NameCensus.

UK surname

Wellburn

In the 1881 census there were 145 people recorded with the Wellburn surname, ranking it #15,838 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 200, ranked #19,591, down from #15,838 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whitby, Monkwearmouth and Fylingdales. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Cowal South and Annan West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wellburn is 219 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.9%.

1881 census count

145

Ranked #15,838

Modern count

200

2016, ranked #19,591

Peak year

1911

219 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wellburn had 145 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,838 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 219 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wellburn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wellburn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wellburn 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 9 #31,675
1861 historical 63 #25,901
1881 historical 145 #15,838
1891 historical 188 #15,609
1901 historical 211 #14,647
1911 historical 219 #14,136
1997 modern 188 #18,324
1998 modern 199 #18,177
1999 modern 205 #17,960
2000 modern 200 #18,209
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 199 #18,350
2003 modern 190 #18,683
2004 modern 195 #18,500
2005 modern 187 #18,924
2006 modern 192 #18,753
2007 modern 188 #19,204
2008 modern 196 #18,895
2009 modern 205 #18,722
2010 modern 218 #18,375
2011 modern 209 #18,730
2012 modern 196 #19,463
2013 modern 200 #19,524
2014 modern 196 #19,961
2015 modern 200 #19,567
2016 modern 200 #19,591

Geography

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Where Wellburns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whitby, Monkwearmouth, Fylingdales, Scarborough and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Cowal South, Annan West and Brechin East. 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 Whitby Yorkshire, North Riding
2 Monkwearmouth Durham
3 Fylingdales Yorkshire, North Riding
4 Scarborough Yorkshire, North Riding
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 032 County Durham
2 Cowal South Argyll and Bute
3 County Durham 036 County Durham
4 Annan West Dumfries and Galloway
5 Brechin East Angus

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wellburn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wellburn

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Wellburn is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wellburn 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

Wellburn 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 Wellburn is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Wellburn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wellburn 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 111 Wellburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.92x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 111 7.92x
Durham 20 4.75x
Lancashire 5 0.30x
Northumberland 4 1.90x
Glamorgan 1 0.41x
Renfrewshire 1 0.91x
Surrey 1 0.15x
Sussex 1 0.42x
Westmorland 1 3.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Scarborough in Yorkshire leads with 29 Wellburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 227.81x.

Place Total Index
Scarborough 29 227.81x
Fylingdales 23 3285.71x
Monkwearmouth Shore 13 158.34x
Ruswarp 11 705.13x
Caytn Deepdal Kilrby 6 2000.00x
Monkwearmouth 6 148.88x
Wintringham 6 3750.00x
Spotland 5 26.80x
Barnby 4 4444.44x
Falsgrave 4 193.24x
Westgate 4 30.70x
Wortley In Bramley 4 36.04x
Brompton In Scarborough 3 909.09x
Leeds 3 3.79x
Middlesbrough 3 16.44x
Beverley St Nicholas 2 173.91x
Hilderthorpe 2 281.69x
Liverton 2 625.00x
Bermondsey 1 2.38x
Beverley St Mary 1 48.78x
Bishopwearmouth 1 2.77x
Brighton 1 2.08x
Cardiff St Mary 1 7.37x
Hawsker Cum Stainsacre 1 212.77x
Hillam 1 625.00x
Pollington 1 526.32x
Ryton 1 1000.00x
Sinnington 1 666.67x
Snilesworth 1 2000.00x
Strickland Kettle 1 333.33x
Water Fulford 1 5000.00x
West Greenock 1 5.08x
Whitby 1 21.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 8
Sarah 8
Mary 6
Jane 5
Ann 4
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Hannah 3
Ada 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Alice 1
Bertha 1
Betsey 1
Christiana 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Ellena 1
Elsie 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Hetty 1
Isabell 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Magt. 1
Maria 1
Rebecca 1
Robina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 14
John 13
William 7
Robert 5
Henry 4
Arthur 3
Thomas 3
Alfred 2
Charles 2
Edgar 2
Frederick 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Richard 2
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Halder 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Lerris 1
Liddle 1
Matthew 1
Robt. 1
Sidney 1
Tom 1
Tranmer 1
Wm. 1
Zacariah 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Wellburn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wellburn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 145 people were recorded with the Wellburn surname. That placed it at #15,838 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wellburn surname today?

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

What does the Wellburn map show?

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