NameCensus.

UK surname

Wellesley

An English habitational surname derived from a town in Somerset, England.

In the 1881 census there were 65 people recorded with the Wellesley surname, ranking it #24,420 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 109, ranked #29,402, down from #24,420 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Exeter, Carrick South and East Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wellesley is 120 in 2005. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 67.7%.

1881 census count

65

Ranked #24,420

Modern count

109

2016, ranked #29,402

Peak year

2005

120 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wellesley had 65 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,420 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016, ranked #29,402.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 74 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Wellesley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wellesley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wellesley 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 41 #25,926
1861 historical 43 #28,562
1881 historical 65 #24,420
1891 historical 74 #27,538
1901 historical 70 #26,383
1911 historical 66 #26,249
1997 modern 101 #26,774
1998 modern 109 #26,273
1999 modern 112 #26,044
2000 modern 116 #25,452
2001 modern 105 #26,620
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 113 #25,797
2004 modern 114 #25,870
2005 modern 120 #25,066
2006 modern 114 #26,120
2007 modern 114 #26,491
2008 modern 110 #27,391
2009 modern 118 #26,766
2010 modern 119 #27,250
2011 modern 113 #27,967
2012 modern 107 #29,017
2013 modern 102 #30,415
2014 modern 108 #29,658
2015 modern 106 #29,895
2016 modern 109 #29,402

Geography

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Where Wellesleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Exeter, Carrick South, East Devon, Kensington and Chelsea and Basingstoke and Deane. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Exeter 007 Exeter
2 Carrick South South Ayrshire
3 East Devon 004 East Devon
4 Kensington and Chelsea 020 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Basingstoke and Deane 005 Basingstoke and Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wellesley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wellesley

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Wellesley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Wellesley 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Wellesley is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

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

Wellesley 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

Wellesley falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wellesley

The surname Wellesley originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English words 'welle' meaning 'well' or 'spring' and 'leah' meaning 'clearing' or 'meadow'. The name likely originated as a place name referring to a clearing near a well or spring.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Walleslee'. This document was a survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

During the 12th century, the name appears in various forms such as 'Waleslegh', 'Wallesleye', and 'Welleslegh' in various medieval records and charters. These variations reflect the changes in spelling and pronunciation over time.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname was Sir Richard Wellesley, who lived in the 13th century and was a member of the gentry in Somerset, England. He is mentioned in several local records and documents from that time.

The Wellesley family gained prominence in the 16th and 17th centuries, with several members holding important positions and titles. Sir Gawen Wellesley (1512-1548) was a member of the English Parliament and served as the High Sheriff of Somerset. His son, Sir William Wellesley (1548-1622), was also a Member of Parliament and held the position of High Sheriff of Somerset.

In the 18th century, the Wellesley family produced several notable figures, including Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley (1760-1842), who served as the Governor-General of India and played a significant role in the expansion of British rule in the subcontinent. His brother, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), was a renowned military commander who led the British forces to victory against Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Another notable individual with the Wellesley surname was Ralph Wellesley (1690-1758), who was the Bishop of Gloucester and later became the Archbishop of Armagh in Ireland. He was a prominent figure in the Church of England during the 18th century.

Throughout history, the Wellesley surname has been associated with various place names in England, such as Wellesbourne in Warwickshire, Wellesbourne Hastings in Warwickshire, and Wellesbourne Mountford in Warwickshire, all of which likely derived their names from the same Old English roots as the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wellesley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wellesley 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. Hampshire leads with 12 Wellesleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.96x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 12 8.96x
Berkshire 10 20.39x
Lanarkshire 10 4.73x
Surrey 6 1.88x
Wiltshire 5 8.65x
Middlesex 4 0.61x
Bedfordshire 3 8.87x
Dunbartonshire 3 17.08x
Yorkshire 3 0.46x
Cheshire 2 1.39x
Gloucestershire 2 1.56x
Buckinghamshire 1 2.53x
Dorset 1 2.33x
Essex 1 0.78x
Lancashire 1 0.13x
Norfolk 1 1.00x
Sussex 1 0.91x
Warwickshire 1 0.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dalserf in Lanarkshire leads with 8 Wellesleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 379.15x.

Place Total Index
Dalserf 8 379.15x
New Windsor 7 424.24x
Farnborough 6 425.53x
Draycot Cerne 4 13333.33x
St Mary Kalendar 4 1428.57x
Bedford St Cuthbert 3 1000.00x
Cottingham 3 214.29x
Old Kilpatrick 3 144.23x
Richmond 3 67.26x
Chelsea London 2 10.16x
Farndon 2 1666.67x
Gorbals 2 160.00x
Ryde 2 69.44x
Sandhurst 2 210.53x
Bristol St Michael 1 90.91x
Camberwell 1 2.40x
Charlton Kings 1 112.36x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 8.12x
Chute 1 1000.00x
Eton 1 111.11x
Great Packington 1 2000.00x
Great Yarmouth 1 12.02x
Hackney London 1 2.73x
Mortlake 1 70.42x
Penge 1 23.98x
Portland 1 43.29x
Prittlewell 1 55.87x
Reading St Giles 1 20.79x
St Martin In Fields 1 25.58x
West Stoke 1 5000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 1
Charles 1
Clara 1
Dora 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Evelyn 1
F. 1
Fany 1
Henrietta 1
Hyacinth 1
Jane 1
Kathleen 1
Lady 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Magdalen 1
Mary 1
Norah 1
Sarah 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Arthur 6
Edwd. 2
Gerald 2
Henry 2
John 2
Richard 2
Frederick 1
Garrett 1
Herbert 1
Percival 1
Percy 1
Richd.W., 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Roy 1
Victor 1
William 1
Wm. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Wellesley households.

FAQ

Wellesley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wellesley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 65 people were recorded with the Wellesley surname. That placed it at #24,420 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wellesley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016. That gives Wellesley a modern rank of #29,402.

What does the Wellesley surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a town in Somerset, England.

What does the Wellesley map show?

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