NameCensus.

UK surname

Wild

An English surname derived from a nickname for a wild or undisciplined person, or one who lived in uncultivated land.

In the 1881 census there were 12,250 people recorded with the Wild surname, ranking it #349 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10,850, ranked #596, down from #349 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Glossop and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sheffield, Rochdale and High Peak.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wild is 13,747 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.4%.

1881 census count

12,250

Ranked #349

Modern count

10,850

2016, ranked #596

Peak year

1911

13,747 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wild had 12,250 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #349 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 10,850 in 2016, ranked #596.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 13,747 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Wild surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wild surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wild 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 8,603 #307
1861 historical 8,867 #309
1881 historical 12,250 #349
1891 historical 12,321 #362
1901 historical 13,265 #395
1911 historical 13,747 #356
1997 modern 10,671 #581
1998 modern 11,101 #578
1999 modern 11,095 #585
2000 modern 11,116 #579
2001 modern 10,831 #579
2002 modern 10,950 #586
2003 modern 10,775 #583
2004 modern 10,800 #581
2005 modern 10,577 #584
2006 modern 10,536 #587
2007 modern 10,581 #591
2008 modern 10,684 #591
2009 modern 10,916 #593
2010 modern 11,218 #592
2011 modern 11,070 #588
2012 modern 10,780 #594
2013 modern 11,019 #594
2014 modern 11,076 #593
2015 modern 10,930 #595
2016 modern 10,850 #596

Geography

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Where Wilds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Glossop, Sheffield, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Ashton-under-Lyne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sheffield, Rochdale, High Peak and Oldham. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Glossop Derbyshire
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
5 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sheffield 039 Sheffield
2 Rochdale 016 Rochdale
3 High Peak 005 High Peak
4 Rochdale 017 Rochdale
5 Oldham 003 Oldham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wild

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wild

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Wild surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Wild household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Wild 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

Wild is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wild 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 Wild 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 Wild, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wild

The surname Wild is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'wilde' meaning 'untamed' or 'uncultivated'. It was initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived in a remote or rural area, or for someone with a wild or unruly appearance or behavior.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Wild can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was listed as 'Wilde' in various counties across England. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the surname was recorded in various forms, including 'le Wild', 'atte Wilde', and 'Wylde'. These variations indicate that the name was often preceded by the prepositions 'le' (the) or 'atte' (at the), which were commonly used in medieval times to identify a person's place of origin or occupation.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Wild was John le Wild, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. Another notable early bearer of the name was William atte Wilde, who was recorded in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Somerset in 1327.

In the 16th century, the surname began to appear in its modern spelling of 'Wild'. One of the first recorded instances of this spelling was Robert Wild, who was born in England around 1530.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Wild, including:

1. Jonathan Wild (1682-1725), an English criminal and thief-taker who became famous for his exploits in London's underworld. 2. Robert Wild (1609-1679), an English philosopher and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of algebra. 3. Johann Rudolf Wild (1670-1712), a Swiss-born artist and engraver who worked in England and is known for his engravings of architectural subjects. 4. Albert Wild (1919-2000), a British actor and playwright who appeared in numerous television shows and films throughout his career. 5. Jonathan Wild (1756-1838), an English clergyman and botanist who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy.

