NameCensus.

UK surname

Wildey

Geographical surname derived from a place name likely referring to a wild or uncultivated area.

In the 1881 census there were 146 people recorded with the Wildey surname, ranking it #15,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 355, ranked #13,020, up from #15,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Paddington and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carlisle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wildey is 400 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 143.2%.

1881 census count

146

Ranked #15,752

Modern count

355

2016, ranked #13,020

Peak year

1999

400 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wildey had 146 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 355 in 2016, ranked #13,020.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 313 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Wildey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wildey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wildey 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 123 #14,886
1861 historical 132 #16,957
1881 historical 146 #15,752
1891 historical 214 #14,214
1901 historical 250 #13,136
1911 historical 313 #11,108
1997 modern 386 #11,295
1998 modern 390 #11,563
1999 modern 400 #11,439
2000 modern 393 #11,540
2001 modern 381 #11,637
2002 modern 386 #11,740
2003 modern 380 #11,689
2004 modern 388 #11,539
2005 modern 378 #11,692
2006 modern 374 #11,822
2007 modern 366 #12,176
2008 modern 373 #12,104
2009 modern 372 #12,383
2010 modern 376 #12,548
2011 modern 369 #12,600
2012 modern 369 #12,443
2013 modern 374 #12,521
2014 modern 369 #12,745
2015 modern 369 #12,627
2016 modern 355 #13,020

Geography

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Where Wildeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Paddington, St Pancras and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carlisle. 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 Paddington London (West Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carlisle 009 Carlisle
2 Carlisle 001 Carlisle
3 Carlisle 006 Carlisle
4 Carlisle 008 Carlisle
5 Carlisle 010 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wildey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wildey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wildey, 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 Wildey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Wildey 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Wildey is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wildey 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

Wildey falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wildey

The surname Wildey has its origins in England, dating back to the early Middle Ages. The name is most commonly thought to derive from the Old English word "wilde" meaning wild, and "ēage" meaning eye, which together could suggest a meaning akin to "wild-eyed" or someone who had an intense or distinctive gaze. This etymology is reinforced by geographical locations and surnames of similar derivation. Variants such as Wilde and Wyld can also be traced back to similar origins.

The surname Wildey and its variants can be found in historical records as far back as the Domesday Book of 1086, where a similar name "Wiltai" appears. This suggests that the name was well established in England shortly after the Norman Conquest. Throughout the centuries, the name appears in various forms, reflecting the linguistic and social changes of the times.

One early example of the surname in records is found in the late 13th century. Richard Wildey is recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275. This indicates that the family may have been landowners or of a certain social standing in the region.

Nicholas Wildey appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1212, marking another early instance of the name in official documents. This occurrence signals the spread of the surname through different parts of England, particularly in the Midlands.

A significant individual bearing the surname was Sir Thomas Wildey, born circa 1600. He served as an influential landowner and knight during the Anglo-Scottish Wars, and his lineage ensured that the Wildey name continued to have prominence.

Moving to the 18th century, Mary Wildey, born in 1754 in Staffordshire, became notable for her diary which provides key insights into daily life during her era. Her writings have been utilized by historians to better understand the period's social history.

By the 19th century, Samuel Wildey, born 1810, was known for his contributions to early industrial developments in Birmingham. He played a role in the burgeoning metalwork industry that revolutionized the city and contributed to Britain’s Industrial Age.

Across centuries, the Wildey surname represents a lineage enriched with history, connecting medieval England to modern times through an array of documented individuals who bear witness to the name's endurance and legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wildey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wildey 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 40 Wildeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.81x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 40 2.81x
Nottinghamshire 27 14.06x
Kent 21 4.32x
Surrey 19 2.74x
Cumberland 10 8.16x
Hampshire 9 3.08x
Leicestershire 8 5.07x
Devon 3 1.01x
Lancashire 2 0.12x
Suffolk 2 1.15x
Yorkshire 2 0.14x
Essex 1 0.36x
Herefordshire 1 1.71x
Staffordshire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bulwell in Nottinghamshire leads with 10 Wildeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 239.81x.

Place Total Index
Bulwell 10 239.81x
Caldewgate 10 148.81x
Faversham 10 215.98x
Paddington London 10 19.09x
Beeston 9 407.24x
Nottingham St Mary 8 16.11x
Quorndon 8 898.88x
Battersea 7 13.36x
Mitcham 7 159.45x
Rochester St Margaret 6 117.19x
St Marylebone London 6 7.89x
Bow London 5 27.58x
Stoke Newington London 5 45.09x
Chelsea London 4 9.32x
St Pancras London 4 3.49x
Wymering 4 833.33x
Portsea 3 5.24x
Preston Next Faversham 3 263.16x
Clerkenwell London 2 5.95x
Leeds 2 2.51x
Liverpool 2 1.95x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 8.76x
Southwark Christchurch 2 29.99x
Wetherden 2 833.33x
Canterbury St Mary 1 30.67x
Freshwater 1 75.19x
Islington London 1 0.72x
Kensington London 1 1.26x
Lambeth 1 0.81x
Lichfield St Mary 1 71.94x
Newington 1 1.90x
Ross 1 43.10x
St Martin In Fields 1 11.72x
St Mary Aldermary 1 5000.00x
St Peters 1 44.44x
Stoke Damerel 1 4.82x
Upton Grey 1 500.00x
Walthamstow 1 9.88x
Weybridge 1 67.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Sarah 8
Jane 4
Ann 3
Anne 3
Elizabeth 3
Minnie 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Annie 2
Edith 2
Emma 2
Louisa 2
A.C. 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Arthur 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Harriett 1
Helena 1
Inamida 1
Jannet 1
Jemima 1
Lasance 1
Leah 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
S. 1
Sophie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
George 6
Edward 5
Henry 5
James 5
Thomas 5
William 4
Robert 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Joseph 2
Walter 2
Abraham 1
Alex. 1
Alexander 1
Alfd. 1
Andrew 1
Cecil 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
H.P. 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
M. 1
Major 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 1
Uric 1

FAQ

Wildey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wildey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 146 people were recorded with the Wildey surname. That placed it at #15,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wildey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 355 in 2016. That gives Wildey a modern rank of #13,020.

What does the Wildey surname mean?

Geographical surname derived from a place name likely referring to a wild or uncultivated area.

What does the Wildey map show?

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