NameCensus.

UK surname

Wilken

Derived from a diminutive of the German name Willehelm, meaning "resolute protection."

In the 1881 census there were 146 people recorded with the Wilken surname, ranking it #15,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 104, ranked #30,317, down from #15,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bocking, New Deer and Walsingham, Little. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Longside and Rattray, Trinity East and The Dudleys and Barking and Dagenham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wilken is 211 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 28.8%.

1881 census count

146

Ranked #15,752

Modern count

104

2016, ranked #30,317

Peak year

1891

211 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wilken had 146 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016, ranked #30,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 211 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Wilken surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wilken surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wilken 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 182 #11,209
1861 historical 210 #11,551
1881 historical 146 #15,752
1891 historical 211 #14,366
1901 historical 169 #16,824
1911 historical 79 #24,903
1997 modern 110 #25,529
1998 modern 124 #24,316
1999 modern 122 #24,745
2000 modern 109 #26,381
2001 modern 109 #26,059
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 104 #27,101
2004 modern 104 #27,338
2005 modern 99 #28,177
2006 modern 101 #28,125
2007 modern 105 #27,868
2008 modern 115 #26,635
2009 modern 117 #26,927
2010 modern 118 #27,404
2011 modern 106 #29,157
2012 modern 97 #30,798
2013 modern 99 #30,934
2014 modern 99 #31,186
2015 modern 101 #30,816
2016 modern 104 #30,317

Geography

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Where Wilkens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bocking, New Deer, Walsingham, Little, Ellon and Cruden. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Longside and Rattray, Trinity East and The Dudleys, Barking and Dagenham, North Norfolk and Fraserburgh Lochpots. 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 Bocking Essex
2 New Deer Aberdeen
3 Walsingham, Little Norfolk
4 Ellon Aberdeen
5 Cruden Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Longside and Rattray Aberdeenshire
2 Trinity East and The Dudleys City of Edinburgh
3 Barking and Dagenham 019 Barking and Dagenham
4 North Norfolk 002 North Norfolk
5 Fraserburgh Lochpots Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wilken

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wilken

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Wilken surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Wilken household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Wilken is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Wilken 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

Wilken falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wilken

The surname WILKEN is of German origin, derived from the personal name Wilhelm, which itself is a Germanic compound name composed of the elements "wil" meaning "will" or "desire," and "helm" meaning "helmet" or "protection." The name WILKEN likely emerged as a diminutive or patronymic form of Wilhelm, indicating "son of Wilhelm."

The earliest recorded instances of the name WILKEN can be traced back to the 12th century in various regions of Germany, particularly in areas such as Saxony and Lower Saxony. It is believed that the name may have originated as a nickname or descriptive surname, referring to someone who was known for their strong will or determination, or perhaps someone who was a skilled warrior or protector.

In the 13th century, the name WILKEN appeared in several medieval records and chronicles, including the Codex Diplomaticus Anhaltinus, a collection of documents from the region of Anhalt in central Germany. This suggests that the name was well-established and widespread throughout various German territories during this period.

One notable bearer of the WILKEN surname was Johann Wilken, a German historian and author who lived from 1766 to 1819. He is best known for his work on the history of the Crusades and his contributions to the study of medieval European history.

Another prominent figure was Wilhelm Wilken, a German politician and journalist who lived from 1827 to 1900. He served as a member of the Reichstag (German parliament) and was actively involved in the political and social movements of his time.

In the realm of literature, the novelist and playwright Wilken Weißhaar (1908-1996) gained recognition for his works exploring themes of social justice and the working-class experience in Germany.

The name WILKEN has also been associated with several place names in Germany, such as Wilkenburg, a town in Lower Saxony, and Wilken, a district in the city of Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia. These place names may have influenced the spread and adoption of the surname in those regions.

While the WILKEN surname is predominantly found in Germany and among German-speaking communities, it has also been carried by individuals of German descent in other parts of the world, particularly in countries with significant German immigration, such as the United States and Canada.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wilken families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wilken 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 56 Wilkens recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.75x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 56 42.75x
Norfolk 18 8.28x
Essex 15 5.37x
Kent 15 3.11x
Middlesex 9 0.64x
Lancashire 8 0.48x
Durham 4 0.95x
Suffolk 4 2.32x
Cambridgeshire 3 3.35x
Lincolnshire 3 1.33x
Midlothian 3 1.58x
Lanarkshire 2 0.44x
Yorkshire 2 0.14x
Glamorgan 1 0.41x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 4.89x
Sussex 1 0.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Little Walsingham in Norfolk leads with 13 Wilkens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2653.06x.

Place Total Index
Little Walsingham 13 2653.06x
Tilbury 13 11818.18x
New Deer 12 506.33x
Tyrie 12 731.71x
Deptford St Paul 10 26.87x
Ellon 10 555.56x
Cruden 8 473.37x
Tottenham 5 22.20x
Kensington London 4 5.09x
Oswaldtwistle 4 67.45x
Woolwich 4 22.43x
Costessey 3 638.30x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 3.94x
Grantchester 3 535.71x
Great Grimsby 3 20.91x
Padiham 3 74.07x
Slains 3 491.80x
Tullynessle Forbes 3 625.00x
Washbrook 3 1764.71x
Darlington 2 12.32x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 7.02x
Govan 2 1.77x
Old Deer 2 80.65x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 4.08x
Aboyne 1 144.93x
Beeston With Bittering 1 416.67x
Broadwater 1 18.28x
Cardiff St Mary 1 7.37x
Castle Acre 1 153.85x
Chatham 1 7.54x
Debden 1 250.00x
Forgue 1 84.75x
Fraserburgh 1 27.10x
Gateshead 1 3.17x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 5.49x
Ipswich St Mathew 1 20.70x
Mile End 1 196.08x
Preston 1 2.23x
Rathen 1 72.99x
Skene 1 114.94x
Troqueer 1 37.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Ann 3
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Ester 1
Fanny 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Harrietthe 1
Katherine 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lousia 1
Matilda 1
Rebeca 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
John 4
Robert 4
George 3
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Henry 2
James 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Bertie 1
Chas. 1
Chas.E. 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Otho 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Wilken surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wilken surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Wilken surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016. That gives Wilken a modern rank of #30,317.

What does the Wilken surname mean?

Derived from a diminutive of the German name Willehelm, meaning "resolute protection."

What does the Wilken map show?

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