NameCensus.

UK surname

Wigginton

Derived from a place name meaning "town of Wicga's people," referring to a settlement associated with an Anglo-Saxon chief.

In the 1881 census there were 334 people recorded with the Wigginton surname, ranking it #9,025 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 370, ranked #12,591, down from #9,025 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Knossington, Luffenham North and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashfield, Eastleigh and South Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wigginton is 514 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.8%.

1881 census count

334

Ranked #9,025

Modern count

370

2016, ranked #12,591

Peak year

1911

514 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wigginton had 334 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,025 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 370 in 2016, ranked #12,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 514 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Wigginton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wigginton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wigginton 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 250 #8,788
1861 historical 246 #10,010
1881 historical 334 #9,025
1891 historical 394 #8,982
1901 historical 443 #8,804
1911 historical 514 #7,669
1997 modern 403 #10,955
1998 modern 427 #10,825
1999 modern 431 #10,840
2000 modern 427 #10,867
2001 modern 434 #10,539
2002 modern 451 #10,429
2003 modern 424 #10,789
2004 modern 404 #11,199
2005 modern 393 #11,335
2006 modern 385 #11,556
2007 modern 380 #11,820
2008 modern 377 #12,014
2009 modern 379 #12,224
2010 modern 391 #12,207
2011 modern 378 #12,363
2012 modern 364 #12,564
2013 modern 364 #12,790
2014 modern 370 #12,712
2015 modern 363 #12,793
2016 modern 370 #12,591

Geography

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Where Wiggintons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Knossington, Luffenham North, London parishes, Hucknall Torkard and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashfield, Eastleigh, South Kesteven, Chichester and Sheffield. 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 Knossington Rutland
2 Luffenham North Rutland
3 London parishes London 3
4 Hucknall Torkard Nottinghamshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashfield 016 Ashfield
2 Eastleigh 014 Eastleigh
3 South Kesteven 016 South Kesteven
4 Chichester 013 Chichester
5 Sheffield 003 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wigginton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wigginton

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Wigginton is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wigginton 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

Wigginton 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 Wigginton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wigginton

The surname Wigginton originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. It is a locational name derived from the place name Wigginton, a parish in Oxfordshire. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "Wicga" and "tun," which together translate to "Wicga's farm or settlement."

Wigginton is also the name of villages and parishes in Hertfordshire, Staffordshire, and Wiltshire. These places were likely named after individuals with the surname Wigginton or its variations, such as Wiggington or Wickington, who settled there in ancient times.

The earliest known record of the surname Wigginton dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is written as "Wichingtone." This historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides a detailed survey of landowners and their properties across England.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Wigginton was Sir Giles Wigginton (c. 1325-1389), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire during the reigns of Edward III and Richard II.

Another notable figure with this surname was William Wigginton (c. 1460-1536), a wealthy merchant and member of the Guild of Merchant Taylors in London. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1512.

In the 16th century, Sir Robert Wigginton (c. 1520-1578) was a prominent English lawyer and judge. He served as a Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

During the English Civil War, Colonel John Wigginton (c. 1610-1668) was a Parliamentarian officer who fought for the Roundheads against the Royalists. He played a significant role in the Battle of Naseby in 1645.

