NameCensus.

UK surname

Winner

A surname of English origin, likely referring to a victor or champion in a competition or battle.

In the 1881 census there were 103 people recorded with the Winner surname, ranking it #19,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 211, ranked #18,904, up from #19,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sporle with Palgrave, London parishes and Castle Acre. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Breckland and Middlesbrough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Winner is 214 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 104.9%.

1881 census count

103

Ranked #19,410

Modern count

211

2016, ranked #18,904

Peak year

2015

214 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Winner had 103 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 211 in 2016, ranked #18,904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 177 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Winner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Winner surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Winner 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 76 #20,127
1861 historical 156 #14,813
1881 historical 103 #19,410
1891 historical 153 #18,078
1901 historical 127 #19,893
1911 historical 177 #16,129
1997 modern 160 #20,259
1998 modern 181 #19,229
1999 modern 185 #19,127
2000 modern 192 #18,683
2001 modern 179 #19,215
2002 modern 191 #18,817
2003 modern 189 #18,738
2004 modern 191 #18,723
2005 modern 185 #19,051
2006 modern 188 #19,023
2007 modern 188 #19,204
2008 modern 194 #19,011
2009 modern 198 #19,145
2010 modern 201 #19,387
2011 modern 199 #19,346
2012 modern 202 #19,084
2013 modern 209 #18,984
2014 modern 212 #18,945
2015 modern 214 #18,712
2016 modern 211 #18,904

Geography

Back to top

Where Winners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sporle with Palgrave, London parishes, Castle Acre, Shingham and Swaffham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Breckland, Middlesbrough and Central Bedfordshire. 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 Sporle with Palgrave Norfolk
2 London parishes London 1
3 Castle Acre Norfolk
4 Shingham Norfolk
5 Swaffham Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 006 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 Breckland 002 Breckland
3 Middlesbrough 011 Middlesbrough
4 Central Bedfordshire 002 Central Bedfordshire
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 009 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Winner

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Winner

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Winner surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Winner household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Winner is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Winner 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

Winner falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Winner

The surname "WINNER" is believed to have originated in Germany, with its roots dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old German word "winnen," which means "to strive" or "to conquer." It was likely given as a descriptive surname to individuals who exhibited a strong, determined, or victorious nature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Winner can be found in the medieval German chronicle "Chronica de Gestis Principum," written in the 13th century. The text mentions a knight named Rudolph Winner, who fought valiantly in the service of the Duke of Bavaria.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony, where it was often spelled as "Wynner" or "Winer." During this time, the surname was also associated with certain place names, such as Winnersheim and Winnerthal, which may have influenced the spelling or pronunciation of the name in some areas.

In the 15th century, a notable figure with the surname Winner was Johann Winner, a prominent scholar and theologian from Nuremberg. He was born in 1437 and is renowned for his contributions to the study of canon law and his involvement in the Council of Basel.

The 16th century saw the rise of another notable individual with the surname Winner, Hans Winner, a skilled artisan and goldsmith from Augsburg. His intricate metalwork and jewelry pieces were highly sought after by nobility and wealthy patrons throughout Europe.

In the 17th century, the name Winner appeared in various records across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. One notable figure from this era was Georg Winner, a renowned architect and builder from Dresden, who was responsible for the construction of several churches and public buildings in the region.

As the name Winner spread throughout Europe, it also found its way to other parts of the world, including the Americas. In the 19th century, Friedrich Winner, a German immigrant to the United States, established a successful brewing company in Philadelphia, which became a prominent local business.

Throughout its history, the surname Winner has been associated with a sense of achievement, perseverance, and victory. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, the name has since been carried by individuals from various walks of life and has left its mark across multiple countries and cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Winner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Winner 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. Norfolk leads with 55 Winners recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.61x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 55 35.61x
Middlesex 16 1.59x
Essex 9 4.54x
Yorkshire 8 0.80x
Sussex 5 2.95x
Durham 3 1.00x
Kent 2 0.58x
Lincolnshire 2 1.25x
Leicestershire 1 0.90x
Staffordshire 1 0.29x
Surrey 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shingham in Norfolk leads with 13 Winners recorded in 1881 and an index of 65000.00x.

Place Total Index
Shingham 13 65000.00x
Gooderstone 12 7058.82x
Woodford 9 401.79x
Swaffham 8 634.92x
Bromley London 7 31.67x
Sporle With Palgrave 7 2800.00x
Clerkenwell London 5 21.09x
Ormesby 5 186.57x
Scarning 5 2173.91x
Methwold 4 800.00x
Cuckfield 3 175.44x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 23.17x
Islington London 3 3.08x
Middlesbrough 3 23.15x
Congham 2 1818.18x
Croft 2 769.23x
Necton 2 740.74x
Sevenoaks 2 71.94x
Bow London 1 7.82x
Foulsham 1 303.03x
Hastings St Leonards 1 40.16x
Langford 1 5000.00x
Leicester St Mary 1 11.11x
Stafford St Mary 1 20.83x
Wandsworth 1 10.34x
Wivelsfield 1 151.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eliza 5
Alice 4
Ellen 4
Mary 4
Jane 3
Susan 3
Caroline 2
Emily 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Claud 1
Edith 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizh. 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Katharine 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
May 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 9
William 9
John 5
Thomas 5
Stephen 3
Arthur 2
George 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
David 1
Ernest 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Jonas 1
Joseph 1
Jousm 1
Lorance 1
Robert 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Winner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Winner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 103 people were recorded with the Winner surname. That placed it at #19,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Winner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 211 in 2016. That gives Winner a modern rank of #18,904.

What does the Winner surname mean?

A surname of English origin, likely referring to a victor or champion in a competition or battle.

What does the Winner map show?

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