NameCensus.

UK surname

Westgarth

In the 1881 census there were 521 people recorded with the Westgarth surname, ranking it #6,556 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 865, ranked #6,483, up from #6,556 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Newcastle All Saints and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Richmondshire and Eden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Westgarth is 890 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 66.0%.

1881 census count

521

Ranked #6,556

Modern count

865

2016, ranked #6,483

Peak year

2014

890 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Westgarth had 521 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,556 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 865 in 2016, ranked #6,483.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 763 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Westgarth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Westgarth surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Westgarth 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 307 #7,502
1861 historical 329 #7,748
1881 historical 521 #6,556
1891 historical 624 #6,199
1901 historical 756 #5,902
1911 historical 763 #5,670
1997 modern 805 #6,508
1998 modern 847 #6,459
1999 modern 842 #6,534
2000 modern 846 #6,486
2001 modern 843 #6,381
2002 modern 846 #6,480
2003 modern 845 #6,374
2004 modern 847 #6,368
2005 modern 832 #6,406
2006 modern 828 #6,442
2007 modern 824 #6,532
2008 modern 814 #6,647
2009 modern 837 #6,646
2010 modern 871 #6,572
2011 modern 868 #6,508
2012 modern 857 #6,489
2013 modern 885 #6,425
2014 modern 890 #6,431
2015 modern 873 #6,463
2016 modern 865 #6,483

Geography

Back to top

Where Westgarths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Newcastle All Saints, Gateshead, Ryton and Brancepeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Richmondshire and Eden. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Ryton Durham
5 Brancepeth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 008 County Durham
2 County Durham 010 County Durham
3 Richmondshire 001 Richmondshire
4 County Durham 064 County Durham
5 Eden 003 Eden

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Westgarth

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Westgarth

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Westgarth surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Westgarth household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Westgarth is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Westgarth is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Westgarth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Westgarth 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. Durham leads with 295 Westgarths recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.51x.

County Total Index
Durham 295 19.51x
Northumberland 86 11.37x
Middlesex 44 0.87x
Yorkshire 37 0.73x
Cumberland 32 7.31x
Lancashire 10 0.17x
Aberdeenshire 6 1.27x
Wiltshire 4 0.89x
Westmorland 3 2.69x
Herefordshire 2 0.96x
Berwickshire 1 1.62x
Essex 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Byker in Northumberland leads with 30 Westgarths recorded in 1881 and an index of 80.26x.

Place Total Index
Byker 30 80.26x
Crook Billy Row 25 129.13x
Benfieldside 21 211.27x
Wolsingham 20 145.14x
Bishop Auckland 15 73.96x
Collierley 15 222.55x
Gateshead 14 12.37x
Stanhope 14 89.69x
Crawcrook 13 1666.67x
Hedleyhope 13 496.18x
Ryton 12 225.99x
Chester Le Street 11 94.75x
Chirton 11 64.29x
Conside Knitsley 11 93.54x
Hunsonby Winskill 11 2200.00x
Pittington 11 258.82x
Sherburn 11 239.13x
Bethnal Green London 10 4.53x
Brandon Byshottles 10 52.80x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 10 15.27x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 10 22.14x
Normanby In 9 66.86x
Plumpton Wall 9 1500.00x
Wingate 9 86.79x
Bishopwearmouth 8 6.16x
Clerkenwell London 8 6.67x
Ovingham Whittle Spital 8 695.65x
Shoreditch London 8 3.63x
Wallsend 8 33.36x
Sutton Stoneferry 7 48.58x
Tynemouth 7 17.28x
Westoe 7 8.17x
Fraserburgh 6 45.28x
Shildon 6 49.38x
York St Helen On Walls 6 731.71x
Bow London 5 7.73x
Ebchester 5 213.68x
Gamblesby 5 1063.83x
Kyo 5 70.22x
St Giles 5 52.97x
Winlaton 5 34.46x
Bradford On Avon 4 27.80x
Brampton 4 66.67x
Elvet 4 36.66x
Poplar London 4 4.17x
St Pancras London 4 0.98x
Thornley 4 73.13x
Ulverston 4 22.77x
Linthorpe 3 9.98x
Mile End New Town 3 43.23x
Moorsley 3 185.19x
North Shields 3 19.88x
Northallerton 3 46.66x
Throckley 3 144.23x
Wallbottle 3 186.34x
Crosthwaite Lyth 2 149.25x
Everton 2 1.04x
Gilling East 2 465.12x
Leeds 2 0.70x
Leominster 2 23.18x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 5.10x
Tanfield 2 11.12x
Walton On Hill 2 6.12x
Barnard Castle 1 13.39x
Berwick Upon Tweed 1 6.24x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 5.81x
Coldingham 1 18.08x
Crosby Ravensworth 1 73.53x
Esh 1 9.09x
Greencroft 1 36.10x
Hampstead London 1 1.26x
Hesket In Forest 1 29.24x
Middridge Grange 1 1000.00x
Penrith 1 6.18x
Poulton Barre 1 14.58x
Richmond 1 12.71x
Ruswarp 1 17.86x
Salford 1 0.56x
Wath On Dearne 1 9.95x
Whitworth 1 9.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 45
Elizabeth 28
Jane 22
Hannah 17
Margaret 17
Sarah 16
Ann 14
Isabella 10
Catherine 8
Alice 4
Annie 4
Dorothy 4
Eleanor 4
Julia 4
Phoebe 4
Emma 3
Barbara 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Harriet 2
Laura 2
Martha 2
Phebe 2
Susan 2
Amy 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Christiana 1
Claribel 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Elenor 1
Eliz 1
Fanny 1
Grace 1
Janet 1
Johanna 1
Kathleen 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Margerit 1
Margret 1
Marian 1
Marth. 1
Nellie 1
Pheobe 1
Rebecca 1
Rosnia 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 59
William 34
George 27
Thomas 20
Joseph 18
James 15
Robert 10
Charles 7
Cuthbert 7
Alfred 4
Nicholas 4
Wm. 4
Edward 3
Isaac 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Anthony 2
Frederick 2
Fredrick 2
Henry 2
Tom 2
Andrew 1
Bartholomew 1
C. 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
H. 1
Harry 1
Hiram 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1
Joshua 1
Lowson 1
Michael 1
Philip 1
Ralph 1
Richard 1
Sarah 1
Scaph 1
Septimus 1
Silas 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1
Wiliam 1
Wilkinson 1

FAQ

Westgarth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Westgarth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 521 people were recorded with the Westgarth surname. That placed it at #6,556 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Westgarth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 865 in 2016. That gives Westgarth a modern rank of #6,483.

What does the Westgarth map show?

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