NameCensus.

UK surname

Wheat

An occupational surname for a grower or seller of wheat, or someone living near wheat fields.

In the 1881 census there were 703 people recorded with the Wheat surname, ranking it #5,173 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,135, ranked #5,189, down from #5,173 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Trentham, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Hucknall Torkard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Staffordshire Moorlands, Nottingham and Mansfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wheat is 1,193 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 61.5%.

1881 census count

703

Ranked #5,173

Modern count

1,135

2016, ranked #5,189

Peak year

2014

1,193 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wheat had 703 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,173 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,135 in 2016, ranked #5,189.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,000 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wheat surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wheat surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wheat 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 364 #6,509
1861 historical 448 #5,777
1881 historical 703 #5,173
1891 historical 685 #5,716
1901 historical 888 #5,193
1911 historical 1,000 #4,547
1997 modern 1,017 #5,415
1998 modern 1,152 #5,047
1999 modern 1,142 #5,138
2000 modern 1,119 #5,196
2001 modern 1,098 #5,179
2002 modern 1,140 #5,127
2003 modern 1,121 #5,099
2004 modern 1,141 #5,030
2005 modern 1,139 #4,982
2006 modern 1,116 #5,080
2007 modern 1,146 #4,999
2008 modern 1,137 #5,075
2009 modern 1,133 #5,195
2010 modern 1,149 #5,245
2011 modern 1,166 #5,108
2012 modern 1,159 #5,054
2013 modern 1,165 #5,119
2014 modern 1,193 #5,046
2015 modern 1,169 #5,084
2016 modern 1,135 #5,189

Geography

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Where Wheats are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Trentham, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Hucknall Torkard, Gedling and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Staffordshire Moorlands, Nottingham, Mansfield, Gedling and Stoke-on-Trent. 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 Trentham Staffordshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Hucknall Torkard Nottinghamshire
4 Gedling Nottinghamshire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Staffordshire Moorlands 011 Staffordshire Moorlands
2 Nottingham 010 Nottingham
3 Mansfield 009 Mansfield
4 Gedling 010 Gedling
5 Stoke-on-Trent 029 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wheat

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wheat

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Wheat is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Wheat is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wheat 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 Wheat is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wheat

The surname Wheat is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "hwæte," meaning the cereal grain wheat. This name likely originated as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near or worked with wheat crops.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Wheat dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Whate" and "Whet." During this period, surnames were often derived from occupations, physical attributes, or locations associated with an individual.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records as "Whet," "Whete," and "Whete." One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was John Whete, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275.

The surname Wheat has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded was Sir Thomas Wheat (c. 1509-1578), an English diplomat and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent figure was Isaac Wheat (1630-1720), an English Quaker who emigrated to Pennsylvania and became one of the founders of the settlement of Burlington in 1677. He played a significant role in the early development of the colony.

In the 18th century, Silas Wheat (1718-1783) was a notable American military officer who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He fought in several key battles, including the Battle of Long Island and the Battle of Monmouth.

The 19th century saw the rise of John Wheat (1832-1912), a British engineer and inventor who is best known for his contributions to the development of the modern safety bicycle. His innovative designs helped popularize cycling as a means of transportation.

In more recent times, one of the most prominent individuals with the surname Wheat was Paschal N. Wheat (1900-1986), an American jurist who served as a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma from 1949 to 1971.

