NameCensus.

UK surname

Wilkerson

Derived from a place name meaning "Wilker's son," referring to a descendant of someone named Wilker.

In the 1881 census there were 306 people recorded with the Wilkerson surname, ranking it #9,586 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 270, ranked #15,913, down from #9,586 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Shipdham, London parishes and Hoveton St John. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Hertfordshire, Broadland and Luton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wilkerson is 462 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.8%.

1881 census count

306

Ranked #9,586

Modern count

270

2016, ranked #15,913

Peak year

1851

462 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wilkerson had 306 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,586 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 270 in 2016, ranked #15,913.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 462 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wilkerson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wilkerson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wilkerson 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 462 #5,372
1861 historical 246 #10,010
1881 historical 306 #9,586
1891 historical 326 #10,405
1901 historical 335 #10,782
1911 historical 344 #10,386
1997 modern 239 #15,718
1998 modern 240 #16,117
1999 modern 248 #15,884
2000 modern 253 #15,623
2001 modern 250 #15,527
2002 modern 255 #15,599
2003 modern 256 #15,377
2004 modern 254 #15,540
2005 modern 258 #15,323
2006 modern 268 #15,000
2007 modern 263 #15,366
2008 modern 261 #15,597
2009 modern 274 #15,395
2010 modern 279 #15,529
2011 modern 279 #15,353
2012 modern 287 #14,978
2013 modern 274 #15,764
2014 modern 285 #15,416
2015 modern 269 #15,955
2016 modern 270 #15,913

Geography

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Where Wilkersons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Shipdham, London parishes, Hoveton St John, Doddington and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Hertfordshire, Broadland, Luton, South Cambridgeshire and Hart. 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 Shipdham Norfolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Hoveton St John Norfolk
4 Doddington Cambridgeshire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Hertfordshire 005 North Hertfordshire
2 Broadland 001 Broadland
3 Luton 009 Luton
4 South Cambridgeshire 018 South Cambridgeshire
5 Hart 007 Hart

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wilkerson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wilkerson

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Wilkerson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Wilkerson 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

Wilkerson falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wilkerson

The surname Wilkerson originated in England, with its earliest roots dating back to the 12th century. It is a patronymic surname, derived from the personal name Wilkin, a diminutive form of William. The suffix "-son" was added to denote "son of Wilkin."

Wilkerson is believed to have emerged from the northern English counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, where variations like Wilkinson and Wilkynson were also common. It is thought to be an anglicized version of the Old Norse name Vilkinsson, brought to England by Scandinavian settlers during the Viking Age.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mention a Wilkinus de Tockwith. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also references a Richard Wilkynson in Lincolnshire.

In the 14th century, the name Wilkerson was found in various parts of England, including the village of Wilksley in Cheshire and the town of Wilkesley in Staffordshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in those regions.

Notable historical figures bearing the Wilkerson name include Sir Thomas Wilkerson (1564-1628), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1623. Another prominent individual was Reverend William Wilkerson (1677-1744), a Church of England clergyman and author from Oxfordshire.

In the 17th century, Christopher Wilkerson (1621-1670) was a Puritan minister and one of the founders of Salisbury, Massachusetts. A century later, James Wilkerson (1766-1825) was a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

During the 19th century, Mary Wilkerson (1813-1896) was a pioneering American educator and abolitionist who founded one of the earliest schools for African American children in Connecticut.

The Wilkerson surname has a rich history dating back to medieval England, with roots in both Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse traditions. While its origins can be traced to specific regions, the name has since spread globally, carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wilkerson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wilkerson 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. Norfolk leads with 85 Wilkersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.58x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 85 18.58x
Cambridgeshire 46 24.41x
Essex 37 6.30x
Hertfordshire 29 14.14x
Middlesex 23 0.77x
Bedfordshire 22 14.28x
Suffolk 15 4.14x
Kent 8 0.79x
Huntingdonshire 6 10.16x
Yorkshire 6 0.20x
Lanarkshire 5 0.52x
Cheshire 4 0.61x
Lancashire 4 0.11x
Lincolnshire 3 0.63x
Northamptonshire 3 1.07x
Durham 2 0.23x
Sussex 2 0.40x
Warwickshire 2 0.27x
Devon 1 0.16x
Surrey 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shipdham in Norfolk leads with 22 Wilkersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1419.35x.

