NameCensus.

UK surname

Wilding

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "willow copse" or "willow-covered land."

In the 1881 census there were 3,526 people recorded with the Wilding surname, ranking it #1,284 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,663, ranked #1,458, down from #1,284 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Preston and Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Powys, Cheshire West and Chester and Shropshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wilding is 4,881 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.2%.

1881 census count

3,526

Ranked #1,284

Modern count

4,663

2016, ranked #1,458

Peak year

1911

4,881 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wilding had 3,526 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,284 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,663 in 2016, ranked #1,458.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,881 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wilding surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wilding surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wilding 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 2,163 #1,351
1861 historical 2,144 #1,359
1881 historical 3,526 #1,284
1891 historical 3,664 #1,306
1901 historical 4,398 #1,294
1911 historical 4,881 #1,067
1997 modern 4,678 #1,397
1998 modern 4,786 #1,417
1999 modern 4,811 #1,423
2000 modern 4,776 #1,423
2001 modern 4,679 #1,419
2002 modern 4,787 #1,423
2003 modern 4,690 #1,413
2004 modern 4,690 #1,410
2005 modern 4,566 #1,434
2006 modern 4,573 #1,435
2007 modern 4,607 #1,435
2008 modern 4,606 #1,442
2009 modern 4,758 #1,432
2010 modern 4,867 #1,430
2011 modern 4,771 #1,447
2012 modern 4,666 #1,441
2013 modern 4,731 #1,451
2014 modern 4,756 #1,448
2015 modern 4,687 #1,456
2016 modern 4,663 #1,458

Geography

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Where Wildings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Preston, Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich), Blackburn and Penwortham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Powys, Cheshire West and Chester, Shropshire, Wigan and Babergh. 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 Preston Lancashire
3 Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich) Cheshire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 Penwortham Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Powys 011 Powys
2 Cheshire West and Chester 021 Cheshire West and Chester
3 Shropshire 036 Shropshire
4 Wigan 014 Wigan
5 Babergh 004 Babergh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wilding

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wilding

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Wilding is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Wilding 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

Wilding falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wilding

The surname Wilding is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words 'wild' and 'ing', meaning 'the sons or descendants of the wild one'. It likely originated in the medieval period, referring to someone who lived in a remote or uncultivated area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Wilding surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where a Richard Wylding is listed in Oxfordshire. The surname also appears in the Inquisitiones Post Mortem records from 1366, with a John Wylding mentioned in Worcestershire.

In the 14th century, the Wilding surname was concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, and Gloucestershire, suggesting that the name may have originated in the West Midlands region of England. The name was sometimes spelled 'Wylding' or 'Wildinge' in older records.

One notable historical figure bearing the Wilding surname was Sir Ralph Wilding (c. 1384-1443), a member of the English gentry and a supporter of the House of Lancaster during the Wars of the Roses. He served as Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1429.

Another prominent individual was John Wilding (1586-1644), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham and was a staunch Royalist during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, Robert Wilding (1718-1777) was a successful merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire, known for his philanthropic efforts in supporting local charities and schools.

The Wilding surname can also be found in various place names across England, such as Wilding Green in Staffordshire and Wilding's Farm in Hampshire, further reinforcing its historical roots in the country.

Other notable individuals with the Wilding surname include the English actress Dorothy Wilding (1893-1976), known for her portrait photography of the British Royal Family, and the Australian cricketer Michael Wilding (born 1940), who played Test cricket for Australia in the 1960s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wilding families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wilding 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 1,535 Wildings recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.77x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,535 3.77x
Suffolk 271 6.48x
Middlesex 261 0.76x
Cheshire 216 2.85x
Shropshire 136 4.58x
Staffordshire 122 1.05x
Essex 108 1.59x
Surrey 97 0.58x
Radnorshire 89 32.12x
Kent 65 0.55x
Herefordshire 60 4.26x
Warwickshire 60 0.69x
Gloucestershire 52 0.77x
Worcestershire 46 1.03x
Sussex 35 0.60x
Yorkshire 35 0.10x
Brecknockshire 27 3.93x
Monmouthshire 27 1.09x
Montgomeryshire 27 3.43x
Denbighshire 26 2.00x
Buckinghamshire 25 1.20x
Hampshire 24 0.34x
Hertfordshire 21 0.89x
Norfolk 21 0.40x
Northamptonshire 16 0.50x
Glamorgan 15 0.25x
Durham 13 0.13x
Lincolnshire 13 0.24x
Westmorland 11 1.46x
Bedfordshire 10 0.56x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.22x
Cumberland 8 0.27x
Derbyshire 8 0.15x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.18x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.28x
Dorset 4 0.18x
Berkshire 3 0.12x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.22x
Devon 3 0.04x
Flintshire 3 0.32x
Somerset 3 0.05x
Channel Islands 1 0.10x
Leicestershire 1 0.03x
Merionethshire 1 0.16x
Midlothian 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 277 Wildings recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.40x.

