NameCensus.

UK surname

Wile

A surname derived from the Old English word "wil" meaning "crafty" or "tricky".

In the 1881 census there were 88 people recorded with the Wile surname, ranking it #21,211 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 122, ranked #27,255, down from #21,211 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Newcastle All Saints and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bridgend, County Durham and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wile is 140 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.6%.

1881 census count

88

Ranked #21,211

Modern count

122

2016, ranked #27,255

Peak year

1891

140 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wile had 88 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,211 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016, ranked #27,255.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 140 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Wile surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wile surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wile 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 103 #16,835
1861 historical 115 #18,880
1881 historical 88 #21,211
1891 historical 140 #19,193
1901 historical 88 #24,270
1911 historical 135 #19,058
1997 modern 117 #24,553
1998 modern 117 #25,190
1999 modern 122 #24,745
2000 modern 110 #26,248
2001 modern 108 #26,184
2002 modern 117 #25,494
2003 modern 114 #25,664
2004 modern 108 #26,741
2005 modern 111 #26,260
2006 modern 113 #26,267
2007 modern 124 #25,086
2008 modern 122 #25,638
2009 modern 125 #25,823
2010 modern 131 #25,656
2011 modern 132 #25,303
2012 modern 123 #26,561
2013 modern 126 #26,585
2014 modern 127 #26,634
2015 modern 127 #26,494
2016 modern 122 #27,255

Geography

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Where Wiles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Newcastle All Saints, Gateshead, Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington and Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bridgend, County Durham, Sunderland and North Tyneside. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington Staffordshire
5 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bridgend 004 Bridgend
2 County Durham 019 County Durham
3 Sunderland 036 Sunderland
4 County Durham 027 County Durham
5 North Tyneside 013 North Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wile

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wile

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Wile 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

Wile is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Wile

The surname Wile is believed to have its origins in England, dating back to the early medieval period. The name is often associated with regions in Northern England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire. The etymology of Wile is thought to be derived from the Old English word "wil," which means to trick or deceive, hinting at a nickname given to a sly or cunning individual.

Historical references to the surname Wile can be found in several medieval records. For instance, there is a mention of a John Wyle in the 1379 Poll Tax records of Yorkshire. This suggests that the surname was already well-established in the region by the late 14th century. Additionally, variants such as Wyles and Wylles are found in documents from the same period, indicating that the spelling of the surname was somewhat fluid.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Wile appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documents an individual named Walter de Wile. This record places the name in the context of land ownership and feudal responsibilities, marking it as a name of some status and importance.

As for notable individuals with the surname Wile, one early figure is Thomas Wile, born in 1450 and recorded as a merchant in York. His business dealings in the cloth trade are well-documented in local guild records. Another notable figure is Elizabeth Wile, a midwife in Lancashire born around 1625, who is mentioned in several birth records from the mid-17th century.

The name also appears in the New World; John Wile, born in 1702, emigrated to the American colonies and is listed as one of the early settlers of Pennsylvania. His descendants are known to have participated in the American Revolutionary War.

In the academic world, Richard Wile, born in 1857 and died in 1932, made significant contributions to the field of chemistry. He was a professor at several prominent universities and authored numerous influential research papers.

The surname Wile has also found its place in literary history. One such individual is Samuel Wile, born in 1885, an author and poet whose works were well-regarded in early 20th-century literary circles.

Overall, the surname Wile is steeped in a rich history that spans centuries and continents, reflecting a wide array of professions and societal roles.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wile families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wile 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. Durham leads with 25 Wiles recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.79x.

County Total Index
Durham 25 9.79x
Middlesex 13 1.51x
Northumberland 9 7.05x
Warwickshire 9 4.16x
Glamorgan 8 5.35x
Staffordshire 7 2.42x
Lancashire 6 0.59x
Yorkshire 5 0.59x
Kent 2 0.68x
Shropshire 2 2.70x
Bedfordshire 1 2.25x
Somerset 1 0.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newcastle On Tyne All Sts in Northumberland leads with 9 Wiles recorded in 1881 and an index of 117.96x.

Place Total Index
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 9 117.96x
Harton 8 792.08x
Ryhope 8 451.98x
Llantrisant 6 159.15x
Birmingham 5 6.93x
Dawdon 5 159.24x
Spotland 5 44.17x
St George In East 5 85.62x
Coventry St Michael 3 43.17x
Bewholme Nunkeeling 2 2500.00x
Castle Church 2 114.94x
Clerkenwell London 2 9.87x
Seaham 2 215.05x
Stafford St Mary 2 48.78x
Tonbridge 2 18.94x
Tunstall 2 157.48x
Wolverhampton 2 8.98x
Ystradyfodwg 2 15.26x
Acton 1 19.88x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 1 119.05x
Ellesmere 1 78.74x
Enfield 1 17.76x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 147.06x
Leamington Priors 1 18.76x
Little Stanmore 1 400.00x
North Petherton 1 90.09x
Paddington London 1 3.17x
Poddington 1 625.00x
Sheffield 1 3.69x
St Marylebone London 1 2.18x
Sutton Stoneferry 1 41.15x
Willesden 1 12.36x
Wolstanton 1 11.36x
Worsley 1 15.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 6
Emma 5
Mary 5
Margaret 4
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Ann 2
Hannah 2
Jane 2
Sarah 2
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Dorothy 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrud 1
Isabella 1
Liz. 1
Lotte 1
Lucy 1
Rachel 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
William 8
George 4
Robert 3
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Ralph 2
Thomas 2
Charles 1
David 1
Edward 1
James 1
Morgan 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Wile surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wile surname in 1881?

In 1881, 88 people were recorded with the Wile surname. That placed it at #21,211 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wile surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 122 in 2016. That gives Wile a modern rank of #27,255.

What does the Wile surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "wil" meaning "crafty" or "tricky".

What does the Wile map show?

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