x
Paddington London 11 2.56x
Southwark St George Martyr 11 4.68x
Kensington London 10 1.54x
Onchan 10 16.01x
West Derby 10 2.47x
Ecclesall Bierlow 9 3.82x
Fxhls Bythrp Btrwch 9 532.54x
Gateshead 9 3.46x
Govan 9 0.96x
Kirton 9 120.32x
March 9 36.35x
Westminster St 9 20.91x
Bradford 8 12.34x
Newington 8 1.85x
Sandiacre 8 122.70x
South Stoneham 8 15.41x
St Marylebone London 8 1.28x
Swanton Abbott 8 396.04x
Woodstone 8 218.58x
Burntwood Edial 7 27.80x
Cadder 7 25.10x
Exton 7 268.20x
Hammersmith London 7 2.43x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 4.65x
Lambeth 7 0.69x
Lenton 7 18.88x
Manchester 7 1.12x
Manningham 7 4.91x
Oldbury 7 9.33x
Shotts 7 15.49x
Southampton St Mary 7 4.65x
Sutton In Ashfield 7 20.50x
Westoe 7 3.55x
Batley 6 5.46x
Bromley London 6 2.34x
Clee With Weelsby 6 14.68x
Edinburgh St Marys 6 19.73x
Glasgow 6 0.89x
Maltby In Rotherham 6 185.76x
Nettleham 6 156.66x
New Sealford 6 156.25x
Sculcoates 6 3.27x
Shoreditch London 6 1.19x
St Paul Covent Garden 6 51.37x
Stannington 6 145.63x
Tottington Lower End 6 9.11x
Westminster St James 6 5.00x
Whittlesey St Mary St 6 23.23x
Widnes 6 6.00x
Ashton In Makerfield 5 12.67x
Basford 5 6.89x
Birkenhead 5 2.43x
Camberwell 5 0.67x
Newchurch 5 4.41x
Stamford St Michael 5 94.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 89
Elizabeth 49
Sarah 28
Eliza 20
Margaret 20
Alice 18
Annie 17
Ellen 17
Hannah 17
Emma 16
Ann 15
Jane 14
Catherine 12
Charlotte 10
Florence 10
Martha 10
Clara 8
Emily 8
Louisa 8
Ada 7
Frances 7
Maria 7
Rose 7
Fanny 6
Harriet 6
Kate 6
Lucy 6
Agnes 5
Julia 5
Amelia 4
Anne 4
Caroline 4
Lydia 4
Ruth 4
Selina 4
Amy 3
Gertrude 3
Jessie 3
Rebecca 3
Susan 3
Susannah 3
Anna 2
Bridget 2
Edith 2
Ethel 2
Lilian 2
Margeret 2
Marian 2
May 2
Rachael 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 70
William 67
James 52
George 37
Thomas 36
Joseph 24
Charles 17
Henry 17
Edward 16
Alfred 13
Samuel 11
Frederick 10
Walter 10
Richard 7
Robert 6
Albert 5
Arthur 5
Francis 5
Harry 5
Herbert 5
Matthew 5
Michael 5
Daniel 4
Ernest 4
Mathew 4
Peter 4
David 3
Frank 3
Ben 2
Christopher 2
G. 2
Ralph 2
Wm. 2
Andrew 1
Bertram 1
Bowker 1
C. 1
Charlie 1
Dennis 1
Donald 1
Earnest 1
Edgar.F. 1
Elijah 1
Ellis 1
Frances 1
Geo. 1
Geo.W. 1
Horace 1
Horacs 1
Infant 1

FAQ

Weldon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Weldon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,196 people were recorded with the Weldon surname. That placed it at #3,371 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Weldon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,091 in 2016. That gives Weldon a modern rank of #3,093.

What does the Weldon surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "hill near a spring or stream," from Old English elements "well" and "dun."

What does the Weldon map show?

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