NameCensus.

UK surname

Wilkey

Derived from a place name meaning "willow tree island" in Old English, likely referring to someone who lived there.

In the 1881 census there were 174 people recorded with the Wilkey surname, ranking it #14,042 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 250, ranked #16,792, down from #14,042 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Sherwill and Bedminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Dorset, Harrogate and Braintree.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wilkey is 282 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.7%.

1881 census count

174

Ranked #14,042

Modern count

250

2016, ranked #16,792

Peak year

1999

282 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wilkey had 174 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,042 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 250 in 2016, ranked #16,792.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 206 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wilkey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wilkey surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wilkey 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 205 #10,223
1861 historical 198 #12,114
1881 historical 174 #14,042
1891 historical 202 #14,808
1901 historical 194 #15,425
1911 historical 206 #14,677
1997 modern 257 #14,989
1998 modern 276 #14,679
1999 modern 282 #14,545
2000 modern 265 #15,143
2001 modern 257 #15,236
2002 modern 278 #14,726
2003 modern 272 #14,746
2004 modern 272 #14,843
2005 modern 266 #15,007
2006 modern 265 #15,126
2007 modern 259 #15,519
2008 modern 260 #15,648
2009 modern 266 #15,711
2010 modern 271 #15,856
2011 modern 282 #15,233
2012 modern 265 #15,862
2013 modern 256 #16,506
2014 modern 269 #16,059
2015 modern 257 #16,475
2016 modern 250 #16,792

Geography

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Where Wilkeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Sherwill, Bedminster, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton and St Philip and Jacob. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Dorset, Harrogate, Braintree, West Somerset and The Vale of Glamorgan. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Sherwill Devon
3 Bedminster Somerset
4 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
5 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Dorset 007 East Dorset
2 Harrogate 004 Harrogate
3 Braintree 016 Braintree
4 West Somerset 002 West Somerset
5 The Vale of Glamorgan 014 Vale of Glamorgan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wilkey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wilkey

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Wilkey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wilkey 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

Wilkey falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wilkey

The surname WILKEY is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged in the medieval period. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "wīlic," which translates to "willow tree." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname likely lived near a willow tree or in an area abundant with willows.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name WILKEY dates back to the late 12th century, appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1193 as "Wyllicus de Haliwell." This entry indicates that the name was already well-established in Yorkshire at that time.

In the 13th century, the WILKEY surname can be found in various records, including the Curia Regis Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1212, where it appears as "Wylekyn de Wollaston." This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of England by this time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the WILKEY surname was John Wilkey, who was born in Yorkshire in the late 14th century. He is mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1379.

In the 16th century, the WILKEY surname can be found in the records of the Parish of St. Mary Magdalene in Canterbury, Kent. The register of baptisms from 1558 includes the entry of "Alyce Wilkey, daughter of Thomas Wilkey."

A notable figure with the WILKEY surname was Sir Edward Wilkey, a prominent landowner and politician in Lincolnshire during the 17th century. He was born in 1620 and served as a Member of Parliament for Grantham from 1661 to 1679.

Another individual of note was William Wilkey, a renowned architect born in Gloucestershire in 1725. He is best known for designing several churches and public buildings in the Cotswolds region.

In the 19th century, the WILKEY surname was found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Lincolnshire. One notable bearer was Robert Wilkey, a prominent industrialist from Bradford, Yorkshire, who was born in 1810 and made significant contributions to the textile industry.

The WILKEY surname has also been recorded in various ancient manuscripts and documents, such as the Domesday Book, the Hearth Tax Rolls, and parish registers throughout England, further solidifying its historical roots and significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wilkey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wilkey 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. Devon leads with 63 Wilkeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.36x.

County Total Index
Devon 63 18.36x
Middlesex 32 1.94x
Gloucestershire 18 5.57x
Somerset 11 4.15x
Surrey 11 1.37x
Durham 6 1.22x
Lanarkshire 5 0.94x
Staffordshire 5 0.90x
Yorkshire 4 0.24x
Essex 3 0.92x
Hampshire 2 0.59x
Hertfordshire 2 1.76x
Kent 2 0.36x
Glamorgan 1 0.35x
Midlothian 1 0.45x
Northumberland 1 0.41x
Warwickshire 1 0.24x
Wiltshire 1 0.69x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Philip Jacob in Gloucestershire leads with 17 Wilkeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.85x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Philip Jacob 17 55.85x
Ilfracombe 14 396.60x
Barnstaple 8 148.42x
Horwood 7 11666.67x
Islington London 7 4.38x
Sherwill 7 3043.48x
St Pancras London 7 5.28x
Hampstead London 6 23.37x
Powderham 6 3750.00x
Bathwick 5 170.07x
Limehouse London 5 27.62x
Barton Under Needwood 4 396.04x
Bedminster 4 16.04x
Govan 4 3.03x
Ormesby 4 91.12x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 12.06x
Stoke Damerel 4 16.65x
Sunderland 4 46.19x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 11.35x
St Marylebone London 3 3.41x
Battersea 2 3.30x
Binsted 2 155.04x
Bratton Fleming 2 666.67x
Exeter Heavitree 2 78.13x
Exeter St Edmund 2 270.27x
Exeter St Mary Steps 2 259.74x
Lambeth 2 1.39x
Newington 2 3.28x
Shoreditch London 2 2.80x
Throston 2 212.77x
Watford 2 22.70x
West Ham 2 2.78x
Aston 1 0.87x
Barony 1 0.74x
Bristol St James In 1 21.05x
Buckland St Mary 1 294.12x
Buckland West 1 476.19x
Byker 1 8.24x
Camberwell 1 0.95x
Castle Combe 1 357.14x
Deptford St Paul 1 2.31x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 21.83x
Exeter St Leonard 1 106.38x
Exeter St Thomas The 1 28.57x
Greenwich 1 3.81x
Handsworth 1 7.29x
Kensington London 1 1.09x
Leyton Low 1 15.13x
Paracombe 1 454.55x
Pilton 1 88.50x
South Molton 1 52.91x
St Luke London 1 3.78x
Swansea Town 1 4.25x
Taunton St Mary 1 20.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Elizabeth 9
Eliza 4
Sarah 4
Caroline 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Bessie 2
Ellen 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Lydia 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Agnus 1
Amy 1
Barbara 1
Belinda 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizebeth 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Grace 1
Henrietta 1
Henry 1
Isabella 1
Lillie 1
Lizzie 1
Lucey 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Mitalda 1
Priscella 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
John 10
Thomas 9
James 7
Charles 6
Frederick 5
George 5
Henry 4
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Geo. 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
Adolphus 1
Alexander 1
Ambrose 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Frances 1
Geo.William 1
Geop 1
Saml. 1

FAQ

Wilkey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wilkey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 174 people were recorded with the Wilkey surname. That placed it at #14,042 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wilkey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 250 in 2016. That gives Wilkey a modern rank of #16,792.

What does the Wilkey surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "willow tree island" in Old English, likely referring to someone who lived there.

What does the Wilkey map show?

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