NameCensus.

UK surname

Westbury

A locational surname referring to someone from Westbury, a town in England.

In the 1881 census there were 814 people recorded with the Westbury surname, ranking it #4,595 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,015, ranked #5,737, down from #4,595 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dover, Shropshire and Denbighshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Westbury is 1,183 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.7%.

1881 census count

814

Ranked #4,595

Modern count

1,015

2016, ranked #5,737

Peak year

1911

1,183 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Westbury had 814 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,595 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,015 in 2016, ranked #5,737.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,183 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Westbury surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Westbury surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Westbury 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 519 #4,826
1861 historical 547 #4,810
1881 historical 814 #4,595
1891 historical 919 #4,499
1901 historical 1,029 #4,643
1911 historical 1,183 #3,962
1997 modern 1,050 #5,269
1998 modern 1,087 #5,313
1999 modern 1,084 #5,349
2000 modern 1,058 #5,437
2001 modern 1,036 #5,427
2002 modern 1,063 #5,420
2003 modern 1,048 #5,388
2004 modern 1,058 #5,360
2005 modern 1,022 #5,451
2006 modern 1,010 #5,519
2007 modern 1,020 #5,521
2008 modern 1,013 #5,591
2009 modern 1,044 #5,585
2010 modern 1,045 #5,666
2011 modern 1,037 #5,645
2012 modern 1,007 #5,705
2013 modern 1,007 #5,785
2014 modern 1,027 #5,727
2015 modern 1,025 #5,698
2016 modern 1,015 #5,737

Geography

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Where Westburys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) and Fairford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dover, Shropshire, Denbighshire, Dudley and Kirklees. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
3 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire
4 Fairford Gloucestershire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dover 006 Dover
2 Shropshire 035 Shropshire
3 Denbighshire 015 Denbighshire
4 Dudley 026 Dudley
5 Kirklees 018 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Westbury

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Westbury

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Westbury surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Westbury household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Westbury 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

Westbury 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

Westbury falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Westbury 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 Westbury, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Westbury

The surname Westbury originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is a locational name, derived from the place name "Westbury," which means "west fort" or "west manor." The name refers to various locations in England, including Westbury in Wiltshire, Westbury in Shropshire, and Westbury in Somerset.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Westbury can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Radulfus de Westberie. This entry suggests that the name was already established by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various records with different spellings, such as Westburi, Westbery, and Westbyry. These variations reflect the evolution of the name over time and the lack of standardized spelling during the Middle Ages.

One notable figure with the surname Westbury was Sir Richard Westbury (c. 1410-1475), a member of the English gentry who served as a Member of Parliament for Hampshire in 1461. Another prominent individual was Ralph Westbury (c. 1590-1655), an English clergyman and puritan divine who served as the rector of Lambourne in Essex.

In the 17th century, the surname Westbury was associated with John Westbury (c. 1635-1693), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of comets and planetary motion. He was also a fellow of the Royal Society.

During the 18th century, the name gained further recognition through William Westbury (1712-1789), an English physician and author who wrote several medical treatises and was a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.

In the 19th century, the name was prominent in the literary world with Richard Westbury (1824-1892), an English novelist and playwright who authored popular works such as The Shadow of Ashlydyat and Bessie Costrell.

Throughout history, the surname Westbury has been associated with various regions of England, particularly Wiltshire, Shropshire, and Somerset, where the place names of the same name are located. While the name's origins can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period, it has evolved over time and has been represented in different spellings throughout historical records.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Westbury families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Westbury 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. Warwickshire leads with 128 Westburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.38x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 128 6.38x
Worcestershire 97 9.34x
Gloucestershire 94 6.03x
Staffordshire 87 3.24x
Middlesex 86 1.08x
Oxfordshire 84 17.11x
Leicestershire 49 5.56x
Northamptonshire 45 6.02x
Surrey 24 0.62x
Lancashire 18 0.19x
Yorkshire 18 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 13 1.21x
Shropshire 13 1.89x
Hampshire 12 0.74x
Berkshire 11 1.84x
Glamorgan 8 0.58x
Kent 5 0.18x
Somerset 5 0.39x
Wiltshire 5 0.71x
Flintshire 4 1.87x
Cheshire 3 0.17x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.31x
Durham 1 0.04x
Hertfordshire 1 0.18x
Lanarkshire 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 1.06x
Sussex 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. Fairford in Gloucestershire leads with 52 Westburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1250.00x.

