NameCensus.

UK surname

Winfield

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near or in a windy field.

In the 1881 census there were 2,488 people recorded with the Winfield surname, ranking it #1,792 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,039, ranked #1,681, up from #1,792 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Alkmund, Berwick Salome, Brightwell Salome (Watlington, Oxfordshire), Bensington, and Ewelme and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derby, Erewash and South Derbyshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Winfield is 4,222 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.3%.

1881 census count

2,488

Ranked #1,792

Modern count

4,039

2016, ranked #1,681

Peak year

1998

4,222 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Winfield had 2,488 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,792 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,039 in 2016, ranked #1,681.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,790 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Winfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Winfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Winfield 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 1,511 #1,896
1861 historical 1,568 #1,817
1881 historical 2,488 #1,792
1891 historical 2,892 #1,634
1901 historical 3,221 #1,741
1911 historical 3,790 #1,364
1997 modern 3,974 #1,630
1998 modern 4,222 #1,599
1999 modern 4,202 #1,621
2000 modern 4,151 #1,632
2001 modern 4,113 #1,601
2002 modern 4,178 #1,608
2003 modern 4,078 #1,616
2004 modern 4,084 #1,607
2005 modern 4,014 #1,619
2006 modern 3,990 #1,627
2007 modern 4,006 #1,643
2008 modern 4,010 #1,650
2009 modern 4,078 #1,664
2010 modern 4,169 #1,665
2011 modern 4,105 #1,663
2012 modern 4,032 #1,665
2013 modern 4,085 #1,680
2014 modern 4,093 #1,687
2015 modern 4,045 #1,688
2016 modern 4,039 #1,681

Geography

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Where Winfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Alkmund, Berwick Salome, Brightwell Salome (Watlington, Oxfordshire), Bensington, and Ewelme, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and St Werburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derby, Erewash, South Derbyshire and South Kesteven. 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 St Alkmund Derbyshire
2 Berwick Salome, Brightwell Salome (Watlington, Oxfordshire), Bensington, and Ewelme Berkshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Werburgh Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derby 029 Derby
2 Erewash 003 Erewash
3 South Derbyshire 003 South Derbyshire
4 South Kesteven 003 South Kesteven
5 Erewash 001 Erewash

Forenames

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First names often paired with Winfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Winfield

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

Winfield is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Winfield 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 Winfield is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Winfield, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Winfield

The surname Winfield originated in England, derived from the Old English words "winnan" meaning "to toil" or "to strive," and "feld" meaning "field." It was a locational name given to someone who lived or worked on a windy or breezy field.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 12th century, with a reference to a William de Wynefeld in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1175. The spelling variations in early records include Wynfeld, Wynfelde, and Wynfyld.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Hundred Rolls of 1273 as Willelmus de Wynefeld, indicating a landowner in Derbyshire. The Winfield family also had connections to Staffordshire, where the name was associated with the town of Winfield.

One notable figure bearing the Winfield surname was Sir Ralph de Wynfelde, a 14th-century knight who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence and was rewarded with lands in Northumberland by King Edward III.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Winfield family gained prominence in Cheshire, where they held lands and estates. Sir Robert Winfield (1548-1628) was a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Cheshire in 1604.

In the 18th century, Sir Henry Winfield (1692-1752) was a renowned physician and Fellow of the Royal Society, known for his contributions to the study of anatomy and physiology.

Another notable bearer of the name was James Winfield (1786-1865), a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament.

The Winfield surname also has a presence in the United States, where it was brought by early English settlers. One of the earliest recorded instances was Thomas Winfield, who arrived in Virginia in 1635.

