NameCensus.

UK surname

Windsor

A locational surname referring to a person who lived in or came from Windsor, England.

In the 1881 census there were 2,458 people recorded with the Windsor surname, ranking it #1,809 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,002, ranked #1,695, up from #1,809 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Queen Camel and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrogate, Neath Port Talbot and Taunton Deane.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Windsor is 4,184 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.8%.

1881 census count

2,458

Ranked #1,809

Modern count

4,002

2016, ranked #1,695

Peak year

2010

4,184 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Windsor had 2,458 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,809 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,002 in 2016, ranked #1,695.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,476 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Windsor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Windsor surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Windsor 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 1,273 #2,245
1861 historical 1,447 #1,963
1881 historical 2,458 #1,809
1891 historical 2,438 #1,932
1901 historical 3,126 #1,794
1911 historical 3,476 #1,500
1997 modern 3,850 #1,691
1998 modern 4,095 #1,650
1999 modern 4,120 #1,647
2000 modern 4,115 #1,650
2001 modern 4,021 #1,648
2002 modern 4,111 #1,648
2003 modern 3,985 #1,659
2004 modern 3,977 #1,662
2005 modern 3,923 #1,661
2006 modern 3,936 #1,654
2007 modern 3,965 #1,661
2008 modern 4,019 #1,647
2009 modern 4,096 #1,659
2010 modern 4,184 #1,659
2011 modern 4,150 #1,650
2012 modern 4,055 #1,654
2013 modern 4,127 #1,659
2014 modern 4,104 #1,679
2015 modern 4,062 #1,679
2016 modern 4,002 #1,695

Geography

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Where Windsors are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Harrogate, Neath Port Talbot, Taunton Deane, Shropshire and Newcastle-under-Lyme. 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 Queen Camel Somerset
3 London parishes London 1
4 Wolstanton Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrogate 009 Harrogate
2 Neath Port Talbot 020 Neath Port Talbot
3 Taunton Deane 013 Taunton Deane
4 Shropshire 006 Shropshire
5 Newcastle-under-Lyme 006 Newcastle-under-Lyme

Forenames

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First names often paired with Windsor

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Windsor

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

Windsor is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Windsor

The surname Windsor has its origins in England, specifically in the county of Berkshire. The name is derived from the Old English words "windles" and "oran," which together mean "winding river bank." This is a reference to the location of the royal town of Windsor, situated on the banks of the River Thames.

The earliest recorded usage of the name Windsor can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Windsor, indicating that the name was already established in the region.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Windsor was Walter Windsor, who lived in the 12th century and served as a royal falconer to King Henry II. Another notable figure was William de Windsor, a 13th-century English prelate who served as Bishop of Winchester from 1305 to 1337.

In the 14th century, the name Windsor gained prominence due to its association with the royal House of Windsor, which traces its lineage back to the medieval Plantagenet dynasty. The first monarch of this house was King Edward III, who was born in 1312 and reigned from 1327 to 1377.

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603), the name Windsor was further popularized by the construction of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British monarchy. This grand castle, located in the town of Windsor, became a symbol of royal power and prestige.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Windsor. These include Edward Windsor (1894-1972), better known as the Duke of Windsor, who famously abdicated the British throne in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson. Another prominent figure was Henry Windsor (1838-1900), a British naval officer and explorer who served as Governor of Newfoundland and Bermuda.

Other famous Windsors include Francis Windsor (1592-1634), an English courtier and politician during the reign of King Charles I, and Robert Windsor (1923-2004), a British peer and member of the House of Lords.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Windsor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Windsor 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 400 Windsors recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.64x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 400 1.64x
Lancashire 214 0.74x
Yorkshire 206 0.85x
Staffordshire 204 2.48x
Surrey 170 1.43x
Somerset 161 4.11x
Cheshire 121 2.25x
Shropshire 119 5.65x
Hampshire 104 2.08x
Warwickshire 81 1.32x
Gloucestershire 53 1.11x
Kent 52 0.63x
Glamorgan 47 1.11x
Devon 45 0.89x
Buckinghamshire 43 2.92x
Wiltshire 42 1.95x
Worcestershire 42 1.32x
Berkshire 40 2.19x
Channel Islands 34 4.71x
Essex 34 0.71x
Denbighshire 30 3.26x
Northamptonshire 30 1.31x
Dorset 28 1.75x
Flintshire 23 3.51x
Monmouthshire 22 1.25x
Lincolnshire 21 0.54x
Sussex 19 0.46x
Oxfordshire 18 1.20x
Hertfordshire 16 0.95x
Cornwall 12 0.44x
Suffolk 12 0.40x
Isle of Man 10 2.21x
Durham 9 0.12x
Lanarkshire 8 0.10x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.41x
Cumberland 4 0.19x
Leicestershire 4 0.15x
Norfolk 3 0.08x
Bedfordshire 2 0.16x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.13x
Derbyshire 2 0.05x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.37x
Royal Navy 2 0.69x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.10x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Armley in Yorkshire leads with 55 Windsors recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.66x.

