NameCensus.

UK surname

Westmoreland

From the Old English, referring to someone from the western moorland or moor.

In the 1881 census there were 481 people recorded with the Westmoreland surname, ranking it #6,969 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 882, ranked #6,392, up from #6,969 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hartlepool, Leeds and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Westmoreland is 905 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 83.4%.

1881 census count

481

Ranked #6,969

Modern count

882

2016, ranked #6,392

Peak year

2011

905 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Westmoreland had 481 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,969 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 882 in 2016, ranked #6,392.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 764 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Westmoreland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Westmoreland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Westmoreland 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 248 #8,840
1861 historical 303 #8,365
1881 historical 481 #6,969
1891 historical 567 #6,705
1901 historical 764 #5,853
1911 historical 763 #5,670
1997 modern 828 #6,362
1998 modern 873 #6,305
1999 modern 891 #6,251
2000 modern 890 #6,228
2001 modern 880 #6,175
2002 modern 864 #6,390
2003 modern 853 #6,329
2004 modern 856 #6,315
2005 modern 843 #6,351
2006 modern 853 #6,301
2007 modern 855 #6,348
2008 modern 874 #6,270
2009 modern 885 #6,347
2010 modern 895 #6,416
2011 modern 905 #6,300
2012 modern 898 #6,259
2013 modern 885 #6,425
2014 modern 894 #6,405
2015 modern 877 #6,443
2016 modern 882 #6,392

Geography

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Where Westmorelands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Batley, Wakefield and Rothwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hartlepool, Leeds, Wakefield and Selby. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Rothwell Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hartlepool 014 Hartlepool
2 Leeds 103 Leeds
3 Wakefield 004 Wakefield
4 Leeds 087 Leeds
5 Selby 004 Selby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Westmoreland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Westmoreland

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Westmoreland is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Westmoreland 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

Westmoreland falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Westmoreland is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Westmoreland

The surname Westmoreland is of English origin, derived from the place name Westmorland, which was an ancient county in the northwest of England. The name itself is a combination of the Old English words "west" and "mor", meaning "west" and "moor" respectively, referring to the western moorlands or uplands of the region.

The earliest recorded mention of the place name Westmorland dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled as "Westmerielandesire". This indicates that the name was well-established in the region by the time of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various historical documents with spellings such as "Westmerlande" and "Westmerland". One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Westmoreland was Sir Ralph de Westmerland, who lived in the late 12th and early 13th centuries.

During the medieval period, the Westmoreland family held significant influence and land in the county of the same name. One notable member was Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland (c. 1364 - 1425), who played a crucial role in the Wars of the Roses and was a close ally of King Henry IV.

Another prominent figure was Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland (1543 - 1601), who was involved in the Rising of the North, a rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I in 1569. He was eventually pardoned but lost much of his family's lands and influence.

In the 17th century, Mildmay Fane, 2nd Earl of Westmorland (1602 - 1666), was a prominent English peer and Royalist during the English Civil War. He was known for his support of King Charles I and his opposition to Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentarian forces.

The name Westmoreland has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Westmorland County, Westmorland Dales, and the town of Westmorland in Cumbria. These places have contributed to the spread and recognition of the surname throughout the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Westmoreland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Westmoreland 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 237 Westmorelands recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.10x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 237 5.10x
Lincolnshire 98 13.06x
Nottinghamshire 36 5.69x
Durham 19 1.36x
Derbyshire 17 2.31x
Cheshire 12 1.16x
Middlesex 12 0.26x
Essex 9 0.97x
Kent 9 0.56x
Lancashire 8 0.14x
Staffordshire 6 0.38x
Hampshire 4 0.42x
Cumberland 3 0.74x
Northumberland 3 0.43x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.71x
Sussex 2 0.25x
Cornwall 1 0.19x
Norfolk 1 0.14x
Oxfordshire 1 0.35x
Surrey 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Castleford in Yorkshire leads with 32 Westmorelands recorded in 1881 and an index of 189.01x.

