NameCensus.

UK surname

Whittlesea

In the 1881 census there were 48 people recorded with the Whittlesea surname, ranking it #26,869 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 97, ranked #31,585, down from #26,869 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fenland, Poole and Tonbridge and Malling.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whittlesea is 121 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 102.1%.

1881 census count

48

Ranked #26,869

Modern count

97

2016, ranked #31,585

Peak year

1997

121 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2006

Key insights

  • Whittlesea had 48 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,869 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 97 in 2016, ranked #31,585.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 76 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Whittlesea surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whittlesea surname density by area, 2006 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Whittlesea 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 34 #27,194
1861 historical 56 #26,864
1881 historical 48 #26,869
1891 historical 76 #27,290
1901 historical 63 #27,134
1911 historical 62 #26,622
1997 modern 121 #24,019
1998 modern 118 #25,041
1999 modern 113 #25,913
2000 modern 114 #25,717
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 99 #28,082
2003 modern 97 #28,217
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 111 #26,260
2006 modern 106 #27,332
2007 modern 105 #27,868
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 105 #28,815
2010 modern 106 #29,305
2011 modern 116 #27,477
2012 modern 107 #29,017
2013 modern 113 #28,502
2014 modern 101 #30,855
2015 modern 96 #31,624
2016 modern 97 #31,585

Geography

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Where Whittleseas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fenland, Poole, Tonbridge and Malling and Ashfield. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fenland 005 Fenland
2 Fenland 007 Fenland
3 Poole 017 Poole
4 Tonbridge and Malling 005 Tonbridge and Malling
5 Ashfield 015 Ashfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Whittlesea

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Whittlesea

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Whittlesea 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

Whittlesea is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Whittlesea falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Whittlesea families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whittlesea 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. Surrey leads with 19 Whittleseas recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.16x.

County Total Index
Surrey 19 8.16x
Middlesex 15 3.14x
Cambridgeshire 12 39.64x
Oxfordshire 2 6.78x
Huntingdonshire 1 10.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 16 Whittleseas recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.40x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 16 38.40x
March 10 990.10x
St Marylebone London 7 27.43x
Hammersmith London 5 42.48x
Battersea 3 17.06x
Islington London 3 6.48x
Banbury 2 338.98x
Chatteris 1 129.87x
St Ives 1 204.08x
Wisbech St Peter 1 65.79x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Clara 2
Mary 2
Sarah 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Charlotte 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Harriett 1
Harriette 1
Jane 1
Jesse 1
Louisa 1
Martha 1
Maude 1
Selia 1
Tebia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
William 3
Wm. 2
Alfred 1
Angel 1
Charles 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Harry 1
Infant 1
Jos.Heny. 1
Joseph 1
Robt. 1
Robt.Wm. 1
Thomas 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 Whittlesea households.

FAQ

Whittlesea surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whittlesea surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Whittlesea surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 97 in 2016. That gives Whittlesea a modern rank of #31,585.

What does the Whittlesea map show?

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