NameCensus.

UK surname

Willingham

A locational surname referring to a person from any of the villages called Willingham in England.

In the 1881 census there were 442 people recorded with the Willingham surname, ranking it #7,414 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 811, ranked #6,830, up from #7,414 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes and Drypool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hartlepool, East Riding of Yorkshire and Forest Heath.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Willingham is 863 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 83.5%.

1881 census count

442

Ranked #7,414

Modern count

811

2016, ranked #6,830

Peak year

1999

863 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Willingham had 442 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,414 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 811 in 2016, ranked #6,830.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 577 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Willingham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Willingham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Willingham 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 309 #7,449
1861 historical 437 #5,898
1881 historical 442 #7,414
1891 historical 553 #6,848
1901 historical 528 #7,740
1911 historical 577 #7,046
1997 modern 807 #6,497
1998 modern 829 #6,567
1999 modern 863 #6,408
2000 modern 808 #6,714
2001 modern 792 #6,692
2002 modern 808 #6,722
2003 modern 787 #6,739
2004 modern 803 #6,652
2005 modern 795 #6,641
2006 modern 810 #6,557
2007 modern 822 #6,545
2008 modern 821 #6,596
2009 modern 815 #6,785
2010 modern 832 #6,807
2011 modern 822 #6,791
2012 modern 821 #6,699
2013 modern 828 #6,761
2014 modern 838 #6,737
2015 modern 829 #6,722
2016 modern 811 #6,830

Geography

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Where Willinghams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes, Drypool, Lambeth and Bures, Lamarsh, Alphamstone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hartlepool, East Riding of Yorkshire, Forest Heath and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Drypool Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Bures, Lamarsh, Alphamstone Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hartlepool 007 Hartlepool
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 035 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Forest Heath 002 Forest Heath
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 033 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Kingston upon Hull 033 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Willingham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Willingham

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

Willingham is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Willingham 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 Willingham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Willingham

The surname Willingham is of English origin, and it is believed to have originated in the medieval period, specifically during the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the place name Willingham, which is found in several locations across England, including Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, and Suffolk.

The name Willingham itself is a combination of two Old English words: "willan" meaning "willow" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "village." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived near a willow tree or in a village surrounded by willow trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Willingham can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where a person named Richard de Willingham is mentioned. Additionally, the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, indicating its long-standing history in the region.

The surname Willingham has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir Ralph Willingham, who served as a Member of Parliament for Steyning, Sussex, in 1324. Another prominent figure was William Willingham, who was a member of the Long Parliament during the English Civil War in the 17th century.

In the 18th century, Reverend Ralph Willingham (1719-1790) was a notable English clergyman and author, best known for his work "A Body of Divinity" published in 1780. Another notable Willingham was Sir Thomas Willingham (1753-1822), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was knighted for his service.

Moving into the 19th century, Willingham F. Merrick (1834-1899) was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland. In the field of literature, Calder Willingham (1922-1995) was an American novelist and screenwriter known for works such as "End as a Man" and the screenplay for the film "The Graduate."

Throughout its history, the surname Willingham has also been associated with various place names, such as Willingham Green in Cambridgeshire and Willingham-by-Stow in Lincolnshire. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and the villages or settlements where willow trees were prominent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Willingham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Willingham 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. Yorkshire leads with 91 Willinghams recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.12x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 91 2.12x
Suffolk 78 14.79x
Middlesex 60 1.39x
Surrey 45 2.13x
Lincolnshire 33 4.77x
Essex 18 2.11x
Kent 17 1.15x
Lancashire 17 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 14 5.10x
Norfolk 11 1.65x
Bedfordshire 9 4.01x
Nottinghamshire 8 1.37x
Somerset 8 1.15x
Derbyshire 5 0.74x
Ayrshire 4 1.23x
Sussex 4 0.55x
Warwickshire 4 0.37x
Oxfordshire 3 1.12x
Staffordshire 3 0.21x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.76x
Cornwall 2 0.41x
Glamorgan 2 0.27x
Herefordshire 2 1.13x
Royal Navy 2 3.88x
Brecknockshire 1 1.15x
Durham 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bures St Mary in Suffolk leads with 24 Willinghams recorded in 1881 and an index of 1860.47x.