Place Total Index
Preston 277 25.40x
Blackburn 120 11.07x
Leyland 58 81.79x
Chorley 41 17.93x
Everton 41 3.16x
Aston 38 1.59x
Standish With Langtree 36 71.73x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 34 50.38x
Toxteth Park 32 2.32x
Oldham 31 2.36x
Wigan 28 4.92x
Ince In Makerfield 26 13.71x
Kensington London 26 1.36x
Liverpool 26 1.05x
St George Hanover 26 5.80x
Warrington 26 5.38x
Upholland 25 47.87x
Hackney London 24 1.25x
Shrewsbury St Chad 24 23.05x
Ardwick 23 6.26x
Monks Coppenhall 23 8.04x
Penwortham 23 119.11x
Longton 22 128.43x
Salford 22 1.84x
Skelmersdale 22 32.39x
Dalton In Wigan 21 359.59x
Ormskirk 21 26.93x
St Pancras London 21 0.76x
Little Bolton 20 3.82x
Broughton In Salford 19 5.10x
Radcliffe 18 9.16x
Stoke Upon Trent 18 1.46x
Wolverhampton 18 2.02x
Chorlton On Medlock 17 2.63x
Stonham Earl 17 228.49x
West Ham 17 1.14x
Hulme 16 1.88x
Manchester 16 0.87x
Stanningfield 16 507.94x
Walton Le Dale 16 14.61x
Islington London 15 0.45x
Newington 15 1.18x
St Marylebone London 15 0.82x
Tipton 15 4.23x
West Derby 15 1.26x
Widnes 15 5.10x
Accrington 14 3.78x
Heyop 14 553.36x
Kettlebaston 14 721.65x
Layton With Warbreck 14 9.36x
Maidstone 14 4.01x
Witton 14 27.31x
Barton Upon Irwell 13 4.24x
Camberwell 13 0.59x
Castleton 13 3.19x
Nash 13 188.41x
Over Darwen 13 3.99x
Prestwich 13 12.79x
Wyverstone 13 419.35x
Barrow In Furness 12 2.16x
Battersea 12 0.95x
Chester St Oswald 12 8.74x
Handsworth 12 4.20x
Ipswich St Peter 12 21.31x
Kirkham 12 22.27x
Occold 12 194.49x
Over 12 15.57x
Thornton In Fylde 12 13.46x
Barking 11 50.78x
Bethnal Green London 11 0.74x
Birmingham 11 0.38x
Cwmdu 11 97.78x
Finchley 11 8.35x
Knutsford Nether 11 24.00x
Lambeth 11 0.37x
Northiam 11 77.46x
Sculcoates 11 2.04x
Shevington 11 59.01x
Westminster St John 11 2.63x
Wrexham Abbot 11 33.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 271
Elizabeth 150
Sarah 115
Jane 96
Alice 93
Margaret 81
Ann 76
Ellen 68
Eliza 42
Emily 41
Annie 40
Hannah 32
Emma 31
Martha 30
Maria 26
Charlotte 18
Clara 18
Harriet 18
Catherine 17
Ada 14
Kate 14
Edith 13
Florence 13
Fanny 12
Susannah 12
Caroline 11
Frances 11
Isabella 11
Lucy 11
Anne 10
Esther 10
Louisa 10
Rose 10
Susan 10
Amelia 8
Julia 8
Rachel 8
Matilda 7
Phoebe 7
Agnes 6
Eleanor 6
Elizth. 6
Ethel 6
Grace 6
Helen 6
Margt. 6
Minnie 6
Nellie 6
Ruth 6
Sophia 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 240
William 198
James 168
Thomas 136
George 113
Richard 88
Charles 69
Henry 69
Robert 66
Joseph 59
Edward 45
Walter 26
Alfred 23
Frederick 19
Samuel 19
Harry 18
Arthur 17
David 13
Albert 12
Benjamin 12
Frank 10
Herbert 10
Peter 10
Wm. 9
Matthew 8
Roger 8
Edwin 7
Ernest 7
Thos. 7
Job 6
Philip 6
Francis 5
Fredrick 5
Andrew 4
Frederic 4
Jesse 4
Owen 4
Percy 4
Richd. 4
Saml. 4
Alexander 3
Dennis 3
Edgar 3
Fredk. 3
Geo. 3
Isaac 3
Jas. 3
Ralph 3
Robt. 3
Sidney 3

FAQ

Wilding surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wilding surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,526 people were recorded with the Wilding surname. That placed it at #1,284 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wilding surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,663 in 2016. That gives Wilding a modern rank of #1,458.

What does the Wilding surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "willow copse" or "willow-covered land."

What does the Wilding map show?

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