NameCensus.

UK surname

Windus

A surname derived from a location or location near wind or winds.

In the 1881 census there were 137 people recorded with the Windus surname, ranking it #16,358 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 89, ranked #32,297, down from #16,358 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hackney, Chelmsford and East Hampshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Windus is 138 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 35.0%.

1881 census count

137

Ranked #16,358

Modern count

89

2016, ranked #32,297

Peak year

1901

138 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2006

Key insights

  • Windus had 137 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,358 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 89 in 2016, ranked #32,297.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 138 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Windus surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Windus surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Windus 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 121 #15,049
1861 historical 62 #26,041
1881 historical 137 #16,358
1891 historical 127 #20,496
1901 historical 138 #18,955
1911 historical 116 #20,850
1997 modern 113 #25,106
1998 modern 108 #26,417
1999 modern 114 #25,766
2000 modern 106 #26,848
2001 modern 102 #27,093
2002 modern 108 #26,698
2003 modern 98 #28,046
2004 modern 101 #27,813
2005 modern 108 #26,736
2006 modern 103 #27,785
2007 modern 105 #27,868
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 101 #29,445
2010 modern 101 #30,078
2011 modern 96 #30,721
2012 modern 95 #31,107
2013 modern 90 #32,146
2014 modern 97 #31,518
2015 modern 90 #32,245
2016 modern 89 #32,297

Geography

Back to top

Where Windus' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch, Lambeth and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hackney, Chelmsford, East Hampshire, Warrington and Babergh. 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 1
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hackney 018 Hackney
2 Chelmsford 015 Chelmsford
3 East Hampshire 017 East Hampshire
4 Warrington 023 Warrington
5 Babergh 011 Babergh

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Windus

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Windus

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Windus, 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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Windus surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Windus household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Windus 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

Windus is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Windus falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Windus

The surname Windus has its origins in England, tracing back to the early medieval period. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "wind" meaning wind and "hus" meaning house, suggesting a house exposed to the wind. This type of descriptive surname would have originally been used to describe someone’s dwelling or the location of a house within a village. Over time, it evolved into a hereditary surname.

The earliest references to the name can be found in medieval English records. Although the surname Windus does not appear in the Domesday Book of 1086, documents from the 12th and 13th centuries feature variations of the name. Old spellings such as Wyndhus and Wyndes can be found in various county rolls and tax records from this era.

One of the early recorded instances of the surname is Richard Windus, who lived in the late 14th century and is mentioned in land transactions in Wiltshire. Another historical reference is John Windus, who appears in records from the mid-15th century, holding land in Hertfordshire. These instances suggest the name was relatively localized within certain rural regions.

During the 18th century, a notable person with the surname was Baron Norman Windus (1703-1762), a British nobleman known for his patronage of the arts and support of early scientific exploration. His contributions are recorded in various literary and scientific journals of the time.

In the 19th century, another prominent figure was Thomas Windus (1790-1854), an antiquarian and author. He was a collector of historical manuscripts and artifacts, and his work was instrumental in preserving many early English texts and relics. His publication, “Tales and Historic Scenes of Mortlake”, remains a valuable resource for historians.

A later historical figure is Henry Windus (1817-1904), who was an influential industrialist during the Victorian era. He founded several manufacturing enterprises in the Midlands and played a significant role in the economic development of the region. His leadership in these industries laid the groundwork for future industrial advancements.

Lastly, we have Alice Windus (1869-1935), an early advocate for women's suffrage and social reform in England. Her work campaigned for equal rights and women's education, and she was active in several movements that shaped early 20th-century British society.

The surname Windus, with its roots in medieval England, reflects a rich tapestry of historical significance, local heritage, and contributions across various fields through the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Windus families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Windus 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 57 Windus' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.30x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 57 4.30x
Lancashire 24 1.52x
Surrey 16 2.48x
Essex 10 3.82x
Yorkshire 10 0.76x
Sussex 5 2.24x
Hampshire 4 1.47x
Banffshire 3 10.90x
Durham 2 0.51x
Gloucestershire 2 0.77x
Derbyshire 1 0.48x
Kent 1 0.22x
Oxfordshire 1 1.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shoreditch London in Middlesex leads with 23 Windus' recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.99x.

Place Total Index
Shoreditch London 23 39.99x
Islington London 14 10.89x
Eccleston In Prescot 7 88.61x
Hackney London 7 9.41x
Kirkdale 7 26.44x
Lambeth 7 6.05x
St Marylebone London 7 9.88x
York St Cuthbert 7 583.33x
Windle 6 67.72x
Cranleigh 4 421.05x
Theydon Garnon 4 666.67x
Banff 3 125.52x
Everton 3 5.98x
Battersea 2 4.10x
Beverley St Mary 2 104.17x
Broadwater 2 38.99x
Clifton 2 15.21x
Epping 2 188.68x
Finchley 2 39.29x
Gateshead 2 6.77x
Great Easton 2 555.56x
Hampstead London 2 9.68x
Headley 2 270.27x
Streatham 2 20.33x
Worth 2 123.46x
Bridlington 1 33.22x
Caversham 1 60.98x
Derby St Alkmund 1 16.08x
East Ham 1 20.58x
Holdenhurst 1 14.03x
Lee 1 15.22x
Liverpool 1 1.05x
Otterbourne 1 256.41x
South Bersted 1 52.63x
St Andrew Holborn 1 22.22x
St Martin In Fields 1 12.59x
Stoke 1 32.79x
Woodford 1 33.78x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Edward 7
John 6
William 6
Henry 5
Alfred 4
Thomas 4
George 3
Charles 2
Edwin 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Alexander 1
Arnold 1
C. 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Gerald 1
Gordon 1
Miles 1
Octavius 1
R. 1
Roland 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Windus surname: questions and answers

How common was the Windus surname in 1881?

In 1881, 137 people were recorded with the Windus surname. That placed it at #16,358 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Windus surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 89 in 2016. That gives Windus a modern rank of #32,297.

What does the Windus surname mean?

A surname derived from a location or location near wind or winds.

What does the Windus map show?

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