NameCensus.

UK surname

Went

A surname derived from a place name, possibly indicating ancestry from the English town of Went.

In the 1881 census there were 594 people recorded with the Went surname, ranking it #5,887 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 670, ranked #7,986, down from #5,887 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wivenhoe, Brightlingsea and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, Colchester and Basildon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Went is 834 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.8%.

1881 census count

594

Ranked #5,887

Modern count

670

2016, ranked #7,986

Peak year

1911

834 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Went had 594 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,887 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 670 in 2016, ranked #7,986.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 834 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Went surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Went surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Went 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 419 #5,808
1861 historical 499 #5,242
1881 historical 594 #5,887
1891 historical 667 #5,835
1901 historical 765 #5,848
1911 historical 834 #5,293
1997 modern 732 #6,993
1998 modern 764 #6,999
1999 modern 766 #7,023
2000 modern 750 #7,101
2001 modern 737 #7,078
2002 modern 730 #7,255
2003 modern 707 #7,322
2004 modern 702 #7,380
2005 modern 676 #7,548
2006 modern 679 #7,549
2007 modern 682 #7,590
2008 modern 689 #7,576
2009 modern 692 #7,705
2010 modern 694 #7,830
2011 modern 688 #7,791
2012 modern 680 #7,794
2013 modern 704 #7,690
2014 modern 710 #7,687
2015 modern 688 #7,828
2016 modern 670 #7,986

Geography

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Where Wents are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wivenhoe, Brightlingsea, London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a and Elmstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, Colchester and Basildon. 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 Wivenhoe Essex
2 Brightlingsea Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
5 Elmstead Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 006 Blaenau Gwent
2 Blaenau Gwent 009 Blaenau Gwent
3 Colchester 014 Colchester
4 Basildon 014 Basildon
5 Colchester 022 Colchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Went

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Went

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Went is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Went 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

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

Meaning and origin of Went

The surname Went is of English origin, and it is thought to have derived from the Old English word "went," which means a path or a way. The name likely originated as a topographic surname, given to someone who lived near a particular path or road.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several entries that mention people with variations of the name, such as Wentet and Wentus. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Went is found in the Pipe Rolls of Wiltshire in 1195, where a person named Robert Went is mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where a Robert de la Wente is listed.

The surname Went can also be traced back to various place names in England, such as Went in Yorkshire and Went Worth in Hampshire. These place names likely contributed to the development of the surname as people migrated from these areas and adopted the name as a means of identification.

Several notable individuals throughout history have borne the surname Went. One example is Sir John Went (c. 1515-1598), who was an English politician and Member of Parliament for Thetford during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another notable figure is William Went (1671-1738), an English Quaker and schoolmaster who founded the Quaker boarding school in Clerkenwell, London.

Other individuals with the surname Went include Robert Went (1614-1685), an English Puritan minister and author, and James Went (1737-1808), an English engraver and artist known for his architectural and landscape etchings. Additionally, Thomas Went (1816-1897) was a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Opera House.

The surname Went has been present in various regions of England for centuries, and its origins can be traced back to Old English words and place names. While the name may have evolved over time, it continues to hold historical significance and has been carried by notable figures throughout British history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Went families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Went 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. Essex leads with 155 Wents recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.57x.

County Total Index
Essex 155 13.57x
Herefordshire 102 43.00x
Middlesex 73 1.26x
Surrey 40 1.42x
Suffolk 36 5.11x
Monmouthshire 27 6.46x
Worcestershire 20 2.65x
Hertfordshire 16 4.01x
Gloucestershire 13 1.15x
Staffordshire 12 0.61x
Warwickshire 12 0.82x
Northumberland 10 1.16x
Shropshire 9 1.80x
Lancashire 8 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 7 1.91x
Brecknockshire 6 5.19x
Denbighshire 6 2.75x
Lincolnshire 6 0.65x
Devon 5 0.42x
Glamorgan 5 0.50x
Kent 5 0.25x
Yorkshire 5 0.09x
Leicestershire 4 0.62x
Cheshire 3 0.23x
Sussex 2 0.21x
Berkshire 1 0.23x
Cornwall 1 0.15x
Derbyshire 1 0.11x
Durham 1 0.06x
Norfolk 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 1.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brightlingsea in Essex leads with 23 Wents recorded in 1881 and an index of 352.76x.

