NameCensus.

UK surname

Whitnall

In the 1881 census there were 313 people recorded with the Whitnall surname, ranking it #9,436 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 279, ranked #15,534, down from #9,436 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whitstable, Swalecliffe, London parishes and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dover, Trafford and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whitnall is 440 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.9%.

1881 census count

313

Ranked #9,436

Modern count

279

2016, ranked #15,534

Peak year

1911

440 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Whitnall had 313 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,436 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 279 in 2016, ranked #15,534.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 440 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Whitnall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whitnall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Whitnall 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 231 #9,334
1861 historical 228 #10,703
1881 historical 313 #9,436
1891 historical 389 #9,085
1901 historical 406 #9,393
1911 historical 440 #8,661
1997 modern 321 #12,941
1998 modern 337 #12,859
1999 modern 343 #12,800
2000 modern 331 #13,045
2001 modern 324 #13,062
2002 modern 322 #13,354
2003 modern 316 #13,355
2004 modern 318 #13,374
2005 modern 312 #13,462
2006 modern 301 #13,886
2007 modern 304 #13,927
2008 modern 296 #14,275
2009 modern 303 #14,315
2010 modern 313 #14,289
2011 modern 304 #14,475
2012 modern 289 #14,875
2013 modern 292 #15,027
2014 modern 294 #15,047
2015 modern 292 #15,046
2016 modern 279 #15,534

Geography

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Where Whitnalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whitstable, Swalecliffe, London parishes, Eccles, Margate and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dover, Trafford, Doncaster and Bury. 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 Whitstable, Swalecliffe Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Eccles Lancashire
4 Margate Kent
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dover 014 Dover
2 Trafford 005 Trafford
3 Doncaster 012 Doncaster
4 Dover 012 Dover
5 Bury 010 Bury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Whitnall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Whitnall

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Whitnall 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

Whitnall 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

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

1881 census detail

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Whitnall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whitnall 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. Lancashire leads with 111 Whitnalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.07x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 111 3.07x
Kent 103 9.92x
Middlesex 25 0.82x
Surrey 25 1.69x
Hertfordshire 13 6.20x
Cheshire 10 1.49x
Essex 7 1.17x
Anglesey 6 11.12x
Staffordshire 5 0.49x
Gloucestershire 2 0.34x
Hampshire 2 0.32x
Yorkshire 2 0.07x
Warwickshire 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. Flixton in Lancashire leads with 41 Whitnalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 2216.22x.

Place Total Index
Flixton 41 2216.22x
Bermondsey 14 15.45x
St Pancras London 14 5.71x
Pilkington 13 94.75x
Hulme 12 15.92x
Lower Halstow 12 1600.00x
Elham 9 725.81x
Liverpool 9 4.10x
Deal 8 90.29x
Margate St John Baptist 8 42.08x
Chelsea London 7 7.63x
Dover St Mary Virgin 7 69.65x
Hertford St John 7 223.64x
Harpurhey 6 119.76x
Hertford St Andrew 6 231.66x
Holyhead 6 59.64x
Liscard 6 49.59x
Toxteth Park 6 4.91x
Bobbing 5 1020.41x
Camberwell 5 2.57x
Minster In Sheppey 5 29.07x
St Nicholas At Wade 5 819.67x
West Ham 5 3.77x
Wolstanton 5 16.03x
Manchester 4 2.46x
Woolwich 4 10.43x
Barton Upon Irwell 3 11.03x
Birchington 3 206.90x
Birkdale 3 32.82x
Borden 3 227.27x
Canterbury St Mildred 3 121.95x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 5.23x
Hollingbourn 3 250.00x
Monkton 3 769.23x
Ripple 3 1034.48x
Salford 3 2.82x
Whitstable 3 58.94x
Beckenham 2 14.74x
Bristol Temple 2 50.89x
Canterbury St George 2 160.00x
Doddinghurst 2 465.12x
Dunham Massey 2 97.09x
Farnworth 2 9.24x
Levenshulme 2 53.76x
Rotherhithe 2 5.32x
Stelling Minnis 2 2000.00x
Thames Ditton 2 64.94x
Urmston 2 85.47x
Ardwick 1 3.07x
Banstead 1 24.88x
Buckland In Dover 1 29.07x
Canterbury St Dunstan 1 55.87x
Canterbury St Mary 1 14.35x
Charlton 1 14.49x
Chartham 1 38.61x
Chester St John Baptist 1 8.28x
Dunchurch 1 95.24x
Frinstead 1 454.55x
Gillingham 1 4.67x
Goodnestone In Eastry 1 238.10x
Handforth 1 129.87x
Leeds 1 0.59x
Little Langton 1 1000.00x
Mile End Old Town 1 2.08x
Moss Side 1 5.26x
Northwood 1 11.26x
Plumstead 1 2.89x
Ryde 1 7.46x
Seasalter 1 76.34x
Shalford 1 60.98x
St George Hanover 1 2.52x
St Paul Covent Garden 1 32.79x
Swalecliffe 1 666.67x
Tottenham 1 2.06x
Upchurch 1 85.47x
Warden 1 5000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 24
William 23
Henry 12
George 10
Thomas 9
Edward 8
James 6
Richard 6
Arthur 5
Samuel 5
Joseph 4
Walter 4
Charles 3
Daniel 3
Fredk. 3
Stephen 3
Frank 2
Harry 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Lawrence 1
Malcolm 1
Martin 1
Rich. 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Simeon 1
Sydney 1
W. 1
Wm.T. 1

FAQ

Whitnall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whitnall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 313 people were recorded with the Whitnall surname. That placed it at #9,436 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Whitnall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 279 in 2016. That gives Whitnall a modern rank of #15,534.

What does the Whitnall map show?

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