NameCensus.

UK surname

Wellard

From the English surname referring to someone who lived near a well or spring.

In the 1881 census there were 600 people recorded with the Wellard surname, ranking it #5,832 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 781, ranked #7,060, down from #5,832 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary and Eynesford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Holland, Dartford and Canterbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wellard is 931 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.2%.

1881 census count

600

Ranked #5,832

Modern count

781

2016, ranked #7,060

Peak year

1998

931 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wellard had 600 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,832 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 781 in 2016, ranked #7,060.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 842 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wellard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wellard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wellard 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 406 #5,963
1861 historical 429 #5,989
1881 historical 600 #5,832
1891 historical 697 #5,622
1901 historical 788 #5,711
1911 historical 842 #5,265
1997 modern 896 #5,983
1998 modern 931 #5,999
1999 modern 914 #6,128
2000 modern 879 #6,283
2001 modern 861 #6,273
2002 modern 873 #6,330
2003 modern 875 #6,208
2004 modern 872 #6,241
2005 modern 827 #6,432
2006 modern 821 #6,482
2007 modern 819 #6,567
2008 modern 830 #6,551
2009 modern 821 #6,733
2010 modern 836 #6,779
2011 modern 826 #6,765
2012 modern 773 #7,062
2013 modern 797 #6,985
2014 modern 795 #7,037
2015 modern 792 #6,990
2016 modern 781 #7,060

Geography

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Where Wellards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary, Eynesford and Hawkinge, Folkestone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Holland, Dartford, Canterbury and Derbyshire Dales. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
4 Eynesford Kent
5 Hawkinge, Folkestone Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Holland 008 South Holland
2 Dartford 002 Dartford
3 Canterbury 010 Canterbury
4 Derbyshire Dales 010 Derbyshire Dales
5 Canterbury 020 Canterbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wellard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wellard

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Wellard is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Wellard 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

Wellard falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wellard 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 Wellard, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wellard

The surname Wellard is of English origin, and it is believed to have originated from the Old English words "well" and "ard," which together mean "dweller by the spring or stream." This name was likely derived from a topographic feature or location where the first bearers of the name resided.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Wellard can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Walard" or "Walart." This indicates that the name was present in England during the Norman Conquest and the subsequent compilation of the Domesday Book, which was a record of landowners and their holdings.

In the 13th century, the name is found in various records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, where it is spelled as "Wellard." This suggests that the name had evolved to its more modern spelling by that time.

One notable bearer of the Wellard surname was Sir William Wellard (c. 1450-1517), who was a member of the English gentry and served as the Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk in the late 15th century.

Another historical figure with the Wellard surname was John Wellard (c. 1570-1632), an English clergyman and author who is best known for his work "The Courteous Host," published in 1617.

In the 17th century, the Wellard name was also found in the parish records of East Anglia, particularly in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. This indicates that the name had a strong presence in that region during that period.

Moving into the 18th century, we find William Wellard (1728-1808), a British artist known for his landscape paintings and etchings. He was a member of the Royal Academy of Arts and is considered one of the foremost English landscape artists of his time.

Another notable bearer of the Wellard surname was John Wellard (1810-1888), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the St. James's Church in Piccadilly and the Royal Dramatic College.

While the Wellard surname is not among the most common in England, it has a long and rich history, with its origins dating back to the Norman era and connections to various notable figures throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wellard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wellard 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. Kent leads with 441 Wellards recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.08x.

County Total Index
Kent 441 22.08x
Surrey 57 2.00x
Middlesex 48 0.82x
Essex 18 1.56x
Sussex 9 0.91x
Angus 6 1.11x
Hampshire 6 0.50x
Lancashire 4 0.06x
Warwickshire 4 0.27x
Berkshire 2 0.46x
Dorset 2 0.52x
Durham 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 1.43x
Shropshire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eynsford in Kent leads with 35 Wellards recorded in 1881 and an index of 1023.39x.

