NameCensus.

UK surname

Winn

A surname of English origin referring to someone who lived near or worked at a meadow or pasture.

In the 1881 census there were 2,920 people recorded with the Winn surname, ranking it #1,533 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,354, ranked #2,023, down from #1,533 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Leeds. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Lakeland, County Durham and Sedgemoor.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Winn is 3,740 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.9%.

1881 census count

2,920

Ranked #1,533

Modern count

3,354

2016, ranked #2,023

Peak year

1911

3,740 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Winn had 2,920 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,533 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,354 in 2016, ranked #2,023.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,740 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Winn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Winn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Winn 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 2,105 #1,382
1861 historical 1,947 #1,501
1881 historical 2,920 #1,533
1891 historical 2,991 #1,572
1901 historical 3,610 #1,551
1911 historical 3,740 #1,387
1997 modern 3,529 #1,835
1998 modern 3,627 #1,863
1999 modern 3,611 #1,882
2000 modern 3,607 #1,882
2001 modern 3,524 #1,877
2002 modern 3,587 #1,889
2003 modern 3,452 #1,920
2004 modern 3,416 #1,934
2005 modern 3,332 #1,964
2006 modern 3,339 #1,957
2007 modern 3,351 #1,967
2008 modern 3,346 #1,998
2009 modern 3,440 #1,984
2010 modern 3,514 #1,981
2011 modern 3,460 #1,989
2012 modern 3,421 #1,968
2013 modern 3,483 #1,967
2014 modern 3,498 #1,973
2015 modern 3,430 #1,993
2016 modern 3,354 #2,023

Geography

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Where Winns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Leeds, Liverpool and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Lakeland, County Durham, Sedgemoor and Allerdale. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 London parishes London 3
3 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Lakeland 009 South Lakeland
2 County Durham 019 County Durham
3 County Durham 011 County Durham
4 Sedgemoor 014 Sedgemoor
5 Allerdale 004 Allerdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Winn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Winn

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Winn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Winn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Winn is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Winn 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

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

Meaning and origin of Winn

The surname Winn is of English origin, believed to have derived from the Old English word "wine," meaning "friend" or "protector." It is thought to have initially been used as a nickname or descriptive name for someone who was considered a loyal and trustworthy companion.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Winn date back to the 12th century in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire. It is found in medieval records such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 12th century, where it appears as "Wyne" and "Wynne."

During the 13th century, the name Winn began to appear in various forms, including "Winne," "Wyn," and "Wynne." One notable early bearer of the name was Roger Wynn, a landowner from Cheshire, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1286.

In the 14th century, the name continued to spread across England, and several notable individuals emerged. One such person was John Wynn, a merchant from London, who was mentioned in the Patent Rolls of 1348. Another was Thomas Wynn, a prominent lawyer and judge from Gwydir, Wales, who lived from 1380 to 1460.

As the centuries progressed, the Winn family established themselves as prominent landowners and influential figures in various parts of England and Wales. One of the most notable members of the family was Sir John Wynn, 1st Baronet of Gwydir (1553-1627), who served as a member of Parliament and was a prominent figure in the Welsh gentry.

Other notable individuals with the surname Winn include Robert Wynn (1697-1763), a Welsh mathematician and astronomer; Samuel Wynn (1629-1687), an English clergyman and author; and Richard Wynn (1588-1649), a Welsh politician and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War.

