NameCensus.

UK surname

Wenzel

A Germanic surname derived from the Slavic given name Václav, meaning "more glorious".

In the 1881 census there were 39 people recorded with the Wenzel surname, ranking it #28,137 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 167, ranked #22,055, up from #28,137 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and St Leonard Bromley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Hertsmere and Croydon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wenzel is 180 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 328.2%.

1881 census count

39

Ranked #28,137

Modern count

167

2016, ranked #22,055

Peak year

2008

180 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wenzel had 39 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,137 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 167 in 2016, ranked #22,055.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 111 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Wenzel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wenzel surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wenzel 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 7 #33,053
1881 historical 39 #28,137
1891 historical 56 #29,638
1901 historical 82 #25,019
1911 historical 111 #21,392
1997 modern 155 #20,684
1998 modern 162 #20,673
1999 modern 166 #20,458
2000 modern 170 #20,120
2001 modern 163 #20,372
2002 modern 162 #20,839
2003 modern 156 #21,115
2004 modern 162 #20,756
2005 modern 160 #20,899
2006 modern 166 #20,534
2007 modern 176 #20,028
2008 modern 180 #19,946
2009 modern 177 #20,560
2010 modern 179 #20,886
2011 modern 170 #21,407
2012 modern 164 #21,883
2013 modern 164 #22,236
2014 modern 167 #22,180
2015 modern 164 #22,325
2016 modern 167 #22,055

Geography

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Where Wenzels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, St Leonard Bromley and Hope. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Hertsmere and Croydon. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Leonard Bromley London (East Districts)
5 Hope Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 045 Kirklees
2 Kirklees 033 Kirklees
3 Kirklees 047 Kirklees
4 Hertsmere 012 Hertsmere
5 Croydon 042 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wenzel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wenzel

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Wenzel 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

Wenzel is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wenzel 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 Wenzel 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Wenzel

The surname Wenzel is of German origin, derived from the medieval personal name Wenzel, which is itself a German form of the Slavic name Václav. The name Václav is believed to have its roots in the Old Czech word "vladyka," meaning "prince" or "ruler."

Wenzel is thought to have emerged as a surname in the 12th or 13th century in the regions of modern-day Germany and the Czech Republic. It was initially used as a distinguishing name, denoting a person's relationship to someone named Václav or Wenzel.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wenzel can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of medieval documents from the German state of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century.

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name Wenzel was Wenzel I, Duke of Saxe-Wittenberg (c. 1337-1388). He was a member of the House of Ascania and played a significant role in the political landscape of the Holy Roman Empire during his reign.

Another historical figure with the surname Wenzel was Wenzel von Olmütz (c. 1330-1388), a Bohemian theologian and prelate who served as the Bishop of Olmütz (now Olomouc, Czech Republic) from 1364 until his death.

In the 16th century, the German painter and engraver Wenzel Hollar (1607-1677) gained recognition for his intricate etchings and engravings, which documented cities, landscapes, and historical events across Europe.

During the 18th century, the Bohemian composer Jan Václav Antonín Stamic (1717-1757), also known as Johann Wenzel Anton Stamitz, made significant contributions to the development of the classical symphonic form.

In the 19th century, the German physicist and inventor Johann Philipp Wenzel (1786-1853) is noted for his work on surface tension and the formulation of Wenzel's law, which describes the behavior of liquids on rough surfaces.

The surname Wenzel has also been associated with various place names throughout Central Europe, such as Wenzelsberg in Germany and Václavice in the Czech Republic, further reflecting its geographical origins and historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wenzel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wenzel 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 16 Wenzels recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.21x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 16 4.21x
Surrey 10 5.40x
Yorkshire 8 2.12x
Lincolnshire 3 4.93x
Fife 1 4.44x
Oxfordshire 1 4.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bromley London in Middlesex leads with 10 Wenzels recorded in 1881 and an index of 119.47x.

Place Total Index
Bromley London 10 119.47x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 78.43x
Wakefield 6 207.61x
Camberwell 4 16.46x
St George In East 4 154.44x
Gainsborough 3 209.79x
Holy Trinity 2 22.05x
Largo 1 344.83x
Mile End Old Town 1 16.67x
Oxford St Thomas 1 90.91x
St Andrew Holborn 1 77.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Karoline 2
Katherine 2
Beada 1
Eliza 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Josanna 1
Luise 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 5
Albert 2
August 2
Edward 2
Augustus 1
C. 1
Ernest 1
Heinrich 1
John 1
Joseph 1
Peter 1
William 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 Wenzel households.

FAQ

Wenzel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wenzel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 39 people were recorded with the Wenzel surname. That placed it at #28,137 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wenzel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 167 in 2016. That gives Wenzel a modern rank of #22,055.

What does the Wenzel surname mean?

A Germanic surname derived from the Slavic given name Václav, meaning "more glorious".

What does the Wenzel map show?

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