NameCensus.

UK surname

Windle

Derived from a place name meaning "white hill" in Old English, likely referring to someone who lived there.

In the 1881 census there were 1,702 people recorded with the Windle surname, ranking it #2,527 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,015, ranked #3,197, down from #2,527 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Batley and Barnoldswick. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Rotherham and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Windle is 2,390 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.4%.

1881 census count

1,702

Ranked #2,527

Modern count

2,015

2016, ranked #3,197

Peak year

1911

2,390 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Windle had 1,702 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,527 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,015 in 2016, ranked #3,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,390 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Windle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Windle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Windle 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 1,111 #2,535
1861 historical 1,044 #2,687
1881 historical 1,702 #2,527
1891 historical 1,919 #2,401
1901 historical 2,258 #2,404
1911 historical 2,390 #2,146
1997 modern 2,144 #2,881
1998 modern 2,189 #2,929
1999 modern 2,206 #2,936
2000 modern 2,149 #2,983
2001 modern 2,071 #3,017
2002 modern 2,102 #3,044
2003 modern 2,051 #3,054
2004 modern 2,073 #3,026
2005 modern 2,045 #3,019
2006 modern 2,026 #3,049
2007 modern 2,013 #3,112
2008 modern 2,027 #3,110
2009 modern 2,076 #3,119
2010 modern 2,102 #3,144
2011 modern 2,060 #3,161
2012 modern 2,016 #3,173
2013 modern 2,045 #3,187
2014 modern 2,054 #3,194
2015 modern 2,031 #3,190
2016 modern 2,015 #3,197

Geography

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Where Windles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Batley, Barnoldswick, Sheffield and Rotherham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Rotherham, Barnsley and Burnley. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Barnoldswick Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Rotherham Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 052 Bradford
2 Rotherham 004 Rotherham
3 Barnsley 024 Barnsley
4 Rotherham 001 Rotherham
5 Burnley 010 Burnley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Windle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Windle

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

Windle 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

Windle falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Windle

The surname Windle is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to the ancient region of Mercia in central England, around the 8th or 9th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "wincel" and "hyll," which collectively mean "winding hill" or "crooked hill." This suggests that the name may have been originally used to describe someone who lived near a distinctively curved or winding hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Windle can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Windhille" in reference to a place in Cheshire. This is likely a variant spelling of the name, reflecting the local dialect and pronunciation of the time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records as "Wyndhill" and "Wyndhull," further solidifying its connection to the Old English words for "winding hill." During this period, the surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Cheshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Windle include Sir Ralph de Windle, a 14th-century knight from Cheshire, and William Windle, a 16th-century rector of St. Mary's Church in Chester (born around 1520). In the 17th century, John Windle (1598-1668) was a prominent English clergyman and author from Lancashire.

The 18th century saw the emergence of Richard Windle (1740-1811), a respected English author and bibliographer. Meanwhile, in the 19th century, Thomas Windle (1857-1915) was a renowned English priest, archaeologist, and writer who made significant contributions to the study of ancient manuscripts and Celtic literature.

Throughout its history, the surname Windle has maintained a strong presence in the counties of Cheshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire, as well as in parts of Wales and Ireland, where it is believed to have been introduced by English settlers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Windle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Windle 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. Yorkshire leads with 747 Windles recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.55x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 747 4.55x
Lancashire 456 2.32x
Derbyshire 106 4.09x
Middlesex 85 0.51x
Lincolnshire 51 1.93x
Nottinghamshire 46 2.06x
Surrey 39 0.48x
Kent 34 0.60x
Durham 31 0.63x
Warwickshire 27 0.65x
Westmorland 12 3.30x
Staffordshire 11 0.20x
Essex 10 0.31x
Norfolk 8 0.31x
Cumberland 7 0.49x
Cheshire 4 0.11x
Leicestershire 3 0.16x
Northumberland 3 0.12x
Wiltshire 3 0.20x
Worcestershire 3 0.14x
Bedfordshire 2 0.23x
Hampshire 2 0.06x
Isle of Man 2 0.65x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.07x
Berkshire 1 0.08x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.10x
Denbighshire 1 0.16x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Oxfordshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barnoldswick in Yorkshire leads with 51 Windles recorded in 1881 and an index of 222.61x.

