NameCensus.

UK surname

Widlake

In the 1881 census there were 155 people recorded with the Widlake surname, ranking it #15,174 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 111, ranked #29,049, down from #15,174 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stapleford, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot, North Devon and Bath and North East Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Widlake is 177 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 28.4%.

1881 census count

155

Ranked #15,174

Modern count

111

2016, ranked #29,049

Peak year

1911

177 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Widlake had 155 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,174 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016, ranked #29,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 177 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Widlake surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Widlake surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Widlake 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 104 #16,746
1861 historical 141 #16,072
1881 historical 155 #15,174
1891 historical 153 #18,078
1901 historical 176 #16,401
1911 historical 177 #16,129
1997 modern 105 #26,188
1998 modern 110 #26,129
1999 modern 120 #24,960
2000 modern 116 #25,452
2001 modern 116 #25,089
2002 modern 116 #25,632
2003 modern 110 #26,220
2004 modern 111 #26,293
2005 modern 111 #26,260
2006 modern 117 #25,695
2007 modern 119 #25,747
2008 modern 119 #26,067
2009 modern 113 #27,520
2010 modern 116 #27,704
2011 modern 121 #26,789
2012 modern 122 #26,696
2013 modern 116 #27,992
2014 modern 119 #27,813
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 111 #29,049

Geography

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Where Widlakes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stapleford, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, London parishes, Braunton and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Neath Port Talbot, North Devon, Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset. 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 Stapleford Derbyshire
2 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 Braunton Devon
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Neath Port Talbot 010 Neath Port Talbot
2 North Devon 013 North Devon
3 Neath Port Talbot 008 Neath Port Talbot
4 Bath and North East Somerset 010 Bath and North East Somerset
5 North Somerset 020 North Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Widlake

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Widlake

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Widlake is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Widlake 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

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

1881 census detail

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Widlake families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Widlake 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 91 Widlakes recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.92x.

County Total Index
Devon 91 28.92x
Middlesex 15 0.99x
Somerset 10 4.11x
Glamorgan 9 3.42x
Warwickshire 7 1.84x
Gloucestershire 6 2.02x
Worcestershire 6 3.04x
Yorkshire 6 0.40x
Kent 2 0.39x
Cornwall 1 0.58x
Derbyshire 1 0.42x
Surrey 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barnstaple in Devon leads with 22 Widlakes recorded in 1881 and an index of 445.34x.

Place Total Index
Barnstaple 22 445.34x
Plymouth St Andrew 14 57.76x
Ilfracombe 12 370.37x
Combmartin 7 1029.41x
Coventry St Michael 7 57.14x
Tawstock 7 1250.00x
Bristol St Paul In 6 75.95x
Kings Norton 6 33.90x
Bishops Tawton 5 510.20x
Braunton 5 467.29x
Carhampton 5 1515.15x
Clerkenwell London 5 14.01x
Dyffryn Clydach 5 793.65x
East Stonehouse 4 64.52x
Llandaff 4 45.66x
Porlock 4 1000.00x
Rufforth 4 2857.14x
Berrynarbor 3 833.33x
Crediton 3 100.67x
Islington London 3 2.05x
Paddington London 3 5.40x
Plymouth Charles The 3 21.65x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 6.56x
Horwood 2 3333.33x
Lewisham 2 7.27x
St Marylebone London 2 2.48x
Atherington 1 370.37x
Camberwell 1 1.04x
Linkinhorne 1 84.03x
Marwood 1 238.10x
Minehead 1 108.70x
St George Hanover 1 5.07x
Staveley 1 23.81x
Stoke Damerel 1 4.54x
West Down 1 357.14x
Westminster St 1 17.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Elizabeth 9
Eliza 5
Jane 4
Ellen 3
Amelia 2
Ann 2
Elizh. 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
A.E 1
Alice 1
Alma 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Bessie 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Daisy 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Euphemia 1
Eva 1
F.M. 1
Fanny 1
Harriett 1
Infant 1
Jenifer 1
L. 1
Laura 1
Lilian 1
Lucie 1
Margaret 1
Marion 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
John 8
Thomas 7
George 5
Charles 4
Alfred 3
Edward 2
Frederic 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
James 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
A. 1
Albert 1
Alonzo 1
Anthony 1
Archie 1
Charlie 1
E.E. 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
F.M. 1
Frank 1
Fras 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hy.Tho 1
Joshua 1
Pascal 1
Thos.Mumford 1
W.G. 1

FAQ

Widlake surname: questions and answers

How common was the Widlake surname in 1881?

In 1881, 155 people were recorded with the Widlake surname. That placed it at #15,174 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Widlake surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016. That gives Widlake a modern rank of #29,049.

What does the Widlake map show?

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