NameCensus.

UK surname

Whitlock

A surname derived from a place name meaning "white lock," likely referring to a lock with a light-colored enclosure.

In the 1881 census there were 1,775 people recorded with the Whitlock surname, ranking it #2,440 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,554, ranked #2,592, down from #2,440 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Alderbury and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include The Vale of Glamorgan, New Forest and Blaenau Gwent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whitlock is 2,848 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.9%.

1881 census count

1,775

Ranked #2,440

Modern count

2,554

2016, ranked #2,592

Peak year

1998

2,848 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Whitlock had 1,775 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,440 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,554 in 2016, ranked #2,592.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,460 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Whitlock surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whitlock surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Whitlock 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 1,052 #2,662
1861 historical 808 #3,405
1881 historical 1,775 #2,440
1891 historical 1,641 #2,731
1901 historical 2,404 #2,260
1911 historical 2,460 #2,088
1997 modern 2,707 #2,362
1998 modern 2,848 #2,353
1999 modern 2,813 #2,385
2000 modern 2,786 #2,391
2001 modern 2,718 #2,395
2002 modern 2,738 #2,426
2003 modern 2,658 #2,441
2004 modern 2,651 #2,443
2005 modern 2,583 #2,467
2006 modern 2,594 #2,467
2007 modern 2,573 #2,500
2008 modern 2,564 #2,527
2009 modern 2,633 #2,525
2010 modern 2,693 #2,531
2011 modern 2,687 #2,500
2012 modern 2,620 #2,522
2013 modern 2,628 #2,558
2014 modern 2,622 #2,570
2015 modern 2,591 #2,569
2016 modern 2,554 #2,592

Geography

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Where Whitlocks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Alderbury, London parishes and South Stoneham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to The Vale of Glamorgan, New Forest, Blaenau Gwent, Southampton and Eastleigh. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Alderbury Wiltshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 South Stoneham Hampshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 The Vale of Glamorgan 013 Vale of Glamorgan
2 New Forest 018 New Forest
3 Blaenau Gwent 009 Blaenau Gwent
4 Southampton 004 Southampton
5 Eastleigh 012 Eastleigh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Whitlock

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Whitlock

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Whitlock surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Whitlock household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Whitlock is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Whitlock is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Whitlock falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Whitlock

The surname Whitlock is of English origin, deriving from Old English words. It is believed to have originated during the Middle Ages, with the earliest known records dating back to the 11th century. The name is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "hwit," meaning white, and "loc," meaning a lock or enclosure.

This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or was associated with a white enclosure or a whitewashed building. It could also have been a descriptive name given to someone with white or fair hair. The earliest spellings of the name include Whitelocke, Whytelocke, and Whitlok.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Witloc." This entry refers to a landowner in the county of Hertfordshire. The Whitlock name is also mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from the 12th century.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname Whitlock include Sir Bulstrode Whitlock (1605-1675), an English lawyer, politician, and author. He served as a Member of Parliament and as a Lord Commissioner of the Great Seal during the English Civil War.

Another prominent individual was Sir John Whitlock (1610-1677), an English lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1660-1661. He was also a member of the Honorable Artillery Company, a prestigious military organization.

In the 18th century, Nathaniel Whitlock (1726-1796) was a prominent English engraver and cartographer, renowned for his intricate maps and charts. His works were highly sought after by collectors and cartographers of the time.

During the 19th century, John Whitlock (1833-1909) was an influential English architect and surveyor. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Whitlock Memorial Hall, which was named in his honor.

In the realm of literature, Elizabeth Whitlock (1761-1836) was an English writer and poet, known for her contributions to the Romantic movement. Her poetry collections were widely acclaimed and celebrated during her lifetime.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Whitlock families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whitlock 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 259 Whitlocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.26x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 259 7.26x
Middlesex 228 1.31x
Northamptonshire 185 11.30x
Surrey 159 1.88x
Wiltshire 123 7.99x
Oxfordshire 85 7.91x
Devon 78 2.15x
Warwickshire 72 1.64x
Somerset 69 2.46x
Yorkshire 55 0.32x
Kent 54 0.91x
Bedfordshire 46 5.10x
Buckinghamshire 33 3.14x
Berkshire 31 2.37x
Essex 26 0.76x
Dorset 24 2.10x
Lancashire 23 0.11x
Leicestershire 22 1.14x
Cheshire 20 0.52x
Worcestershire 20 0.88x
Derbyshire 19 0.70x
Staffordshire 17 0.29x
Sussex 13 0.44x
Cornwall 12 0.61x
Lanarkshire 11 0.20x
Shropshire 11 0.73x
Durham 9 0.17x
Royal Navy 9 4.34x
Hertfordshire 8 0.67x
Huntingdonshire 8 2.32x
Norfolk 8 0.30x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.34x
Gloucestershire 7 0.21x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.45x
Glamorgan 5 0.17x
Suffolk 5 0.24x
Herefordshire 4 0.56x
Northumberland 4 0.15x
Lincolnshire 3 0.11x
Midlothian 2 0.09x
Monmouthshire 2 0.16x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.21x
Rutland 1 0.78x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Silverstone in Northamptonshire leads with 78 Whitlocks recorded in 1881 and an index of 1130.43x.

