NameCensus.

UK surname

Wilder

From an English surname meaning "untamed" or "wild", or referring to a wild animal trapper or hunter.

In the 1881 census there were 761 people recorded with the Wilder surname, ranking it #4,855 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 851, ranked #6,573, down from #4,855 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Upton with Chalvey and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Oxfordshire, Ross and Cromarty North West and Hertsmere.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wilder is 916 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.8%.

1881 census count

761

Ranked #4,855

Modern count

851

2016, ranked #6,573

Peak year

1911

916 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wilder had 761 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,855 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 851 in 2016, ranked #6,573.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 916 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wilder surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wilder surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wilder 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 426 #5,735
1861 historical 438 #5,884
1881 historical 761 #4,855
1891 historical 818 #4,951
1901 historical 863 #5,302
1911 historical 916 #4,879
1997 modern 862 #6,169
1998 modern 883 #6,262
1999 modern 907 #6,163
2000 modern 898 #6,184
2001 modern 886 #6,143
2002 modern 912 #6,139
2003 modern 890 #6,141
2004 modern 874 #6,230
2005 modern 840 #6,356
2006 modern 810 #6,557
2007 modern 810 #6,614
2008 modern 813 #6,653
2009 modern 852 #6,556
2010 modern 882 #6,500
2011 modern 829 #6,743
2012 modern 809 #6,773
2013 modern 846 #6,663
2014 modern 855 #6,630
2015 modern 845 #6,646
2016 modern 851 #6,573

Geography

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Where Wilders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Upton with Chalvey, Lambeth and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Oxfordshire, Ross and Cromarty North West, Hertsmere, Dacorum and Scarborough. 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 1
2 Upton with Chalvey Buckinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Oxfordshire 012 South Oxfordshire
2 Ross and Cromarty North West Highland
3 Hertsmere 010 Hertsmere
4 Dacorum 011 Dacorum
5 Scarborough 006 Scarborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wilder

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wilder

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Wilder is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Wilder 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

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

Meaning and origin of Wilder

The surname Wilder is of German origin, derived from the Old High German word "wildi," meaning "wild" or "untamed." It was likely initially used as a descriptive name for someone who lived in a remote or untamed area, or perhaps had a wild or unruly demeanor.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Johannes Wilder, a farmer from the village of Wittenberge in Brandenburg, mentioned in a land deed from 1274.

In England, the name Wilder is thought to have been introduced by German immigrants in the 16th and 17th centuries. The first recorded instance of the name in England is found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, where a Thomas Wilder was christened in 1587.

Notable historical figures with the surname Wilder include Benton Wilder (1815-1910), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the American Baptist Home Mission Society. Another prominent bearer of the name was Thornton Wilder (1897-1975), the acclaimed American playwright and novelist who won three Pulitzer Prizes for his works, including "Our Town" and "The Bridge of San Luis Rey."

In the realm of literature, Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957) was the author of the beloved "Little House on the Prairie" series of children's books, which chronicled her family's life on the American frontier in the late 19th century.

The name Wilder has also been associated with places, such as Wilder, Idaho, a city named after Marshall P. Wilder, a prominent businessman and financier in the late 19th century. Additionally, the Wilder Ranch State Park in California is named after Wilbur F. Wilder, a 19th-century dairyman and rancher who once owned the land.

