NameCensus.

UK surname

Westwell

In the 1881 census there were 601 people recorded with the Westwell surname, ranking it #5,826 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 791, ranked #6,984, down from #5,826 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Leigh, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Whalley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale and Hyndburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Westwell is 895 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.6%.

1881 census count

601

Ranked #5,826

Modern count

791

2016, ranked #6,984

Peak year

1911

895 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Westwell had 601 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,826 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 791 in 2016, ranked #6,984.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 895 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Westwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Westwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Westwell 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 302 #7,606
1861 historical 400 #6,412
1881 historical 601 #5,826
1891 historical 697 #5,622
1901 historical 822 #5,496
1911 historical 895 #4,973
1997 modern 757 #6,829
1998 modern 779 #6,905
1999 modern 786 #6,901
2000 modern 786 #6,873
2001 modern 799 #6,655
2002 modern 814 #6,675
2003 modern 772 #6,848
2004 modern 765 #6,923
2005 modern 739 #7,044
2006 modern 745 #7,018
2007 modern 752 #7,044
2008 modern 754 #7,077
2009 modern 795 #6,929
2010 modern 805 #6,991
2011 modern 774 #7,133
2012 modern 754 #7,193
2013 modern 782 #7,100
2014 modern 806 #6,958
2015 modern 801 #6,931
2016 modern 791 #6,984

Geography

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Where Westwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Leigh, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth), Whalley and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale and Hyndburn. 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 Leigh Lancashire
2 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
3 Whalley Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 010 Rossendale
2 Rossendale 003 Rossendale
3 Rossendale 002 Rossendale
4 Hyndburn 004 Hyndburn
5 Hyndburn 007 Hyndburn

Forenames

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First names often paired with Westwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Westwell

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Westwell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Westwell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Westwell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Westwell is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Westwell 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 Westwell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Westwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Westwell 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 569 Westwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.18x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 569 8.18x
Cheshire 22 1.70x
Hertfordshire 7 1.73x
Durham 2 0.11x
Essex 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 64 Westwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.58x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 64 34.58x
Accrington 54 85.38x
Great Harwood 42 334.13x
Walmersley Cum 33 296.76x
Westleigh 30 189.87x
Church 26 264.77x
Clayton Le Moors 25 185.19x
Preston 25 13.43x
Westhoughton 22 118.53x
Livesey 18 147.42x
Pennington In Leigh 16 119.85x
Salford 15 7.33x
Monks Coppenhall 14 28.67x
Parr 14 56.25x
Atherton 13 51.34x
Chorley 13 33.30x
Skelmersdale 12 103.54x
Higher Booths 11 87.72x
Lower Darwen 10 109.53x
Tottington Lower End 9 27.22x
Dukinfield 8 13.38x
Lower Booths 8 64.21x
Over Hulton 7 353.54x
St Albans 7 84.54x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 11.46x
Bedford 6 41.24x
Everton 6 2.71x
Farnworth 6 14.40x
Simonstone 6 714.29x
Warrington 6 7.28x
North Meols 5 7.34x
Walton Le Dale 5 26.75x
Culcheth 4 87.72x
Hindley 4 13.49x
Kirkdale 4 3.42x
Manchester 4 1.28x
Newchurch 4 7.03x
Radcliffe 4 11.93x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 3 40.38x
Haslingden 3 10.41x
Moss Side 3 8.19x
Oswaldtwistle 3 12.21x
Burnley 2 3.41x
Great Lever 2 27.10x
Haswell 2 16.00x
Toxteth Park 2 0.85x
Woolston With 2 198.02x
Barking 1 2.95x
Broughton In Salford 1 1.57x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 0.90x
Fulwood 1 13.30x
Ince In Makerfield 1 3.09x
Layton With Warbreck 1 3.92x
Lowton 1 21.14x
Newton 1 1.87x
Over Darwen 1 1.80x
Rishton 1 12.25x
Tottington Higher End 1 12.63x
Wheelton 1 32.15x
Widnes 1 1.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 51
Elizabeth 27
Alice 22
Martha 17
Ann 16
Jane 15
Ellen 14
Sarah 11
Margaret 9
Annie 7
Emma 7
Hannah 7
Ada 5
Betsy 5
Grace 5
Nancy 5
Rachel 5
Agnes 4
Betty 4
Clara 4
Esther 4
Anne 3
Eliza 3
Isabella 3
Ruth 3
Susan 3
Susannah 3
Maria 2
Rachael 2
Selina 2
Anna 1
Betsey 1
Catherine 1
Cathraine 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Elleanor 1
Eveline 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Lilly 1
Lydia 1
M. 1
M.J. 1
Maggie 1
Margrate 1
Margret 1
Margt.Ann 1
Marian 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 46
John 36
James 34
Thomas 25
George 19
Robert 17
Joseph 12
Richard 9
Samuel 8
Alfred 6
Peter 5
Benjamin 4
Charles 4
Christopher 4
Harry 4
Henry 4
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Josiah 2
Robt. 2
Benjamen 1
David 1
Dennis 1
Edgar 1
Elias 1
Ezekiel 1
Ezra 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Giles 1
Grimshaw 1
Halberg 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jno. 1
Jonathan 1
Kay 1
Malcolm 1
Mary 1
Melburne 1
Mortimer 1
Oswald 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Richd. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Westwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Westwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 601 people were recorded with the Westwell surname. That placed it at #5,826 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Westwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 791 in 2016. That gives Westwell a modern rank of #6,984.

What does the Westwell map show?

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