NameCensus.

UK surname

Wetherell

From an English place name, likely referring to someone who lived near a spring or stream.

In the 1881 census there were 568 people recorded with the Wetherell surname, ranking it #6,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 774, ranked #7,110, down from #6,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, Selby and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wetherell is 819 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.3%.

1881 census count

568

Ranked #6,114

Modern count

774

2016, ranked #7,110

Peak year

1911

819 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wetherell had 568 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 774 in 2016, ranked #7,110.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 819 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Wetherell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wetherell surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wetherell 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 395 #6,095
1861 historical 329 #7,748
1881 historical 568 #6,114
1891 historical 653 #5,944
1901 historical 629 #6,809
1911 historical 819 #5,381
1997 modern 784 #6,645
1998 modern 797 #6,772
1999 modern 799 #6,799
2000 modern 788 #6,857
2001 modern 758 #6,937
2002 modern 793 #6,825
2003 modern 780 #6,796
2004 modern 774 #6,856
2005 modern 763 #6,859
2006 modern 764 #6,882
2007 modern 771 #6,899
2008 modern 775 #6,928
2009 modern 783 #7,001
2010 modern 799 #7,035
2011 modern 789 #7,033
2012 modern 750 #7,226
2013 modern 790 #7,036
2014 modern 805 #6,965
2015 modern 781 #7,071
2016 modern 774 #7,110

Geography

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Where Wetherells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, London parishes, Gateshead, St Pancras and Middlesborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, Selby, County Durham, Wirral and Darlington. 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 Darlington Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Middlesborough Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 030 Sunderland
2 Selby 008 Selby
3 County Durham 040 County Durham
4 Wirral 038 Wirral
5 Darlington 006 Darlington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wetherell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wetherell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wetherell, 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 Wetherell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Wetherell 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Wetherell is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wetherell is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wetherell falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wetherell

The surname Wetherell originates from England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "wether" (a castrated ram) and "hyll" (a hill), suggesting that the name may have initially referred to a person who lived near a hill where wethers grazed.

The name is thought to have originated in the county of Devon, where various spellings such as Wetherhill, Wetherall, and Wetherell were found in historical records. One of the earliest known references to the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mentions a William de Wetherhill from Devon.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are no direct references to the surname Wetherell, but there are entries for places that may have contributed to its formation, such as Wetherhill in Devon and Wetherall in Cumbria.

Notable individuals with the surname Wetherell throughout history include:

1. Sir Charles Wetherell (1770-1846), an English lawyer and politician who served as Attorney General and was involved in several high-profile trials, including the Queen Caroline Affair.

2. John Wetherell (c. 1578-1623), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "A Briefe Apologie for the Anabaptists" in 1615.

3. Elizabeth Wetherell (1766-1825), an English novelist and playwright, best known for her novel "The Absentee" published in 1812.

4. Thomas Wetherell (c. 1580-1664), an English Puritan minister and author who wrote several religious works, including "The New Covenant Opened" in 1657.

5. Edmund Wetherell (c. 1570-1626), an English Puritan minister and author, known for his work "A Briefe Apologie for the Leaving of the Brownists" published in 1611.

While the surname Wetherell has its roots in Devon, it has since spread to other parts of England and beyond, with variations in spelling and pronunciation occurring over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wetherell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wetherell 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 142 Wetherells recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.47x.

County Total Index
Durham 142 8.47x
Yorkshire 128 2.29x
Middlesex 38 0.67x
Surrey 38 1.38x
Kent 33 1.72x
Lancashire 25 0.37x
Norfolk 21 2.42x
Shropshire 15 3.08x
Northamptonshire 13 2.45x
Dorset 12 3.24x
Channel Islands 10 5.99x
Essex 9 0.81x
Somerset 9 0.99x
Worcestershire 9 1.22x
Berkshire 8 1.89x
Cumberland 8 1.65x
Gloucestershire 8 0.72x
Lincolnshire 8 0.89x
Northumberland 8 0.95x
Warwickshire 8 0.56x
Sussex 7 0.74x
Devon 4 0.34x
Glamorgan 3 0.31x
Cheshire 2 0.16x
Hampshire 2 0.17x
Hertfordshire 2 0.51x
Staffordshire 2 0.11x
Suffolk 2 0.29x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.28x
Cornwall 1 0.16x
Midlothian 1 0.13x
Westmorland 1 0.81x