While the surname Wheat has English roots, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly in countries with significant British colonial influence, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wheat families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wheat 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 203 Wheats recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.93x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 203 21.93x
Staffordshire 158 6.82x
Leicestershire 65 8.54x
Derbyshire 58 5.39x
Yorkshire 57 0.84x
Middlesex 35 0.51x
Lincolnshire 24 2.19x
Cheshire 17 1.12x
Warwickshire 17 0.98x
Cambridgeshire 13 2.99x
Devon 8 0.56x
Lancashire 8 0.10x
Durham 7 0.34x
Glamorgan 6 0.50x
Northamptonshire 6 0.93x
Worcestershire 6 0.67x
Essex 4 0.30x
Surrey 4 0.12x
Kent 3 0.13x
Somerset 2 0.18x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.24x
Royal Navy 1 1.22x
Suffolk 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 83 Wheats recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.67x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 83 34.67x
Stoke Upon Trent 46 18.71x
Church Gresley 27 157.80x
Carlton 20 189.39x
Trentham 17 86.21x
Arnold 16 118.43x
Ecclesall Bierlow 16 11.56x
Worksop 15 54.64x
Wigston Magna 13 128.71x
Snenton 12 32.99x
Sculcoates 11 10.20x
Uttoxeter 11 92.67x
Forton 10 787.40x
Hucknall Torkard 10 42.61x
Haughton 9 762.71x
Hinckley 9 49.83x
Somerby 9 720.00x
Benwick 8 416.67x
Colwich 8 145.19x
Hammersmith London 8 4.73x
Mansfield 8 24.98x
Rocester 8 278.75x
Birmingham 7 1.21x
Dronfield 7 50.80x
Ibstock 7 126.58x
Newton Harcourt 7 1627.91x
Odd Rode 7 93.21x
Shoreditch London 7 2.35x
Spitalfields London 7 13.55x
Stoke Damerel 7 7.00x
Whaplode 7 187.17x
Wolstanton Knutton 7 49.47x
Burton Overy 6 600.00x
Castle Dykings Lincoln 6 1395.35x
Cheadle 6 53.91x
Clarborough 6 86.71x
Cudworth 6 244.90x
Dilhorne 6 155.44x
Foleshill 6 32.93x
Llandaff 6 15.08x
Newcastle Under Lyme 6 14.63x
Rampton 6 705.88x
Tranmere 6 10.77x
Abbots Bromley 5 145.35x
Brightside Bierlow 5 3.75x
Castle Gresley 5 270.27x
Doveridge 5 304.88x
South Leverton 5 526.32x
St Giles In Fields 5 21.11x
Aston 4 0.84x
Blithfield 4 571.43x
Burslem 4 6.02x
Caunton 4 421.05x
Elm 4 93.90x
Leigh 4 259.74x
Monkwearmouth 4 20.45x
Northampton St Sepulchre 4 12.17x
Whitby 4 17.44x
Aston Cum Aughton 3 53.86x
Bentley Cum Arksey 3 84.51x
Betchworth 3 72.64x
Boston 3 9.01x
Bottesford 3 95.85x
Boylestone 3 566.04x
Kings Norton 3 3.73x
Leicester St Margaret 3 1.62x
Navestock 3 153.06x
Oadby 3 73.53x
Oldbury 3 6.80x
Runcorn 3 8.58x
Somersall Herbert 3 1200.00x
South Scarle 3 810.81x
St Pancras London 3 0.54x
Sturton 3 241.94x
Throston 3 76.53x
West Derby 3 1.26x
Alfreton 2 6.12x
Grantham 2 13.98x
Peterborough 2 4.28x
Stone 2 6.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 46
Elizabeth 37
Sarah 32
Emma 20
Eliza 19
Ann 12
Jane 12
Annie 10
Alice 8
Ellen 8
Emily 8
Anne 7
Hannah 6
Harriett 6
Ada 5
Fanny 5
Harriet 5
Catherine 4
Kate 4
Louisa 4
Maria 4
Martha 4
Betsy 3
Caroline 3
Edith 3
Ethel 3
Florence 3
Susan 3
Agnes 2
Christiana 2
Eleanor 2
Frances 2
Lousia 2
Lucy 2
Minnie 2
Rose 2
Selina 2
Sophia 2
Allie 1
Amy 1
Bessie 1
Betsey 1
Camelia 1
E. 1
E.F. 1
Ellinar 1
Issabella 1
J. 1
Jame 1
Violette 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 44
John 41
George 34
Charles 26
Thomas 22
Henry 21
Joseph 17
James 14
Alfred 9
Herbert 8
Arthur 7
Daniel 7
Samuel 6
Walter 6
Edward 5
Albert 4
Benjamin 4
Fred 4
Frederick 4
Richard 4
David 3
Francis 3
Isaac 3
Earnest 2
Godfrey 2
Harry 2
Jno. 2
Leonard 2
Mathew 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Ambrose 1
Arther 1
C... 1
Charly 1
Chas.T. 1
Christopher 1
Ellis 1
Emmanuel 1
Ernest 1
Flargas 1
Fountain 1
Frances 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Jas.C. 1
Lenard 1
Lenord 1
Linnaeus 1
Wm.Chas.Siddon 1

FAQ

Wheat surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wheat surname in 1881?

In 1881, 703 people were recorded with the Wheat surname. That placed it at #5,173 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wheat surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,135 in 2016. That gives Wheat a modern rank of #5,189.

What does the Wheat surname mean?

An occupational surname for a grower or seller of wheat, or someone living near wheat fields.

What does the Wheat map show?

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