NameCensus.

UK surname

Winder

An occupational surname for someone who winds thread or yarn, or operates a winding machine in textile manufacturing.

In the 1881 census there were 1,966 people recorded with the Winder surname, ranking it #2,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,645, ranked #2,523, down from #2,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, London parishes and Lancaster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Eden, Lancaster and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Winder is 2,852 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.5%.

1881 census count

1,966

Ranked #2,230

Modern count

2,645

2016, ranked #2,523

Peak year

2010

2,852 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Winder had 1,966 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,230 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,645 in 2016, ranked #2,523.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,752 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Winder surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Winder surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Winder 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 1,331 #2,157
1861 historical 1,604 #1,775
1881 historical 1,966 #2,230
1891 historical 2,222 #2,098
1901 historical 2,537 #2,165
1911 historical 2,752 #1,884
1997 modern 2,722 #2,349
1998 modern 2,752 #2,413
1999 modern 2,790 #2,401
2000 modern 2,785 #2,393
2001 modern 2,721 #2,392
2002 modern 2,781 #2,396
2003 modern 2,697 #2,410
2004 modern 2,672 #2,430
2005 modern 2,622 #2,445
2006 modern 2,653 #2,428
2007 modern 2,685 #2,424
2008 modern 2,705 #2,426
2009 modern 2,776 #2,426
2010 modern 2,852 #2,416
2011 modern 2,777 #2,436
2012 modern 2,652 #2,492
2013 modern 2,690 #2,501
2014 modern 2,677 #2,529
2015 modern 2,656 #2,525
2016 modern 2,645 #2,523

Geography

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Where Winders are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, London parishes, Lancaster, Brighton and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Eden, Lancaster and Rotherham. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lancaster Lancashire
4 Brighton Sussex
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Eden 007 Eden
2 Lancaster 020 Lancaster
3 Lancaster 011 Lancaster
4 Lancaster 016 Lancaster
5 Rotherham 002 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Winder

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Winder

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Winder is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Winder is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Winder

The surname Winder originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "windere," referring to someone who worked as a winder of thread, yarn, or rope.

During the medieval period, the name was concentrated in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire, where the textile industry was thriving. Variations in spelling, such as Wynder and Wyndere, were common in early records.

One of the earliest references to the name can be found in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire, where a William le Wyndere was mentioned in 1297. The Winder surname also appears in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Cheshire in 1333, indicating its presence in the region.

In the 16th century, the name Winder became associated with the Lancashire town of Winder, now known as Windle. This connection suggests that some individuals may have adopted the surname based on their place of residence or origin.

Notable individuals bearing the Winder surname include John Winder (c. 1585-1647), an English clergyman and author of the book "The Winding Light." Robert Winder (1635-1718) was a prominent Quaker leader in Pennsylvania, known for his role in the establishment of Philadelphia.

Another notable figure is Levin Winder (1719-1766), an American planter and politician who served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates. In the 19th century, John H. Winder (1800-1865) was a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War.

The Winder surname has also been associated with several place names, such as Winder, Georgia, and Winderbourne in Gloucestershire, England, which may have influenced the adoption or spelling of the name in certain regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Winder families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Winder 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. Lancashire leads with 696 Winders recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.06x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 696 3.06x
Yorkshire 329 1.73x
Sussex 170 5.26x
Kent 146 2.23x
Middlesex 127 0.66x
Westmorland 120 28.47x
Surrey 79 0.85x
Cumberland 67 4.06x
Durham 44 0.77x
Warwickshire 20 0.41x
Berkshire 18 1.25x
Nottinghamshire 17 0.66x
Shropshire 17 1.03x
Cheshire 15 0.35x
Essex 13 0.34x
Worcestershire 9 0.36x
Lanarkshire 8 0.13x
Northumberland 8 0.28x
Devon 7 0.18x
Ayrshire 5 0.35x
Cornwall 5 0.23x
Glamorgan 5 0.15x
Leicestershire 5 0.24x
Suffolk 5 0.21x
Isle of Man 4 1.12x
Northamptonshire 4 0.22x
Derbyshire 3 0.10x
Hampshire 3 0.08x
Hertfordshire 3 0.23x
Bedfordshire 2 0.20x
Lincolnshire 2 0.07x
Monmouthshire 2 0.14x
Somerset 2 0.06x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.06x
Dorset 1 0.08x
Gloucestershire 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.44x
Rutland 1 0.71x
Wiltshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lancaster in Lancashire leads with 70 Winders recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.70x.

