NameCensus.

UK surname

Wigley

Derived from a place name meaning "willow-tree wood" in Old English, or referring to someone who lived near willows.

In the 1881 census there were 1,897 people recorded with the Wigley surname, ranking it #2,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,454, ranked #2,683, down from #2,296 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Bonsall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, North Somerset and Ashfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wigley is 2,724 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.4%.

1881 census count

1,897

Ranked #2,296

Modern count

2,454

2016, ranked #2,683

Peak year

1911

2,724 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wigley had 1,897 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,296 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,454 in 2016, ranked #2,683.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,724 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wigley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wigley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wigley 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 1,334 #2,151
1861 historical 1,287 #2,213
1881 historical 1,897 #2,296
1891 historical 2,128 #2,189
1901 historical 2,334 #2,330
1911 historical 2,724 #1,900
1997 modern 2,578 #2,460
1998 modern 2,688 #2,460
1999 modern 2,673 #2,483
2000 modern 2,665 #2,481
2001 modern 2,568 #2,503
2002 modern 2,549 #2,571
2003 modern 2,520 #2,546
2004 modern 2,512 #2,560
2005 modern 2,450 #2,584
2006 modern 2,429 #2,604
2007 modern 2,466 #2,598
2008 modern 2,478 #2,606
2009 modern 2,487 #2,658
2010 modern 2,499 #2,699
2011 modern 2,501 #2,672
2012 modern 2,423 #2,685
2013 modern 2,478 #2,688
2014 modern 2,476 #2,708
2015 modern 2,474 #2,679
2016 modern 2,454 #2,683

Geography

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Where Wigleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Bonsall, St Werburgh and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, North Somerset, Ashfield, Powys and Rhondda Cynon Taf. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Bonsall Derbyshire
4 St Werburgh Derbyshire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 032 Doncaster
2 North Somerset 018 North Somerset
3 Ashfield 012 Ashfield
4 Powys 006 Powys
5 Rhondda Cynon Taf 002 Rhondda Cynon Taf

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wigley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wigley

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

Wigley 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

Wigley falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wigley

The surname Wigley originated in England and is believed to have derived from a locational name referring to a place called Wigley or Wiggeleia in Derbyshire. The name is thought to be of Anglo-Saxon origin, with the first part "wig" meaning a dwelling or village, and "leah" meaning a woodland clearing or meadow.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 13th century, with a Geoffrey de Wyggeley mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Derbyshire in 1273. In the Domesday Book of 1086, a place called "Wigelei" is mentioned, which is believed to be the same location from which the surname originates.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings such as Wygley, Wigeley, and Wygeley. One notable person from this period was John Wigley, who was recorded as the vicar of Barton-upon-Irwell in Lancashire in 1349.

During the 16th century, the name continued to be found in records across England, with variations including Wiglie, Wygley, and Wyglie. In 1567, a William Wigley was recorded as a resident of Nottinghamshire.

In the 17th century, the surname Wigley was well-established in several counties, including Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Lancashire. One notable figure was Richard Wigley (1590-1667), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Ely from 1660 until his death.

In the 18th century, the name Wigley was found in various regions of England, with several individuals gaining recognition. John Wigley (1700-1779) was an English writer and philosopher, while William Wigley (1722-1790) was a prominent artist and engraver.

