NameCensus.

UK surname

Wellings

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "dwelling by the spring or well".

In the 1881 census there were 1,028 people recorded with the Wellings surname, ranking it #3,821 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,883, ranked #3,377, up from #3,821 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Wyre and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wellings is 1,948 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 83.2%.

1881 census count

1,028

Ranked #3,821

Modern count

1,883

2016, ranked #3,377

Peak year

2002

1,948 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wellings had 1,028 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,821 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,883 in 2016, ranked #3,377.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,764 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Wellings surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wellings surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wellings 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 630 #4,122
1861 historical 561 #4,697
1881 historical 1,028 #3,821
1891 historical 1,202 #3,563
1901 historical 1,549 #3,327
1911 historical 1,764 #2,786
1997 modern 1,854 #3,250
1998 modern 1,930 #3,246
1999 modern 1,938 #3,258
2000 modern 1,928 #3,263
2001 modern 1,892 #3,252
2002 modern 1,948 #3,238
2003 modern 1,926 #3,210
2004 modern 1,902 #3,233
2005 modern 1,874 #3,250
2006 modern 1,848 #3,300
2007 modern 1,829 #3,353
2008 modern 1,855 #3,339
2009 modern 1,871 #3,396
2010 modern 1,913 #3,400
2011 modern 1,886 #3,403
2012 modern 1,871 #3,371
2013 modern 1,920 #3,347
2014 modern 1,942 #3,336
2015 modern 1,907 #3,352
2016 modern 1,883 #3,377

Geography

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Where Wellings' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington, London parishes, Manchester and Kidderminster. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Wyre, Rochdale and South Staffordshire. 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 Sedgley Staffordshire
2 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Kidderminster Worcestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 009 Shropshire
2 Wyre 007 Wyre
3 Shropshire 024 Shropshire
4 Rochdale 019 Rochdale
5 South Staffordshire 001 South Staffordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wellings

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wellings

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Wellings surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Wellings household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Wellings 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

Wellings is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Wellings

The surname Wellings is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "wellingas," which referred to people who lived near a well or a spring. The name may have also originated from a place name, such as Welling in Kent or Wellington in Somerset.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Wellings can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, where a person named Robertus de Wellinges is listed. This suggests that the name was already established in the region at that time.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is spelled as "Welynges." This variation in spelling was common during the Middle Ages, as standardized spelling had not yet been established.

During the 14th century, the Wellings surname can be found in the Patent Rolls of 1348, which document a land transaction involving a person named John Wellyng. This record provides evidence of the name's continued presence in England at the time.

One notable individual with the surname Wellings was Sir Richard Wellings (1590-1677), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Guildford during the English Civil War. He was a staunch Royalist and supported King Charles I during the conflict.

Another prominent figure with this surname was John Wellings (1676-1726), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "A Treatise on the Antiquity of the Christian Religion" and "A Discourse on the Benefits of the Knowledge of Christ."

In the 18th century, the name Wellings is associated with the botanist and author William Wellings (1721-1799). He published several works on gardening and horticulture, including "The Practical Gardener" and "The Florist's Manual."

The Wellings surname is also connected to the British military through individuals like Lieutenant Colonel Robert Wellings (1804-1876), who served in the Indian Army during the 19th century, and Major General George Wellings (1832-1905), a distinguished officer in the British Army.

Throughout the centuries, variations of the Wellings surname have emerged, such as Welling, Wellyng, and Wellin, reflecting the diverse regional dialects and spelling conventions of different areas in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wellings families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wellings 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. Shropshire leads with 299 Wellings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.41x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 299 34.41x
Staffordshire 233 6.86x
Middlesex 69 0.69x
Lancashire 63 0.53x
Warwickshire 54 2.13x
Worcestershire 53 4.04x
Surrey 35 0.71x
Cheshire 29 1.31x
Herefordshire 28 6.79x
Hampshire 25 1.21x
Gloucestershire 22 1.12x
Radnorshire 21 25.88x
Yorkshire 16 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 13 2.14x
Essex 13 0.65x
Glamorgan 12 0.69x
Montgomeryshire 9 3.91x
Derbyshire 6 0.38x
Kent 6 0.17x
Hertfordshire 5 0.72x
Berkshire 4 0.53x
Northumberland 4 0.27x
Lanarkshire 3 0.09x
Devon 2 0.10x
Sussex 2 0.12x
Wiltshire 2 0.22x
Flintshire 1 0.37x
Northamptonshire 1 0.11x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tipton in Staffordshire leads with 39 Wellings' recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.52x.

