NameCensus.

UK surname

Whitworth

An English locational surname referring to a place called Whitworth, likely derived from "white enclosure" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 5,013 people recorded with the Whitworth surname, ranking it #890 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,668, ranked #1,456, down from #890 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Ashton-under-Lyne. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale, North East Derbyshire and Calderdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whitworth is 5,860 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.9%.

1881 census count

5,013

Ranked #890

Modern count

4,668

2016, ranked #1,456

Peak year

1911

5,860 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Whitworth had 5,013 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #890 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,668 in 2016, ranked #1,456.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,860 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Whitworth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Whitworth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Whitworth 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 3,270 #884
1861 historical 3,495 #811
1881 historical 5,013 #890
1891 historical 5,278 #887
1901 historical 5,669 #985
1911 historical 5,860 #885
1997 modern 4,801 #1,366
1998 modern 4,943 #1,380
1999 modern 4,954 #1,386
2000 modern 4,923 #1,386
2001 modern 4,807 #1,388
2002 modern 4,914 #1,384
2003 modern 4,791 #1,385
2004 modern 4,713 #1,402
2005 modern 4,604 #1,419
2006 modern 4,605 #1,417
2007 modern 4,642 #1,419
2008 modern 4,623 #1,435
2009 modern 4,688 #1,454
2010 modern 4,774 #1,461
2011 modern 4,704 #1,458
2012 modern 4,642 #1,449
2013 modern 4,728 #1,452
2014 modern 4,728 #1,460
2015 modern 4,687 #1,456
2016 modern 4,668 #1,456

Geography

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Where Whitworths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth), Ashton-under-Lyne and Prestwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale, North East Derbyshire, Calderdale, County Durham and Rochdale. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
3 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire
4 Prestwich Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 009 Rossendale
2 North East Derbyshire 012 North East Derbyshire
3 Calderdale 017 Calderdale
4 County Durham 057 County Durham
5 Rochdale 012 Rochdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Whitworth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Whitworth

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

Whitworth 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

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

Meaning and origin of Whitworth

The surname Whitworth is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "hwit" meaning "white" and "worth" meaning "enclosure" or "homestead". It likely originated as a descriptive name referring to someone who lived near a white farm or homestead.

The name first appeared in records from the 12th century, with early spellings including Whiteworth, Wyteworth, and Whyteworth. One of the earliest recorded instances is in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mention a Robert de Whiteword.

Whitworth is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. The book records a place called "Whiteworde" in Lancashire, which may have been the origin of some bearers of the Whitworth name.

In the 13th century, the name was associated with several locations in Lancashire and Cheshire, including Whitworth in Rossendale and Whitworth near Rochdale. These place names likely contributed to the spread of the surname in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Whitworth throughout history include:

1. Sir Joseph Whitworth (1803-1887), a pioneering English engineer and inventor known for his contributions to precision tool-making and standardization of screw threads.

2. William Wolstenholme Whitworth (1804-1862), an English landowner and philanthropist who donated land and funds for the establishment of Whitworth Park in Manchester.

3. Charles Whitworth (1675-1725), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Minehead from 1708 to 1725.

4. Robert Whitworth (1714-1786), an English mathematician and Anglican clergyman who made notable contributions to the study of conic sections.

5. Charles Whitworth, 1st Baron Whitworth (1752-1825), a British diplomat and courtier who served as Ambassador to France during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

While the Whitworth name has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement, particularly to countries with historical British connections.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Whitworth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whitworth 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 2,097 Whitworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.62x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,097 3.62x
Yorkshire 992 2.05x
Nottinghamshire 316 4.80x
Lincolnshire 292 3.74x
Derbyshire 221 2.89x
Middlesex 135 0.28x
Warwickshire 132 1.07x
Cheshire 121 1.12x
Durham 81 0.56x
Staffordshire 77 0.47x
Bedfordshire 66 2.61x
Norfolk 64 0.85x
Leicestershire 57 1.05x
Northamptonshire 57 1.24x
Surrey 57 0.24x
Gloucestershire 43 0.45x
Kent 30 0.18x
Buckinghamshire 20 0.68x
Northumberland 20 0.28x
Worcestershire 17 0.27x
Cambridgeshire 13 0.42x
Essex 13 0.13x
Westmorland 11 1.03x
Cornwall 9 0.16x
Hampshire 7 0.07x
Wiltshire 7 0.16x
Berkshire 6 0.16x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.29x
Somerset 6 0.08x
Glamorgan 5 0.06x
Oxfordshire 5 0.17x
Roxburghshire 4 0.45x
Shropshire 4 0.09x
Devon 3 0.03x
Dorset 3 0.09x
Sussex 2 0.02x
Argyllshire 1 0.07x
Cumberland 1 0.02x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.10x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Spotland in Lancashire leads with 180 Whitworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.96x.

