NameCensus.

UK surname

Wilburn

Derived from a place name meaning "well stream" or "spring stream" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 210 people recorded with the Wilburn surname, ranking it #12,440 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 327, ranked #13,868, down from #12,440 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sutton and Stoneferry, Hull Holy Trinity and Doncaster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Doncaster and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wilburn is 368 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.7%.

1881 census count

210

Ranked #12,440

Modern count

327

2016, ranked #13,868

Peak year

1999

368 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wilburn had 210 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,440 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 327 in 2016, ranked #13,868.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 365 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Wilburn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wilburn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wilburn 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 153 #12,721
1861 historical 291 #8,653
1881 historical 210 #12,440
1891 historical 354 #9,741
1901 historical 313 #11,319
1911 historical 365 #9,955
1997 modern 347 #12,251
1998 modern 359 #12,321
1999 modern 368 #12,182
2000 modern 342 #12,771
2001 modern 337 #12,702
2002 modern 339 #12,911
2003 modern 335 #12,815
2004 modern 331 #12,973
2005 modern 327 #13,011
2006 modern 328 #13,073
2007 modern 330 #13,142
2008 modern 329 #13,286
2009 modern 326 #13,630
2010 modern 316 #14,198
2011 modern 315 #14,131
2012 modern 331 #13,538
2013 modern 330 #13,777
2014 modern 329 #13,918
2015 modern 324 #13,965
2016 modern 327 #13,868

Geography

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Where Wilburns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sutton and Stoneferry, Hull Holy Trinity, Doncaster, Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft) and Drypool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, Doncaster and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Sutton and Stoneferry Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Doncaster Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft) Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Drypool Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 014 Barnsley
2 Doncaster 010 Doncaster
3 Doncaster 018 Doncaster
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 038 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Doncaster 028 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wilburn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wilburn

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Wilburn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Wilburn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Wilburn is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wilburn 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

Wilburn 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 Wilburn is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wilburn

The surname Wilburn is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "wille" meaning "will" or "desire," and "burna," meaning "stream" or "brook." This suggests that the name may have originated in an area near a stream or brook where the original bearer lived or worked.

The earliest recorded instances of the Wilburn surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of England, such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. The name was likely associated with specific locations or places that have since been lost or absorbed into larger towns and cities.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Wilburn surname was William Wilburn, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301. This record provides evidence of the name's existence during the medieval period in England.

In the 16th century, the Wilburn surname appeared in various historical records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1548, which mentioned a John Wilburn. The Feet of Fines were legal documents that recorded land transfers and property transactions.

During the 17th century, the Wilburn surname gained prominence with notable individuals such as Richard Wilburn (1619-1685), an English clergyman and author who served as a chaplain to King Charles II. Another noteworthy figure was John Wilburn (1639-1713), an English mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the development of celestial mechanics.

In the 18th century, the Wilburn surname continued to be found in various parts of England. One notable bearer was Robert Wilburn (1721-1796), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and rose to the rank of Admiral.

Throughout the 19th century, the Wilburn surname spread to other parts of the world as English immigrants settled in new territories. One prominent individual was Samuel Wilburn (1830-1905), an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

Other notable individuals with the Wilburn surname include Arthur Wilburn (1890-1967), an English cricketer who played for Middlesex County Cricket Club, and William Wilburn (1916-2001), an American author and journalist who wrote extensively about the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wilburn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wilburn 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 155 Wilburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.64x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 155 7.64x
Lancashire 22 0.91x
Caernarfonshire 6 7.24x
Norfolk 6 1.90x
Hampshire 5 1.19x
Middlesex 4 0.20x
Kent 2 0.29x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.81x
Cheshire 1 0.22x
Cumberland 1 0.57x
Denbighshire 1 1.29x
Derbyshire 1 0.31x
Essex 1 0.25x
Lincolnshire 1 0.31x
Northamptonshire 1 0.52x
Staffordshire 1 0.14x
Sussex 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Doncaster in Yorkshire leads with 49 Wilburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 330.41x.

Place Total Index
Doncaster 49 330.41x
Hatfield In Thorne 14 1102.36x
Holy Trinity 14 28.67x
Goole 13 382.35x
Sutton 10 122.70x
Leeds 9 7.85x
Sculcoates 8 24.86x
Southcoates 8 70.98x
Stainforth In Thorne 8 1538.46x
Toxteth Park 8 9.72x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 6 63.42x
Llanaelhaiarn 6 588.24x
Sutton Stoneferry 6 103.27x
Portsea 4 4.86x
Rotherham 4 34.97x
Airmyn 3 857.14x
Brafferton 3 1764.71x
Holy Trinity St Mary 3 97.09x
Cheriton 2 70.18x
Clerkenwell London 2 4.14x
Helmsley 2 183.49x
Sheffield 2 3.09x
Armley 1 11.17x
Beswick 1 16.08x
Bewerley 1 119.05x
Carisbrooke 1 17.15x
Carlatton 1 2000.00x
Coal Aston 1 181.82x
Denbigh 1 32.15x
Dewsbury 1 4.80x
East Ham 1 13.33x
Great Ouseburn 1 285.71x
Hilderthorpe 1 97.09x
Hudswell 1 769.23x
Keadby 1 3333.33x
Kensington London 1 0.88x
Little Bolton 1 3.20x
Liverpool 1 0.68x
Poplar London 1 2.59x
Skelbrooke 1 1111.11x
Skiplam 1 2500.00x
Stamford Baron St Martin 1 97.09x
Subdeanery 1 38.17x
Swinton In Rotherham 1 18.62x
West Bromwich 1 2.53x
Whittingham 1 93.46x
Worleston 1 416.67x
Wycombe 1 10.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 10
George 9
Alfred 6
Charles 6
Thomas 6
Robert 5
Joseph 4
Arthur 3
Henry 3
Albert 2
Frederick 2
Rueben 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Willoughby 2
Wm. 2
Chas. 1
Dyson 1
E.C. 1
Edgar 1
Eding 1
Edwin 1
Eneas 1
Ernest 1
Ezra 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Horatio 1
Hudson 1
Isaac 1
Jabez 1
Jacob 1
James 1
Johnson 1
Jonas 1
Michael 1
Millington 1
Richard 1
V.A. 1
Willerby 1
Willie 1
Willoby 1

FAQ

Wilburn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wilburn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 210 people were recorded with the Wilburn surname. That placed it at #12,440 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wilburn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 327 in 2016. That gives Wilburn a modern rank of #13,868.

What does the Wilburn surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "well stream" or "spring stream" in Old English.

What does the Wilburn map show?

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