NameCensus.

UK surname

Winship

A surname derived from a location name containing the Old English elements 'win' meaning "friend" or "joy" and "scipe" meaning "district."

In the 1881 census there were 612 people recorded with the Winship surname, ranking it #5,741 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 924, ranked #6,176, down from #5,741 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Houghton-le-Spring and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, Hartlepool and Gateshead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Winship is 982 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.0%.

1881 census count

612

Ranked #5,741

Modern count

924

2016, ranked #6,176

Peak year

1999

982 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Winship had 612 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,741 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 924 in 2016, ranked #6,176.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 881 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Winship surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Winship surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Winship 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 443 #5,557
1861 historical 439 #5,872
1881 historical 612 #5,741
1891 historical 664 #5,855
1901 historical 797 #5,671
1911 historical 881 #5,051
1997 modern 934 #5,797
1998 modern 961 #5,854
1999 modern 982 #5,796
2000 modern 977 #5,803
2001 modern 956 #5,791
2002 modern 964 #5,846
2003 modern 913 #6,015
2004 modern 895 #6,117
2005 modern 875 #6,156
2006 modern 883 #6,125
2007 modern 881 #6,194
2008 modern 885 #6,210
2009 modern 899 #6,274
2010 modern 922 #6,266
2011 modern 919 #6,225
2012 modern 911 #6,194
2013 modern 941 #6,136
2014 modern 946 #6,148
2015 modern 935 #6,151
2016 modern 924 #6,176

Geography

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Where Winships are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Houghton-le-Spring, Gateshead, Newcastle All Saints and Ryton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, Hartlepool and Gateshead. 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 Houghton-le-Spring Durham
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
5 Ryton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
2 Hartlepool 012 Hartlepool
3 Hartlepool 010 Hartlepool
4 Hartlepool 005 Hartlepool
5 Gateshead 026 Gateshead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Winship

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Winship

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Winship 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

Winship is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Winship falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Winship

The surname Winship has its origins in England, specifically rooted in the northern regions such as Yorkshire and Northumberland. The name can be traced back to the medieval period, around the 13th to 14th centuries, when surnames began to be used more commonly for identification purposes.

Winship is likely derived from a locational name, referring to someone who hailed from a place named Winship or a similar-sounding location. The name itself appears to be connected to Old English words, possibly featuring elements like wynn, meaning "joy" or "pleasure," and sceap, meaning "sheep." This could suggest a place associated with pleasant pastures or sheep farming. Variants of the name, such as Winschyp or Wynsips, have been found in historical records, indicating the evolving nature of English orthography over centuries.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Winship occurs in the Poll Tax records of Yorkshire in 1379, with an individual named Ricardus Winschyp. This record provides a crucial insight into the name's existence and geographical association in medieval England.

In the 16th century, John Winship, born around 1540, is acknowledged for appearances in local records in Northumberland. His name illustrates the surname's continued presence and usage through various facets of English life, including tax records and local governance.

Marmaduke Winship, born circa 1606, is another prominent historical figure bearing the surname. He is known for his participation in trade and local administration in the early 17th century, reflecting the surname's association with individuals of noteworthy standing in society.

The Winship name crossed the Atlantic with the early settlers in America. One of the influential individuals was Edward Winship, who migrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the early 1600s. Born around 1613, Edward became a noted freeman in the colony and played a fundamental role in the development of Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he passed away in 1688.

The Winship surname continued to spread in the United States and England, with other notable individuals such as William Winship, born in 1780, who contributed to educational reform in 19th-century England. His works and dedication to improving access to education left a lasting impact on the educational landscape during his lifetime.

The legacy of the surname Winship also includes John Winship, an influential American general born in 1845. His military career and contributions to the U.S. Army during and after the Civil War are well documented, reflecting the ongoing prominence of the name in various professional and public spheres.

Through these historical references and individuals bearing the name, the surname Winship showcases a rich and diverse heritage, reflecting its roots in medieval England and its spread across the Atlantic to early American society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Winship families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Winship 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. Durham leads with 235 Winships recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.19x.

County Total Index
Durham 235 13.19x
Northumberland 176 19.75x
Yorkshire 110 1.85x
Middlesex 29 0.48x
Hampshire 17 1.38x
Lincolnshire 17 1.78x
Berkshire 6 1.33x
Cheshire 5 0.38x
Warwickshire 5 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 4 1.05x
Cumberland 4 0.78x
Lancashire 4 0.06x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.41x
Royal Navy 1 1.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cowpen in Northumberland leads with 34 Winships recorded in 1881 and an index of 165.69x.