Place Total Index
Silverstone 78 1130.43x
Lambeth 50 3.30x
South Stoneham 43 55.57x
Alderbury 38 525.59x
St Pancras London 35 2.50x
Chelsea London 34 6.48x
Newington 30 4.67x
Syresham 27 566.04x
Aston 26 2.15x
St Marylebone London 26 2.80x
Bedminster 25 9.50x
Salisbury St Martin 23 143.57x
Kensington London 21 2.17x
Islington London 20 1.19x
Hound 19 78.48x
Langtree 19 433.79x
Millbrook 19 21.15x
Southampton St Mary 19 8.47x
Camberwell 18 1.62x
Birmingham 17 1.16x
Bursledon 16 413.44x
Keysoe 16 378.25x
Blisworth 14 221.87x
Hampreston 14 168.67x
Portishead 14 67.24x
Sheffield 14 2.55x
Southwark St George Martyr 14 4.00x
Oxford St Giles 13 25.36x
Frome 12 17.91x
Limehouse London 12 6.28x
Winterslow 12 232.56x
Deptford St Paul 11 2.40x
Holdenhurst 11 11.76x
Petrockstow 11 361.84x
Reading St Lawrence 11 39.37x
Woodstock 11 162.96x
Barony 10 0.70x
Bideford 10 25.77x
Britford 10 98.43x
Lillingstone Lovell 10 1041.67x
Putney 10 12.61x
Wolverhampton 10 2.21x
Alderton 9 1285.71x
Ecclesall Bierlow 9 2.57x
Loughborough 9 10.28x
Lymington 9 34.32x
Royal Navy 9 5.08x
Stayley 9 20.50x
Aspley Guise 8 92.70x
Edgbaston 8 5.88x
Ensham 8 143.63x
Fenny Stratford 8 80.40x
Milford 8 97.09x
St Mary Extra 8 27.86x
West Tytherley 8 314.96x
Wethersfield 8 92.38x
Woodend 8 579.71x
Wootton 8 124.22x
Barnstaple 7 12.31x
Barrow In Furness 7 2.49x
Brighton 7 1.18x
Brimington 7 33.83x
Christchurch 7 9.05x
Croydon 7 1.49x
Deddington 7 60.03x
East Hagbourn 7 223.64x
Elland Cum Greetland 7 9.01x
Fisherton Anger 7 24.57x
Great Yeldham 7 196.08x
Hornsey 7 3.18x
Lewisham 7 2.21x
Little Stanmore 7 135.92x
Lockerley 7 196.08x
Neithrop 7 19.38x
Portsea 7 1.00x
Ringwood 7 30.67x
Snenton 7 7.60x
Woburn 7 89.51x
Woolwich 7 3.19x
Deal 6 11.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 93
Elizabeth 58
Sarah 55
Eliza 33
Emma 32
Emily 30
Alice 29
Ann 28
Ellen 27
Annie 23
Kate 21
Jane 19
Florence 16
Charlotte 14
Edith 12
Hannah 12
Caroline 11
Harriet 11
Lucy 11
Anne 10
Louisa 10
Martha 10
Clara 9
Fanny 9
Laura 9
Susan 9
Ada 8
Harriett 8
Rose 8
Bessie 7
Catherine 7
Frances 7
Jessie 7
Agnes 6
Amelia 6
Julia 6
Maria 6
Rosa 6
Anna 5
Ethel 5
Matilda 5
Amy 4
Elizth. 4
Esther 4
Eva 4
Gertrude 4
Selina 4
Susanna 4
Adelaide 3
Lydia 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 125
George 70
John 69
Thomas 60
James 42
Henry 39
Charles 38
Walter 25
Arthur 22
Frederick 22
Albert 18
Joseph 18
Alfred 17
Edward 16
Frank 15
Harry 14
Ernest 11
Richard 11
Robert 11
Samuel 10
David 9
Benjamin 8
Herbert 8
Francis 7
Fredk. 7
Stephen 7
Thos. 6
Edwin 5
Percy 5
Philip 5
Tom 4
Christopher 3
Elisha 3
Frederic 3
Geo. 3
Mark 3
Sydney 3
Uriah 3
Wm. 3
A. 2
C. 2
Claude 2
Eli 2
Elijah 2
J.F. 2
Jas. 2
Joshua 2
Noah 2
Reuben 2
Sidney 2

FAQ

Whitlock surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whitlock surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,775 people were recorded with the Whitlock surname. That placed it at #2,440 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Whitlock surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,554 in 2016. That gives Whitlock a modern rank of #2,592.

What does the Whitlock surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name meaning "white lock," likely referring to a lock with a light-colored enclosure.

What does the Whitlock map show?

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