NameCensus.

UK surname

Widgery

In the 1881 census there were 147 people recorded with the Widgery surname, ranking it #15,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 166, ranked #22,140, down from #15,674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Devon, East Hampshire and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Widgery is 271 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.9%.

1881 census count

147

Ranked #15,674

Modern count

166

2016, ranked #22,140

Peak year

1911

271 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Widgery had 147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 166 in 2016, ranked #22,140.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 271 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Widgery surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Widgery surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Widgery 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 119 #15,247
1861 historical 134 #16,754
1881 historical 147 #15,674
1891 historical 213 #14,269
1901 historical 204 #14,925
1911 historical 271 #12,237
1997 modern 195 #17,912
1998 modern 208 #17,693
1999 modern 201 #18,179
2000 modern 194 #18,554
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 187 #19,083
2003 modern 179 #19,416
2004 modern 174 #19,871
2005 modern 164 #20,552
2006 modern 164 #20,715
2007 modern 162 #21,115
2008 modern 149 #22,530
2009 modern 152 #22,716
2010 modern 156 #22,886
2011 modern 157 #22,574
2012 modern 158 #22,460
2013 modern 174 #21,401
2014 modern 171 #21,812
2015 modern 167 #22,066
2016 modern 166 #22,140

Geography

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Where Widgerys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes and St James and St Paul. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Devon, East Hampshire, South Somerset, Southampton and Isle of Wight. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 London parishes London 1
4 St James and St Paul Gloucestershire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Devon 007 Mid Devon
2 East Hampshire 012 East Hampshire
3 South Somerset 010 South Somerset
4 Southampton 027 Southampton
5 Isle of Wight 009 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Widgery

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Widgery

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

Widgery is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Widgery falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Widgery families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Widgery 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. Devon leads with 42 Widgerys recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.07x.

County Total Index
Devon 42 14.07x
Middlesex 25 1.74x
Gloucestershire 18 6.40x
Kent 10 2.04x
Somerset 10 4.33x
Surrey 10 1.43x
Hampshire 9 3.06x
Glamorgan 7 2.80x
Essex 6 2.12x
Lancashire 2 0.12x
Leicestershire 2 1.26x
Suffolk 2 1.15x
Warwickshire 2 0.55x
Stirlingshire 1 1.89x
Wiltshire 1 0.79x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. South Molton in Devon leads with 16 Widgerys recorded in 1881 and an index of 975.61x.

Place Total Index
South Molton 16 975.61x
Bedminster 9 41.49x
Broadhembury 9 2727.27x
Islington London 8 5.76x
Newington 8 15.10x
Exeter St Sidwell 7 102.34x
Bromley 6 80.43x
Chelsea London 6 13.89x
Horfield 6 212.01x
Swansea Town 6 29.31x
West Ham 6 9.60x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 53.30x
Exeter St David 5 196.08x
Southampton All Sts 5 99.21x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 15.11x
Exeter Heavitree 3 134.53x
Plumstead 3 18.39x
Battersea 2 3.79x
Birmingham 2 1.66x
Bristol St Paul In 2 26.70x
Enfield 2 21.25x
Ipswich St Clement 2 45.05x
Leicester St Margaret 2 5.16x
Paddington London 2 3.79x
Portsea 2 3.47x
Portsmouth 2 29.54x
St Pancras London 2 1.73x
All Hallows Barking 1 277.78x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 1 39.06x
Chatham 1 7.43x
Falkirk 1 8.08x
Hackney London 1 1.24x
Halberton 1 142.86x
Hampstead London 1 4.48x
Hornsey 1 5.52x
Kentisbeare 1 243.90x
Liverpool 1 0.97x
Llandaff 1 12.03x
Moss Side 1 11.17x
Swindon 1 10.16x
Tottenham 1 4.38x
Wellington 1 31.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 9
Mary 8
Alice 5
Jane 5
Emily 4
Maria 4
Amelia 3
Edith 3
Ellen 3
Louisa 3
Rhoda 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Hariett 1
Harriett 1
Laura 1
Margaret 1
Rebecca 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
William 15
Samuel 9
James 6
George 3
Henry 3
Alfred 2
Charles 2
Joseph 2
Josiah 2
Albert 1
Ebenezeer 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Emma 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Harris 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Percy 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Wm.Henry 1
Wm.James 1

FAQ

Widgery surname: questions and answers

How common was the Widgery surname in 1881?

In 1881, 147 people were recorded with the Widgery surname. That placed it at #15,674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Widgery surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 166 in 2016. That gives Widgery a modern rank of #22,140.

What does the Widgery map show?

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