NameCensus.

UK surname

Willshire

In the 1881 census there were 427 people recorded with the Willshire surname, ranking it #7,608 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 309, ranked #14,442, down from #7,608 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Melksham, Bishops Cannings and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Taunton Deane, Wiltshire and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Willshire is 603 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 27.6%.

1881 census count

427

Ranked #7,608

Modern count

309

2016, ranked #14,442

Peak year

1861

603 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Willshire had 427 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,608 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 309 in 2016, ranked #14,442.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 603 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Willshire surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Willshire surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Willshire 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 430 #5,692
1861 historical 603 #4,390
1881 historical 427 #7,608
1891 historical 458 #7,974
1901 historical 432 #8,968
1911 historical 476 #8,124
1997 modern 346 #12,273
1998 modern 356 #12,399
1999 modern 366 #12,225
2000 modern 336 #12,921
2001 modern 327 #12,970
2002 modern 338 #12,939
2003 modern 322 #13,192
2004 modern 334 #12,897
2005 modern 331 #12,913
2006 modern 311 #13,577
2007 modern 319 #13,474
2008 modern 312 #13,764
2009 modern 324 #13,689
2010 modern 306 #14,529
2011 modern 303 #14,506
2012 modern 312 #14,131
2013 modern 316 #14,223
2014 modern 314 #14,371
2015 modern 309 #14,430
2016 modern 309 #14,442

Geography

Back to top

Where Willshires are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Melksham, Bishops Cannings, London parishes, South Bersted and Bognor and Selsey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Taunton Deane, Wiltshire, Cornwall and Milton Keynes. 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 Melksham Wiltshire
2 Bishops Cannings Wiltshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 South Bersted and Bognor Sussex
5 Selsey Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Taunton Deane 009 Taunton Deane
2 Wiltshire 018 Wiltshire
3 Cornwall 001 Cornwall
4 Milton Keynes 031 Milton Keynes
5 Milton Keynes 032 Milton Keynes

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Willshire

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Willshire

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

Willshire is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Willshire falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Willshire is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Willshire families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Willshire 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. Middlesex leads with 70 Willshires recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.68x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 70 1.68x
Sussex 66 9.40x
Hampshire 57 6.68x
Somerset 39 5.82x
Surrey 29 1.43x
Essex 21 2.55x
Kent 21 1.48x
Gloucestershire 19 2.33x
Wiltshire 18 4.89x
Dorset 15 5.49x
Bedfordshire 13 6.03x
Staffordshire 12 0.85x
Cheshire 8 0.87x
Berkshire 7 2.24x
Devon 7 0.81x
Durham 6 0.48x
Monmouthshire 5 1.66x
Glamorgan 4 0.55x
Suffolk 4 0.79x
Cornwall 3 0.64x
Derbyshire 1 0.15x
Lancashire 1 0.02x
Northamptonshire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Selsey in Sussex leads with 40 Willshires recorded in 1881 and an index of 3100.78x.

Place Total Index
Selsey 40 3100.78x
Portsea 24 14.34x
North Petherton 15 277.26x
Lambeth 13 3.58x
Bursledon 12 1290.32x
Islington London 12 2.97x
Swindon 10 35.00x
Northill 9 445.54x
Birchington 8 402.01x
Hurdsfield 8 141.34x
Romsey Extra 8 157.48x
Burton Upon Trent 7 21.28x
Edmonton 7 20.86x
Hackney London 7 3.00x
Mile End Old Town 7 10.65x
Brighton 6 4.23x
Bristol St George 6 15.88x
Bristol St James St Paul 6 22.03x
Feering 6 555.56x
Fulham London 6 9.93x
Harwell 6 521.74x
Heworth 6 24.57x
Leigh 6 1034.48x
Shepton Mallet 6 79.79x
Southampton St Mary 6 11.18x
St George Hanover 6 11.04x
Tarring Neville 6 6666.67x
West Ham 6 3.31x
Woolwich 6 11.43x
Charlton Horethorne 5 735.29x
Croydon 5 4.44x
Rumbolds Wyke 5 387.60x
Wednesbury 5 14.23x
West Wittering 5 531.91x
Abergavenny 4 35.46x
Bedford St Peter 4 71.43x
Bromham 4 240.96x
Corfe Castle 4 158.10x
Dunkerton 4 275.86x
Henham 4 1818.18x
Long Ashton 4 120.48x
Preston 4 400.00x
Yeovil 4 29.37x
Brockenhurst 3 202.70x
Chelsea London 3 2.39x
Deptford St Paul 3 2.74x
Edgware 3 258.62x
Esher 3 105.63x
Kilkhampton 3 215.83x
Llanwonno 3 11.51x
Newington 3 1.95x
Paddington London 3 1.96x
Wandsworth 3 7.48x
Wherwell 3 389.61x
Acton 2 8.19x
Barnstaple 2 14.70x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.11x
Braintree 2 27.10x
Bristol St James In 2 16.65x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 2.60x
Cheriton 2 34.54x
Dovercourt 2 69.20x
Hornsey 2 3.80x
Salisbury St Edmund 2 33.84x
St Andrew Holborn 2 14.16x
St Sepulchre London 2 32.79x
Stoughton 2 224.72x
Wick Abson 2 160.00x
Wolborough 2 18.25x
Derby St Werburgh 1 2.66x
Devonport 1 10.04x
Hampstead London 1 1.54x
Kirkdale 1 1.20x
Ramsbury 1 29.94x
Ramsgate 1 4.31x
Salisbury St Thomas 1 34.25x
St George In East 1 3.53x
Trevethin 1 3.52x
Waltham Holy Cross 1 13.00x
Witham 1 23.64x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 28
William 22
John 18
James 17
Thomas 16
Charles 12
Henry 8
Alfred 7
Walter 7
Joseph 5
Frederick 4
Herbert 4
Samuel 3
Wm. 3
Edward 2
Elijah 2
Ernest 2
Frances 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Richard 2
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Caleb 1
Ebenezer 1
Ed. 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Ephram 1
Eustace 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.Geo. 1
Geoe. 1
Havant 1
Heny 1
Heny. 1
Herbt.Char.Hr. 1
Hezekiah 1
Isaac 1
J.B. 1
Jesse 1
Lawrence 1
Louis 1
Morgan 1
Nathan 1
Prince 1
Robert 1
Samual 1
Tom 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Willshire surname: questions and answers

How common was the Willshire surname in 1881?

In 1881, 427 people were recorded with the Willshire surname. That placed it at #7,608 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Willshire surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 309 in 2016. That gives Willshire a modern rank of #14,442.

What does the Willshire map show?

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