Place Total Index
Spotland 180 27.96x
Castleton 167 28.88x
Ashton Under Lyne 150 11.85x
Heap 138 44.93x
Wuerdle Wardle 135 76.79x
Oldham 115 6.15x
Wardleworth 110 33.24x
Dewsbury 95 19.15x
Bury 81 12.24x
Sowerby In Halifax 76 48.06x
Birmingham 68 1.66x
Butterworth 66 46.78x
Nottingham St Mary 66 3.88x
Royton 64 36.13x
Salford 60 3.52x
Leeds 54 1.98x
Aston 45 1.33x
Blatchinworth 44 33.37x
Heigham 43 10.68x
Newchurch 42 8.87x
Manchester 39 1.50x
Pilkington 38 17.27x
Brightside Bierlow 37 3.90x
Middleton In Oldham 35 20.16x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 34 19.68x
Thornham 32 102.17x
Hopwood 31 40.95x
Elland Cum Greetland 29 13.31x
Saddleworth 29 7.77x
Felmersham 28 341.46x
Kingswinford 26 4.35x
Nether Hallam 26 3.97x
Soothill 26 14.88x
Ecclesall Bierlow 25 2.54x
Batley 23 5.00x
Boston 23 9.71x
Warley 23 16.45x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 22 4.88x
Great Grimsby 22 4.44x
Farnworth 21 6.05x
Halifax 21 2.96x
Sheffield 21 1.36x
Cheetham 20 4.63x
Leicester St Margaret 20 1.52x
Southowram 20 13.55x
Rochdale 19 44.99x
Claylane 18 16.95x
Halliwell 18 8.54x
Horton In Bradford 18 2.38x
Little Bolton 18 2.42x
Newton 18 4.03x
Rawmarsh 18 10.54x
Tottington Lower End 18 6.54x
Whittington 18 17.03x
Dronfield 17 17.36x
Dukinfield 17 3.41x
Hasland 17 21.86x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 17 2.70x
Mansfield 17 7.47x
Doncaster 16 4.53x
Hyde 16 5.03x
Shoreditch London 16 0.76x
Toxteth Park 16 0.82x
Basford 15 4.95x
Clipstone 15 301.20x
Habergham Eaves 15 2.83x
Haughton 15 17.76x
Kensington London 15 0.55x
Pendleton In Salford 15 2.17x
Snenton 15 5.80x
Stockton On Tees 15 2.14x
Wortley In Bramley 15 3.92x
Ardwick 14 2.68x
Bradford 14 5.16x
Gorton 14 2.57x
Liversedge 14 6.50x
Luton 14 3.20x
Tonge 14 11.52x
Wakefield 14 3.77x
Woodthorpe 14 102.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 415
Sarah 249
Elizabeth 220
Ann 101
Alice 99
Jane 98
Hannah 89
Emma 73
Martha 71
Annie 68
Eliza 67
Ellen 54
Margaret 48
Emily 46
Ada 34
Betty 32
Clara 32
Harriet 31
Maria 30
Charlotte 23
Florence 23
Susannah 21
Bertha 20
Fanny 20
Frances 20
Louisa 20
Lucy 17
Gertrude 16
Anne 15
Edith 15
Esther 15
Betsy 14
Elizth. 13
Kate 13
Catherine 11
Rachel 11
Harriett 10
Lydia 10
Rebecca 10
Ruth 10
Sophia 10
Agnes 9
Caroline 9
Susan 9
Beatrice 8
Eleanor 8
Isabella 8
Jessie 8
Amelia 7
Jemima 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 326
William 288
James 196
Thomas 141
George 111
Joseph 108
Charles 87
Robert 79
Henry 68
Samuel 66
Richard 55
Edward 48
Arthur 40
Alfred 32
Walter 32
Harry 31
Albert 29
Frank 29
Herbert 29
Ernest 27
Edwin 22
Fred 22
Abraham 21
Benjamin 19
Frederick 19
Wm. 19
Francis 17
Edmund 14
Thos. 11
David 10
Tom 10
Jas. 9
Percy 9
Saml. 9
Geo. 8
Isaac 8
Job 7
Jonathan 7
Robt. 7
Adam 6
Harold 6
Joe 6
Sam 6
Chas. 5
Christopher 5
Joshua 5
Luke 5
Mark 5
Ralph 5
Sidney 4

FAQ

Whitworth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Whitworth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,013 people were recorded with the Whitworth surname. That placed it at #890 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Whitworth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,668 in 2016. That gives Whitworth a modern rank of #1,456.

What does the Whitworth surname mean?

An English locational surname referring to a place called Whitworth, likely derived from "white enclosure" in Old English.

What does the Whitworth map show?

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