NameCensus.

UK surname

Wentworth

A locational surname derived from places in England meaning "enclosure or settlement near a bend or path."

In the 1881 census there were 564 people recorded with the Wentworth surname, ranking it #6,143 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 736, ranked #7,409, down from #6,143 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wandsworth, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include New Forest, Lincoln and Waveney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wentworth is 746 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.5%.

1881 census count

564

Ranked #6,143

Modern count

736

2016, ranked #7,409

Peak year

2010

746 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wentworth had 564 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,143 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 736 in 2016, ranked #7,409.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 718 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Wentworth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wentworth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wentworth 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 353 #6,689
1861 historical 380 #6,726
1881 historical 564 #6,143
1891 historical 607 #6,324
1901 historical 718 #6,149
1911 historical 699 #6,088
1997 modern 700 #7,246
1998 modern 717 #7,337
1999 modern 725 #7,327
2000 modern 721 #7,339
2001 modern 711 #7,275
2002 modern 743 #7,160
2003 modern 716 #7,246
2004 modern 722 #7,213
2005 modern 699 #7,356
2006 modern 702 #7,332
2007 modern 718 #7,283
2008 modern 728 #7,264
2009 modern 730 #7,393
2010 modern 746 #7,410
2011 modern 740 #7,390
2012 modern 712 #7,509
2013 modern 734 #7,466
2014 modern 746 #7,410
2015 modern 742 #7,364
2016 modern 736 #7,409

Geography

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Where Wentworths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wandsworth, London parishes, Manchester, St John Hackney and Alne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to New Forest, Lincoln, Waveney, Hambleton and Dudley. 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 Wandsworth London (South Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 Alne Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 New Forest 012 New Forest
2 Lincoln 004 Lincoln
3 Waveney 014 Waveney
4 Hambleton 009 Hambleton
5 Dudley 022 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wentworth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wentworth

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Wentworth surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Wentworth household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Wentworth is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Wentworth is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wentworth 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 Wentworth is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wentworth

The surname Wentworth is of English origin, deriving from the town of Wentworth in South Yorkshire. The name is believed to have emerged during the 11th century, stemming from the Old English words "Went" and "worth," meaning "district by the winding stream."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is mentioned as "Vuentuurt" or "Wentuurde." This entry refers to a settlement in the West Riding of Yorkshire, likely the modern-day Wentworth.

During the Middle Ages, the Wentworth family held significant influence and landholdings in Yorkshire. Notable members include William de Wentworth, who was appointed as a Justice of the King's Bench in 1326 under King Edward III.

In the 15th century, the Wentworth name gained prominence through Sir Roger Wentworth (c. 1455-1539), a member of the Wentworth family of Nettlestead in Suffolk. He served as a member of the Privy Council under King Henry VIII and played a crucial role in the dissolution of the monasteries.

Another notable figure was Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford (1593-1641), a prominent statesman and advisor to King Charles I. He served as Lord Deputy of Ireland and was later executed for his support of the King during the English Civil War.

The Wentworth surname also has connections to the United States, with William Wentworth (1616-1697) being one of the early settlers in New Hampshire. He served as a military leader and held various government positions in the colony.

Over the centuries, the surname has been associated with various place names, such as Wentworth Woodhouse, a grand country house in South Yorkshire, and Wentworth Castle, a stately home in Stainborough, Yorkshire.

Other notable individuals bearing the Wentworth surname include:

1. Benning Wentworth (1696-1770), colonial governor of New Hampshire. 2. Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (1730-1782), British statesman and Prime Minister. 3. William Charles Wentworth (1790-1872), an Australian explorer, journalist, and politician. 4. Patricia Wentworth (1878-1961), a British crime fiction writer. 5. Lorna Wentworth (1891-1986), an American novelist and playwright.