Place Total Index
Fairford 52 1250.00x
Birmingham 38 5.69x
Aston 35 6.34x
Kings Norton 29 31.15x
Kensington London 25 5.66x
West Bromwich 23 14.97x
Leicester St Mary 18 25.27x
Great Alne 17 1440.68x
Bicester Market End 15 166.30x
Souldern 15 1181.10x
Norton 14 1250.00x
Walsall Borough 14 67.21x
Islington London 12 1.56x
Nottingham St Mary 12 4.33x
Harborne 11 12.79x
Rothley 11 383.28x
Shoreditch London 11 3.19x
Tamworth 11 76.66x
Bristol St George 9 12.48x
Handsworth 9 13.61x
Newington 9 3.06x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 9 31.98x
Piddington 9 652.17x
Bidford 8 186.48x
Buckland 8 406.09x
Northfield 8 40.61x
Oxford St Thomas 8 34.92x
Wootton 8 360.36x
Yarnton 8 1052.63x
Hornsey 7 6.96x
Ilmington 7 324.07x
Kidlington 7 184.21x
Leicester St Margaret 7 3.26x
Mortlake 7 40.56x
Northampton All Sts 7 27.59x
Shifnal 7 37.53x
Stoke Upon Trent 7 2.46x
Worcester St Peter 7 35.62x
Fritwell 6 392.16x
Hackleton 6 582.52x
Kinlet 6 508.47x
Lyndhurst 6 134.53x
Offenham 6 400.00x
Swansea Town 6 5.29x
Armley 5 14.39x
Chelsea London 5 2.09x
Dallington 5 113.64x
Forthampton 5 446.43x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 5 85.91x
Harvington 5 375.94x
Tipton 5 6.08x
West Bromwich 5 310.56x
Wootton Wawen 5 79.11x
Andover 4 25.99x
Bedminster 4 3.33x
Chipping Norton 4 35.24x
Eastleach Turville 4 336.13x
Edgbaston 4 6.44x
Gloucester Holy Trinity 4 298.51x
Langley 4 2857.14x
Little Bolton 4 3.30x
Northampton St Giles 4 14.04x
Old Stratford 4 35.24x
Rock 4 96.39x
Stoke Newington London 4 6.46x
Thrussington 4 240.96x
Tottenham 4 3.16x
Withington 4 13.16x
Alcester 3 45.39x
Blisworth 3 104.17x
Filkins 3 188.68x
Hampstead London 3 2.42x
Kempsey 3 76.14x
Lambeth 3 0.43x
Leafield 3 154.64x
Little Stanney 3 697.67x
Sheffield 3 1.20x
Welford 3 159.57x
Westminster St John 3 3.10x
Worcester St John 3 24.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 56
John 38
George 37
Thomas 32
James 21
Henry 20
Charles 17
Alfred 15
Albert 13
Richard 12
Frederick 10
Walter 10
Ernest 9
Joseph 8
Arthur 7
Harry 7
Samuel 6
Edward 5
Fredk. 5
Robert 5
Chas. 3
Daniel 3
Fredrick 3
Giles 3
Herbert 3
Alexander 2
Clement 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Henery 2
Jno. 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Aubrey 1
Claude 1
Clifford 1
Etienne 1
Ezikial 1
Horace 1
Hy. 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Josh. 1
Louis 1
Martha 1
Oliver 1
Wm.Chas. 1

FAQ

Westbury surname: questions and answers

How common was the Westbury surname in 1881?

In 1881, 814 people were recorded with the Westbury surname. That placed it at #4,595 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Westbury surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,015 in 2016. That gives Westbury a modern rank of #5,737.

What does the Westbury surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Westbury, a town in England.

What does the Westbury map show?

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