NameCensus.

UK surname

Wilby

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,757 people recorded with the Wilby surname, ranking it #2,461 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,477, ranked #2,663, down from #2,461 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Thornhill and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Norfolk, Wakefield and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wilby is 2,673 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.0%.

1881 census count

1,757

Ranked #2,461

Modern count

2,477

2016, ranked #2,663

Peak year

2000

2,673 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wilby had 1,757 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,461 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,477 in 2016, ranked #2,663.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,553 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wilby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wilby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wilby 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 1,016 #2,751
1861 historical 1,183 #2,397
1881 historical 1,757 #2,461
1891 historical 1,903 #2,415
1901 historical 2,334 #2,330
1911 historical 2,553 #2,003
1997 modern 2,603 #2,441
1998 modern 2,651 #2,483
1999 modern 2,672 #2,485
2000 modern 2,673 #2,478
2001 modern 2,595 #2,488
2002 modern 2,643 #2,493
2003 modern 2,578 #2,496
2004 modern 2,565 #2,509
2005 modern 2,547 #2,505
2006 modern 2,521 #2,532
2007 modern 2,527 #2,540
2008 modern 2,533 #2,556
2009 modern 2,573 #2,579
2010 modern 2,600 #2,606
2011 modern 2,580 #2,597
2012 modern 2,525 #2,600
2013 modern 2,558 #2,615
2014 modern 2,539 #2,643
2015 modern 2,508 #2,646
2016 modern 2,477 #2,663

Geography

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Where Wilbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Thornhill, Batley, Wakefield 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 South Norfolk, Wakefield, Mid Suffolk and Kirklees. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Thornhill Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Norfolk 015 South Norfolk
2 South Norfolk 014 South Norfolk
3 Wakefield 029 Wakefield
4 Mid Suffolk 002 Mid Suffolk
5 Kirklees 002 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wilby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wilby

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

Wilby is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wilby falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wilby

The surname Wilby traces its origins back to England, with its roots likely planted during the medieval period. The name is believed to be topographical, derived from the Old English words "wilig," meaning willow, and "by," meaning settlement or farmstead. Thus, Wilby essentially translates to a willow farm or settlement.

Wilby is primarily associated with certain areas in England such as Norfolk and Suffolk, counties known for places named Wilby. Historical references note the name in various medieval records, which underline its prevalence in these regions. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced to the Domesday Book of 1086, where places like Wilbia and Willebia are mentioned. These entries are some of the oldest known spellings of the name, signifying settlements that were named for the willow trees abundant in those areas.

In the centuries following the Domesday Book, the surname began to appear more frequently in various legal and clerical documents. Richard de Wilby, who lived during the 13th century, is one notable figure who bore the name. Records from the early 1300s note a Thomas Wilby active in Lincolnshire. This Thomas Wilby is often cited as one of the prominent individuals of his time, contributing to the recorded frequency of the name in that century.

Advancing into the 16th century, Robert Wilby is noted for his activities in the region of Suffolk. Born around 1520, Robert Wilby was a landowner whose dealings were documented in property records of the era. His activities provide an insight into the economical landscape of the period and the usage of surnames as markers of familial wealth and property.

The 17th century saw Martha Wilby, born in 1635, who became a well-known figure in Norfolk. Her life encompassed the social and cultural shifts occurring during the English Civil War and Interregnum. Her name appears in various church and parish records, offering a glimpse into the everyday lives and societal structure of her time.

Another individual of note was William Wilby, an 18th-century figure born in 1740. William was a merchant whose name appeared in trade and maritime records, reflecting the growing economic activities of the period and the role that English surnames played in documenting commerce and trade.

These historical figures illustrate the spread and adaptation of the Wilby surname over the centuries. The name Wilby continues to hold historical significance, rooted deeply in England's linguistic and cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wilby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wilby 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 899 Wilbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.29x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 899 5.29x
Suffolk 176 8.43x
Middlesex 136 0.79x
Norfolk 127 4.82x
Essex 72 2.13x
Lancashire 59 0.29x
Leicestershire 59 3.10x
Surrey 53 0.63x
Northamptonshire 34 2.11x
Durham 25 0.49x
Kent 17 0.29x
Cambridgeshire 14 1.29x
Lanarkshire 11 0.20x
Midlothian 10 0.44x
Cheshire 9 0.24x
Warwickshire 9 0.21x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.68x
Derbyshire 5 0.19x
Glamorgan 5 0.17x
Devon 4 0.11x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.17x
Berkshire 3 0.23x
Gloucestershire 3 0.09x
Channel Islands 2 0.39x
Dorset 2 0.18x
Sussex 2 0.07x
Cornwall 1 0.05x
Hertfordshire 1 0.08x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.29x
Royal Navy 1 0.49x
Shropshire 1 0.07x
Somerset 1 0.04x
Staffordshire 1 0.02x
Westmorland 1 0.27x
Wiltshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ossett Cum Gawthorpe in Yorkshire leads with 257 Wilbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 423.60x.

