NameCensus.

UK surname

Wilton

Derived from a place name meaning "town on the River Wylye" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 2,874 people recorded with the Wilton surname, ranking it #1,562 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,772, ranked #1,793, down from #1,562 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, St Neot and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wilton is 3,976 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.2%.

1881 census count

2,874

Ranked #1,562

Modern count

3,772

2016, ranked #1,793

Peak year

2000

3,976 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wilton had 2,874 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,562 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,772 in 2016, ranked #1,793.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,465 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wilton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wilton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Wilton 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 2,002 #1,448
1861 historical 2,036 #1,422
1881 historical 2,874 #1,562
1891 historical 2,974 #1,585
1901 historical 3,399 #1,637
1911 historical 3,465 #1,510
1997 modern 3,664 #1,769
1998 modern 3,966 #1,706
1999 modern 3,971 #1,716
2000 modern 3,976 #1,706
2001 modern 3,923 #1,686
2002 modern 3,956 #1,713
2003 modern 3,844 #1,732
2004 modern 3,794 #1,749
2005 modern 3,754 #1,746
2006 modern 3,761 #1,744
2007 modern 3,789 #1,742
2008 modern 3,845 #1,729
2009 modern 3,902 #1,744
2010 modern 3,948 #1,761
2011 modern 3,888 #1,763
2012 modern 3,784 #1,777
2013 modern 3,872 #1,769
2014 modern 3,865 #1,780
2015 modern 3,807 #1,783
2016 modern 3,772 #1,793

Geography

Back to top

Where Wiltons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, St Neot, London parishes and Liskeard, St Cleer. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 St Neot Cornwall
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Liskeard, St Cleer Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 012 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 027 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 011 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 016 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 015 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Wilton

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Wilton

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Wilton is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Wilton is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Wilton

The surname Wilton originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is a locational name derived from the place name Wilton, which means "wood town" or "village among the willows." The name likely originated in one of the various towns and villages called Wilton in counties such as Wiltshire, Somerset, and Yorkshire.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Wilton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as Wiltune. This entry refers to a settlement in Wiltshire, suggesting that some of the earliest bearers of the surname may have hailed from this region.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Wilton was Sir John Wilton (c. 1330 - c. 1400), a prominent English knight and landowner from Wiltshire. He served as a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire in 1379 and 1388.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Richard Wilton (c. 1450 - 1520), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Bishop of London from 1506 until his death. He was a prominent figure in the early years of the English Reformation.

In the 16th century, the name Wilton was associated with the town of Wilton in Wiltshire, which was renowned for its thriving wool and carpet industry. One of the town's most famous residents was John Wilton (c. 1550 - 1611), a skilled carpet weaver who is credited with introducing the art of Turkish carpet weaving to England.

During the 17th century, the surname Wilton was also found in the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Thomas Wilton (c. 1620 - 1686), who settled in Virginia in the 1640s and became a prominent landowner and planter.

Another notable figure with the surname Wilton was Joseph Wilton (1722 - 1803), an English sculptor and artist who was highly regarded for his neoclassical works. He was the founder of the Royal Academy of Arts in London and served as the Academy's first Keeper.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Wilton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wilton 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 386 Wiltons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 386 1.37x
Cornwall 282 8.86x
Surrey 205 1.50x
Devon 191 3.26x
Somerset 180 3.98x
Yorkshire 168 0.60x
Lancashire 165 0.49x
Derbyshire 127 2.89x
Staffordshire 104 1.10x
Gloucestershire 95 1.72x
Hampshire 95 1.65x
Sussex 87 1.84x
Essex 79 1.42x
Kent 73 0.76x
Warwickshire 68 0.96x
Leicestershire 60 1.92x
Norfolk 54 1.25x
Durham 53 0.63x
Shropshire 40 1.65x
Wiltshire 40 1.61x
Glamorgan 36 0.74x
Cheshire 28 0.45x
Suffolk 25 0.73x
Monmouthshire 22 1.08x
Bedfordshire 21 1.44x
Worcestershire 20 0.54x
Herefordshire 19 1.65x
Berkshire 12 0.57x
Cumberland 12 0.50x
Northamptonshire 12 0.45x
Northumberland 12 0.29x
Cambridgeshire 11 0.62x
Hertfordshire 11 0.57x
Royal Navy 11 3.28x
Lanarkshire 9 0.10x
Oxfordshire 8 0.46x
Renfrewshire 7 0.32x
Dorset 6 0.33x
Lincolnshire 6 0.13x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.16x
Angus 5 0.19x
Ayrshire 5 0.24x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.24x
Dunbartonshire 4 0.53x
Midlothian 4 0.11x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.45x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.25x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.04x
Brecknockshire 1 0.18x
Channel Islands 1 0.12x
Denbighshire 1 0.09x
Fife 1 0.06x
Isle of Man 1 0.19x
Radnorshire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Cleer in Cornwall leads with 66 Wiltons recorded in 1881 and an index of 239.13x.