The surname Wild has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Wildwood, Wilderton, and Wildmoor, suggesting that some bearers of the name may have derived their surname from these locations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wild families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wild 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. Lancashire leads with 5,096 Wilds recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.61x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 5,096 3.61x
Yorkshire 2,205 1.87x
Cheshire 856 3.26x
Derbyshire 690 3.70x
Middlesex 675 0.57x
Staffordshire 375 0.93x
Surrey 313 0.54x
Durham 255 0.72x
Hampshire 231 0.95x
Nottinghamshire 196 1.22x
Warwickshire 164 0.55x
Sussex 113 0.56x
Wiltshire 105 1.00x
Shropshire 102 0.99x
Kent 97 0.24x
Worcestershire 87 0.56x
Norfolk 71 0.39x
Leicestershire 66 0.50x
Berkshire 63 0.71x
Northumberland 45 0.25x
Hertfordshire 43 0.52x
Essex 38 0.16x
Oxfordshire 35 0.48x
Cumberland 28 0.27x
Glamorgan 26 0.13x
Devon 23 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 21 0.29x
Dorset 21 0.27x
Monmouthshire 19 0.22x
Ayrshire 17 0.19x
Gloucestershire 16 0.07x
Lincolnshire 15 0.08x
Carmarthenshire 13 0.26x
Somerset 12 0.06x
Suffolk 9 0.06x
Westmorland 8 0.31x
Herefordshire 6 0.12x
Denbighshire 5 0.11x
Lanarkshire 5 0.01x
Renfrewshire 5 0.05x
Angus 3 0.03x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.06x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.04x
Dumfriesshire 3 0.11x
Isle of Man 3 0.14x
Northamptonshire 3 0.03x
Wigtownshire 3 0.19x
Banffshire 2 0.08x
Bedfordshire 2 0.03x
Royal Navy 2 0.14x
Brecknockshire 1 0.04x
Midlothian 1 0.01x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.03x
Rutland 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 1,065 Wilds recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.36x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 1,065 23.36x
Castleton 324 22.97x
Ashton Under Lyne 242 7.84x
Butterworth 202 58.70x
Sheffield 194 5.17x
Crompton 186 46.25x
Bury 176 10.91x
Heap 173 23.10x
Glossop Dale 162 18.56x
Manchester 137 2.16x
Spotland 137 8.73x
Birmingham 129 1.29x
Salford 128 3.08x
Stockport 127 9.39x
Wardleworth 121 14.99x
Ecclesall Bierlow 113 4.71x
Chadderton 109 15.79x
Wuerdle Wardle 105 24.49x
Hyde 104 13.41x
Royton 104 24.07x
Middleton In Oldham 101 23.85x
Nether Hallam 100 6.27x
Blatchinworth 99 30.79x
Bingley 96 12.78x
Brightside Bierlow 93 4.02x
Stoke Upon Trent 80 1.88x
Newton 77 7.07x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 76 6.92x
Dukinfield 72 5.93x
St Pancras London 72 0.75x
Heaton Norris 70 8.71x
Islington London 69 0.60x
Leeds 67 1.01x
Failsworth 64 19.81x
Hopwood 64 34.66x
Hunslet 64 3.48x
Marple 63 34.93x
Disley Stanley 60 44.36x
Gorton 59 4.44x
Bradford 58 2.03x
Over Darwen 54 4.79x
Langfield 52 25.20x
Pendleton In Salford 51 3.03x
Saddleworth 51 5.61x
Sowerby In Halifax 50 12.96x
Camberwell 48 0.63x
Keighley 48 3.82x
Lambeth 47 0.45x
Nottingham St Mary 47 1.13x
Elton 46 9.43x
Ardwick 45 3.53x
Birkenhead 44 2.10x
Kensington London 44 0.66x
Openshaw 44 6.65x
Farnworth 43 5.08x
Manningham 41 2.82x
Blackburn 40 1.06x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 38 6.94x
Carlton In Selby 36 118.30x
Chapel En Le Frith 36 21.16x
Chelsea London 36 1.00x
Little Bolton 36 1.98x
Thornham 36 47.13x
Wolverhampton 36 1.17x
Rochdale 33 32.04x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 32 26.10x
Accrington 31 2.41x
Alfreton 31 5.48x
Erringden 31 40.69x
Mellor 31 61.22x
Shoreditch London 31 0.60x
St George Hanover 31 2.00x
Brinnington 30 12.22x
Ludworth 30 34.18x
Macclesfield 30 2.57x
Wortley In Bramley 30 3.21x
Halifax 29 1.67x
Chorlton On Medlock 28 1.25x
Haughton 28 13.59x
Rickmansworth 28 12.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 975
Sarah 634
Elizabeth 495
Ann 261
Jane 255
Hannah 248
Alice 246
Annie 172
Ellen 171
Emma 160
Martha 159
Eliza 133
Margaret 131
Emily 109
Betty 87
Ada 78
Harriet 76
Clara 69
Florence 60
Maria 60
Fanny 57
Edith 50
Louisa 44
Lucy 41
Esther 40
Charlotte 39
Catherine 37
Amelia 36
Caroline 36
Agnes 33
Nancy 33
Frances 30
Susannah 29
Kate 28
Ruth 27
Anne 25
Elizth. 25
Rachel 25
Harriett 24
Isabella 24
Rose 24
Bertha 23
Rebecca 23
Sophia 23
Betsy 21
Jessie 21
Lydia 21
Amy 20
Susan 19
Anna 18

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 757
William 605
James 549
Thomas 415
Joseph 381
George 322
Samuel 182
Charles 167
Henry 157
Robert 151
Edward 125
Arthur 93
Alfred 88
Albert 82
Walter 78
Richard 77
Harry 73
Benjamin 64
Frederick 56
Herbert 56
Frank 55
Edwin 46
Edmund 39
David 37
Ernest 34
Fred 33
Wm. 28
Abraham 26
Daniel 26
Tom 25
Isaac 24
Peter 24
Leonard 20
Andrew 19
Jonathan 19
Ralph 18
Joe 17
Thos. 17
Francis 16
Matthew 16
Mark 15
Jesse 14
Fredrick 13
Geo. 13
Willie 13
Alexander 11
Jas. 11
Luke 11
Joshua 10
Robt. 10

FAQ

Wild surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wild surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12,250 people were recorded with the Wild surname. That placed it at #349 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wild surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 10,850 in 2016. That gives Wild a modern rank of #596.

What does the Wild surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname for a wild or undisciplined person, or one who lived in uncultivated land.

What does the Wild map show?

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