NameCensus.

UK surname

Willingale

In the 1881 census there were 139 people recorded with the Willingale surname, ranking it #16,228 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 259, ranked #16,393, down from #16,228 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Southminster, Mayland, Steeple, Loughton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Central Bedfordshire, County Durham and Bexley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Willingale is 270 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 86.3%.

1881 census count

139

Ranked #16,228

Modern count

259

2016, ranked #16,393

Peak year

2000

270 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Willingale had 139 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,228 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 259 in 2016, ranked #16,393.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 183 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Willingale surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Willingale surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Willingale 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 71 #20,875
1861 historical 100 #21,103
1881 historical 139 #16,228
1891 historical 163 #17,300
1901 historical 163 #17,205
1911 historical 183 #15,811
1997 modern 264 #14,734
1998 modern 266 #15,053
1999 modern 264 #15,223
2000 modern 270 #14,943
2001 modern 261 #15,066
2002 modern 270 #15,010
2003 modern 264 #15,071
2004 modern 263 #15,189
2005 modern 253 #15,514
2006 modern 240 #16,177
2007 modern 238 #16,505
2008 modern 239 #16,583
2009 modern 254 #16,230
2010 modern 267 #16,029
2011 modern 256 #16,383
2012 modern 254 #16,328
2013 modern 264 #16,191
2014 modern 269 #16,059
2015 modern 262 #16,278
2016 modern 259 #16,393

Geography

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Where Willingales are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Southminster, Mayland, Steeple, Loughton, London parishes and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Central Bedfordshire, County Durham, Bexley and Hartlepool. 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 Southminster, Mayland, Steeple Essex
2 Loughton Essex
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Central Bedfordshire 021 Central Bedfordshire
2 County Durham 005 County Durham
3 Bexley 015 Bexley
4 Hartlepool 008 Hartlepool
5 County Durham 045 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Willingale

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Willingale

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Willingale 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

Willingale 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

Willingale falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Willingale is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Willingale, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Willingale families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Willingale 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. Essex leads with 90 Willingales recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.63x.

County Total Index
Essex 90 33.63x
Middlesex 37 2.73x
Durham 4 0.99x
Kent 3 0.65x
Yorkshire 3 0.22x
Surrey 2 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Loughton in Essex leads with 43 Willingales recorded in 1881 and an index of 3257.58x.

Place Total Index
Loughton 43 3257.58x
St Pancras London 10 9.16x
Southminster 8 1355.93x
Woodford 8 264.03x
Maldon St Marys 7 1093.75x
Poplar London 7 27.35x
Great Stambridge 6 4285.71x
Prittlewell 5 134.77x
St Marylebone London 5 6.91x
Willesden 5 39.12x
Maldon St Peter 4 294.12x
Stranton 4 29.46x
Bethnal Green London 3 5.09x
Dalton In Huddersfield 3 99.67x
Deptford St Paul 3 8.41x
Mile End Old Town 3 14.02x
West Ham 3 5.08x
Kelvedon 2 281.69x
Kensington London 2 2.65x
Bermondsey 1 2.48x
Canewdon 1 303.03x
Chelmsford 1 21.79x
Hackney London 1 1.32x
Heybridge 1 128.21x
Maldon All Sts 1 188.68x
Newington 1 2.00x
St Giles In Fields 1 21.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 8
Jane 5
Mary 5
Sarah 5
Ann 4
Florence 3
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Jessie 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Annie 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Ethelinda 1
Etherline 1
Etty 1
Eva 1
Henrietta 1
Henriretta 1
Hetty 1
Laura 1
Martha 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
Alfred 7
Charles 7
Samuel 6
Thomas 6
Henry 4
John 4
James 3
Joseph 3
Albert 2
Edward 2
George 2
Walter 2
Bigsby 1
Edwd.P. 1
Fredk. 1
Herbert 1
Jessy 1
Jno 1
Jonathon 1
Percy 1
Robert 1
Sidny 1
Wilm. 1

FAQ

Willingale surname: questions and answers

How common was the Willingale surname in 1881?

In 1881, 139 people were recorded with the Willingale surname. That placed it at #16,228 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Willingale surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 259 in 2016. That gives Willingale a modern rank of #16,393.

What does the Willingale map show?

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