NameCensus.

UK surname

Westgate

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a western gate of a town or village.

In the 1881 census there were 507 people recorded with the Westgate surname, ranking it #6,718 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 966, ranked #5,955, up from #6,718 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Berwick and Eastbourne. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Great Yarmouth, North Norfolk and Wealden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Westgate is 1,118 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 90.5%.

1881 census count

507

Ranked #6,718

Modern count

966

2016, ranked #5,955

Peak year

1998

1,118 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Westgate had 507 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,718 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 966 in 2016, ranked #5,955.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 879 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Westgate surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Westgate surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Westgate 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 327 #7,119
1861 historical 317 #8,031
1881 historical 507 #6,718
1891 historical 638 #6,075
1901 historical 769 #5,824
1911 historical 879 #5,063
1997 modern 1,099 #5,072
1998 modern 1,118 #5,189
1999 modern 1,104 #5,273
2000 modern 1,071 #5,377
2001 modern 1,050 #5,369
2002 modern 1,090 #5,310
2003 modern 1,044 #5,402
2004 modern 1,047 #5,405
2005 modern 1,043 #5,362
2006 modern 1,018 #5,473
2007 modern 999 #5,614
2008 modern 999 #5,657
2009 modern 1,022 #5,667
2010 modern 1,058 #5,612
2011 modern 1,042 #5,628
2012 modern 1,019 #5,649
2013 modern 1,003 #5,808
2014 modern 1,006 #5,833
2015 modern 985 #5,886
2016 modern 966 #5,955

Geography

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Where Westgates are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Berwick, Eastbourne and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Great Yarmouth, North Norfolk and Wealden. 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 3
2 Berwick Sussex
3 Eastbourne Sussex
4 Brighton Sussex
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Great Yarmouth 013 Great Yarmouth
2 Great Yarmouth 009 Great Yarmouth
3 North Norfolk 012 North Norfolk
4 Wealden 013 Wealden
5 Great Yarmouth 011 Great Yarmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Westgate

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Westgate

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Westgate 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

Westgate is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Westgate falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Westgate

The surname Westgate is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "west" and "geat," meaning a gate or entrance on the western side of a town or village. It is considered a locational surname, indicating that the earliest bearers of this name likely resided near or by a western gate or entrance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Westgate can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dating back to 1273, where a Richard de Westgate is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the 13th century.

During the medieval period, many individuals adopted surnames based on their place of residence, occupation, or physical characteristics. The Westgate surname falls into the category of locational surnames, which were particularly common in England.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and property holdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to places with the word "Westgate" in their names, such as Westgate in Cambridgeshire and Westgate in Sussex.

One notable figure bearing the Westgate surname was Sir Thomas Westgate (c. 1456–1508), an English diplomat and member of the Privy Council during the reign of Henry VII. He served as the ambassador to the Netherlands and played a crucial role in negotiating the marriage between Prince Arthur and Catherine of Aragon.

Another individual of historical significance was Jeremiah Westgate (1650–1720), an English Puritan minister who emigrated to America and served as the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Newport, Rhode Island, from 1679 until his death.

In the literary realm, Thomas Westgate (1815–1888) was an English writer and journalist who contributed to various publications, including the Illustrated London News and the Cornhill Magazine.

Robert Westgate (1876–1958) was a British Olympic athlete who competed in the 1908 London Olympics, where he won a silver medal in the high jump event.

Lastly, Sir John Westgate (1905–1987) was a British diplomat and civil servant who served as the Ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1964 to 1967, during a crucial period of the Cold War.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Westgate families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Westgate 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. Sussex leads with 162 Westgates recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.39x.

