NameCensus.

UK surname

Wigfield

An English habitational surname derived from a location name meaning "dwelling by the pasture."

In the 1881 census there were 249 people recorded with the Wigfield surname, ranking it #11,103 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 351, ranked #13,127, down from #11,103 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Darfield and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sheffield and Wandsworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wigfield is 384 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.0%.

1881 census count

249

Ranked #11,103

Modern count

351

2016, ranked #13,127

Peak year

1999

384 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wigfield had 249 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,103 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 351 in 2016, ranked #13,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 312 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Wigfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wigfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wigfield 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 184 #11,120
1861 historical 206 #11,725
1881 historical 249 #11,103
1891 historical 274 #11,880
1901 historical 293 #11,829
1911 historical 312 #11,130
1997 modern 375 #11,555
1998 modern 382 #11,779
1999 modern 384 #11,800
2000 modern 367 #12,153
2001 modern 352 #12,318
2002 modern 361 #12,337
2003 modern 356 #12,258
2004 modern 337 #12,818
2005 modern 334 #12,818
2006 modern 334 #12,912
2007 modern 344 #12,743
2008 modern 349 #12,723
2009 modern 351 #12,940
2010 modern 355 #13,099
2011 modern 355 #12,963
2012 modern 354 #12,851
2013 modern 365 #12,766
2014 modern 363 #12,908
2015 modern 361 #12,857
2016 modern 351 #13,127

Geography

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Where Wigfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Darfield, Sheffield, Wath-on-Dearn and Rotherham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sheffield and Wandsworth. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Darfield Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Wath-on-Dearn Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Rotherham Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sheffield 015 Sheffield
2 Wandsworth 030 Wandsworth
3 Sheffield 055 Sheffield
4 Sheffield 012 Sheffield
5 Sheffield 044 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wigfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wigfield

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wigfield, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Wigfield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Wigfield 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Wigfield 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

Wigfield 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

Wigfield 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 Wigfield is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wigfield

The surname Wigfield originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. It specifically derives from the Old English words "wic," meaning settlement or village, and "feld," meaning open land or field. This indicates that the name Wigfield likely referred to a person who lived in or was associated with a "village field" or an open land near a settlement.

The earliest records of the surname can be traced back to medieval manuscripts and land charters in England. One notable reference is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a great land survey commissioned by William the Conqueror, although the name Wigfield itself does not appear, similar style names can give insights into the linguistic roots.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Wigfield is from the 13th century in Yorkshire. Historical records from the 1273 Hundred Rolls, a census-like documentation during the reign of Edward I, mention a Walter de Wigfield, indicating his status and association with a place named Wigfield.

John Wigfield, born around 1385, is another significant historical figure with this surname. He was recorded as living in Lincolnshire, England, and was involved in the agrarian community, suggesting the name's connection to rural and farming backgrounds.

In the 16th century, Robert Wigfield appears in legal documents related to land transactions in Derbyshire. His lifespan, estimated between 1520 and 1580, shows a continuation of the surname through the centuries and its geographical linkage within England.

Mary Wigfield, born in 1645, is noted in parish records in Yorkshire. She was known for her involvement in local charitable activities and her name appears in several wills and testamentary documents of the time, showcasing the prevalence and continuity of the surname.

Another notable figure is Thomas Wigfield, who lived during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Born in 1773, Thomas was a miller in Lancashire and his involvement in the local industry is documented in various trade directories and census-like records of that era.

The surname Wigfield, with its roots in Anglo-Saxon England, encapsulates a rich historical tapestry stretching from medieval settlements to rural livelihoods, reflecting its pastoral origins. Its appearances in legal documents and local records through centuries highlight its enduring presence and the family's historical significance in various English regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wigfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wigfield 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. Yorkshire leads with 169 Wigfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.02x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 169 7.02x
Nottinghamshire 24 7.33x
Staffordshire 17 2.07x
Derbyshire 10 2.63x
Durham 7 0.97x
Cheshire 5 0.93x
Northumberland 5 1.38x
Lancashire 4 0.14x
Middlesex 2 0.08x
Surrey 2 0.17x
Hampshire 1 0.20x
Kent 1 0.12x
Leicestershire 1 0.37x
Warwickshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hoyland Nether in Yorkshire leads with 28 Wigfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 474.58x.

Place Total Index
Hoyland Nether 28 474.58x
Sheffield 20 26.10x
Rotherham 18 132.65x
Wath On Dearne 18 375.00x
Walsall Foreign 16 37.78x
Brampton Bierlow 14 454.55x
Worsbrough 10 141.84x
Stainbrough 9 2000.00x
Wombwell 9 128.21x
Nether Hallam 8 24.57x
Nottingham St Mary 8 9.45x
Snenton 8 62.21x
Tankersley 7 391.06x
Worksop 6 61.79x
Birkenhead 5 11.70x
Sculcoates 5 13.10x
Tynemouth 5 25.84x
Derby St Werburgh 4 18.21x
Eckington 4 43.29x
Newington 4 60.33x
Stockton On Tees 4 11.48x
Darfield 3 136.99x
Darlington 3 10.75x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 6.13x
Bermondsey 2 2.77x
Bridlington 2 36.30x
Brierley 2 500.00x
East Cowton 2 625.00x
Ilkley 2 50.89x
Manchester 2 1.54x
St Marylebone London 2 1.54x
Aldershot 1 6.00x
Armthorpe 1 303.03x
Brightside Bierlow 1 2.12x
Cowden 1 185.19x
Denby 1 76.92x
East Bridgford 1 133.33x
Ecclesfield 1 5.67x
Edgbaston 1 5.27x
Epperstone 1 277.78x
Leicester Newarke 1 71.43x
Marston Upon Dove 1 81.97x
Matlock 1 19.57x
Moss Side 1 6.59x
Swinton In Rotherham 1 15.72x
Uttoxeter 1 23.81x
Warrington 1 2.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 17
Thomas 16
Charles 9
John 9
George 8
Henry 7
James 5
Harry 4
Joseph 4
Alfred 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Joshua 2
Stephen 2
Aaron 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Bertrand 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Hosb 1
Jno. 1
Leonard 1
Lorenzo 1
Louis 1
Margt. 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Wigfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wigfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 249 people were recorded with the Wigfield surname. That placed it at #11,103 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wigfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 351 in 2016. That gives Wigfield a modern rank of #13,127.

What does the Wigfield surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a location name meaning "dwelling by the pasture."

What does the Wigfield map show?

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