Throughout history, the Winfield surname has been associated with various professions, including landowners, military figures, politicians, and scholars, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have carried this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Winfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Winfield 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. Derbyshire leads with 546 Winfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.37x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 546 14.37x
Nottinghamshire 317 9.69x
Staffordshire 206 2.51x
Yorkshire 205 0.85x
Oxfordshire 204 13.61x
Middlesex 191 0.79x
Lancashire 101 0.35x
Hertfordshire 88 5.26x
Warwickshire 87 1.42x
Leicestershire 85 3.16x
Surrey 76 0.64x
Kent 75 0.91x
Gloucestershire 60 1.26x
Cheshire 45 0.84x
Norfolk 34 0.91x
Worcestershire 29 0.92x
Lincolnshire 19 0.49x
Huntingdonshire 14 2.91x
Hampshire 12 0.24x
Shropshire 12 0.57x
Northamptonshire 11 0.48x
Monmouthshire 10 0.57x
Buckinghamshire 9 0.61x
Radnorshire 8 4.09x
Berkshire 7 0.38x
Somerset 7 0.18x
Durham 6 0.08x
Devon 5 0.10x
Cornwall 4 0.15x
Bedfordshire 3 0.24x
Suffolk 3 0.10x
Sussex 3 0.07x
Westmorland 2 0.38x
Glamorgan 1 0.02x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Northumberland 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 120 Winfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.18x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 120 14.18x
Ilkeston 77 72.28x
Ewelme 74 1497.98x
Derby St Alkmund 58 50.93x
Derby St Werburgh 46 20.97x
Watford 45 34.70x
Witney 41 163.61x
Birmingham 35 1.72x
Castle Donnington 32 143.43x
Kensington London 32 2.37x
Stoke Upon Trent 29 3.34x
Long Eaton 28 55.83x
Sheffield 28 3.66x
Stapleford 25 94.09x
Bermondsey 24 3.32x
Mansfield 24 21.20x
Rochester St Margaret 24 27.49x
Spondon 24 164.16x
St Pancras London 24 1.23x
Derby St Peter 23 19.00x
Berkhampstead 20 53.18x
Burton Upon Trent 20 10.43x
Aston 19 1.13x
Stanton By Dale 19 366.80x
Shoreditch London 18 1.71x
Bulwell 17 23.90x
Islington London 17 0.72x
Manchester 17 1.31x
West Ardsley 17 58.74x
Chatham 16 7.02x
Church Gresley 16 26.46x
Elvaston 16 342.61x
Alvaston 15 138.50x
Basford 15 9.95x
Rickmansworth 15 32.57x
Tipton 15 5.98x
Ecclesall Bierlow 14 2.86x
Nuthall 14 114.10x
Stone 14 13.36x
Wilne 14 160.92x
Mile End Old Town 13 3.39x
St Luke London 13 3.34x
Stanley 13 184.92x
Stockport 13 4.72x
Whitwick 13 38.00x
Hailey 12 113.96x
Radford 12 7.22x
Snenton 12 9.34x
Bradford 11 1.89x
Brewood 11 46.57x
Chesterfield 11 7.72x
Fazeley 11 73.83x
Gillingham 11 6.44x
Hartford 11 90.76x
Heanor 11 19.36x
Poplar London 11 2.40x
Southwark St George Martyr 11 2.25x
Huntingdon St John 10 71.58x
Leeds 10 0.74x
Newport 10 11.95x
Peterborough 10 6.05x
Ripley 10 21.29x
Alcester 9 44.58x
Ambrosden 9 151.01x
Batley 9 3.94x
Brightside Bierlow 9 1.91x
Brize Norton 9 141.07x
Burton Joyce 9 161.58x
Calverley Cum Farsley 9 13.18x
Clerkenwell London 9 1.57x
Codnor Loscoe 9 29.91x
Heythrop 9 432.69x
Huddersfield 9 2.57x
Ilkestonderbypart 9 80.94x
Linton 9 90.09x
Shardlow 9 124.83x
St Nicholas Lincoln 9 24.27x
Stroud 9 9.72x
Wolstanton 9 3.62x
Worsbrough 9 12.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 150
Sarah 106
Elizabeth 86
Ann 63
Eliza 58
Emma 49
Hannah 39
Annie 38
Alice 36
Jane 35
Ellen 26
Fanny 23
Edith 20
Florence 20
Louisa 19
Lucy 19
Martha 19
Harriet 18
Emily 17
Clara 16
Margaret 16
Maria 15
Amy 14
Ada 13
Caroline 12
Charlotte 12
Elizth. 12
Rose 12
Frances 11
Anne 10
Julia 10
Harriett 9
Agnes 8
Catherine 8
Kate 8
Matilda 8
Beatrice 7
Bertha 7
Amelia 6
Eleanor 5
Minnie 5
Betsy 4
E. 4
Henrietta 4
Lilian 4
Ruth 4
Selina 4
Sophia 4
Isabella 3
Lydia 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 150
John 138
Thomas 89
James 84
George 77
Joseph 62
Henry 59
Charles 46
Robert 37
Arthur 35
Richard 31
Frederick 26
Samuel 26
Albert 21
Alfred 21
Walter 20
Edward 18
Herbert 18
Frank 17
Harry 13
Francis 10
Job 10
Ernest 8
Wm. 8
Edwin 7
David 5
Fredrick 5
Thos. 5
Willm. 5
Daniel 4
Emanuel 4
Enoch 4
Fred 4
Sidney 4
Aaron 3
Abraham 3
Andrew 3
Christopher 3
Frederic 3
Joe 3
Josiah 3
Mark 3
Matthew 3
Silas 3
Stephen 3
Asa 2
Earnest 2
Percy 2
Reuben 2
Saml. 2

FAQ

Winfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Winfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,488 people were recorded with the Winfield surname. That placed it at #1,792 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Winfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,039 in 2016. That gives Winfield a modern rank of #1,681.

What does the Winfield surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near or in a windy field.

What does the Winfield map show?

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