County Total Index
Sussex 162 19.39x
Norfolk 143 18.77x
Essex 46 4.70x
Suffolk 35 5.80x
Middlesex 29 0.59x
Kent 27 1.60x
Surrey 12 0.50x
Devon 10 0.97x
Lancashire 8 0.14x
Leicestershire 8 1.46x
Hampshire 7 0.69x
Cambridgeshire 4 1.27x
Northumberland 4 0.54x
Wiltshire 4 0.91x
Yorkshire 2 0.04x
Durham 1 0.07x
Hertfordshire 1 0.29x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.02x
Lanarkshire 1 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.15x
Royal Navy 1 1.69x
Warwickshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 66 Westgates recorded in 1881 and an index of 104.58x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 66 104.58x
Brighton 41 24.33x
Arlington 17 1700.00x
Waldron 16 701.75x
West Ham 16 7.41x
Ormesby St Margaret W 14 732.98x
Deptford St Paul 12 9.20x
Tolleshunt Major 11 1594.20x
Ripe 10 1515.15x
Romford 10 64.68x
Stoke Damerel 9 12.47x
Thorpe Next Norwich 9 111.39x
Berwick 8 2758.62x
Chiddingly 8 533.33x
Rackheath 8 1568.63x
Syston 8 155.64x
Banham 7 360.82x
East Blatchington 7 1891.89x
Kirkley 7 138.61x
Gillingham 6 17.21x
Plumpton 6 759.49x
St Pancras London 6 1.50x
Tibenham 6 560.75x
West Firle 6 618.56x
Blythburgh 5 357.14x
East Hoathly 5 344.83x
Hurstpierpoint 5 107.53x
Islington London 5 1.04x
Oldham 5 2.63x
Selmeston 5 1562.50x
Wandsworth 5 10.48x
Wangford 5 442.48x
Wilmington 5 1190.48x
Crayford 4 54.20x
Haydon 4 99.26x
Heigham 4 9.78x
Lowestoft 4 14.03x
Poplar London 4 4.28x
Preston 4 27.42x
Beaulieu 3 189.87x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.39x
Cheetham 3 6.84x
Fritton 3 769.23x
Ipswich St Peter 3 36.95x
Lewisham 3 3.33x
Morning Thorpe 3 1428.57x
Norwich St Clement 3 33.98x
Ormesby St Michael 3 612.24x
Penge 3 9.48x
Portsmouth 3 12.83x
Poulshot 3 517.24x
Rollesby 3 315.79x
Soham 3 44.44x
St Giles In Fields 3 17.55x
Tunstead 3 422.54x
Barcombe 2 100.00x
Brampton 2 392.16x
Bromley London 2 1.83x
Bungay St Mary 2 66.89x
Chelsea London 2 1.34x
Cuckfield 2 23.70x
Foulness 2 166.67x
Grays Thurrock 2 22.00x
Hastings St Mary 2 9.62x
Heathfield 2 59.00x
Hellingly 2 71.43x
Holy Trinity 2 1.69x
Little Totham 2 370.37x
Littlington 2 1111.11x
Norwich St Stephen 2 28.61x
Rodmell 2 500.00x
Shelton 2 833.33x
South Walsham St Mary 2 317.46x
Sprowston 2 59.52x
St George Hanover 2 3.09x
Anderston 1 238.10x
Dorking 1 6.17x
Hopton 1 67.11x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 1 21.60x
Salisbury St Thomas 1 28.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 32
George 27
John 17
Walter 16
Robert 15
Thomas 12
Frederick 11
James 11
Samuel 11
Richard 8
Alfred 7
Arthur 7
Henry 7
Charles 6
Albert 5
Herbert 4
Saml. 4
Ernest 3
Fredk. 3
Joseph 3
Peter 3
David 2
Edward 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
R. 2
Trayton 2
Bertram 1
Charles.A. 1
Claud 1
Clement 1
Cornelius 1
Ebenezer 1
Francis 1
G. 1
Geo. 1
Horace 1
Ishmael 1
Josph. 1
Leonard 1
Luther 1
Michael 1
Noah 1
Norman 1
S. 1
Sam 1
Sidney.G. 1
Silas 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Westgate surname: questions and answers

How common was the Westgate surname in 1881?

In 1881, 507 people were recorded with the Westgate surname. That placed it at #6,718 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Westgate surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 966 in 2016. That gives Westgate a modern rank of #5,955.

What does the Westgate surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a western gate of a town or village.

What does the Westgate map show?

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