NameCensus.

UK surname

Welsher

A name referring to someone of Welsh descent or origin.

In the 1881 census there were 67 people recorded with the Welsher surname, ranking it #24,104 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 148, ranked #23,958, up from #24,104 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sampford Brett, Bicknoller, Stogumber, Gateshead and St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Monmouthshire, Taunton Deane and Newport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Welsher is 156 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 120.9%.

1881 census count

67

Ranked #24,104

Modern count

148

2016, ranked #23,958

Peak year

2010

156 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Welsher had 67 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,104 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 148 in 2016, ranked #23,958.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 109 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Welsher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Welsher surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Welsher 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 39 #26,319
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 67 #24,104
1891 historical 104 #23,388
1901 historical 86 #24,508
1911 historical 109 #21,611
1997 modern 130 #23,021
1998 modern 149 #21,755
1999 modern 148 #22,020
2000 modern 142 #22,544
2001 modern 135 #22,945
2002 modern 142 #22,687
2003 modern 143 #22,367
2004 modern 143 #22,471
2005 modern 133 #23,502
2006 modern 137 #23,270
2007 modern 146 #22,596
2008 modern 154 #22,034
2009 modern 152 #22,716
2010 modern 156 #22,886
2011 modern 151 #23,204
2012 modern 143 #24,019
2013 modern 144 #24,323
2014 modern 146 #24,274
2015 modern 147 #24,036
2016 modern 148 #23,958

Geography

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Where Welshers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sampford Brett, Bicknoller, Stogumber, Gateshead, St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford, St Woollos (incl. Newport) and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Monmouthshire, Taunton Deane, Newport and Cardiff. 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 Sampford Brett, Bicknoller, Stogumber Somerset
2 Gateshead Durham
3 St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford Somerset
4 St Woollos (incl. Newport) Monmouthshire
5 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Monmouthshire 006 Monmouthshire
2 Taunton Deane 008 Taunton Deane
3 Taunton Deane 002 Taunton Deane
4 Newport 010 Newport
5 Cardiff 040 Cardiff

Forenames

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First names often paired with Welsher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Welsher

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Welsher is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Welsher is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Welsher

The surname Welsher is believed to have originated from the Welsh region of Great Britain, specifically from the area now known as Wales. Its roots can be traced back to the medieval period, when surnames were first adopted for identification purposes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Welsher can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry refers to a landowner named Willelmus le Waleys, which translates to "William the Welshman" in Old English.

The surname Welsher likely derived from the Old English word "Wælisc," meaning "foreigner" or "stranger." It was initially used to identify individuals of Welsh descent living in other parts of England. Over time, the surname evolved into various spellings, including Walshman, Walcheman, and eventually, Welsher.

In the 13th century, records from the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire mention a certain John le Waleys, who held land in the county. This early reference provides valuable insight into the geographical spread of the surname during that era.

One notable bearer of the Welsher surname was Sir John Welsher, a prominent military commander who fought alongside Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century. He was knighted for his valor and leadership in the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

Another historical figure with the surname Welsher was Thomas Welsher, a renowned scholar and theologian born in 1492. He was a prominent figure in the English Reformation and served as the Bishop of Lincoln from 1556 until his death in 1559.

During the 16th century, the surname Welsher was also associated with the village of Welshpool in Powys, Wales. Records indicate that several families bearing the name resided in the area, suggesting a possible connection between the surname and the place name.

In the 17th century, a notable figure named William Welsher was a successful merchant and landowner in London. He was involved in the East India Company and is mentioned in various trade records from that period.

As the centuries passed, the surname Welsher continued to be present in various parts of the British Isles, with different branches of the family establishing themselves in various regions and occupations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Welsher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Welsher 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. Somerset leads with 42 Welshers recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.93x.

County Total Index
Somerset 42 39.93x
Northumberland 9 9.26x
Monmouthshire 7 14.82x
Gloucestershire 5 3.90x
Middlesex 3 0.46x
Leicestershire 1 1.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crowcombe in Somerset leads with 9 Welshers recorded in 1881 and an index of 9000.00x.

Place Total Index
Crowcombe 9 9000.00x
Benwell 8 754.72x
Old Cleeve 7 1842.11x
St Woollos 7 132.83x
Treborough 7 23333.33x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 41.43x
Carhampton 5 3571.43x
Bedminster 4 40.49x
Stogumber 4 1428.57x
Bicknoller 3 4285.71x
Huish Champflower 1 1250.00x
Mile End New Town 1 112.36x
Nettlecombe 1 1428.57x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 17.21x
South Croxton 1 1666.67x
Spitalfields London 1 20.33x
St Marylebone London 1 2.87x
Withycombe 1 1666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Agnes 1
Alma 1
Amy 1
Anney 1
Beatrice 1
Elen 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Hanah 1
Harriet 1
Johannah 1
Rebeca 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
Henry 5
James 4
Robert 4
Charles 2
Edward 2
John 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
George 1
Harry 1
Jonathan 1
Joseph 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 Welsher households.

FAQ

Welsher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Welsher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 67 people were recorded with the Welsher surname. That placed it at #24,104 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Welsher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 148 in 2016. That gives Welsher a modern rank of #23,958.

What does the Welsher surname mean?

A name referring to someone of Welsh descent or origin.

What does the Welsher map show?

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