In the literary world, Richard Wigginton (1717-1787) was an English poet and playwright. He is best known for his satirical play "The Faction Display'd," which was performed in London in 1754.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wigginton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wigginton 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. Leicestershire leads with 96 Wiggintons recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.58x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 96 26.58x
Rutland 38 158.86x
Nottinghamshire 33 7.51x
Derbyshire 24 4.71x
Lincolnshire 17 3.26x
Cambridgeshire 16 7.75x
Middlesex 14 0.43x
Shropshire 11 3.91x
Buckinghamshire 10 5.08x
Kent 10 0.90x
Northamptonshire 9 2.94x
Surrey 9 0.57x
Huntingdonshire 8 12.37x
Worcestershire 8 1.88x
Hampshire 7 1.05x
Yorkshire 5 0.15x
Cheshire 4 0.56x
Staffordshire 4 0.36x
Gloucestershire 3 0.47x
Hertfordshire 3 1.34x
Sussex 2 0.36x
Bedfordshire 1 0.59x
Glamorgan 1 0.18x
Suffolk 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. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 25 Wiggintons recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.38x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 25 28.38x
Knossington 23 7187.50x
North Luffenham 21 4375.00x
Illston On The Hill 15 4285.71x
Stapleford 11 308.12x
South Normanton 10 279.33x
Deeping St Nicholas 9 588.24x
St Neots 8 227.27x
Ashwell 7 2592.59x
Brading 7 78.92x
Cold Overton 7 7000.00x
Litchurch 7 34.10x
Shipston On Stour 7 360.82x
Bourn 6 659.34x
Deptford St Paul 6 7.00x
Great Marlow 6 112.78x
Kirkby In Ashfield 6 127.66x
Kirton 6 287.08x
Nottingham St Mary 6 5.28x
Rotherhithe 6 14.91x
Whissendine 6 731.71x
Hucknall Torkard 5 44.88x
Leicester St Leonard 5 146.20x
Melton Mowbray 5 77.04x
Newark Upon Trent 5 31.69x
Shrewsbury St Chad 5 50.61x
Wingfield South 5 364.96x
Barnack 4 615.38x
Doddington 4 264.90x
Eton 4 89.49x
Hammersmith London 4 4.98x
Monks Coppenhall 4 14.74x
Peterborough 4 18.03x
Walsall Borough 4 46.84x
Billesdon 3 319.15x
Chesterton 3 47.17x
Chipping Campden 3 144.23x
Hackney London 3 1.64x
Hertford St Andrew 3 108.30x
Islington London 3 0.95x
Leicester St Mary 3 10.28x
Albrighton 2 147.06x
Asfordby 2 333.33x
Chelsea London 2 2.04x
Deal 2 21.10x
Deeping St James 2 108.70x
Great Easton 2 333.33x
Pickering 2 49.26x
St Peters 2 38.91x
Tankersley 2 82.99x
Wellington 2 12.64x
Ardingly 1 57.14x
Berrington 1 90.91x
Bradford 1 1.28x
Claines 1 8.56x
Cockayne Hatley 1 833.33x
Derby All Sts 1 23.47x
Great Bowden 1 30.40x
Guildford St Nicholas 1 35.71x
Hastings St Mary 1 7.32x
Hugglescote 1 18.83x
Kensington London 1 0.55x
Knighton 1 49.02x
Lambeth 1 0.35x
Langham 1 131.58x
Leicester St Nicholas 1 48.78x
Llanwonno 1 4.91x
Lyndon 1 909.09x
Manton 1 285.71x
March 1 14.47x
Mildenhall 1 23.70x
Newmarket All Sts 1 65.79x
Oakham Deanshold 1 93.46x
Pilsley 1 59.52x
Putney 1 6.73x
Shoreditch London 1 0.71x
Shrewsbury St Mary 1 9.00x
Somerby 1 169.49x
Walton On The Wolds 1 400.00x
Wimpole 1 250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Elizabeth 16
Sarah 13
Eliza 9
Alice 8
Annie 8
Emma 8
Jane 8
Louisa 6
Ann 5
Amelia 3
Fanny 3
Martha 3
Rose 3
Catherin 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Harriett 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Rhoda 2
Sophia 2
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Cathrine 1
Charlotte 1
Drucilla 1
Effie 1
Elizth.A. 1
Ellen 1
Emmae 1
Ethel 1
Evelyn 1
F.Amelia 1
Flora 1
Georgiana 1
Hanna 1
Hannah 1
Harriatt 1
Harriet 1
Isabel 1
Jessie 1
Lilian 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Minnie 1
Monica 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 29
John 23
James 16
Robert 7
Henry 6
Thomas 6
Charles 5
Joseph 5
Albert 4
George 4
Harry 4
Arthur 3
Daniel 3
Frederick 3
Fred 2
Josiah 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
A.John 1
Alfred 1
Amos 1
Archibald 1
Auther 1
Avery 1
Benjamen 1
Benjamin 1
Chas. 1
Edward 1
Elijah 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.James 1
Geo. 1
Harloy 1
Isaac 1
Jack 1
Jonathan 1
Miller 1
Orange 1
Otho 1
Percy 1
Robt.Fenton 1
Searson 1
Tipping 1
Tom.M. 1

FAQ

Wigginton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wigginton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 334 people were recorded with the Wigginton surname. That placed it at #9,025 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wigginton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 370 in 2016. That gives Wigginton a modern rank of #12,591.

What does the Wigginton surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "town of Wicga's people," referring to a settlement associated with an Anglo-Saxon chief.

What does the Wigginton map show?

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