NameCensus.

UK surname

Whillock

A variant spelling of the English surname Willock, referring to someone from a place called Willock or Willocks.

In the 1881 census there were 48 people recorded with the Whillock surname, ranking it #26,869 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 162, ranked #22,512, up from #26,869 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edmonton, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Solihull, Carrick South and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whillock is 195 in 2003. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 237.5%.

1881 census count

48

Ranked #26,869

Modern count

162

2016, ranked #22,512

Peak year

2003

195 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Whillock had 48 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,869 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016, ranked #22,512.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 192 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Whillock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whillock surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Whillock 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 63 #22,069
1861 historical 135 #16,651
1881 historical 48 #26,869
1891 historical 192 #15,383
1901 historical 139 #18,876
1911 historical 176 #16,185
1997 modern 171 #19,438
1998 modern 188 #18,796
1999 modern 182 #19,317
2000 modern 184 #19,190
2001 modern 184 #18,907
2002 modern 190 #18,889
2003 modern 195 #18,411
2004 modern 192 #18,678
2005 modern 187 #18,924
2006 modern 182 #19,402
2007 modern 179 #19,811
2008 modern 177 #20,169
2009 modern 181 #20,277
2010 modern 181 #20,738
2011 modern 179 #20,732
2012 modern 168 #21,516
2013 modern 163 #22,342
2014 modern 164 #22,445
2015 modern 162 #22,509
2016 modern 162 #22,512

Geography

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Where Whillocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edmonton, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Chilcompton and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Solihull, Carrick South and Birmingham. 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 Edmonton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire
3 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
4 Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Chilcompton Somerset
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Solihull 007 Solihull
2 Carrick South South Ayrshire
3 Birmingham 017 Birmingham
4 Birmingham 054 Birmingham
5 Solihull 004 Solihull

Forenames

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First names often paired with Whillock

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Whillock

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Whillock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Whillock household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Whillock is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Whillock 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

Whillock 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 Whillock 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 Whillock, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Whillock

The surname Whillock likely has its origins in England, appearing as early as the medieval period. The name is thought to have originated from regions such as Yorkshire or Lancashire, where similar surnames were prevalent. Deriving from Old English words, it incorporates "hwit" meaning "white" and "locc" meaning "lock of hair," suggesting a descriptive surname for someone with white or fair hair.

Historical references to the surname Whillock are sparse but significant. Early records such as parish registers and wills from the 16th and 17th centuries show the name in varying spellings such as Wheelock and Whiloc. The name does not appear in the Domesday Book, indicating it may have developed later than the 11th century. Early forms of the name appear in Manorial records, highlighting its presence in rural and agricultural communities.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname is Thomas Whillock, baptized in 1594 in Lincolnshire. This early appearance suggests that families bearing this name were established in England by the late 16th century. Records indicate that the Whillocks were primarily tenants or craftsmen, involved in the day-to-day workings of rural society.

In the 17th century, a John Whillock is noted in Oxfordshire records around 1650. He was likely involved in agriculture or small-scale trade. Another noteworthy individual is Samuel Whillock, who appears in the parish records of Cheshire in the early 18th century. Samuel's descendants continued to reside in the area, indicating a strong familial presence.

The name underwent minor variations in spelling over the centuries, such as Whiloc in a 1734 marriage register from Wiltshire. This period also sees the emergence of Charles Whillock, an artisan from Lancashire born in 1780 and actively involved in local guilds until his death in 1845. His participation highlights the mobility and evolving professions of those bearing the surname.

Into the 19th century, George Whillock, born in 1823 in Yorkshire, became a noted figure in the textile industry. His contributions to the industrial growth of the region were recognized locally, with records documenting his business ventures and community involvement.

In summary, the surname Whillock traces its roots to medieval England, originating from rural regions and probably being descriptive of physical characteristics. Historical records capture the evolution of the name through various spellings and document prominent individuals who carried it through centuries, contributing to their local economies and communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Whillock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whillock 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. Warwickshire leads with 18 Whillocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.25x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 18 15.25x
Nottinghamshire 11 17.44x
Middlesex 4 0.85x
Surrey 3 1.32x
Worcestershire 3 4.91x
Cheshire 2 1.94x
Lincolnshire 2 2.67x
Northamptonshire 2 4.54x
Staffordshire 2 1.27x
Hampshire 1 1.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 11 Whillocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.96x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 11 27.96x
Aston 7 21.54x
Newark Upon Trent 7 308.37x
Worksop 4 213.90x
Kings Norton 3 54.74x
Lambeth 3 7.35x
Chelsea London 2 14.18x
Grindon 2 3333.33x
Hampstead London 2 27.43x
Macclesfield Forest 2 6666.67x
Northampton All Sts 2 134.23x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 2 190.48x
St Thomas Winchester 1 147.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 8
Mary 5
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Catherine 1
Charl. 1
Eliza 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 3
Albert 2
Geo. 2
Henry 2
John 2
Joseph 2
Thomas 2
Arthur 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Fredk.D. 1
George 1
Richard 1
Saml.Arthur 1
Samuel 1
Walter 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 Whillock households.

FAQ

Whillock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whillock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 48 people were recorded with the Whillock surname. That placed it at #26,869 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Whillock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016. That gives Whillock a modern rank of #22,512.

What does the Whillock surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname Willock, referring to someone from a place called Willock or Willocks.

What does the Whillock map show?

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