NameCensus.

UK surname

Wildes

Derived from a place name or a nickname for a wild or uncivilized person.

In the 1881 census there were 84 people recorded with the Wildes surname, ranking it #21,690 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 99, ranked #31,358, down from #21,690 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sheffield, Hackney and Waverley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wildes is 129 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.9%.

1881 census count

84

Ranked #21,690

Modern count

99

2016, ranked #31,358

Peak year

1911

129 bearers

Map years

3

1901 to 1998

Key insights

  • Wildes had 84 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,690 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 99 in 2016, ranked #31,358.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 129 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Wildes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wildes surname density by area, 1998 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wildes 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 90 #18,317
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 84 #21,690
1891 historical 99 #24,200
1901 historical 122 #20,344
1911 historical 129 #19,577
1997 modern 108 #25,788
1998 modern 110 #26,129
1999 modern 111 #26,182
2000 modern 108 #26,549
2001 modern 101 #27,252
2002 modern 101 #27,766
2003 modern 96 #28,381
2004 modern 92 #29,197
2005 modern 86 #30,094
2006 modern 85 #30,556
2007 modern 88 #30,515
2008 modern 88 #30,857
2009 modern 90 #31,094
2010 modern 98 #30,540
2011 modern 96 #30,721
2012 modern 91 #31,659
2013 modern 101 #30,591
2014 modern 103 #30,539
2015 modern 104 #30,269
2016 modern 99 #31,358

Geography

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Where Wildes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington, Manchester, Bidstone and Tatenhill. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sheffield, Hackney, Waverley, Tower Hamlets and Tameside. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington Staffordshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Bidstone Cheshire
5 Tatenhill Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sheffield 061 Sheffield
2 Hackney 004 Hackney
3 Waverley 002 Waverley
4 Tower Hamlets 014 Tower Hamlets
5 Tameside 010 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wildes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wildes

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Wildes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Wildes household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Wildes 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

Wildes is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Wildes

The surname Wildes originated from the Anglo-Saxon words 'wildor' meaning wild and 'deor' meaning beast or animal. It was initially a descriptive name given to someone who lived near the woods or had a wild temperament. The name can be traced back to the 7th century in England.

Historically, the name Wildes first appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners in England after the Norman Conquest. The early recordings included Willelmus filius Wilderi in Yorkshire and Wildeorus in Lincolnshire.

By the 13th century, variations of the name like Wilde, Wyld, and Wylde were common in areas such as Sussex, Essex, and Hertfordshire. The name was often associated with places like Wildridge in Hertfordshire and Wildwood in Sussex.

One of the earliest recorded people with the surname Wildes was William Wilde (c.1260-1321), a landowner and nobleman from Gloucestershire. Another notable figure was John Wilde (1590-1668), an English mathematician and lawyer who served as a judge during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, Thomas Wilde (1721-1799) was a renowned English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellor of England. His son, Thomas Wilde (1782-1855), followed in his footsteps and became a prominent barrister and judge.

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), the famous Irish playwright and novelist, was one of the most renowned individuals with the surname Wildes. His works, including The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest, have had a lasting impact on literature and popular culture.

Another notable figure was Sir William Wilde (1815-1876), an Irish surgeon and author who was Oscar Wilde's father. He made significant contributions to the fields of medicine and archaeology in Ireland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wildes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wildes 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 29 Wildes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.98x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 29 2.98x
Middlesex 9 1.10x
Berkshire 8 13.01x
Kent 6 2.15x
Monmouthshire 6 10.13x
Sussex 5 3.62x
Yorkshire 5 0.62x
Cumberland 4 5.67x
Worcestershire 4 3.74x
Herefordshire 2 5.95x
Warwickshire 2 0.97x
Hampshire 1 0.60x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.91x
Staffordshire 1 0.36x
Suffolk 1 1.00x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 12 Wildes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.33x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 12 20.33x
Chieveley 7 2121.21x
Llanvair Kilgedin 6 7500.00x
Northfleet 5 203.25x
Toxteth Park 5 15.19x
Warrington 5 43.40x
Caton 4 1333.33x
Lower Mitton 4 425.53x
Newington 4 178.57x
St Cuthbert W O 4 116.28x
Bow London 3 28.76x
Brighton 3 10.77x
St George In East 3 53.86x
Aston 2 3.52x
Chelsea London 2 8.10x
Hove 2 33.00x
Bleasby 1 1250.00x
Bungay St Mary 1 204.08x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 6.48x
Cookham 1 52.08x
Dormington 1 3333.33x
Kilpeck 1 1666.67x
Leven 1 416.67x
Leybourne 1 1250.00x
North Meols 1 10.52x
Pendleton In Salford 1 8.64x
Portsea 1 3.04x
St Pancras London 1 1.52x
Stafford St Mary 1 25.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Sarah 5
Ann 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Rose 2
Agnes 1
Betsy 1
Bridget 1
Cathrine 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Ethelia 1
Eva 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Kezia 1
Maude 1
Olive 1
Paith 1
Rachel 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Wildes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wildes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 84 people were recorded with the Wildes surname. That placed it at #21,690 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wildes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 99 in 2016. That gives Wildes a modern rank of #31,358.

What does the Wildes surname mean?

Derived from a place name or a nickname for a wild or uncivilized person.

What does the Wildes map show?

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