NameCensus.

UK surname

Whigham

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place in the parish of Kirkpatrick-Fleming in Dumfriesshire.

In the 1881 census there were 192 people recorded with the Whigham surname, ranking it #13,185 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 270, ranked #15,913, down from #13,185 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkintilloch, New Monkland and Haddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Canterbury, West Calder and Polbeth and Leith (Hermitage and Prospect Bank).

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whigham is 285 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.6%.

1881 census count

192

Ranked #13,185

Modern count

270

2016, ranked #15,913

Peak year

2009

285 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Whigham had 192 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,185 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 270 in 2016, ranked #15,913.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 206 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Whigham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whigham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Whigham 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 94 #17,837
1861 historical 107 #20,008
1881 historical 192 #13,185
1891 historical 206 #14,597
1901 historical 199 #15,173
1911 historical 44 #28,454
1997 modern 236 #15,852
1998 modern 263 #15,161
1999 modern 256 #15,557
2000 modern 263 #15,228
2001 modern 245 #15,721
2002 modern 241 #16,243
2003 modern 247 #15,733
2004 modern 248 #15,779
2005 modern 244 #15,900
2006 modern 248 #15,820
2007 modern 262 #15,399
2008 modern 272 #15,152
2009 modern 285 #14,944
2010 modern 279 #15,529
2011 modern 269 #15,800
2012 modern 254 #16,328
2013 modern 259 #16,392
2014 modern 268 #16,111
2015 modern 268 #16,007
2016 modern 270 #15,913

Geography

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Where Whighams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkintilloch, New Monkland, Haddington, London parishes and Ratho. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Canterbury, West Calder and Polbeth, Leith (Hermitage and Prospect Bank), Tayport and Seafield. 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 Kirkintilloch Dunbarton
2 New Monkland Lanark
3 Haddington Haddington
4 London parishes London 1
5 Ratho Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Canterbury 018 Canterbury
2 West Calder and Polbeth West Lothian
3 Leith (Hermitage and Prospect Bank) City of Edinburgh
4 Tayport Fife
5 Seafield West Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Whigham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Whigham

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Whigham is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Whigham is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Whigham falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Whigham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Whigham

The surname Whigham has its origins in Scotland, specifically in the Scottish Borders region. It is believed to have derived from the Scots word "quhig," which means a hollow or a marshy place. This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who resided in or near a marshy area.

The earliest recorded instance of the Whigham surname dates back to the 16th century. In the Retours of Roxburghshire from 1592, there is a reference to a John Quhigham. This spelling variation indicates the evolution of the name over time.

One notable early bearer of the Whigham name was Robert Whigham, who was born in Scotland around 1650. He was a merchant and trader who later settled in Virginia, United States, in the late 17th century. This highlights the migration patterns of Scottish families during that time.

Another significant figure was James Whigham, born in 1724 in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. He was a prominent merchant and landowner, and his descendants went on to establish successful businesses in various parts of the British Empire.

In the 19th century, a notable family of Whighams hailed from Sanquhar, Dumfriesshire. One member, John Whigham (1801-1879), was a prominent banker and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the local community.

The Whigham name has also been associated with place names in Scotland. For instance, Whigham Muir is a moorland area located near Sanquhar, likely named after the Whigham family who owned land in the area.

Throughout history, there have been several other individuals bearing the Whigham surname who have made notable contributions in various fields. These include Sir Alexander Whigham (1873-1952), a Scottish businessman and politician, and James Whigham (1674-1751), a Scottish minister and author.

While the Whigham surname may not be as widely known as some other Scottish names, its history and evolution reflect the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of Scotland, particularly in the Scottish Borders region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Whigham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whigham 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. Midlothian leads with 43 Whighams recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.14x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 43 17.14x
West Lothian 33 117.02x
Lanarkshire 24 3.96x
Middlesex 20 1.07x
East Lothian 15 60.46x
Ayrshire 12 8.56x
Dunbartonshire 9 17.88x
Kirkcudbrightshire 9 33.20x
Yorkshire 6 0.32x
Durham 5 0.90x
Hampshire 4 1.04x
Dumfriesshire 3 7.25x
Warwickshire 3 0.64x
Argyllshire 2 3.84x
Leicestershire 2 0.96x
Lancashire 1 0.05x
Renfrewshire 1 0.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 15 Whighams recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.86x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 15 14.86x
Old Monkland 11 45.76x
Uphall 11 354.84x
Kirkliston 10 606.06x
Mid Calder 10 917.43x
New Monkland 10 55.87x
Islington London 9 4.96x
Kirkintilloch 9 131.58x
Ratho 9 769.23x
Haddington 8 218.58x
Monkton Prestwick 8 588.24x
Abercorn 7 1250.00x
Prestonkirk 7 564.52x
Gate Fulford 6 138.57x
Kells 6 967.74x
Linlithgow 5 138.12x
Currie 4 259.74x
Darlington 4 18.60x
Kensington London 4 3.84x
Aston 3 2.31x
Edinburgh St Stephens 3 60.73x
Hampstead London 3 10.28x
Hordle 3 447.76x
Kilmarnock 3 17.99x
Sanquhar 3 206.90x
Chelsea London 2 3.54x
Glassary 2 71.17x
Leicester St Mary 2 11.92x
Troqueer 2 56.18x
Ayr 1 15.11x
Barony 1 0.65x
Bury 1 3.94x
Duddingston 1 19.84x
Govan 1 0.67x
Hamilton 1 5.92x
Langley 1 1250.00x
Portsea 1 1.33x
South Leith 1 3.54x
St George Hanover 1 4.09x
St Marylebone London 1 1.00x
Urr 1 28.33x
West Greenock 1 3.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Emma 3
Mary 3
Rose 2
Addelaide 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Elsie 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Georgina 1
Joanna 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 2
James 2
Robert 2
Allan 1
Charles 1
Henry 1
John 1
Julian 1
Kenneth 1
Lawrence 1
Peter 1
Robt. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Whigham households.

FAQ

Whigham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whigham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 192 people were recorded with the Whigham surname. That placed it at #13,185 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Whigham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 270 in 2016. That gives Whigham a modern rank of #15,913.

What does the Whigham surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place in the parish of Kirkpatrick-Fleming in Dumfriesshire.

What does the Whigham map show?

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