Another notable figure was William Wilder (1611-1679), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War, who played a significant role in the trial and execution of King Charles I in 1649.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wilder families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wilder 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. Middlesex leads with 161 Wilders recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.17x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 161 2.17x
Berkshire 103 18.46x
Surrey 82 2.26x
Kent 64 2.52x
Essex 60 4.09x
Buckinghamshire 57 12.68x
Oxfordshire 52 11.33x
Warwickshire 36 1.92x
Lancashire 24 0.27x
Staffordshire 19 0.76x
Hampshire 13 0.85x
Suffolk 13 1.44x
Yorkshire 11 0.15x
Norfolk 10 0.88x
Sussex 9 0.72x
Leicestershire 6 0.73x
Gloucestershire 5 0.34x
Northumberland 5 0.45x
Shropshire 4 0.62x
Somerset 4 0.33x
Worcestershire 4 0.41x
Bedfordshire 3 0.78x
Devon 3 0.19x
Lanarkshire 3 0.12x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.29x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.42x
Derbyshire 2 0.17x
Cheshire 1 0.06x
Hertfordshire 1 0.20x
Midlothian 1 0.10x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.42x
Royal Navy 1 1.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Marylebone London in Middlesex leads with 41 Wilders recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.33x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 41 10.33x
Upton Cum Chalvey 40 223.34x
Aston 20 3.87x
Leigh 19 372.55x
Lambeth 17 2.62x
Newington 17 6.19x
Great Wakering 16 487.80x
Paddington London 14 5.12x
Tottenham 14 11.83x
East Shefford 13 4482.76x
Camberwell 12 2.53x
St Pancras London 12 2.01x
Godalming 11 48.25x
Wolverhampton 11 5.70x
Fulham London 10 9.28x
Queenborough 10 398.41x
Birmingham 9 1.44x
Bray 9 54.91x
Crowmarsh Gifford 9 1153.85x
Erith 9 36.01x
Henley On Thames 9 95.74x
Plumstead 9 10.65x
Rotherfield Greys 9 185.19x
Braintree 8 60.74x
East Garston 8 677.97x
Hammersmith London 8 4.37x
Langley Marish 8 144.93x
Milton In Gravesend 8 21.04x
Northfleet 8 35.81x
Stoughton 8 503.14x
Sulham 8 2162.16x
Warborough 8 454.55x
Bermondsey 7 3.16x
East Bedfont 7 189.70x
Hackney London 7 1.68x
New Windsor 7 37.31x
Newbury 7 39.17x
Prittlewell 7 34.43x
St George Hanover 7 7.22x
Wallingford St Leonard 7 269.23x
Warfield 7 138.07x
Ashton Under Lyne 6 3.11x
Bexley 6 26.76x
Crayford 6 54.15x
Kensington London 6 1.45x
Mundesley 6 625.00x
Portsea 6 2.01x
Shoreditch London 6 1.86x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 2.26x
Wandsworth 6 8.39x
Baylham 5 354.61x
Caversham 5 54.47x
Chelmsford 5 19.86x
Elswick 5 5.66x
Eye Dunsden 5 225.23x
Shanklin 5 110.13x
St George In East 5 9.89x
Stowmarket 5 47.80x
Taplow 5 185.19x
Wallingford St Mary Le 5 158.23x
West Derby 5 1.94x
Bedminster 4 3.56x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 5.71x
Cheltenham 4 3.56x
Chetwynd 4 193.24x
Clifton In York 4 25.96x
Cookham 4 23.00x
Kings Norton 4 4.60x
Rotherfield Peppard 4 317.46x
Thames Ditton 4 53.19x
Bury 3 2.98x
Govan 3 0.50x
Great Baddow 3 57.47x
Greenwich 3 2.54x
Islington London 3 0.42x
Quorndon 3 64.79x
Reading St Mary 3 6.71x
Speen 3 32.86x
Stoughton 3 810.81x
Westminster St 3 10.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 42
William 39
James 32
George 27
Charles 17
Henry 17
Alfred 14
Thomas 14
Joseph 13
Edward 11
Frederick 11
Arthur 9
Walter 9
Richard 8
Harry 7
Robert 7
Frank 5
Albert 4
David 4
Leonard 4
Edmund 3
Sidney 3
Anthony 2
Edwin 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Horace 2
Levi 2
Percival 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Willie 2
Wm. 2
Ann 1
Archer 1
Benjamin 1
Charley 1
Colman 1
Cornelius 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Fredk.D. 1
Fredk.W. 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Hy. 1
Jabez 1
Jeremiah 1
Joshua 1

FAQ

Wilder surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wilder surname in 1881?

In 1881, 761 people were recorded with the Wilder surname. That placed it at #4,855 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wilder surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 851 in 2016. That gives Wilder a modern rank of #6,573.

What does the Wilder surname mean?

From an English surname meaning "untamed" or "wild", or referring to a wild animal trapper or hunter.

What does the Wilder map show?

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