Place Total Index
Bures St Mary 24 1860.47x
Lambeth 23 6.09x
Chelmsford 15 102.25x
Holy Trinity 15 14.53x
Islington London 15 3.57x
Sculcoates 15 22.05x
Thorngumbald 13 3250.00x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 12 100.33x
Great Grimsby 12 27.30x
Southcoates 10 41.96x
Aldbrough In Skirlaugh 9 1139.24x
Keelby 9 818.18x
Kingston On Thames 9 17.76x
Ashton In Makerfield 8 54.68x
Bromley London 8 8.40x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 8 80.81x
Camberwell 8 2.89x
Little Saxham 8 3076.92x
St Mary 8 278.75x
St Marylebone London 8 3.46x
Bulwell 7 55.16x
Beyton 6 1176.47x
Bury St Edmunds St James 6 42.58x
Drypool 6 91.32x
Flitton 6 588.24x
Glemsford 6 162.16x
St Pancras London 6 1.72x
Upchurch 6 359.28x
Depden 5 1470.59x
Derby St Peter 5 23.15x
Hackney London 5 2.06x
Manchester 5 2.16x
Sutton Stoneferry 5 40.72x
Bermondsey 4 3.10x
Brighton 4 2.72x
Feltwell Feltwell Anchor 4 330.58x
Hornsey 4 7.30x
Limber Magna 4 555.56x
Norton Fitzwarren 4 408.16x
Ottringham 4 470.59x
St Quivox 4 36.50x
Beccles 3 35.34x
Cowley 3 35.93x
Kensington London 3 1.25x
Maidstone 3 6.82x
Methwold 3 139.53x
Paull 3 370.37x
Aston 2 0.67x
Barnetby Le Wold 2 158.73x
Barton St Mary 2 57.64x
Bedminster 2 3.05x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.06x
Blaenhonddan 2 56.98x
Bradwell 2 54.20x
Brampton Abbotts 2 625.00x
Canterbury St Mary N 2 200.00x
Chedburgh 2 526.32x
Cleethorpes 2 49.14x
Dalham 2 322.58x
Elmswell 2 176.99x
Falmouth 2 11.52x
Hammersmith London 2 1.87x
Hilgay 2 80.00x
Littleport 2 38.17x
Luddesdown 2 500.00x
Preston 2 1.45x
Rougham 2 165.29x
Royal Navy 2 4.53x
St George In East 2 6.79x
Stoke Newington London 2 5.93x
Studley 2 42.83x
Tingrith 2 800.00x
Woolpit 2 130.72x
Bewholme Nunkeeling 1 250.00x
Caistor 1 36.23x
Cottam 1 625.00x
Goxhill 1 58.48x
Paddington London 1 0.63x
Sedgley 1 1.84x
Wolverhampton 1 0.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Elizabeth 12
Ann 11
Eliza 9
Maria 9
Sarah 9
Alice 8
Hannah 8
Jane 8
Emily 6
Fanny 6
Annie 5
Caroline 5
Edith 5
Ellen 5
Florence 5
Louisa 5
Martha 5
Emma 4
Kate 4
Susan 4
Charlotte 3
Harriet 3
Isabella 3
Jessie 3
Margt. 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Betsey 2
Ethel 2
Laura 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Margaret 2
Marian 2
Maud 2
Nellie 2
Susannah 2
Albiner 1
Anna 1
Beulah 1
Dorthy 1
Florance 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Johanna 1
Julia 1
Katey 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 27
John 26
William 25
James 14
Charles 11
Alfred 9
Thomas 9
Edward 8
Robert 8
Arthur 7
Henry 6
Joseph 6
Albert 4
Fredk. 4
Herbert 4
Walter 4
Frederick 3
Alexander 2
Ebenezer 2
Edwd. 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Samuel 2
Abram 1
Aldrige 1
Alfd. 1
Archibald 1
Barnett 1
Edwin 1
F. 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Hezekiah 1
Hugh 1
Hy.H. 1
Isaac 1
Job 1
Louis 1
Nailes 1
Nathaniel 1
Ralph 1
Robt. 1
Saml. 1
Spencer 1
Wade 1
Wallace 1
Wm. 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Willingham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Willingham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 442 people were recorded with the Willingham surname. That placed it at #7,414 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Willingham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 811 in 2016. That gives Willingham a modern rank of #6,830.

What does the Willingham surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a person from any of the villages called Willingham in England.

What does the Willingham map show?

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