NameCensus.

UK surname

Widdall

In the 1881 census there were 185 people recorded with the Widdall surname, ranking it #13,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 118, ranked #27,873, down from #13,506 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Beverley St Mary, Manchester and Rochdale. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oldham, East Riding of Yorkshire and Cheshire West and Chester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Widdall is 211 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 36.2%.

1881 census count

185

Ranked #13,506

Modern count

118

2016, ranked #27,873

Peak year

1911

211 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Widdall had 185 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,506 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016, ranked #27,873.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 211 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Widdall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Widdall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Widdall 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 101 #17,036
1861 historical 166 #14,039
1881 historical 185 #13,506
1891 historical 186 #15,740
1901 historical 203 #14,969
1911 historical 211 #14,467
1997 modern 151 #21,034
1998 modern 150 #21,665
1999 modern 151 #21,740
2000 modern 142 #22,544
2001 modern 140 #22,441
2002 modern 138 #23,094
2003 modern 140 #22,634
2004 modern 143 #22,471
2005 modern 137 #23,110
2006 modern 144 #22,520
2007 modern 141 #23,137
2008 modern 141 #23,383
2009 modern 146 #23,352
2010 modern 146 #23,921
2011 modern 128 #25,793
2012 modern 128 #25,852
2013 modern 126 #26,585
2014 modern 124 #27,049
2015 modern 120 #27,561
2016 modern 118 #27,873

Geography

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Where Widdalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Beverley St Mary, Manchester, Rochdale, Beverley St Martin and St Nicholas and Ashton-under-Lyne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Oldham, East Riding of Yorkshire and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 Beverley St Mary Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Beverley St Martin and St Nicholas Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oldham 009 Oldham
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 019 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Oldham 010 Oldham
4 Cheshire West and Chester 015 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Oldham 006 Oldham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Widdall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Widdall

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Widdall is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Widdall is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Widdall falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Widdall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Widdall 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 151 Widdalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.05x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 151 7.05x
Yorkshire 33 1.85x
Cheshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 106 Widdalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 153.38x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 106 153.38x
Failsworth 30 612.24x
Beverley St Mary 12 459.77x
Beverley St Martin 11 369.13x
Crompton 5 81.97x
Wortley In Bramley 5 35.31x
Chadderton 4 38.20x
Snaith Cowick 4 373.83x
Ashton Under Lyne 3 6.41x
Tonge 3 66.82x
Atwick 1 500.00x
Macclesfield 1 5.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 17
James 15
Joseph 10
Edward 5
Samuel 5
Fred 4
William 4
Charles 3
George 3
Henry 3
Herbert 3
Albert 2
Edmund 2
Friend 2
Joshua 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Ed. 1
Edmd. 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Frank 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Saml. 1
Silvester 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Widdall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Widdall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 185 people were recorded with the Widdall surname. That placed it at #13,506 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Widdall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016. That gives Widdall a modern rank of #27,873.

What does the Widdall map show?

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