Place Total Index
Castleford 32 189.01x
Rothwell 26 276.89x
Leeds 22 8.38x
Nottingham St Mary 20 12.23x
Boston 16 70.30x
Wortley In Bramley 15 40.74x
Hunslet 14 19.31x
Kirton 14 465.12x
Oulton Cum Woodlesford 14 371.35x
Guiseley 13 218.49x
Spalding 12 80.59x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 11 65.17x
Golcar 9 73.23x
Bingley 8 27.02x
Dronfield 8 85.02x
Lower Bebington 8 130.08x
Morley 8 33.10x
Scawby 8 322.58x
Snenton 8 32.19x
Stapleford Abbots 8 1012.66x
Tadcaster West 8 217.39x
Market Rasen 7 167.06x
Plumstead 7 13.12x
Radford 7 21.79x
Bramley In Bramley 6 33.71x
Holbeach 6 71.86x
Barrow In Furness 5 6.60x
Bramhope 5 1724.14x
Eccleshall 5 83.19x
Gildersome 5 89.45x
Great Grimsby 5 10.50x
Holy Trinity 5 4.47x
Soothill 5 29.78x
Stranton 5 10.64x
Sutton St Mary 5 70.52x
Derby St Alkmund 4 18.17x
Derby St Werburgh 4 9.43x
Hartlepool 4 20.16x
Kirton Simon Weir 4 526.32x
Newbottle 4 52.49x
Pickering 4 68.38x
Tydd St Mary 4 268.46x
Waldridge 4 170.94x
Whitwood 4 60.61x
Billingborough 3 157.07x
East Stratton 3 545.45x
Hibaldstow 3 234.38x
St Anne Soho London 3 11.20x
Sutton Stoneferry 3 22.56x
Wakefield 3 8.41x
West Derby 3 1.84x
Birkenhead 2 2.42x
Brightside Bierlow 2 2.19x
Burnham 2 55.25x
Darlington 2 3.71x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 2.11x
Folkestone 2 6.44x
Frampton 2 140.85x
Heston 2 12.84x
Islington London 2 0.44x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 5.53x
Paddington London 2 1.16x
Sculcoates 2 2.71x
Tranmere 2 5.25x
Amber Hill 1 158.73x
Churwell 1 31.55x
Clifton In York 1 10.29x
Coningsby 1 46.51x
Crosscanonby 1 7.49x
Eastbourne 1 2.75x
Kirton In Lindsey 1 33.67x
Middleton In Hunslet 1 153.85x
Rock 1 243.90x
Shipton In Pocklington 1 144.93x
Shoreham 1 0.00x
St Clement 1 18.05x
St Cuthbert W O 1 5.08x
St Margaret Lincoln 1 149.25x
Wapping London 1 27.93x
York St Michael 1 149.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Sarah 17
Elizabeth 13
Annie 11
Ann 10
Jane 10
Emma 9
Eliza 7
Alice 6
Caroline 6
Hannah 6
Frances 5
Margaret 5
Ada 4
Anne 4
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Edith 4
Ellen 4
Emily 4
Florence 4
Elizth. 3
Fanny 3
Louisa 3
Susannah 3
Agnes 2
Betsy 2
Ealey 2
Esther 2
Harriett 2
Henrietta 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Rose 2
Ruth 2
Alice. 1
Almina 1
Bertha 1
C.Selina 1
Eleanor 1
Infant 1
Isaa. 1
Julia 1
Lavinia 1
Lilley 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 35
William 27
George 15
Joseph 14
James 13
Thomas 11
Charles 7
Alfred 6
Henry 6
Herbert 6
Harry 4
Robert 4
Amos 3
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Frederic 3
Richard 3
Sam 3
Wm. 3
Abraham 2
Adam 2
Arthur 2
David 2
Edward 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Harrold 2
Jabez 2
Joe 2
Mark 2
Samuel 2
Willm. 2
Anthony 1
Benjamin 1
Bertie 1
Charley 1
Chas. 1
Chas.H. 1
Eli 1
Elisha 1
Ephraim 1
Ernest 1
Georg 1
Israel 1
Jno.Wm. 1
Mathew 1
Melville 1
Moses 1
Nelson 1
Newby 1

FAQ

Westmoreland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Westmoreland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 481 people were recorded with the Westmoreland surname. That placed it at #6,969 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Westmoreland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 882 in 2016. That gives Westmoreland a modern rank of #6,392.

What does the Westmoreland surname mean?

From the Old English, referring to someone from the western moorland or moor.

What does the Westmoreland map show?

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