Throughout its history, the surname Winn has been associated with various places and regions across England and Wales, including Winsford in Cheshire, Winnington in Shropshire, and Wynne Hall in Denbighshire, Wales, which served as the ancestral home of the Wynne family for several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Winn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Winn 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 790 Winns recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.81x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 790 2.81x
Lancashire 276 0.82x
Middlesex 269 0.95x
Lincolnshire 234 5.16x
Durham 213 2.52x
Cornwall 168 5.23x
Kent 140 1.45x
Surrey 108 0.78x
Norfolk 63 1.44x
Westmorland 55 8.82x
Nottinghamshire 54 1.41x
Hampshire 44 0.76x
Northumberland 43 1.02x
Sussex 41 0.86x
Warwickshire 41 0.57x
Midlothian 32 0.84x
Staffordshire 29 0.30x
Somerset 27 0.59x
Gloucestershire 25 0.45x
Angus 21 0.80x
Derbyshire 21 0.47x
Essex 21 0.37x
Lanarkshire 21 0.23x
Glamorgan 19 0.38x
Leicestershire 19 0.60x
Hertfordshire 18 0.92x
Devon 17 0.29x
Worcestershire 15 0.40x
Cheshire 14 0.22x
Cumberland 13 0.53x
Huntingdonshire 9 1.60x
Inverness-shire 7 0.83x
Northamptonshire 7 0.26x
Monmouthshire 5 0.24x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.23x
Berkshire 3 0.14x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.17x
Ayrshire 2 0.09x
Clackmannanshire 2 0.85x
Flintshire 2 0.26x
Herefordshire 2 0.17x
Royal Navy 2 0.59x
West Lothian 2 0.47x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.08x
Denbighshire 1 0.09x
East Lothian 1 0.27x
Merionethshire 1 0.19x
Renfrewshire 1 0.05x
Selkirkshire 1 0.39x
Shropshire 1 0.04x
Suffolk 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 94 Winns recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.92x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 94 5.92x
Sculcoates 50 11.22x
Constantine 44 235.29x
Lambeth 38 1.54x
Wardleworth 30 15.59x
Portsea 29 2.54x
Bethnal Green London 28 2.27x
Mabe 24 363.64x
Bramley In Bramley 23 21.37x
Great Grimsby 22 7.64x
Sculthorpe 22 385.29x
Holy Trinity 20 2.96x
Liverpool 19 0.93x
Middlesbrough 19 5.19x
Wendron 19 42.60x
Camberwell 18 0.99x
Hulme 18 2.56x
Maidstone 18 6.24x
Oldham 18 1.66x
Southwick 18 22.51x
Aston 17 0.86x
Deptford St Nicholas 17 22.13x
Mile End Old Town 17 3.80x
Preston 17 1.89x
Thornaby 17 16.18x
Trimdon 17 56.97x
Bow London 16 4.43x
Coningsby 16 122.79x
Dundee 16 1.63x
Everton 16 1.49x
Garsdale 16 273.50x
Nottingham St Mary 16 1.62x
Plumstead 16 4.96x
St Marylebone London 16 1.06x
Weston Zoyland 16 246.15x
Brighton 15 1.55x
Grays Thurrock 15 28.81x
Hunslet 15 3.42x
Kendal 15 13.14x
Kirknewton East 15 94.40x
East Stamford Bridge 14 360.82x
Islington London 14 0.51x
Sithney 14 43.13x
Birtley 13 37.74x
Castleford 13 12.70x
Hackney London 13 0.82x
Marfleet 13 722.22x
Waldridge 13 92.00x
Birmingham 12 0.50x
Bottesford 12 92.81x
Darlaston 12 9.06x
Gainsborough 12 11.22x
Holbeck 12 6.44x
Manchester 12 0.79x
Redruth 12 13.20x
Sandal Magna 12 28.86x
Saxlingham 12 882.35x
Shadwell London 12 15.11x
Southwark St George Martyr 12 2.10x
Tonbridge 12 3.44x
Barnsley 11 3.79x
Bradford 11 1.62x
Brompton In 11 87.51x
Deptford St Paul 11 1.47x
Limehouse London 11 3.53x
St Clement Danes 11 23.94x
St George Hanover 11 2.97x
Thoresway 11 438.25x
West Derby 11 1.12x
Alfreton 10 7.41x
Batley 10 3.74x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 10 10.40x
Hook 10 16.17x
Ouston 10 81.17x
Ripon 10 15.33x
Roath 10 4.46x
Salford 10 1.01x
St Pancras London 10 0.44x
Stranton 10 3.52x
Wallsend 10 7.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 205
Elizabeth 122
Sarah 96
Ann 82
Jane 65
Margaret 49
Emma 42
Eliza 40
Ellen 39
Annie 38
Alice 34
Edith 30
Hannah 27
Emily 22
Fanny 18
Catherine 17
Kate 17
Isabella 16
Martha 15
Charlotte 14
Agnes 13
Rose 13
Ada 12
Anne 12
Frances 12
Louisa 12
Florence 11
Harriet 10
Maria 10
Harriett 9
Rebecca 9
Sophia 9
Caroline 8
Clara 8
Ethel 8
Minnie 8
Susan 8
Betsy 7
Eleanor 7
Lucy 7
Susannah 7
Bridget 6
Esther 5
Grace 5
Ruth 5
Elizth. 4
Isabel 4
Maud 4
Rosa 4
Selina 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 205
William 184
Thomas 112
James 87
George 86
Joseph 61
Henry 53
Charles 52
Robert 38
Arthur 29
Richard 29
Edward 21
Michael 19
Walter 18
Samuel 15
Albert 14
Frederick 13
Frank 12
Alfred 11
Harry 11
Matthew 11
Patrick 11
David 10
Thos. 10
Wm. 9
Daniel 7
Edwin 7
Ernest 7
Herbert 7
Peter 7
Rowland 7
Abraham 6
Fred 6
Mathew 6
Stephen 6
Ralph 5
Sidney 5
Tom 5
Benjamin 4
Jonathan 4
Joshua 4
Leonard 4
Nicolas 4
Timothy 4
Edmund 3
Francis 3
Hugh 3
Isaac 3
Martin 3
Percy 3

FAQ

Winn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Winn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,920 people were recorded with the Winn surname. That placed it at #1,533 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Winn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,354 in 2016. That gives Winn a modern rank of #2,023.

What does the Winn surname mean?

A surname of English origin referring to someone who lived near or worked at a meadow or pasture.

What does the Winn map show?

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