NameCensus.

UK surname

Willacy

In the 1881 census there were 310 people recorded with the Willacy surname, ranking it #9,488 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 422, ranked #11,365, down from #9,488 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, Kirkham and Lancaster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lancaster, Annan West and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Willacy is 476 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.1%.

1881 census count

310

Ranked #9,488

Modern count

422

2016, ranked #11,365

Peak year

1911

476 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Willacy had 310 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,488 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 422 in 2016, ranked #11,365.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 476 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Willacy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Willacy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Willacy 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 174 #11,590
1861 historical 189 #12,570
1881 historical 310 #9,488
1891 historical 328 #10,348
1901 historical 340 #10,647
1911 historical 476 #8,124
1997 modern 424 #10,531
1998 modern 446 #10,469
1999 modern 445 #10,535
2000 modern 448 #10,477
2001 modern 434 #10,539
2002 modern 439 #10,656
2003 modern 431 #10,653
2004 modern 425 #10,779
2005 modern 437 #10,437
2006 modern 428 #10,659
2007 modern 430 #10,729
2008 modern 433 #10,776
2009 modern 432 #11,048
2010 modern 440 #11,101
2011 modern 439 #10,995
2012 modern 418 #11,318
2013 modern 430 #11,259
2014 modern 428 #11,371
2015 modern 430 #11,226
2016 modern 422 #11,365

Geography

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Where Willacys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, Kirkham, Lancaster, Preston and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lancaster, Annan West, South Lakeland and Wyre. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 Kirkham Lancashire
3 Lancaster Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lancaster 006 Lancaster
2 Annan West Dumfries and Galloway
3 South Lakeland 010 South Lakeland
4 Wyre 013 Wyre
5 South Lakeland 011 South Lakeland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Willacy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Willacy

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Willacy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Willacy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Willacy 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

Willacy is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Willacy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Willacy 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 269 Willacys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.50x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 269 7.50x
Westmorland 14 21.07x
Middlesex 9 0.30x
Somerset 5 1.03x
Cheshire 4 0.60x
Warwickshire 3 0.39x
Yorkshire 3 0.10x
Dumfriesshire 2 2.99x
Durham 1 0.11x

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 36 Willacys recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.50x.

Place Total Index
Preston 36 37.50x
Kirkham 35 738.40x
Blackburn 24 25.14x
Poulton Barre 17 416.67x
Livesey 15 238.10x
Skerton 13 440.68x
Barrow In Furness 10 20.49x
Sedgwick 10 3846.15x
Bow London 9 23.38x
Dilworth 9 409.09x
Inskip With Sowerby 9 1578.95x
Lytham 9 164.23x
Walton Le Dale 9 93.36x
Treales Roseacre 7 1206.90x
Windle 7 34.67x
Litherland 6 80.00x
Liverpool 6 2.75x
Accrington 5 15.33x
Bootle Cum Linacre 5 17.54x
Eccleshill 5 641.03x
Great Crosby 5 51.12x
Penwortham 5 294.12x
Weston Super Mare 5 40.68x
Cheadle 4 31.37x
Lancaster 4 18.74x
Manchester 4 2.48x
Kirkby Lonsdale 3 166.67x
Warwick St Mary 3 45.32x
Annan 2 34.84x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 7.40x
Failsworth 2 24.36x
Lea Ashton Ingol 2 84.03x
Little Eccleston With 2 1000.00x
Medlar With Wesham 2 185.19x
Oldham 2 1.73x
Sefton 2 500.00x
York St Mary 2 16.12x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.75x
Clitheroe 1 9.47x
Cockerham 1 108.70x
Elswick 1 400.00x
Everton 1 0.87x
Helmsley 1 62.11x
Little Bolton 1 2.17x
Over Wyresdale 1 188.68x
Poulton Le Fylde 1 78.74x
Preesall With 1 113.64x
Preston Patrick 1 178.57x
Westoe 1 1.96x
Worsley 1 4.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 16
Ann 12
Margaret 11
Sarah 10
Jane 9
Alice 8
Isabella 7
Ellen 6
Dorothy 4
Minnie 3
Abegail 2
Anna 2
Catherine 2
Frances 2
Helen 2
Louisa 2
Margret 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Christiana 1
Cicily 1
Dora 1
Eda 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz.A. 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Infant 1
Isabell 1
Janet 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Leah 1
Lettice 1
Lucy 1
Margery 1
Margt. 1
May 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
James 19
Thomas 18
William 15
Henry 10
Richard 10
Charles 4
George 4
Robert 4
Albert 3
Bradley 3
Thos. 3
Christopher 2
David 2
Edward 2
Francis 2
Herbert 2
A. 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Cuthbert 1
Enock 1
Ernest 1
Evan 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Geo.S. 1
H. 1
Leonard 1
Levi 1
Matthew 1
Peter 1
Rich. 1
Richd. 1
Robt.Hall 1
Tom 1
W.C. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Willacy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Willacy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 310 people were recorded with the Willacy surname. That placed it at #9,488 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Willacy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 422 in 2016. That gives Willacy a modern rank of #11,365.

What does the Willacy map show?

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