Place Total Index
Eynsford 35 1023.39x
Folkestone 22 56.80x
Gillingham 22 53.44x
Ringwould 22 1286.55x
Dover St Mary Virgin 18 93.12x
St Margarets At Cliffe 18 1512.61x
Bermondsey 16 9.18x
Camberwell 16 4.28x
Chatham 16 29.12x
Wingham 16 692.64x
Minster In Thanet 12 288.46x
Northfleet 11 62.54x
Rainham 10 182.15x
High Halstow 9 1200.00x
St Pancras London 9 1.91x
Woolwich 9 12.20x
Chelsea London 8 4.54x
Cobham 8 434.78x
Deal 8 46.98x
Deptford St Paul 8 5.19x
Margate St John Baptist 8 21.88x
Northbourne 8 421.05x
Ramsgate 8 24.54x
St Lawrence 8 58.27x
Ash Next Ridley 7 551.18x
Bromley London 7 5.44x
East Ham 7 32.65x
Plumstead 7 10.52x
Queenborough 7 353.54x
St Nicholas At Wade 7 598.29x
Woodnesborough 7 382.51x
Ashford 6 30.85x
Dundee 6 2.96x
Hougham 6 50.55x
Sittingbourne 6 38.05x
Boughton Under Blean 5 149.70x
Charlton 5 37.71x
Cliffe 5 110.86x
East Langdon Oxney 5 757.58x
Feltham 5 85.62x
Kensington London 5 1.54x
Newington 5 2.31x
Portsea 5 2.13x
Sholden 5 641.03x
St George Hanover 5 6.55x
West Langdon 5 2380.95x
Whitstable 5 51.07x
Aston 4 0.98x
Canvey Island 4 714.29x
Dartford 4 19.59x
Greenwich 4 4.29x
Hastings All Sts 4 43.01x
Kingston On Thames 4 5.84x
Penge 4 10.70x
Swingfield 4 512.82x
Chelmsford 3 15.14x
Chislehurst 3 28.01x
Chislet 3 132.74x
Dover St James 3 34.29x
Eastry 3 108.30x
Horton Kirby 3 97.09x
Luddesdown 3 555.56x
Minster In Sheppey 3 9.07x
Moss Side 3 8.21x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.55x
Swanscombe 3 33.44x
Titsey 3 652.17x
West Cliffe 3 1200.00x
Bethnal Green London 2 0.79x
Canterbury St Mildred 2 42.19x
Etchingham 2 109.29x
Farningham 2 111.73x
Frindsbury 2 26.60x
Hoo St Mary 2 327.87x
Lambeth 2 0.39x
Maidstone 2 3.36x
Monkton 2 266.67x
Reading St Mary 2 5.68x
St Marylebone London 2 0.64x
West Malling 2 44.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 32
Sarah 25
Emma 16
Emily 15
Eliza 14
Elizabeth 13
Caroline 12
Alice 11
Annie 10
Ellen 8
Ann 7
Edith 7
Hannah 7
Jane 7
Martha 6
Louisa 5
Susan 5
Charlotte 4
Amy 3
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Eleanor 3
Ethel 3
Florence 3
Harriet 3
Julia 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Harriett 2
Lizzie 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Minnie 2
Rebecca 2
Susannah 2
Alma 1
Amelia 1
Benedicter 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Elenor 1
Elibeth 1
Eliz. 1
Eliz.J. 1
Isabella 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 51
Thomas 25
Henry 19
John 18
George 14
James 13
Alfred 10
Charles 10
Richard 10
Edward 8
Robert 8
Albert 7
Walter 7
Harry 5
Stephen 5
Arthur 4
Frederick 4
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Fredk. 3
Joseph 3
Geo. 2
Gladman 2
Leonard 2
Morris 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Archibald 1
Aurthur 1
Charley 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Ebenezer 1
Elvey 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.C. 1
H.R. 1
Harrison 1
Herbert 1
Jessie 1
Levi 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Manwise 1
Monti 1
Philip 1
Ralph 1
Rd.Henry 1
Zachary 1

FAQ

Wellard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wellard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 600 people were recorded with the Wellard surname. That placed it at #5,832 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wellard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 781 in 2016. That gives Wellard a modern rank of #7,060.

What does the Wellard surname mean?

From the English surname referring to someone who lived near a well or spring.

What does the Wellard map show?

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