In the 19th century, the surname Wigley continued to be present in England, with individuals like James Wigley (1836-1899), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Staffordshire, and Samuel Wigley (1868-1944), a notable engineer and inventor from Derbyshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wigley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wigley 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. Derbyshire leads with 266 Wigleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.18x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 266 9.18x
Warwickshire 239 5.12x
Middlesex 137 0.74x
Staffordshire 121 1.94x
Yorkshire 105 0.57x
Surrey 100 1.11x
Lancashire 99 0.45x
Shropshire 97 6.06x
Worcestershire 80 3.31x
Kent 79 1.25x
Glamorgan 68 2.11x
Nottinghamshire 65 2.60x
Hampshire 57 1.50x
Herefordshire 55 7.24x
Montgomeryshire 53 12.49x
Berkshire 50 3.60x
Cheshire 49 1.20x
Flintshire 20 4.02x
Gloucestershire 16 0.44x
Essex 15 0.41x
Leicestershire 15 0.73x
Oxfordshire 14 1.22x
Monmouthshire 12 0.90x
Cardiganshire 11 2.44x
Northamptonshire 11 0.63x
Norfolk 9 0.32x
Midlothian 8 0.32x
Sussex 8 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.63x
Somerset 6 0.20x
Brecknockshire 4 1.08x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.51x
Lincolnshire 4 0.14x
Stirlingshire 3 0.44x
Denbighshire 2 0.29x
Hertfordshire 2 0.16x
Lanarkshire 2 0.03x
Northumberland 2 0.07x
Angus 1 0.06x
Cumberland 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 0.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 158 Wigleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.15x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 158 10.15x
Aston 69 5.37x
Bonsall 32 372.53x
Aberdare 31 14.01x
Ystradyfodwg 31 10.96x
Brightside Bierlow 30 8.34x
Kings Norton 28 12.91x
Derby St Peter 26 28.16x
Lambeth 25 1.55x
Litchurch 23 19.72x
Nottingham St Mary 23 3.56x
South Moreton 23 1105.77x
Llanbrynmair 21 209.37x
Belper 20 35.59x
Kniveton 20 1162.79x
Brampton 19 46.89x
Macclesfield 18 9.91x
Tref Eglwys 17 146.93x
Walsall Foreign 17 5.27x
Battersea 16 2.35x
Hulme 16 3.49x
Newington 16 2.34x
Islington London 15 0.84x
Tadley 15 232.20x
Whistones 15 85.71x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 14 8.19x
Diddlebury 14 265.65x
Hereford All Sts 14 40.25x
Hereford St Owen 14 55.84x
Mellor 14 177.67x
Condover 13 115.45x
Kensington London 13 1.26x
Bedwellty 12 5.08x
Rochester St Nicholas 12 61.07x
Rotherwick 12 412.37x
Wirksworth 12 45.54x
Wolverhampton 12 2.50x
Cardigan St Mary 11 63.58x
Crowmarsh Gifford 11 569.95x
Leeds 11 1.06x
Mold 11 24.37x
Radford 11 8.68x
Disley Stanley 10 47.53x
Pamber 10 227.27x
Solihull 10 29.80x
St Marylebone London 10 1.01x
Strood 10 27.75x
Tipton 10 5.23x
Basford 9 7.82x
Boughton Under Blean 9 85.07x
Camberwell 9 0.76x
Church Stretton 9 83.88x
Claines 9 13.56x
Hackney London 9 0.87x
Handsworth 9 18.56x
Ramsgate 9 8.73x
Reading St Giles 9 6.60x
Snenton 9 9.18x
Tansley 9 209.30x
Wolstanton Chesterton 9 28.18x
Ashborne 8 40.59x
Bakewell 8 50.44x
Burntwood Edial 8 20.04x
Cheltenham 8 2.86x
Crich 8 42.28x
Ecclesall Bierlow 8 2.14x
Little Bolton 8 2.83x
Norton Canes 8 35.12x
Over 8 19.26x
Pontesbury 8 41.11x
Rochester St Margaret 8 12.01x
Toxteth Park 8 1.08x
Chelsea London 7 1.25x
Colchester St Botolph 7 22.52x
Ealing 7 4.23x
Gorton 7 3.39x
Ilkeston 7 8.61x
Long Sutton 7 346.53x
Openshaw 7 6.80x
Sheffield 7 1.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 123
Sarah 83
Elizabeth 56
Ann 51
Emma 38
Eliza 34
Alice 28
Annie 28
Emily 28
Hannah 27
Jane 27
Ellen 25
Fanny 22
Clara 20
Anne 18
Margaret 17
Charlotte 15
Martha 15
Florence 14
Ada 13
Caroline 11
Harriet 11
Harriett 10
Louisa 10
Edith 9
Esther 9
Maria 9
Amy 8
Catherine 8
Kate 7
Rose 7
Eleanor 6
Matilda 6
Agnes 5
Amelia 5
Elizth. 5
Helen 5
Jessie 5
Rachel 5
Lucy 4
Susan 4
Anna 3
Betsy 3
Dorothy 3
Isabella 3
Julia 3
Lilly 3
Pamela 3
Phoebe 3
Rebecca 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 123
William 100
Thomas 54
George 53
Henry 51
Charles 41
James 39
Joseph 25
Albert 24
Arthur 24
Edward 24
Richard 20
David 19
Robert 19
Alfred 17
Harry 12
Edwin 11
Ernest 11
Frank 11
Frederick 11
Herbert 11
Samuel 11
Walter 11
Benjamin 10
Joshua 8
Reuben 6
Francis 5
Caleb 4
Lewis 4
Thos. 4
W. 4
Wm. 4
Alf. 3
Daniel 3
Emanuel 3
Fred 3
Isaac 3
Job 3
Clement 2
Elijah 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Noah 2
Richd. 2
Robt. 2
Rowland 2
Septimus 2
Solomon 2
Stephen 2
Theophilus 2

FAQ

Wigley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wigley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,897 people were recorded with the Wigley surname. That placed it at #2,296 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wigley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,454 in 2016. That gives Wigley a modern rank of #2,683.

What does the Wigley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "willow-tree wood" in Old English, or referring to someone who lived near willows.

What does the Wigley map show?

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