Place Total Index
Shipdham 22 1419.35x
Bassingbourn 19 685.92x
Acle 12 1290.32x
Hoveton St John 12 4000.00x
Barley 10 1587.30x
Hengrave 10 5000.00x
Roxton 10 1785.71x
Chrishall 9 1551.72x
Foulmire 9 1607.14x
Leighton Buzzard 9 135.75x
Grimston 8 689.66x
Hadstock 8 1777.78x
Islington London 8 2.77x
Ludham 8 987.65x
Lindsell 7 2500.00x
Therfield 7 583.33x
West Ham 7 5.40x
Hitchin 6 64.79x
Huntingdon St John 6 350.88x
Lewisham 6 11.08x
Melbourn 6 326.09x
Royston 6 342.86x
Maryhill 5 26.54x
Burgh Castle 4 754.72x
Congham 4 1176.47x
Dukinfield 4 13.18x
Kimberworth 4 24.45x
South Lynn 4 77.52x
St Marylebone London 4 2.52x
Whitechapel London 4 13.64x
Bury 3 7.44x
Great Waltham 3 125.52x
March 3 47.54x
Rushden 3 80.21x
Wicklewood 3 405.41x
Brighton 2 1.98x
Eaton Socon 2 82.64x
Elwick 2 869.57x
Felthorpe 2 416.67x
Great Ryburgh 2 281.69x
Holbeach 2 37.74x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 2 14.57x
Linton 2 111.73x
Orwell 2 243.90x
Runhall 2 1000.00x
Burnham 1 46.08x
Cheetham 1 3.80x
Chelmsford 1 9.92x
Compton Gifford 1 51.55x
Drypool 1 22.17x
Edgbaston 1 4.30x
Epsom 1 14.16x
Great Eversden 1 370.37x
Greenstead 1 116.28x
Hackney London 1 0.60x
Heigham 1 4.07x
Long Melford 1 29.67x
Mattishall Burgh 1 666.67x
Monks Kirby 1 60.61x
Poplar London 1 1.78x
Renhold 1 188.68x
Rochester St Nicholas 1 31.65x
Ryhill 1 123.46x
Scarning 1 147.06x
Shoreditch London 1 0.78x
Spalding 1 10.59x
St Andrewthe Less 1 4.64x
St George Hanover 1 2.58x
St Pancras London 1 0.42x
Swannington 1 303.03x
Tottenham 1 2.11x
Westminster St John 1 2.76x
Whittlesey St Mary St 1 15.20x
Wicken 1 116.28x
Wisbech St Peter 1 10.58x
Woolwich 1 2.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Sarah 13
Elizabeth 10
Emily 10
Alice 7
Kate 6
Margaret 6
Eliza 5
Ellen 5
Florence 5
Susan 5
Ann 4
Annie 4
Edith 4
Fanny 4
Jane 4
Frances 3
Susannah 3
Agnes 2
Emma 2
Laura 2
Martha 2
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Clarissa 1
Elizth.M. 1
Ella 1
Ester 1
Ethel 1
Gertrude 1
Guliet 1
Hannah 1
Harley 1
Harriet 1
Honor 1
Isabella 1
Julia 1
Kezia 1
L. 1
Lilian 1
Loice 1
Lottie 1
Louisa 1
Lousia 1
Maria 1
Maryann 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 20
William 14
George 11
James 10
Thomas 7
Robert 6
Samuel 5
Joseph 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Frank 3
Abraham 2
David 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Sidney 2
Walter 2
Abm. 1
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Bertie 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Elias 1
Ellis 1
Frederic 1
Fredr. 1
Herbert 1
Jas.H.P. 1
Jas.Robt. 1
Jerimiah 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Kersley 1
Lewis 1
Luke 1
Matthew 1
Philip 1
Reuben 1
Rodger 1
Rogerson 1
Stanley 1
Wallis 1
Walton 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Wilkerson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wilkerson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 306 people were recorded with the Wilkerson surname. That placed it at #9,586 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wilkerson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 270 in 2016. That gives Wilkerson a modern rank of #15,913.

What does the Wilkerson surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "Wilker's son," referring to a descendant of someone named Wilker.

What does the Wilkerson map show?

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