NameCensus.

UK surname

Wheaton

From an English place name meaning "wheat town," referring to a settlement where wheat was grown or sold.

In the 1881 census there were 614 people recorded with the Wheaton surname, ranking it #5,725 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 805, ranked #6,877, down from #5,725 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sidmouth, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, East Devon and North Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wheaton is 866 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.1%.

1881 census count

614

Ranked #5,725

Modern count

805

2016, ranked #6,877

Peak year

1911

866 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wheaton had 614 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,725 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 805 in 2016, ranked #6,877.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 866 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wheaton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wheaton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wheaton 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 405 #5,976
1861 historical 448 #5,777
1881 historical 614 #5,725
1891 historical 633 #6,110
1901 historical 728 #6,087
1911 historical 866 #5,130
1997 modern 830 #6,353
1998 modern 846 #6,463
1999 modern 844 #6,523
2000 modern 861 #6,385
2001 modern 840 #6,401
2002 modern 846 #6,480
2003 modern 831 #6,451
2004 modern 821 #6,524
2005 modern 794 #6,646
2006 modern 793 #6,677
2007 modern 805 #6,648
2008 modern 785 #6,864
2009 modern 801 #6,882
2010 modern 809 #6,958
2011 modern 797 #6,974
2012 modern 795 #6,864
2013 modern 799 #6,961
2014 modern 805 #6,965
2015 modern 808 #6,870
2016 modern 805 #6,877

Geography

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Where Wheatons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sidmouth, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes and Brixham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, East Devon, North Devon, Exeter and Lewes. 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 Sidmouth Devon
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 London parishes London 1
4 Brixham Devon
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 002 Caerphilly
2 East Devon 004 East Devon
3 North Devon 012 North Devon
4 Exeter 008 Exeter
5 Lewes 012 Lewes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wheaton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wheaton

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Wheaton is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wheaton is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wheaton falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wheaton

The surname Wheaton has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "hwæte," which means wheat, and the word "tun," meaning a farm or an enclosure. Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived near a wheat farm or a wheat enclosure.

Wheaton is believed to have originated in the counties of Shropshire and Staffordshire, where there are several places named Wheaton or variations of the name, such as Wheaton Aston and Wheaton Under Hill. These place names likely gave rise to the surname.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Wheaton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Whetone." This suggests that the name was already well-established by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir Thomas de Wheaton, a knight who lived in the 13th century and served under King Edward I. Another notable figure was John Wheaton, born in 1594, who was a Puritan settler in Massachusetts Bay Colony and one of the founders of the town of Rehoboth.

In the 17th century, the Wheaton family played a significant role in the English Civil War. Robert Wheaton (1609-1694) was a prominent Parliamentarian and served as a colonel in Oliver Cromwell's army. His son, Obadiah Wheaton (1647-1719), also fought for the Parliamentarians and later became a Baptist minister.

Another notable figure was William Wheaton (1708-1785), an English poet and clergyman who was known for his translations of Virgil's Eclogues and Horace's Odes. He was also a fellow of the Royal Society.

In the 19th century, Henry Wheaton (1785-1848) was a prominent American lawyer, diplomat, and scholar who is best known for his work on international law. His seminal work, "Elements of International Law," published in 1836, became a standard reference in the field.

Throughout history, the surname Wheaton has been spelled in various ways, including Whetone, Wheatton, and Wheatone, reflecting the evolution of the English language and regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wheaton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wheaton 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. Devon leads with 279 Wheatons recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.31x.

County Total Index
Devon 279 22.31x
Middlesex 85 1.41x
Surrey 43 1.47x
Cambridgeshire 36 9.46x
Kent 21 1.02x
Huntingdonshire 20 16.76x
Northumberland 16 1.79x
Lancashire 15 0.21x
Yorkshire 14 0.24x
Cornwall 11 1.62x
Glamorgan 11 1.05x
Hampshire 11 0.89x
Somerset 9 0.93x
Sussex 9 0.89x
Gloucestershire 7 0.59x
Lincolnshire 6 0.62x
Cheshire 4 0.30x
Dorset 3 0.76x
Bedfordshire 2 0.64x
Hertfordshire 2 0.48x
Channel Islands 1 0.56x
Denbighshire 1 0.44x
Essex 1 0.08x
Leicestershire 1 0.15x
Monmouthshire 1 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 1.40x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x
Suffolk 1 0.14x
Warwickshire 1 0.07x
Wiltshire 1 0.19x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aylesbeare in Devon leads with 32 Wheatons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1767.96x.