Place Total Index
Lancaster 70 51.70x
Brighton 68 10.42x
Over Wyresdale 54 1602.37x
Newhaven 42 159.88x
Preston 36 5.91x
Barrow In Furness 35 11.31x
Kendal 34 44.07x
Scotforth 33 223.12x
Leeds 30 2.80x
Ulverston 29 43.75x
Lambeth 27 1.61x
Aldingham 25 328.95x
Manningham 25 10.68x
Skerton 24 128.48x
Barnsley 21 10.71x
Battersea 21 2.98x
Little Bolton 21 7.18x
Great Bolton 19 6.30x
Hackney London 19 1.77x
Worsbrough 19 34.12x
Wortley In Bramley 19 12.62x
Islington London 18 0.97x
Kirkland 18 200.22x
Blackburn 17 2.81x
Deptford St Paul 17 3.37x
Horton In Bradford 17 5.73x
Cockerham 15 258.18x
Holy Trinity 15 3.28x
Layton With Warbreck 15 17.96x
Bishopwearmouth 14 2.86x
Bradford 14 3.04x
Dalton In Furness 14 15.94x
Gateshead 14 3.28x
St Cuthbert W O 13 16.15x
St Marylebone London 13 1.27x
Bramhall 12 68.45x
Sheffield 12 1.98x
Smeeth 12 294.12x
Wickersley 12 228.14x
Broughton In Salford 11 5.29x
Carnforth 11 88.00x
Eastbourne 11 7.39x
Plumstead 11 5.04x
Poulton Barre 11 42.49x
Thornton In Fylde 11 22.09x
Wombwell 11 19.85x
Brightside Bierlow 10 2.68x
Cheetham 10 5.89x
Leyland 10 25.26x
Nottingham St Mary 10 1.50x
Penrith 10 16.39x
Shap 10 107.53x
Sutton Coldfield 10 19.67x
Ardsley 9 41.10x
Bury 9 3.46x
Drypool 9 30.94x
Fulham London 9 3.24x
Habergham Eaves 9 4.33x
Horsham 9 14.33x
Kemsing 9 309.28x
Lamberhurst 9 110.43x
Rawmarsh 9 13.40x
Rishton 9 33.72x
Alkham 8 212.20x
Bray 8 18.91x
Croydon 8 1.54x
Garstang 8 155.64x
Greenwich 8 2.62x
Hatfield In Thorne 8 67.45x
Holme 8 156.56x
North Meols 8 3.59x
Richmond 8 6.11x
Tonge With Haulgh 8 18.06x
Washington 8 33.44x
Wellington 8 8.59x
Barkstone Ash 7 311.11x
Burley In Wharfdale 7 41.72x
Denton 7 218.75x
Ranskill 7 283.40x
Windle 7 5.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 144
Elizabeth 88
Sarah 55
Jane 44
Margaret 44
Alice 38
Ann 35
Annie 30
Eliza 26
Ellen 25
Emma 21
Edith 17
Louisa 17
Agnes 15
Emily 15
Caroline 14
Clara 12
Florence 12
Ada 10
Anne 9
Isabella 9
Maria 9
Martha 9
Catherine 8
Dorothy 8
Hannah 8
Harriet 8
Charlotte 7
Eleanor 7
Esther 7
Ethel 6
Fanny 6
Frances 6
Lydia 6
Minnie 6
Amy 5
Beatrice 5
Grace 5
Harriett 5
Kate 5
Nancy 5
Rose 5
Susannah 5
Julia 4
M. 4
Anna 3
Betsy 3
Margt. 3
Rachel 3
Winifred 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 154
William 109
Thomas 76
James 62
George 46
Robert 40
Joseph 38
Richard 34
Edward 30
Henry 30
Charles 28
Alfred 24
Frederick 16
Arthur 15
Wm. 10
Albert 9
David 9
Edwin 8
Jonathan 8
Stephen 8
Walter 8
Ambrose 7
Harry 7
Herbert 7
Samuel 7
Frank 6
Matthew 5
Thos. 5
Ernest 4
Isaac 4
Leonard 4
Mark 4
Percy 4
Ben 3
Fredrick 3
Jesse 3
Jno. 3
Mortimer 3
Philip 3
Tom 3
Christopher 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Mary 2
Nicholas 2
R. 2
Ralph 2
Robt. 2
Rowland 2
Spencer 2

FAQ

Winder surname: questions and answers

How common was the Winder surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,966 people were recorded with the Winder surname. That placed it at #2,230 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Winder surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,645 in 2016. That gives Winder a modern rank of #2,523.

What does the Winder surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who winds thread or yarn, or operates a winding machine in textile manufacturing.

What does the Winder map show?

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