Place Total Index
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 257 423.60x
Wakefield 47 36.05x
Leeds 39 4.07x
Thornhill 36 72.64x
Burgate 31 1845.24x
Dewsbury 29 16.65x
Leicester St Margaret 27 5.83x
Warmfield Cum Heath 24 418.12x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 23 37.29x
Gissing 23 861.42x
Horbury 23 77.42x
Liverpool 23 1.86x
Wortley In Bramley 22 16.35x
St Marylebone London 20 2.19x
Soothill 17 27.71x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 16 10.11x
Barnsley 16 9.13x
Elland Cum Greetland 16 20.91x
Northowram 16 13.44x
Mirfield 15 16.09x
Wandsworth 14 8.49x
Barwick In Elmet 13 99.92x
Brandon 13 91.81x
Great Yarmouth 13 5.96x
Thetford St Cuthbert 13 136.41x
Wortham 13 232.56x
Blackburn 12 2.22x
Ipswich St Clement 12 22.61x
St Pancras London 12 0.87x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 12 15.21x
Stoke By Nayland 12 177.78x
Barony 11 0.78x
Bradford 11 2.68x
Gomersal 11 13.88x
Headingley Cum Burley 11 10.06x
Leicester St Leonard 11 61.15x
Liversedge 11 14.55x
Normanton 11 21.55x
Norwich St Stephen 11 45.47x
Chelsea London 10 1.94x
Colchester St Giles 10 29.91x
Hartest 10 277.01x
Pulham St Mary Magdalen 10 151.29x
South Leith 10 3.87x
Westminster St John 10 4.79x
Austhorpe 9 489.13x
Birmingham 9 0.62x
Heveningham 9 486.49x
Hunslet 9 3.40x
Irchester 9 89.91x
Leicester St Mary 9 5.86x
Lepton 9 50.73x
Mile End Old Town 9 3.33x
Pelton 9 37.10x
St George Hanover 9 4.02x
Great Tey 8 195.12x
Holy Trinity 8 1.96x
Islington London 8 0.48x
Leicester All Sts 8 21.44x
Mistley 8 88.01x
Norwich St Peter 8 46.24x
Penistone 8 60.42x
St Luke London 8 2.91x
Battersea 7 1.11x
Bowling 7 4.16x
Churwell 7 60.45x
Fordham 7 169.49x
Helmingham 7 351.76x
Kensington London 7 0.73x
Lakenham 7 18.70x
Palgrave 7 159.45x
Poplar London 7 2.16x
Sheffield 7 1.29x
Winston 7 402.30x
Wycombe 7 9.06x
Yaxley 7 321.10x
Stockport 6 3.08x
Templenewsam 6 48.78x
Tottenham 6 2.20x
Weeting With Broomhill 6 307.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 80
William 79
George 71
Joseph 47
James 35
Charles 30
Henry 29
Robert 29
Arthur 28
Thomas 26
Walter 21
Albert 17
Alfred 17
Harry 14
David 12
Frederick 12
Herbert 12
Joshua 12
Fred 11
Frank 10
Wm. 10
Benjamin 9
Eli 8
Richard 7
Samuel 7
Edward 6
Ernest 6
Isaac 6
Elijah 5
Francis 5
Fredrick 5
Philip 5
Tom 5
Edwin 4
Joe 4
Mark 4
Abraham 3
Alexander 3
Amos 3
Daniel 3
Edgar 3
Geo. 3
Percy 3
Phillip 3
Seth 3
Enoch 2
Jno. 2
Levi 2
Nathan 2
Oliver 2

FAQ

Wilby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wilby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,757 people were recorded with the Wilby surname. That placed it at #2,461 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wilby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,477 in 2016. That gives Wilby a modern rank of #2,663.

What does the Wilby surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

What does the Wilby map show?

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