Place Total Index
Aylesbeare 32 1767.96x
St Andrewthe Less 20 46.00x
Brixham 19 131.12x
Somersham 19 655.17x
St Marylebone London 19 5.92x
Battersea 16 7.24x
Sidmouth 14 195.53x
Camberwell 12 3.13x
Greenwich 12 12.54x
Otterton 12 597.01x
Venn Ottery 11 4782.61x
Morchard Bishop 10 383.14x
Plymouth St Andrew 10 10.38x
Plymtree 10 1111.11x
East Grinstead 9 62.76x
Exeter St Sidwell 9 31.41x
Islington London 9 1.55x
Paddington London 9 4.07x
Broadhembury 8 575.54x
Everton 8 3.52x
Fulham London 8 9.18x
Holdenhurst 8 24.76x
Manaton 8 1176.47x
St Erth 8 194.17x
Ashreigney 7 503.60x
Bottisham 7 216.05x
Broadwood Kelly 7 1166.67x
Buckerell 7 1346.15x
Cramlington 7 59.27x
Exeter St Thomas The 7 54.90x
Monken Hadley 7 291.67x
Ottery St Mary 7 85.37x
St Pancras London 7 1.45x
Westgate 7 12.64x
Zeal Monachorum 7 729.17x
Bristol St George 6 11.01x
Colaton Raleigh 6 389.61x
Lambeth 6 1.15x
Littleham 6 65.65x
Llandaff 6 17.24x
Plymouth Charles The 6 10.89x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 6 21.69x
Stoke Newington London 6 12.82x
Winkleigh 6 239.04x
Exeter Heavitree 5 53.59x
Newington 5 2.25x
Sidbury 5 186.57x
Tormoham 5 9.45x
Tottenham 5 5.22x
Whimple 5 362.32x
Birkenhead 4 3.78x
Cleethorpes 4 70.80x
Dolton 4 259.74x
Dowland 4 1212.12x
Holy Trinity 4 152.67x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 4 96.85x
Maidstone 4 6.55x
Manchester 4 1.25x
Swimbridge 4 158.10x
Yeovil 4 20.36x
Chatham 3 5.32x
Feniton 3 410.96x
Kensington London 3 0.90x
Landbeach 3 285.71x
Lyme Regis 3 63.56x
Saltash 3 56.82x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.48x
St Budeaux 3 77.12x
Widworthy 3 1111.11x
Winsham 3 169.49x
Withycombe Rawleigh 3 46.01x
Bedford St Mary 2 24.97x
Crowle 2 34.19x
Exeter St Mary Major 2 26.53x
Great Grimsby 2 3.28x
Liverpool 2 0.46x
Mexborough 2 16.92x
Westminster St James 2 3.24x
Woodbury 2 53.91x
Ystradyfodwg 2 2.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 44
William 33
Henry 21
Thomas 18
Charles 15
George 13
James 11
Samuel 10
Albert 8
Alfred 7
Arthur 6
Joseph 6
Philip 6
Walter 6
Frank 5
Frederick 5
Robert 5
Harry 4
Edward 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Phillip 3
Richard 3
Edmund 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Nicholas 2
Peter 2
Earnest 1
Edmond 1
Edwd. 1
Eli 1
Enock 1
F.D. 1
Francis 1
Gustavis 1
Ischar 1
J. 1
Jonathan 1
Michael 1
Nathaniel 1
Nichs. 1
Noble 1
Norman 1
Oliver 1
Sidney 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Wheaton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wheaton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 614 people were recorded with the Wheaton surname. That placed it at #5,725 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wheaton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 805 in 2016. That gives Wheaton a modern rank of #6,877.

What does the Wheaton surname mean?

From an English place name meaning "wheat town," referring to a settlement where wheat was grown or sold.

What does the Wheaton map show?

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