NameCensus.

UK surname

Wiltshire

A locational surname referring to someone from the county of Wiltshire in England.

In the 1881 census there were 3,984 people recorded with the Wiltshire surname, ranking it #1,138 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,161, ranked #1,098, up from #1,138 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Swindon, Lyddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Gloucestershire, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wiltshire is 6,533 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.6%.

1881 census count

3,984

Ranked #1,138

Modern count

6,161

2016, ranked #1,098

Peak year

1999

6,533 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wiltshire had 3,984 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,138 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,161 in 2016, ranked #1,098.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,594 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wiltshire surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wiltshire surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Wiltshire 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 2,241 #1,311
1861 historical 2,089 #1,386
1881 historical 3,984 #1,138
1891 historical 4,433 #1,065
1901 historical 5,213 #1,077
1911 historical 5,594 #939
1997 modern 6,200 #1,059
1998 modern 6,479 #1,053
1999 modern 6,533 #1,053
2000 modern 6,472 #1,060
2001 modern 6,360 #1,052
2002 modern 6,438 #1,062
2003 modern 6,237 #1,072
2004 modern 6,269 #1,068
2005 modern 6,130 #1,072
2006 modern 6,054 #1,076
2007 modern 6,131 #1,075
2008 modern 6,146 #1,075
2009 modern 6,296 #1,076
2010 modern 6,411 #1,082
2011 modern 6,320 #1,085
2012 modern 6,154 #1,087
2013 modern 6,281 #1,086
2014 modern 6,317 #1,087
2015 modern 6,252 #1,086
2016 modern 6,161 #1,098

Geography

Back to top

Where Wiltshires are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Swindon, Lyddington 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 South Gloucestershire, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Wiltshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Swindon, Lyddington Wiltshire
4 London parishes London 1
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Gloucestershire 019 South Gloucestershire
2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 009 Rhondda Cynon Taf
3 Wiltshire 021 Wiltshire
4 Wiltshire 020 Wiltshire
5 South Gloucestershire 007 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Wiltshire

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Wiltshire

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Wiltshire is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wiltshire is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wiltshire falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wiltshire 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 Wiltshire, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wiltshire

The surname Wiltshire has its origins in England, deriving from the historic county of Wiltshire. The name itself is a locational surname, indicating that the earliest bearers of the name hailed from this region. The county's name is derived from the Old English words "Wilton" and "scir," which together mean "the district of Wilton."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Wiltshire can be traced back to the late 12th century. One notable example is found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1196, where a certain William de Wiltesir is mentioned. This spelling variation, "Wiltesir," highlights the evolving nature of the surname over time.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of landowners and their holdings, several individuals with the surname Wiltshire or variations thereof are listed, such as Reginald de Wilteshire and William de Wiltsire. This suggests that the name was well-established by the 13th century.

The Domesday Book, the comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Wiltshire. However, it does mention various landholders and tenants within the county itself, indicating the region's historical significance.

One notable individual bearing the Wiltshire surname was Sir Thomas Wiltshire (c. 1470-1526), who served as a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire during the reign of Henry VIII. Another prominent figure was Walter Wiltshire (1618-1701), an English philosopher and clergyman who was a fellow of the Royal Society.

In the literary realm, John Wiltshire (1681-1749) was an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "A Discourse on the Lord's Supper." Additionally, Robert Wiltshire (1786-1855) was a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

The Wiltshire surname has also been associated with various places within the county itself, such as Wiltshire Village and Wiltshire County, further reinforcing the name's locational origins.