The Wentworth surname has a rich history rooted in English nobility, landholdings, and influential individuals across various fields, spanning multiple centuries and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wentworth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wentworth 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. Yorkshire leads with 108 Wentworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.98x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 108 1.98x
Middlesex 79 1.43x
Surrey 65 2.42x
Lancashire 49 0.75x
Wiltshire 45 9.23x
Kent 32 1.70x
Berkshire 31 7.49x
Hampshire 22 1.95x
Essex 19 1.75x
Lincolnshire 18 2.04x
Suffolk 17 2.53x
Oxfordshire 16 4.70x
Worcestershire 14 1.95x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.81x
Shropshire 6 1.26x
Staffordshire 5 0.27x
Bedfordshire 4 1.40x
Gloucestershire 4 0.37x
Sussex 4 0.43x
Derbyshire 3 0.35x
Monmouthshire 3 0.75x
Angus 2 0.39x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.57x
Lanarkshire 2 0.11x
Norfolk 2 0.24x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Cumberland 1 0.21x
Devon 1 0.09x
Hertfordshire 1 0.26x
Midlothian 1 0.14x
Northamptonshire 1 0.19x
Warwickshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 19 Wentworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.15x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 19 6.15x
Deptford St Paul 17 11.72x
Battersea 16 7.89x
Wandsworth 13 24.51x
Milford 12 459.77x
Bethnal Green London 11 4.59x
Islington London 11 2.06x
Salford 11 5.72x
Thame 11 177.71x
Manchester 10 3.40x
North Bierley 10 33.91x
Southwold 10 251.89x
Stoke Prior 9 202.70x
West Ham 9 3.75x
Alverstoke 8 19.56x
Barrow In Furness 8 8.99x
Bramley In Bramley 8 38.26x
Bridlington 8 64.00x
Burghclere 8 555.56x
Hulme 8 5.86x
Bermondsey 7 4.27x
Great Bedwin 7 202.31x
Great Grimsby 7 12.52x
Sheffield 7 4.03x
Shrivenham 7 341.46x
Tollerton 7 721.65x
Bishopstone 6 258.62x
Edgmond 6 114.50x
Garton On Wolds 6 612.24x
High Low Catton 6 923.08x
Leeds 6 1.95x
South Hinksey 6 333.33x
Warfield 6 159.57x
Woolley 6 530.97x
Chatham 5 9.67x
Clerkenwell London 5 3.84x
Hatfield Broad Oak 5 136.24x
Headingley Cum Burley 5 14.22x
Kensington London 5 1.63x
Newton In Pickering 5 1063.83x
Pocklington 5 96.90x
Rotherhithe 5 7.34x
Shoreditch London 5 2.09x
West Derby 5 2.61x
Wolverhampton 5 3.50x
York St Mary Castlegate 5 310.56x
Aldbourn 4 140.85x
Batley 4 7.71x
Bedford St Mary 4 54.42x
Crambe 4 1428.57x
Erith 4 21.59x
Lowestoft 4 12.61x
Newington 4 1.96x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 3.61x
St Marylebone London 4 1.36x
White Waltham 4 258.06x
Wilton 4 115.94x
Acaster Malbis 3 600.00x
Avebury 3 218.98x
Bedwellty 3 4.26x
Bourn 3 42.13x
Brimpton 3 370.37x
Chelsea London 3 1.81x
Clapham 3 4.35x
Derby St Peter 3 10.92x
Great Cornard 3 197.37x
Harlow 3 63.97x
Hornsey 3 4.30x
Hunslet 3 3.52x
Newark Upon Trent 3 11.24x
Oxford St Clement 3 34.92x
Preston 3 1.71x
Rempstone 3 508.47x
St Luke London 3 3.39x
St Martin Lincoln 3 36.67x
Streatham 3 7.34x
Swindon 3 7.93x
Dundee 2 1.05x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 2 10.11x
Reddish 2 22.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 30
Thomas 24
John 21
Henry 16
George 13
Charles 12
Frederick 11
James 10
Edward 8
Alfred 7
Ernest 6
Joseph 6
Walter 6
Albert 5
Arthur 4
Herbert 4
Frank 3
Jesse 3
Percy 3
Richard 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Edwin 2
Ephraim 2
Harry 2
J. 2
Jno. 2
Norman 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Theophilus 2
W. 2
C. 1
Chas.S. 1
D'ARCY 1
Daisy 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Finlay 1
Fitzwalter 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Godfrey 1
Jas. 1
Percival 1
Rafe 1
Xenre 1

FAQ

Wentworth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wentworth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 564 people were recorded with the Wentworth surname. That placed it at #6,143 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wentworth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 736 in 2016. That gives Wentworth a modern rank of #7,409.

What does the Wentworth surname mean?

A locational surname derived from places in England meaning "enclosure or settlement near a bend or path."

What does the Wentworth map show?

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