NameCensus.

UK surname

Wiblin

A variant spelling of the English surname Whiplin, denoting a maker of whips or crops.

In the 1881 census there were 115 people recorded with the Wiblin surname, ranking it #18,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 132, ranked #25,882, down from #18,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas, Heston and Hanney, West. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Tyneside, Vale of White Horse and Plymouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wiblin is 175 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.8%.

1881 census count

115

Ranked #18,230

Modern count

132

2016, ranked #25,882

Peak year

1911

175 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wiblin had 115 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,230 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016, ranked #25,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 175 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Wiblin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wiblin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wiblin 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 71 #20,875
1861 historical 92 #22,112
1881 historical 115 #18,230
1891 historical 114 #22,006
1901 historical 166 #17,011
1911 historical 175 #16,246
1997 modern 126 #23,461
1998 modern 144 #22,221
1999 modern 150 #21,826
2000 modern 151 #21,684
2001 modern 147 #21,756
2002 modern 142 #22,687
2003 modern 140 #22,634
2004 modern 139 #22,891
2005 modern 138 #22,999
2006 modern 141 #22,833
2007 modern 139 #23,377
2008 modern 131 #24,583
2009 modern 124 #25,957
2010 modern 130 #25,775
2011 modern 134 #25,050
2012 modern 132 #25,289
2013 modern 128 #26,336
2014 modern 132 #25,971
2015 modern 130 #26,093
2016 modern 132 #25,882

Geography

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Where Wiblins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas, Heston, Hanney, West, Gateshead and Cowley, Iffley (Nuneham Courtney, Berkshire, including Littlemoor Liberty), St Clement. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Tyneside, Vale of White Horse, Plymouth and Stockport. 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 Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas Berkshire
2 Heston Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 Hanney, West Berkshire
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Cowley, Iffley (Nuneham Courtney, Berkshire, including Littlemoor Liberty), St Clement Oxfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Tyneside 015 South Tyneside
2 Vale of White Horse 006 Vale of White Horse
3 Plymouth 021 Plymouth
4 Vale of White Horse 008 Vale of White Horse
5 Stockport 015 Stockport

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wiblin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wiblin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wiblin, 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 Wiblin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Wiblin 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Wiblin is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wiblin is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wiblin falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wiblin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Wiblin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wiblin

The surname Wiblin has its origins in England, with traces dating back to the medieval period. Historical records suggest the name likely emerged in the early Medieval Ages, around the 11th or 12th centuries. The exact etymology of Wiblin is somewhat obscure, but it is believed to derive from a blend of old English and possibly Norse elements, typical for surnames of that era.

The Wiblin surname appeared in early records in the southeast of England, particularly in counties such as Kent and Sussex. Linguistic analysis indicates that Wiblin may be a diminutive form derived from personal names like Wibald or Wigberht, common in Anglo-Saxon England, where 'Wig' meant war or battle, and 'berht' meant bright or famous.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of similar names includes the name Wibel in the Wiltshire rolls of 1246. This suggests variations of Wiblin have existed for centuries, evolving along regional lines and through phonetic shifts common in the transition from Old to Middle English. The Domesday Book of 1086 does not directly list Wiblin, increasing the likelihood that it evolved slightly later or from a lineage not prominent enough to be chronicled in such early records.

By the 14th century, surnames began to stabilize, and we start seeing more consistent records. Jonathan Wiblin, born around 1390, is one such early example, known for being a local official in Kent. His mention appears in local legal documents, indicating the family's rising prominence.

Moving to the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname begins to appear more often. Elizabeth Wiblin, born in 1584 and baptized at St. Dunstan’s Church in London, is one of the noted early modern bearers of the name. Her family records provide insights into the urban migration of the surname, showing how family members moved to thriving trade centers.

Another noteworthy individual is Thomas Wiblin, a merchant documented in the mid-1600s in the coastal town of Portsmouth. His trade activities, often recorded in shipping logs and port records, highlight the name's association with the rising mercantile class of the era.

The 18th century also saw the Wiblin surname in various legal documents. George Wiblin, born in 1742, appears in tax records and land leases in Surrey, marking him as a landholder of moderate means. These records suggest economic stability and a well-established lineage within the English gentry.

Finally, into the 19th century, historical records show Samuel Wiblin, born in 1803, who became known in public records as a schoolmaster in Devon. His contributions to local education were noted in parish records, reflecting the family's ongoing engagement in civic affairs.

Through these notable individuals, the Wiblin surname's journey from medieval obscurity to modern recognition is chronicled, demonstrating its steady presence and evolution within English history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wiblin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wiblin 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. Berkshire leads with 56 Wiblins recorded in 1881 and an index of 68.91x.

County Total Index
Berkshire 56 68.91x
Oxfordshire 23 34.40x
Devon 10 4.44x
Middlesex 10 0.92x
Somerset 5 2.87x
Hampshire 4 1.80x
Buckinghamshire 3 4.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Abingdon St Helen in Berkshire leads with 27 Wiblins recorded in 1881 and an index of 1134.45x.

Place Total Index
Abingdon St Helen 27 1134.45x
Plymouth Charles The 10 100.70x
Oxford St Clement 9 532.54x
Besselsleigh 8 20000.00x
East West Hanney 7 2187.50x
Oxford St Giles 7 219.44x
Clerkenwell London 5 19.56x
Walcot 5 53.88x
Wantage 5 384.62x
Clewer 4 120.12x
Oxford St Mary Magdalen 4 506.33x
Sparsholt 4 2500.00x
St Pancras London 3 3.44x
Cowley 2 95.69x
Southampton All Sts 2 52.49x
Wycombe 2 40.98x
Abingdon St Nicholas 1 434.78x
Edgware 1 333.33x
Farnborough 1 42.92x
Godshill 1 196.08x
Hambleden 1 178.57x
Oxford St Ebbe 1 50.76x
St George Hanover 1 7.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Martha 6
Mary 6
Ann 4
Maria 4
Sarah 4
Elizabeth 3
Emma 3
Sophia 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Annie 1
Effie 1
Elenor 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Helena 1
Jane 1
Louisa 1
Marian 1
Nora 1
Olive 1
Rebecca 1
Selhi 1
Selina 1
Thersa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 7
William 7
John 6
Charles 4
Frederick 4
George 4
Alfred 3
Henry 3
Joseph 2
Arthur 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Heber 1
Jesse 1
Jethro 1
Samuel 1
Seymour 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Wiblin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wiblin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 115 people were recorded with the Wiblin surname. That placed it at #18,230 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wiblin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016. That gives Wiblin a modern rank of #25,882.

What does the Wiblin surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname Whiplin, denoting a maker of whips or crops.

What does the Wiblin map show?

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