NameCensus.

UK surname

Willsmore

In the 1881 census there were 48 people recorded with the Willsmore surname, ranking it #26,869 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 109, ranked #29,402, down from #26,869 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Witham, Barking and Fingringhoe, East Donyland. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Castle Point, North Hertfordshire and Epping Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Willsmore is 137 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 127.1%.

1881 census count

48

Ranked #26,869

Modern count

109

2016, ranked #29,402

Peak year

2000

137 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Willsmore had 48 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,869 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016, ranked #29,402.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 124 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Willsmore surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Willsmore surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Willsmore 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 18 #30,094
1861 historical 42 #28,691
1881 historical 48 #26,869
1891 historical 102 #23,719
1901 historical 112 #21,382
1911 historical 124 #20,023
1997 modern 123 #23,792
1998 modern 130 #23,603
1999 modern 126 #24,239
2000 modern 137 #23,048
2001 modern 123 #24,242
2002 modern 121 #24,984
2003 modern 119 #25,026
2004 modern 116 #25,580
2005 modern 117 #25,433
2006 modern 111 #26,565
2007 modern 110 #27,087
2008 modern 111 #27,225
2009 modern 106 #28,666
2010 modern 103 #29,780
2011 modern 105 #29,287
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 105 #29,916
2014 modern 109 #29,452
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 109 #29,402

Geography

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Where Willsmores are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Witham, Barking, Fingringhoe, East Donyland, Layer-de-la-Hay and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Castle Point, North Hertfordshire, Epping Forest, Chelmsford and North Lincolnshire. 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 Witham Essex
2 Barking Essex
3 Fingringhoe, East Donyland Essex
4 Layer-de-la-Hay Essex
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Castle Point 005 Castle Point
2 North Hertfordshire 002 North Hertfordshire
3 Epping Forest 001 Epping Forest
4 Chelmsford 003 Chelmsford
5 North Lincolnshire 019 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Willsmore

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Willsmore

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Willsmore is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Willsmore 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

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

1881 census detail

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Willsmore families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Willsmore 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 30 Willsmores recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.47x.

County Total Index
Essex 30 32.47x
Surrey 7 3.07x
Middlesex 4 0.85x
Suffolk 3 5.26x
Berkshire 1 2.85x
Kent 1 0.63x
Staffordshire 1 0.63x
Yorkshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Goldhanger in Essex leads with 10 Willsmores recorded in 1881 and an index of 12500.00x.

Place Total Index
Goldhanger 10 12500.00x
Croydon 6 47.39x
Witham 6 1250.00x
Barking 3 111.11x
Gorleston 2 137.93x
Halstead 2 185.19x
Kensington London 2 7.69x
St Marylebone London 2 8.00x
Braintree 1 120.48x
Camberwell 1 3.35x
Chelmsford 1 62.89x
Handsworth 1 25.71x
Maldon All Sts 1 555.56x
Minster In Sheppey 1 37.74x
Morley 1 41.49x
Prittlewell 1 78.13x
Rainham 1 500.00x
Reading St Giles 1 28.99x
Rochford 1 370.37x
South Benfleet 1 909.09x
Sudbury St Peter 1 322.58x
Tillingham 1 625.00x
Virley 1 10000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Eliza 3
Louisa 3
Emily 2
Hannah 2
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ester 1
Florie 1
Harriet 1
Lousia 1
Maria 1
Sarah 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 3
Alfred 2
Charles 2
George 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Herbert 1
Henry 1
Jno.Wm. 1
John 1
Nathaniel 1
Ruben 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Willsmore households.

FAQ

Willsmore surname: questions and answers

How common was the Willsmore surname in 1881?

In 1881, 48 people were recorded with the Willsmore surname. That placed it at #26,869 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Willsmore surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 109 in 2016. That gives Willsmore a modern rank of #29,402.

What does the Willsmore map show?

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