Place Total Index
Brightlingsea 23 352.76x
Ardleigh 22 694.01x
St Pancras London 21 4.51x
Colchester St Botolph 18 185.38x
Mile End Old Town 17 18.62x
Wivenhoe 15 331.13x
Colchester St James 14 302.38x
Llanwenarth Ultra 14 459.02x
Middleton On Hill 14 1794.87x
Lowestoft 12 36.06x
Bishops Frome 11 763.89x
Bulphan 11 1964.29x
Cannock 11 32.29x
Camberwell 10 2.71x
Hereford St Owen 10 127.71x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 10 152.91x
Lambeth 10 1.98x
St Weonards 10 1428.57x
Battersea 9 4.23x
Greenstead 9 542.17x
Harwich St Nicholas 9 102.04x
Islington London 9 1.61x
Rickmansworth 9 81.97x
Tynemouth 9 19.53x
Worcester St John 9 99.78x
Birmingham 7 1.44x
Cradley 7 201.73x
Colchester St Mary 6 571.43x
Llanfwrog 6 223.88x
Mile End New Town 6 75.95x
Peldon 6 659.34x
Pembridge 6 229.01x
Penderyn 6 189.87x
Watford 6 19.41x
Abergavenny 5 31.93x
Ashley Cum Silverley 5 520.83x
Bodenham 5 287.36x
Holy Trinity 5 3.63x
Ipswich St Peter 5 52.74x
Leominster 5 50.92x
Shifnal 5 36.85x
West Teignmouth 5 54.29x
Worsley 5 11.82x
Colchester St Peter 4 87.53x
Colchester St Runwald 4 655.74x
Docklow 4 1025.64x
Great Grimsby 4 6.81x
Ipswich St Margaret 4 16.73x
Knighton 4 110.50x
St Marylebone London 4 1.30x
Thames Ditton 4 68.26x
Aston 3 0.75x
Cheltenham 3 3.43x
Dedham 3 86.71x
Deptford St Paul 3 1.97x
East Donyland 3 109.09x
Eastington 3 79.79x
Gorton 3 4.65x
Hackney London 3 0.93x
Leysters 3 638.30x
Lower Llanvrechva 3 73.17x
Mordiford 3 265.49x
Neath 3 14.64x
Orcop 3 272.73x
Pencombe 3 588.24x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.58x
St Osyth 3 107.91x
Stottesdon 3 132.16x
Timperley 3 67.57x
Westbury On Trym 3 7.80x
Aston Somerville 2 909.09x
Brighton 2 1.02x
Bromyard 2 64.10x
Cardiff St Mary 2 3.60x
Claines 2 9.65x
Dixton Hadnock 2 186.92x
Fulham London 2 2.38x
Harewood 2 833.33x
Laceby 2 99.50x
Laxfield 2 114.29x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 48
John 32
James 26
George 24
Thomas 17
Robert 14
Alfred 13
Henry 12
Joseph 12
Charles 10
Frederick 8
Arthur 5
Samuel 5
Albert 4
Benjamin 3
Edward 3
Edwin 3
Richard 3
Walter 3
Wm. 3
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Philip 2
Phillip 2
Robt. 2
Samson 2
Adolphus 1
Allen 1
Aurthur 1
Chas.W. 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Elijah 1
Eneas 1
Harry 1
Heath 1
Herbert 1
Houghton 1
Hubert 1
Jeremiah 1
Job 1
Jonathan 1
Josiah 1
Louis 1
Nathan 1
Paris 1
Rob. 1
Saml.Willm. 1

FAQ

Went surname: questions and answers

How common was the Went surname in 1881?

In 1881, 594 people were recorded with the Went surname. That placed it at #5,887 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Went surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 670 in 2016. That gives Went a modern rank of #7,986.

What does the Went surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name, possibly indicating ancestry from the English town of Went.

What does the Went map show?

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