Place Total Index
St Cleer 66 239.13x
Rotherhithe 40 11.52x
Plymouth St Andrew 38 8.43x
West Ham 38 3.10x
Camberwell 37 2.06x
Kensington London 37 2.37x
Birmingham 36 1.52x
Islington London 35 1.28x
St Pancras London 31 1.37x
Newington 30 2.89x
Brighton 28 2.93x
Stoke Damerel 27 6.59x
Battersea 26 2.51x
St Neot 26 207.34x
St Columb Minor 24 89.82x
Doncaster 23 11.30x
St Marylebone London 23 1.53x
Bedminster 22 5.17x
Horsley 22 83.08x
Newcastle Under Lyme 22 13.10x
Rame 22 268.29x
Hackney London 21 1.33x
Southampton St Mary 21 5.80x
Walcot 20 8.30x
Madeley 19 21.34x
Liverpool 18 0.89x
Henlow 17 189.10x
Leeds 17 1.08x
Calstock 16 25.63x
Clerkenwell London 16 2.41x
Kingston 16 353.20x
Lambeth 16 0.65x
Shoreditch London 16 1.31x
Church Gresley 15 21.42x
Eccleston In Prescot 15 8.96x
Great Dunmow 15 51.87x
Aston 14 0.72x
Patcham 14 164.71x
West Derby 14 1.43x
Chelsea London 13 1.53x
Kirkley 13 45.38x
Liskeard 13 24.41x
Seals 13 118.40x
St George Hanover 13 3.54x
Whitechapel London 13 4.69x
Bitton 12 25.01x
Bromley London 12 1.94x
Cannington 12 89.29x
Great Yarmouth 12 3.35x
Llantrisant 12 9.73x
Ogley Hay 12 60.91x
Oldham 12 1.11x
Plymouth Charles The 12 4.65x
Roche 12 74.21x
Teddington London 12 18.84x
Willenhall 12 6.75x
Erith 11 11.64x
Frome 11 10.16x
Gloucester St Nicholas 11 43.09x
Harewood 11 159.65x
Mottisfont 11 220.00x
Northampton St Sepulchre 11 8.18x
Ryhope 11 18.94x
Southwark St George Martyr 11 1.94x
St Andrew Holborn 11 11.54x
St Clement Danes 11 24.17x
Bethnal Green London 10 0.82x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 1.89x
Compton Dundon 10 181.16x
Deptford St Paul 10 1.35x
Hartington Town Quarter 10 240.96x
Heigham 10 4.31x
Hove 10 4.81x
Little Eaton 10 109.89x
Royal Navy 10 3.49x
St Mabyn 10 204.08x
Stockton On Tees 10 2.48x
Wells St Cuthbert 10 32.38x
Wetheral 10 31.19x
Wombridge 10 33.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 186
Elizabeth 105
Sarah 97
Annie 52
Jane 51
Emily 43
Eliza 40
Alice 39
Ellen 39
Ann 37
Emma 36
Florence 29
Hannah 27
Margaret 26
Martha 26
Harriet 22
Maria 20
Caroline 19
Fanny 18
Kate 18
Louisa 17
Catherine 16
Edith 14
Amelia 13
Charlotte 13
Harriett 13
Jessie 13
Ada 12
Julia 11
Susan 11
Agnes 10
Anne 10
Frances 10
Rebecca 10
Clara 9
Esther 9
Rose 9
Isabella 8
Lucy 8
Beatrice 7
Helen 7
Sophia 7
Ethel 6
Minnie 6
Flora 5
Grace 5
Maud 5
Susannah 5
Laura 4
Marion 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 183
William 164
Thomas 98
George 95
Charles 74
James 73
Henry 66
Richard 43
Robert 39
Joseph 36
Edward 31
Frederick 31
Alfred 29
Samuel 26
Frank 24
Albert 20
Arthur 19
Francis 16
Walter 16
Ernest 15
Harry 15
Edwin 12
Benjamin 9
Daniel 8
Fredrick 7
Geo. 7
Herbert 7
Thos. 7
Wm. 7
Moses 5
Percy 5
Peter 5
Sydney 5
David 4
Fredk. 4
Mark 4
Tom 4
Bernard 3
Ebenezer 3
Edgar 3
Jesse 3
Lewis 3
Matthew 3
Sampson 3
Samson 3
Stephen 3
C.W. 2
Carrington 2
Michael 2
Morton 2

FAQ

Wilton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wilton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,874 people were recorded with the Wilton surname. That placed it at #1,562 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wilton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,772 in 2016. That gives Wilton a modern rank of #1,793.

What does the Wilton surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "town on the River Wylye" in Old English.

What does the Wilton map show?

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