NameCensus.

UK surname

Whicher

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a marsh or fen.

In the 1881 census there were 74 people recorded with the Whicher surname, ranking it #23,062 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 140, ranked #24,865, down from #23,062 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Eling and Hayling, South. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southampton, Summerston North and City of London.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whicher is 153 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 89.2%.

1881 census count

74

Ranked #23,062

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

1891

153 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Whicher had 74 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,062 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016, ranked #24,865.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 153 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Mature Families.

Whicher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whicher surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Whicher 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 88 #18,569
1861 historical 97 #21,503
1881 historical 74 #23,062
1891 historical 153 #18,078
1901 historical 127 #19,893
1911 historical 111 #21,392
1997 modern 130 #23,021
1998 modern 133 #23,308
1999 modern 138 #22,983
2000 modern 136 #23,155
2001 modern 134 #23,037
2002 modern 135 #23,398
2003 modern 138 #22,823
2004 modern 141 #22,689
2005 modern 140 #22,774
2006 modern 137 #23,270
2007 modern 136 #23,708
2008 modern 137 #23,883
2009 modern 140 #24,033
2010 modern 132 #25,519
2011 modern 140 #24,395
2012 modern 143 #24,019
2013 modern 149 #23,765
2014 modern 149 #23,969
2015 modern 142 #24,617
2016 modern 140 #24,865

Geography

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Where Whichers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Eling, Hayling, South and Croydon, Battersea (Penge), Sanderstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Southampton, Summerston North, City of London, Tendring and Sutton. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Eling Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Hayling, South Hampshire
5 Croydon, Battersea (Penge), Sanderstead Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Southampton 007 Southampton
2 Summerston North Glasgow City
3 City of London 001 City of London
4 Tendring 003 Tendring
5 Sutton 017 Sutton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Whicher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Whicher

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Established Mature Families

Nationally, the Whicher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Mature Families, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Whicher household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples predominate, many with older dependent children. Detached housing is common. Homeownership rates are the highest within this Supergroup. The presence of some students suggests that households are towards the end of a child rearing phase. Many residents have degree level qualifications, and the occupational profile is heavily skewed towards managerial and professional occupations. Residential developments commonly occur on the periphery of major urban cities or conurbations.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Whicher is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Whicher is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Whicher falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Whicher

The surname Whicher is believed to have its origins in England, likely dating back to the medieval period. The name can be traced to regions in Southern England, particularly in areas like Devon and Dorset. The name is thought to be derived from an Old English personal name composed of elements "wic," meaning "dwelling" or "farm," and "here," meaning "army." It possibly began as a descriptive surname referring to someone living near or responsible for a settlement or farm.

Historical references to the surname can be found in various old records. For example, the surname appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Devon in 1327, an early tax record where a William Whychere is mentioned. Additionally, the name crops up in the Feet of Fines, a record of property transactions, where a John Whycher is recorded in 1383. These records help trace the geographic distribution of the name and its variants in the medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname in literature is Thomas Whicher, born in 1525, who served as a notable clergyman in Dorset. The surname appeared in various spellings such as Wycher, Wicher, and Whycher in different historical documents. These variations likely occurred due to regional dialects and the phonetic spelling practices of the time.

In the 17th century, a notable figure with this surname was John Whicher, born in 1603, a sailor from Devon who contributed to the early naval endeavors of England. Another significant historical figure was Samuel Whicher, born in 1734, a landowner and farmer whose detailed diaries offered insight into agricultural practices and rural life in 18th-century England.

In the 19th century, there was even a famous detective named John Whicher, born in 1814. He was an influential police officer with the London Metropolitan Police and became well-known for his investigative work, which even inspired literary characters in Victorian detective fiction.

The Whicher surname, while not exceedingly common, has maintained a presence in historical documents and literature over several centuries, reflecting the various roles and societal contributions of individuals bearing the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Whicher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whicher 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. Hampshire leads with 36 Whichers recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.34x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 36 24.34x
Pembrokeshire 13 56.69x
Surrey 10 2.84x
Middlesex 4 0.55x
Sussex 4 3.29x
Warwickshire 4 2.20x
Wiltshire 2 3.13x
Kent 1 0.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 9 Whichers recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.53x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 9 19.53x
Holdenhurst 9 231.96x
Steynton 8 1081.08x
Portsea 7 24.15x
Mathry 5 2500.00x
Coventry St Michael 4 68.38x
Lymington 4 366.97x
West Stoke 4 20000.00x
Bedhampton 3 1666.67x
Whippingham 3 267.86x
Broughton 2 909.09x
Devizes St John 2 416.67x
Sopley 2 1000.00x
Warblington 2 338.98x
Ashford 1 41.67x
Bow London 1 10.88x
Caterham 1 64.52x
Christchurch 1 31.15x
Clerkenwell London 1 5.87x
East Wellow 1 1250.00x
Fareham 1 56.18x
Kensington London 1 2.49x
Tottenham 1 8.70x
Upham 1 625.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Frederick 2
Harry 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Arthur 1
Charlie 1
Eli 1
Henry 1
Infant 1
Stanley 1
Thomas 1
Thos.W. 1

FAQ

Whicher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whicher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 74 people were recorded with the Whicher surname. That placed it at #23,062 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Whicher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016. That gives Whicher a modern rank of #24,865.

What does the Whicher surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a marsh or fen.

What does the Whicher map show?

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