NameCensus.

UK surname

Westray

A surname derived from the name of islands located in northern Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 125 people recorded with the Westray surname, ranking it #17,335 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 205, ranked #19,250, down from #17,335 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Toxteth Park and Workington (Workington), Clossocks. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Islington and Allerdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Westray is 215 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 64.0%.

1881 census count

125

Ranked #17,335

Modern count

205

2016, ranked #19,250

Peak year

2000

215 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Westray had 125 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,335 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 205 in 2016, ranked #19,250.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 194 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Westray surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Westray surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Westray 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 97 #17,484
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 125 #17,335
1891 historical 132 #19,976
1901 historical 146 #18,335
1911 historical 194 #15,250
1997 modern 178 #18,958
1998 modern 202 #17,991
1999 modern 200 #18,237
2000 modern 215 #17,388
2001 modern 209 #17,469
2002 modern 214 #17,545
2003 modern 215 #17,286
2004 modern 211 #17,590
2005 modern 195 #18,458
2006 modern 199 #18,357
2007 modern 195 #18,799
2008 modern 191 #19,195
2009 modern 198 #19,145
2010 modern 213 #18,660
2011 modern 209 #18,730
2012 modern 193 #19,665
2013 modern 196 #19,790
2014 modern 198 #19,841
2015 modern 198 #19,714
2016 modern 205 #19,250

Geography

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Where Westrays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Toxteth Park, Workington (Workington), Clossocks, Childwall and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, Islington, Allerdale, Liverpool and Copeland. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Workington (Workington), Clossocks Cumberland
4 Childwall Lancashire
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 025 Cheshire East
2 Islington 016 Islington
3 Allerdale 011 Allerdale
4 Liverpool 050 Liverpool
5 Copeland 004 Copeland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Westray

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Westray

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Westray 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

Westray 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

Westray falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Westray

The surname Westray has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old Norse words "vestr" meaning "west" and "ey" meaning "island." This suggests that the name likely originated from the Westray Islands, which are part of the Orkney archipelago off the northern coast of Scotland.

The earliest known record of the surname Westray dates back to the late 13th century, appearing in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1292. This historical document lists individuals by their surnames and occupations, indicating that Westray was a well-established name at that time.

During the 14th century, the name Westray appeared in several Scottish charters and land records, often associated with individuals from the Orkney Islands or those with connections to the region. One notable example is Sir Henry Westray, a landowner and nobleman who lived in the late 1300s and held estates in Orkney.

By the 15th century, the Westray surname had spread beyond the Orkney Islands to other parts of Scotland. In 1467, a James Westray was recorded as a merchant in Aberdeen, suggesting that the name had become more widely adopted.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Westray, including:

1. Thomas Westray (1575-1644), a Scottish minister and author who served as the Rector of Comrie and wrote several religious works.

2. William Westray (1701-1778), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the 18th century and participated in several significant battles.

3. Elizabeth Westray (1785-1863), a Scottish writer and poet who published several volumes of poetry and prose during the early 19th century.

4. John Westray (1825-1892), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who founded the Westray Charitable Trust, which supported education and social causes in Orkney.

5. Archibald Westray (1891-1967), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh and Glasgow during the early 20th century.

While the surname Westray has its roots in the Orkney Islands, it has since spread throughout Scotland and beyond, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in various fields over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Westray families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Westray 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. Lancashire leads with 47 Westrays recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.25x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 47 3.25x
Cumberland 26 24.77x
Surrey 15 2.53x
Cheshire 7 2.60x
Middlesex 7 0.57x
Nottinghamshire 6 3.65x
Staffordshire 6 1.46x
Yorkshire 5 0.41x
Denbighshire 2 4.34x
Northumberland 2 1.10x
Devon 1 0.39x
Shropshire 1 0.95x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 32 Westrays recorded in 1881 and an index of 82.69x.

Place Total Index
Preston 32 82.69x
Camberwell 8 10.27x
St Mary Within 8 610.69x
Crosscanonby 7 201.73x
Mile End Old Town 7 36.38x
Wimbledon 7 104.95x
Nottingham St Mary 6 14.12x
Stone 6 114.07x
Everton 5 10.85x
Great Ayton 5 675.68x
Liverpool 4 4.55x
Newton In Northwich 4 487.80x
Chorley 3 36.95x
Cockermouth 3 135.75x
Liscard 3 61.86x
Preston Quarter 3 102.04x
Lamplugh 2 377.36x
Orton 2 1052.63x
Toxteth Park 2 4.08x
Westgate 2 17.81x
Wrexham Abbot 2 172.41x
Barrow In Furness 1 5.08x
Ilfracombe 1 38.31x
Waverton 1 500.00x
Whitchurch 1 49.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Martha 7
Elizabeth 5
Margaret 5
Sarah 4
Ada 3
Ann 3
Dora 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Eleanor 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Kate 2
Alma 1
Beatrice 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Elloner 1
Emma 1
Evelyn 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Hilda 1
Isabel 1
Jane 1
Manin 1
Nina 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Westray surname: questions and answers

How common was the Westray surname in 1881?

In 1881, 125 people were recorded with the Westray surname. That placed it at #17,335 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Westray surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 205 in 2016. That gives Westray a modern rank of #19,250.

What does the Westray surname mean?

A surname derived from the name of islands located in northern Scotland.

What does the Westray map show?

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