NameCensus.

UK surname

Winnington

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "estate/farm of Wynn's people".

In the 1881 census there were 73 people recorded with the Winnington surname, ranking it #23,220 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 242, ranked #17,177, up from #23,220 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edmonton, Malpas and Blithfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stafford and Cheshire West and Chester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Winnington is 258 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 231.5%.

1881 census count

73

Ranked #23,220

Modern count

242

2016, ranked #17,177

Peak year

2002

258 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Winnington had 73 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,220 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 242 in 2016, ranked #17,177.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 117 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Winnington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Winnington surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Winnington 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 106 #16,512
1861 historical 80 #23,566
1881 historical 73 #23,220
1891 historical 102 #23,719
1901 historical 88 #24,270
1911 historical 117 #20,757
1997 modern 218 #16,704
1998 modern 242 #16,037
1999 modern 241 #16,179
2000 modern 244 #16,004
2001 modern 240 #15,912
2002 modern 258 #15,485
2003 modern 250 #15,605
2004 modern 238 #16,242
2005 modern 227 #16,730
2006 modern 223 #17,036
2007 modern 226 #17,103
2008 modern 232 #16,931
2009 modern 239 #16,951
2010 modern 243 #17,100
2011 modern 249 #16,684
2012 modern 247 #16,661
2013 modern 251 #16,734
2014 modern 253 #16,774
2015 modern 246 #16,994
2016 modern 242 #17,177

Geography

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Where Winningtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edmonton, Malpas, Blithfield, Manchester and Barthomley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stafford and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 Edmonton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Malpas Cheshire
3 Blithfield Staffordshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Barthomley Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stafford 015 Stafford
2 Cheshire West and Chester 021 Cheshire West and Chester
3 Cheshire West and Chester 019 Cheshire West and Chester
4 Cheshire West and Chester 018 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Cheshire West and Chester 020 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Winnington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Winnington

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Winnington is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Winnington is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Winnington falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Winnington

The surname Winnington is of English origin, believed to have emerged in the medieval period. Specifically, the name is thought to be locational, originally deriving from a place name in Cheshire, England. The place name Winnington itself is composed of Old English elements: "Winnan" (a personal name) and "tun" (meaning farm or settlement). Thus, the original meaning of the surname can be interpreted as "Winnan’s farm" or "settlement."

One of the earliest historical references to the name Winnington appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where the place named Winnington in Cheshire is documented. This significant historical record was commissioned by William the Conqueror to survey his new kingdom. The Domesday Book mentions several landowners and estates, providing a valuable glimpse into medieval England.

The earliest recorded example of the surname Winnington as a family name dates back to the late 13th century, with an individual named John de Wynington appearing in the Subsidy Rolls of Cheshire around 1297. This suggests that the surname had come into consistent use by this period, likely indicating the family's association with or ownership of land in Winnington.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the surname Winnington. Sir Francis Winnington (1634-1700), a prominent lawyer and politician, served as Solicitor-General to King Charles II. His career highlights the family's continued prominence in English society. Another significant figure is Thomas Winnington (1696-1746), who held the influential position of Paymaster of the Forces and was a well-known Whig politician of his time.

Arthur Winnington-Ingram (1858-1946) serves as another important historical figure, holding the position of Bishop of London from 1901 to 1939. His contributions to the Church of England, particularly during World War I, earned him considerable recognition. Henry Salusbury Milman Winnington-Ingram (1860-1917), another notable descendant, was a British Army officer serving with distinction in the Second Boer War and World War I.

Lastly, one must not forget George Winnington, an individual of some note, who contributed to the cultural landscape of the United Kingdom in the 19th century. Little is documented about his life specifics, but his standing in the family lineage is acknowledged.

The surname Winnington thus bears a significant historical lineage, linking back to its origins in Cheshire, England. Its derivation from a place name and the presence of multiple noteworthy individuals throughout history underscore its longstanding and prominent place within British society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Winnington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Winnington 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. Cheshire leads with 44 Winningtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.38x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 44 28.38x
Lancashire 13 1.56x
Flintshire 5 26.48x
Oxfordshire 3 6.92x
Somerset 2 1.77x
Staffordshire 2 0.84x
Durham 1 0.48x
Surrey 1 0.29x
Worcestershire 1 1.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Witton Cum Twambrooks in Cheshire leads with 26 Winningtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1884.06x.

Place Total Index
Witton Cum Twambrooks 26 1884.06x
Habergham Eaves 6 78.74x
Knutsford Nether 5 531.91x
Malpas Iscoyd 5 5000.00x
Alsager 4 1025.64x
Macefin 3 4285.71x
Shipton Under Wychwood 3 1071.43x
Ardwick 2 26.60x
Haslington 2 454.55x
Lyncombe Widcombe 2 67.57x
Willenhall 2 45.05x
Castleton 1 12.02x
Cheetham 1 16.08x
Gateshead 1 6.39x
Hulme 1 5.75x
Nantwich 1 55.56x
Newington 1 3.86x
Northwich 1 400.00x
Stretford 1 21.83x
West Derby 1 4.10x
Wincle 1 1428.57x
Winnington 1 588.24x
Worcester St John 1 90.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Ellen 3
Charlotte 2
Elizabeth 2
Frances 2
Jane 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Jessie 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Priscilla 1
Ruth 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Winnington households.

FAQ

Winnington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Winnington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 73 people were recorded with the Winnington surname. That placed it at #23,220 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Winnington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 242 in 2016. That gives Winnington a modern rank of #17,177.

What does the Winnington surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "estate/farm of Wynn's people".

What does the Winnington map show?

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