Place Total Index
Cowpen 34 165.69x
Bournmoor 25 892.86x
Byker 22 49.94x
Gateshead 22 16.49x
Southcoates 20 60.70x
Heworth 19 54.12x
Westgate 19 34.43x
Stranton 18 30.01x
Coundon Grange 17 434.78x
Benwell 15 154.00x
Westoe 15 14.85x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 13 24.43x
Longbenton 12 31.80x
Tanfield 12 56.63x
Usworth 12 126.85x
Barton St Mary 10 208.33x
Hetton Le Hole 10 44.29x
Elswick 9 12.65x
Newcastle On Tyne St 9 19.48x
Cottingham 8 62.55x
Filey 8 166.67x
Harraton 8 230.55x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 10.37x
Lamesley 8 83.42x
Normanby In 8 50.41x
Patrington 8 284.70x
Catwick 7 1250.00x
Christchurch 7 26.30x
Crook Billy Row 7 30.67x
Harefield 7 227.27x
Middlesbrough 7 9.06x
Southampton St Mary 7 9.07x
Sutton 7 103.55x
Wallsend 7 24.77x
Abingdon St Nicholas 6 480.00x
Coundon 6 83.10x
Falsgrave 6 68.57x
Great Grimsby 6 9.87x
Jesmond 6 47.85x
Prudhoe 6 96.77x
Stockton On Tees 6 6.99x
Tynemouth 6 12.57x
West Drayton 6 289.86x
Winestead 6 1818.18x
Aston 5 1.20x
Chelsea London 5 2.77x
Cornforth 5 95.24x
Lambton 5 1612.90x
Sculcoates 5 5.31x
Selby 5 40.32x
Monks Coppenhall 4 8.02x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 4 34.13x
North Shields 4 22.50x
St Andrewthe Great 4 81.63x
Winlaton 4 23.41x
Wooldale 4 39.72x
Workington 4 13.55x
York St Mary 4 16.27x
Dawdon 3 13.69x
Helmington Row 3 36.14x
Holy Trinity 3 2.10x
Paddington London 3 1.36x
St George Hanover 3 3.84x
Thornley 3 46.51x
West Herrington 3 48.08x
Whickham 3 18.29x
Alnwick 2 13.05x
Bishopwearmouth 2 1.31x
Fawdon 2 266.67x
Hartington Hall 2 4000.00x
Hillingdon 2 10.47x
Ryton 2 31.95x
Tudhoe 2 12.83x
Washington 2 26.77x
Bothal Demesne 1 23.47x
Claughton With Grange 1 16.61x
Cramlington 1 8.49x
Paull 1 89.29x
Pelton 1 11.79x
South Stoneham 1 3.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 50
Elizabeth 30
Jane 25
Margaret 23
Ann 22
Annie 14
Hannah 10
Sarah 10
Isabella 6
Alice 5
Dorothy 5
Ellen 4
Frances 4
Anne 3
Charlotte 3
Elizth. 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Louisa 3
Margret 3
Maria 3
Bridget 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Eliza 2
Elizh. 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Harriet 2
Isabel 2
Lucy 2
Margery 2
Nancy 2
Adeline 1
Anthony 1
Barbrary 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Carrie 1
Eliz. 1
Elizbth. 1
Elizebeth 1
Henrietta 1
Irena 1
Isaba. 1
Joanas 1
Johanna 1
Katie 1
Laura 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 46
William 46
Thomas 26
James 19
Robert 18
George 17
Joseph 15
Henry 11
Charles 10
Edward 7
Lionel 7
Richard 7
Cuthbert 6
Samuel 5
Mathew 4
Thos. 4
Amos 3
Anthony 3
Michael 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Ambrose 2
Frederick 2
Henery 2
Herbert 2
Jacob 2
Mark 2
Ralph 2
Walter 2
Cyril 1
David 1
Dawson 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
H. 1
Harry 1
Iane 1
J. 1
Jno. 1
Jos. 1
Lenord 1
Luke 1
Matthew 1
Nicholas 1
Percy 1
R.Percy 1
Rbt. 1
Septimus 1
Wm.P. 1

FAQ

Winship surname: questions and answers

How common was the Winship surname in 1881?

In 1881, 612 people were recorded with the Winship surname. That placed it at #5,741 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Winship surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 924 in 2016. That gives Winship a modern rank of #6,176.

What does the Winship surname mean?

A surname derived from a location name containing the Old English elements 'win' meaning "friend" or "joy" and "scipe" meaning "district."

What does the Winship map show?

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