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 20 Wetherells recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.85x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 20 27.85x
Stockton On Tees 19 23.50x
St Pancras London 17 3.75x
Darlington 15 23.16x
Bishop Auckland 12 53.33x
Broadwinsor 12 495.87x
Richmond 12 137.46x
Yarm 12 418.12x
Croydon 10 6.56x
Durham St Nicholas 10 242.72x
St Helier 10 18.39x
Barking 9 27.64x
Hulme 9 6.44x
Lambeth 9 1.83x
Linthorpe 9 26.99x
Alveley 8 414.51x
Aston 8 2.04x
Clifton 8 14.31x
Northampton St Giles 8 39.60x
Skelton 8 571.43x
Deptford St Paul 7 4.72x
East Thickley 7 205.88x
Gillingham 7 17.65x
West Auckland 7 114.19x
Westoe 7 7.36x
Wortley In Bramley 7 15.82x
Arrathorne 6 5000.00x
Barnsley 6 10.41x
Bishopton 6 882.35x
Bishopwearmouth 6 4.17x
Darton 6 104.90x
Ecclesfield 6 14.64x
Fishburn 6 983.61x
Hartlepool 6 25.17x
Leeds 6 1.90x
Liversedge 6 24.13x
Munslow 6 508.47x
Reading St Mary 6 17.70x
St Marylebone London 6 1.99x
Surfleet 6 320.86x
York St Cuthbert 6 117.42x
Byers Green 5 105.71x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 4.70x
Elmsted 5 595.24x
Epsom 5 37.34x
Hunwick Helmington 5 124.07x
Newington 5 2.40x
Shoreditch London 5 2.05x
South Petherton 5 106.61x
Streatham 5 11.95x
Sutton On Forest 5 450.45x
Thornaby 5 23.95x
Trimdon 5 84.32x
Byker 4 9.65x
Dudley 4 4.47x
Northampton Priory St 4 12.57x
Pittington 4 84.75x
Thirsk 4 62.02x
York St Mary 4 17.29x
Camberwell 3 0.83x
Llanwonno 3 8.51x
Ramsgate 3 9.55x
Salford 3 1.52x
Seaham 3 49.10x
Somerton 3 80.86x
Stranton 3 5.31x
Teynham 3 86.46x
Tonbridge 3 4.32x
West Derby 3 1.53x
Whitworth 3 24.43x
Wolverley 3 46.44x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 2 9.86x
Barnard Castle 2 24.13x
Bredfield 2 240.96x
Gateshead 2 1.59x
Hampstead London 2 2.28x
Hastings St Clement 2 22.35x
Milton In Gravesend 2 6.93x
Newbiggin In Morpeth 2 74.63x
Tormoham 2 4.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 46
John 41
Thomas 24
Charles 16
James 15
Joseph 15
George 14
Edward 9
Henry 9
Robert 9
Frederick 6
Richard 6
Albert 5
Arthur 5
Francis 4
Harry 4
Marmaduke 4
Alfred 3
Ernest 3
Jno. 3
Nathan 3
Nicholas 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Christopher 2
Earnest 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Jonathan 2
Wm. 2
Alexander 1
Amos 1
Augusta 1
Benjamin 1
Brian 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.C. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Jno.Wm. 1
Mark 1
Phillip 1
Ralph 1
Reginald 1
Robinson 1
Rowland 1

FAQ

Wetherell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wetherell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 568 people were recorded with the Wetherell surname. That placed it at #6,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wetherell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 774 in 2016. That gives Wetherell a modern rank of #7,110.

What does the Wetherell surname mean?

From an English place name, likely referring to someone who lived near a spring or stream.

What does the Wetherell map show?

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