Place Total Index
Barnoldswick 51 222.61x
Clitheroe 43 74.33x
Soothill 41 69.15x
Thornton In Craven 41 311.31x
Sheffield 40 7.65x
Skipton 35 67.76x
Great Little Marsden 34 37.76x
Oldham 32 5.04x
Batley 28 17.95x
Chesterfield 24 24.69x
Preston 23 4.37x
Tottington Lower End 23 24.63x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 22 14.39x
St Marylebone London 22 2.49x
Brightside Bierlow 21 6.52x
Colne 21 35.87x
Habergham Eaves 21 11.69x
Kimberworth 21 23.05x
Nether Hallam 20 9.01x
Ecclesfield 19 15.79x
Aston 18 1.56x
Liverpool 18 1.51x
Newbold Dunston 17 68.97x
Rotherham 17 18.37x
Burnley 16 9.67x
Camberwell 16 1.51x
Bishopwearmouth 15 3.55x
Holy Trinity 15 3.80x
Over Darwen 15 9.55x
Bermondsey 14 2.84x
Doncaster 14 11.67x
Hulme 14 3.41x
Nottingham St Mary 14 2.42x
Ordsall 14 81.92x
Carlton In Skipton 13 135.56x
Mirfield 13 14.43x
Pudsey 13 14.82x
Barton St Mary 12 90.36x
Newchurch 12 7.46x
Salford 12 2.08x
Shitlington 12 70.67x
Brimington 11 55.87x
Kirkdale 11 3.33x
Bradford 10 2.52x
Clowne 10 96.99x
Dalton In Furness 10 13.18x
Dewsbury 10 5.94x
Ecclesall Bierlow 10 3.00x
Handsworth 10 23.05x
Islington London 10 0.62x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 10 17.06x
Sutton 10 53.48x
Wilsden 10 59.31x
Basford 9 8.75x
Keighley 9 5.14x
Moston 9 45.66x
Stockton On Tees 9 3.79x
Swinton In Rotherham 9 20.74x
Whittington 9 25.08x
Coal Aston 8 178.97x
Denby 8 90.29x
Elton 8 11.78x
Fulwood 8 37.66x
Goxhill 8 122.51x
Horton In Bradford 8 3.12x
Kensington London 8 0.87x
Oswaldtwistle 8 11.52x
Sawley 8 102.30x
Spotland 8 3.66x
Wath On Dearne 8 24.43x
Whiston 8 101.27x
Birmingham 7 0.50x
Dalton In Huddersfield 7 19.04x
East Butterwick 7 1296.30x
Frindsbury 7 32.86x
Heeley 7 14.03x
Leck 7 454.55x
Lower Booths 7 19.88x
Penistone 7 54.69x
Petham 7 179.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 139
Sarah 87
Elizabeth 72
Ann 35
Alice 31
Jane 29
Margaret 28
Annie 25
Hannah 25
Ellen 22
Martha 22
Emma 21
Eliza 19
Emily 12
Clara 11
Maria 11
Ada 10
Edith 9
Florence 9
Lucy 9
Harriet 8
Anne 7
Harriett 7
Ruth 7
Agnes 6
Eleanor 6
Fanny 6
Isabella 6
Susannah 6
Amelia 5
Catherine 5
Charlotte 5
Frances 5
Lilly 5
Louisa 5
Nancy 5
Rachel 5
Rose 5
Caroline 4
Esther 4
Leah 4
Lydia 4
Susan 4
Beatrice 3
Betsy 3
Elizth. 3
Helena 3
Julia 3
Laura 3
Lily 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 112
William 93
George 49
James 47
Thomas 47
Joseph 36
Charles 26
Henry 25
Harry 18
Alfred 16
Arthur 15
Wm. 13
Edward 12
Herbert 11
Richard 11
Samuel 11
David 10
Ernest 10
Walter 9
Christopher 8
Frank 7
Fred 7
Robert 7
Albert 6
Benjamin 6
Francis 6
Abraham 5
Edwin 5
Frederick 5
Jabez 5
Thos. 5
Edmund 4
Isaac 4
Mark 4
Percy 4
Daniel 3
Darius 3
Geo. 3
Hartley 3
Joe 3
Jonathan 3
Josiah 3
Matthew 3
Wilfred 3
Jno. 2
Norman 2
Parker 2
Richd. 2
Sam 2
Stephen 2

FAQ

Windle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Windle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,702 people were recorded with the Windle surname. That placed it at #2,527 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Windle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,015 in 2016. That gives Windle a modern rank of #3,197.

What does the Windle surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "white hill" in Old English, likely referring to someone who lived there.

What does the Windle map show?

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