NameCensus.

UK surname

Wendt

Derived from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements "wand," meaning a Wend or Sorb, and "heri," meaning an army.

In the 1881 census there were 49 people recorded with the Wendt surname, ranking it #26,735 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 144, ranked #24,390, up from #26,735 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, West Lindsey and Kingston upon Thames.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wendt is 153 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 193.9%.

1881 census count

49

Ranked #26,735

Modern count

144

2016, ranked #24,390

Peak year

2010

153 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wendt had 49 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,735 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016, ranked #24,390.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 94 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Wendt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wendt surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wendt 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 8 #31,867
1861 historical 20 #31,364
1881 historical 49 #26,735
1891 historical 73 #27,677
1901 historical 93 #23,689
1911 historical 94 #23,391
1997 modern 120 #24,158
1998 modern 127 #23,940
1999 modern 121 #24,855
2000 modern 131 #23,672
2001 modern 130 #23,457
2002 modern 129 #24,021
2003 modern 137 #22,939
2004 modern 137 #23,098
2005 modern 140 #22,774
2006 modern 148 #22,111
2007 modern 146 #22,596
2008 modern 143 #23,160
2009 modern 151 #22,816
2010 modern 153 #23,175
2011 modern 153 #22,996
2012 modern 143 #24,019
2013 modern 150 #23,653
2014 modern 151 #23,745
2015 modern 150 #23,718
2016 modern 144 #24,390

Geography

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Where Wendts 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 Northumberland, West Lindsey and Kingston upon Thames. 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 Northumberland 012 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 008 Northumberland
3 West Lindsey 005 West Lindsey
4 Northumberland 013 Northumberland
5 Kingston upon Thames 006 Kingston upon Thames

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wendt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wendt

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wendt, 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 Wendt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Wendt 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Wendt is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wendt is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wendt falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wendt 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Wendt

The surname Wendt has its origins in Germany, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old German word "went," which means a path or a way. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a particular path or road.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Wendt can be found in various German records and chronicles from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, a record from the year 1292 mentions a "Johannes Wendt" residing in the town of Lübeck, which was a prominent trading hub in Northern Germany during that time.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in various legal documents and land records in regions such as Bavaria and Saxony. One notable example is a document from 1462 that references a "Hans Wendt," who was a landowner in the village of Elterlein, near the city of Chemnitz.

The name Wendt has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One such individual was Johann Wendt, a German theologian and philosopher who lived from 1529 to 1597. He was a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation and authored several theological works.

Another notable bearer of the name was Georg Wendt, a German painter who lived from 1619 to 1677. He was known for his religious paintings and worked extensively in the cities of Nuremberg and Dresden.

In the 19th century, the name Wendt gained further prominence with the birth of Gustav Wendt, a German-American businessman and philanthropist (1828-1898). He emigrated to the United States in the mid-1800s and became a successful businessman in the brewing industry.

Other notable individuals with the surname Wendt include Alexander Wendt, a German-American philosopher and international relations theorist (born 1958), and the American actor George Wendt, best known for his role as Norm Peterson on the television series "Cheers" (born 1948).

While the name Wendt has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various other parts of the world, particularly through German emigration in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wendt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wendt 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. Middlesex leads with 23 Wendts recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.81x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 23 4.81x
Kent 8 4.91x
Lancashire 8 1.41x
Gloucestershire 6 6.40x
Durham 1 0.70x
Lincolnshire 1 1.31x
Renfrewshire 1 2.70x
Worcestershire 1 1.60x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Widnes in Lancashire leads with 8 Wendts recorded in 1881 and an index of 195.60x.

Place Total Index
Widnes 8 195.60x
Lewisham 7 80.46x
St Luke London 7 91.26x
Bristol St James In 6 434.78x
Kensington London 6 22.58x
St Ann Blackfriars 4 5714.29x
St Bartholomew Great 2 465.12x
Great Grimsby 1 20.62x
Great Malvern 1 76.92x
Greenwich 1 13.14x
Hammersmith London 1 8.50x
Poplar London 1 11.09x
St George Hanover 1 16.03x
St Pancras London 1 2.60x
Sunderland 1 39.84x
West Greenock 1 15.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Elizabeth 2
Fanny 2
Kate 2
Millicent 2
Alberta 1
Amalie 1
Annie 1
Atina 1
Bertha 1
Dora 1
Dorothea 1
Emilie 1
Evangeline 1
Helene 1
Heline 1
Mina 1
Ruth 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 2
Christian 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
John 2
Theodore 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
E.H. 1
Fritz 1
George 1
Henrich 1
J.F.A. 1
Ludwig 1
Otto 1
Theophil 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 Wendt households.

FAQ

Wendt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wendt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 49 people were recorded with the Wendt surname. That placed it at #26,735 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wendt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016. That gives Wendt a modern rank of #24,390.

What does the Wendt surname mean?

Derived from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements "wand," meaning a Wend or Sorb, and "heri," meaning an army.

What does the Wendt map show?

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