Place Total Index
Armley 55 51.66x
Islington London 47 1.99x
Hendon 46 52.49x
Portsea 42 4.29x
Leeds 41 3.01x
Camberwell 40 2.57x
Wolstanton 36 14.42x
Rowley Regis 35 15.28x
Battersea 30 3.35x
Queen Camel 28 610.02x
St Pancras London 28 1.43x
Burslem 26 11.04x
Croydon 25 3.79x
Aston 22 1.30x
Birmingham 22 1.07x
Wolstanton Oldcott 22 73.88x
Dudley 21 5.43x
Bronington 20 353.98x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 19 4.22x
Everton 19 2.06x
Hackney London 19 1.39x
Hammersmith London 19 3.17x
Whittington 19 107.83x
Stoke Upon Trent 18 2.06x
Lambeth 17 0.80x
Liverpool 17 0.97x
Priston 17 794.39x
Shoreditch London 17 1.61x
West Derby 17 2.01x
Bethnal Green London 15 1.42x
Chorlton On Medlock 15 3.27x
Paddington London 15 1.67x
Stretford 15 9.43x
Wolstanton Thursfield 15 150.30x
St Peter Port 14 10.49x
Wraxall 14 187.17x
Cardiff St Mary 13 5.56x
Greenwich 13 3.35x
Holbeck 13 8.13x
Poplar London 13 2.83x
Titchfield 13 34.55x
Wrenbury Cum Frith 13 306.60x
Drayton Parslow 12 303.80x
Llantysilio 12 334.26x
St Anne Soho London 12 8.63x
Walsall Foreign 12 2.83x
Braunton 11 63.99x
Bristol St George 11 4.98x
Broughton 11 30.41x
Broughton In Salford 11 4.16x
Shifnal 11 19.25x
St George In East 11 6.64x
Tormoham 11 5.13x
Ulverston 11 13.07x
Wolverhampton 11 1.74x
Avington 10 1219.51x
Bedminster 10 2.71x
Clerkenwell London 10 1.74x
Madeley 10 12.96x
New Windsor 10 16.27x
Sale 10 15.16x
Westminster St John 10 3.37x
Wortley In Bramley 10 5.23x
Ardwick 9 3.45x
Birkenhead 9 2.10x
Bunbury 9 122.12x
Burwardsley 9 241.94x
Coventry Holy Trinity 9 4.91x
Enfield 9 5.63x
Finmere 9 370.37x
Great Marlow 9 22.64x
Keinton Mandeville 9 200.89x
Manchester 9 0.69x
Nantwich 9 14.40x
Pendleton In Salford 9 2.61x
Southwark St Saviour 9 7.19x
St Leonard Foster Lane 9 3913.04x
Stamford St Michael 9 81.37x
Wellingborough 9 7.81x
Wycombe 9 8.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 159
Elizabeth 100
Sarah 82
Ann 55
Jane 55
Alice 46
Eliza 46
Ellen 46
Emma 45
Annie 43
Emily 38
Martha 32
Margaret 27
Hannah 25
Louisa 17
Ada 14
Fanny 14
Harriet 14
Maria 14
Clara 12
Florence 12
Kate 11
Rose 11
Agnes 10
Catherine 10
Edith 10
Ethel 10
Frances 10
Anne 9
Susan 9
Harriett 8
Caroline 7
Lucy 7
Lydia 7
Elizth. 6
Julia 6
Matilda 6
Minnie 6
Rosina 6
Susannah 6
Amelia 5
Esther 5
Gertrude 5
Katherine 5
Mabel 5
Maud 5
Phoebe 5
Sophia 5
Charlotte 4
Laura 4

Top male names

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

FAQ

Windsor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Windsor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,458 people were recorded with the Windsor surname. That placed it at #1,809 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Windsor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,002 in 2016. That gives Windsor a modern rank of #1,695.

What does the Windsor surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a person who lived in or came from Windsor, England.

What does the Windsor map show?

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