Place Total Index
Tipton 39 37.52x
Aston 33 4.73x
Wolverhampton 32 12.26x
Sedgley 31 24.59x
Kingswinford 27 21.90x
Ercall Magna 26 418.01x
Wellington 25 51.20x
Rowley Regis 24 25.37x
Kidderminster Borough 22 28.62x
Shrewsbury St Mary 22 64.18x
Birmingham 20 2.37x
Bilston 17 25.84x
Clunbury 17 501.47x
Dudley 15 9.40x
Portsea 15 3.71x
St Pancras London 15 1.85x
Stottesdon 14 355.33x
Upper Penn 14 164.71x
South Hamlet 13 106.56x
Willenhall 13 20.45x
Wombridge 12 111.84x
Knighton 11 167.68x
Manchester 11 2.05x
Wollaston 11 132.05x
Epsom 10 41.88x
Hackney London 10 1.77x
Hulme 10 4.01x
Stanton Upon Hine Heath 10 436.68x
Clun Eddycliff 9 548.78x
Ellesmere 9 60.32x
Leatherhead 9 73.35x
Macclesfield 9 9.12x
Shifnal 9 38.15x
Westminster St John 9 7.35x
Cardiff St John 8 13.99x
Chelsea London 8 2.64x
Hunslet 8 5.15x
Little Neston 8 224.72x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 2.22x
Willesden 8 8.44x
Amersham 7 81.21x
Condover 7 114.38x
Leebotwood 7 1147.54x
Leintwardine 7 166.67x
Little Warley 7 252.71x
Monks Coppenhall 7 8.36x
Shawbury 7 209.58x
Battersea 6 1.62x
Bishops Castle In 6 118.34x
Burrington 6 869.57x
Dawley 6 18.98x
Hopton Castle 6 1500.00x
Kinnerley 6 145.28x
Leyton Low 6 14.87x
Madeley 6 18.83x
Moreton Corbet 6 697.67x
Pendleton In Salford 6 4.22x
Presteigne 6 116.50x
Rainhill 6 78.43x
Rawmarsh 6 17.04x
Ross 6 36.59x
Shobdon 6 461.54x
Warrington 6 4.24x
Carisbrooke 5 17.47x
Chalfont St Giles 5 114.94x
Clun 5 81.04x
Croydon 5 1.84x
Islington London 5 0.51x
Norton In Moors 5 27.82x
West Dean 5 15.61x
Aston Botterell 4 701.75x
Byker 4 5.41x
Derby St Werburgh 4 4.40x
Hampstead London 4 2.55x
Ludlow St Lawrence 4 23.13x
Stapleton 4 449.44x
Stoke Prior 4 212.77x
West Derby 4 1.15x
Wolstanton Chesterton 4 23.05x
Wrockwardine 4 20.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 78
Sarah 46
Elizabeth 40
Ann 26
Emma 24
Jane 19
Annie 15
Eliza 13
Hannah 13
Ellen 12
Martha 12
Harriet 10
Alice 9
Edith 9
Anne 8
Clara 8
Emily 8
Louisa 8
Margaret 7
Charlotte 6
Florence 6
Bertha 5
Catherine 5
Fanny 5
Ada 4
Agnes 4
Anna 4
Caroline 4
Frances 4
Maria 4
Esther 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Lydia 3
Mildred 3
Naomi 3
Phoebe 3
Rachel 3
Rose 3
Selina 3
Susan 3
Elizth. 2
Infant 2
Lucy 2
Minnie 2
Betsey 1
Dora 1
Edoth 1
Eliz. 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 67
John 65
Thomas 55
George 36
Joseph 28
Charles 22
Richard 22
Alfred 17
Henry 17
James 16
Edward 14
Samuel 13
Frederick 11
Benjamin 9
Arthur 8
Edwin 7
Harry 6
Robert 6
Ernest 5
Herbert 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
Humphrey 4
Daniel 3
Mansell 3
Edmund 2
Francis 2
Jos. 2
Mark 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Bertie 1
Caleb 1
Chas. 1
Clement 1
Cornelius 1
Edgar 1
Edw. 1
Edwd 1
Eliah 1
Enoch 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Hy. 1
Ivor 1
J.N. 1
Josiah 1
Louis 1
Mansel 1
Wm.Walter 1

FAQ

Wellings surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wellings surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,028 people were recorded with the Wellings surname. That placed it at #3,821 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wellings surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,883 in 2016. That gives Wellings a modern rank of #3,377.

What does the Wellings surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "dwelling by the spring or well".

What does the Wellings map show?

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