Throughout history, the surname Wiltshire has undergone various spelling variations, including Wiltesir, Wilteshire, Wiltsire, and Wiltshyre, reflecting the evolving nature of English orthography over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Wiltshire families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wiltshire 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 688 Wiltshires recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.76x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 688 1.76x
Wiltshire 621 18.01x
Gloucestershire 435 5.69x
Hampshire 355 4.44x
Surrey 304 1.60x
Somerset 293 4.67x
Berkshire 175 5.98x
Glamorgan 128 1.89x
Kent 122 0.92x
Essex 98 1.27x
Worcestershire 80 1.57x
Warwickshire 76 0.77x
Lancashire 71 0.15x
Sussex 71 1.08x
Monmouthshire 70 2.48x
Staffordshire 55 0.42x
Yorkshire 52 0.13x
Dorset 35 1.37x
Hertfordshire 35 1.30x
Cambridgeshire 26 1.05x
Buckinghamshire 24 1.02x
Derbyshire 22 0.36x
Oxfordshire 18 0.75x
Suffolk 18 0.38x
Herefordshire 17 1.06x
Devon 16 0.20x
Lanarkshire 13 0.10x
Channel Islands 9 0.78x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.17x
Bedfordshire 7 0.35x
Montgomeryshire 7 0.78x
Cheshire 6 0.07x
Northamptonshire 6 0.16x
Royal Navy 6 1.29x
Cumberland 4 0.12x
Durham 4 0.03x
Norfolk 4 0.07x
Northumberland 4 0.07x
Brecknockshire 3 0.38x
Isle of Man 2 0.28x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.16x
Cornwall 1 0.02x
East Lothian 1 0.19x
Leicestershire 1 0.02x
Radnorshire 1 0.32x
Shropshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St George in Gloucestershire leads with 130 Wiltshires recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.77x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St George 130 36.77x
Bethnal Green London 88 5.20x
Calne 67 94.41x
Lambeth 60 1.77x
Mangotsfield 59 77.43x
Islington London 56 1.48x
Bishops Cannings 54 422.87x
Portsea 52 3.32x
Kensington London 49 2.26x
Hackney London 44 2.01x
Brighton 42 3.17x
Walcot 41 12.27x
West Ham 41 2.41x
Stapleton 40 27.58x
Croydon 39 3.70x
St Marylebone London 39 1.87x
Aberystruth 34 13.69x
Battersea 34 2.37x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 34 4.72x
St George Hanover 33 6.49x
Bedminster 32 5.43x
South Stoneham 32 18.46x
North Petherton 31 61.25x
Aston 30 1.11x
Bulkington 30 1293.10x
Swindon 30 11.22x
Devizes St Mary 29 83.24x
Epsom 28 30.25x
St Pancras London 27 0.86x
Ystradyfodwg 26 4.37x
Bromley London 24 2.80x
Chelsea London 23 1.96x
Birmingham 22 0.67x
Devizes St John 22 84.97x
Fulham London 22 3.89x
Keynsham 22 48.82x
Southampton St Mary 22 4.38x
Abingdon St Helen 21 24.55x
Camberwell 21 0.84x
Greenwich 21 3.38x
Hampstead London 21 3.46x
Llandaff 21 9.30x
Lyndhurst 21 95.98x
Bitton Oldland 20 25.59x
Kington St Michael 20 325.20x
Melksham 20 33.41x
Winchcomb 20 52.73x
Clapham 19 3.90x
Clerkenwell London 19 2.07x
Weston 19 39.38x
Aberdare 18 3.86x
Bedwellty 18 3.62x
Devizes St James 18 39.29x
East Hendred 18 165.59x
Reading St Giles 18 6.27x
Shoreditch London 18 1.07x
Twerton 18 27.82x
Bristol St Augustine 17 13.78x
St Luke London 17 2.72x
Stert 17 909.09x
Tottenham 17 2.74x
Deptford St Paul 16 1.56x
East West Challow 16 210.80x
Hammersmith London 16 1.67x
Newington 16 1.11x
Rowde 16 100.57x
Bermondsey 15 1.29x
Lyncombe Widcombe 15 9.13x
Overton 15 78.45x
Paddington London 15 1.05x
Rowley Regis 15 4.09x
Alton 14 23.25x
Bathwick 14 20.16x
Bradford On Avon 14 12.69x
East Lockinge 14 318.18x
Everleigh 14 295.36x
Liddington 14 252.25x
Merthyr Tydfil 14 2.15x
Pucklechurch 14 81.21x
West Derby 14 1.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 223
Elizabeth 153
Sarah 137
Alice 83
Eliza 78
Jane 78
Ann 73
Emily 72
Emma 65
Ellen 61
Annie 53
Caroline 37
Charlotte 37
Louisa 35
Fanny 34
Edith 30
Martha 29
Hannah 26
Maria 25
Harriet 24
Anne 22
Florence 22
Amelia 20
Lucy 19
Sophia 19
Ada 18
Agnes 18
Harriett 18
Susan 18
Kate 16
Rose 16
Margaret 15
Minnie 15
Catherine 14
Clara 14
Lydia 12
Jessie 11
Julia 10
Matilda 10
Rebecca 10
Rosa 9
Rosina 9
Amy 8
Beatrice 7
Henrietta 7
Hester 7
Elizth. 6
Ethel 6
Frances 6
Maud 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 264
George 213
John 167
James 123
Thomas 123
Henry 106
Charles 102
Joseph 61
Alfred 55
Frederick 50
Albert 37
Walter 35
Arthur 27
Edward 26
Ernest 24
Frank 24
Francis 22
Robert 22
Harry 21
Samuel 20
Edwin 18
David 16
Isaac 16
Herbert 14
Richard 14
Benjamin 9
Stephen 9
Daniel 8
Fred 8
Jacob 8
Tom 8
Fredrick 7
Alexander 6
Edgar 6
Geo. 6
Sidney 6
Sydney 6
Thos. 6
Wm. 6
Chas. 5
Fredk. 5
Jesse 5
Simeon 5
Ambrose 4
Eli 4
Gilbert 4
Job 4
Oliver 4
Percy 4
Aaron 3

FAQ

Wiltshire surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wiltshire surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,984 people were recorded with the Wiltshire surname. That placed it at #1,138 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wiltshire surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,161 in 2016. That gives Wiltshire a modern rank of #1,098.

What does the Wiltshire surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from the county of Wiltshire in England.

What does the Wiltshire map show?

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