NameCensus.

UK surname

Winslow

From the Old English elements "wine" meaning friend and "slow" meaning hill, likely referring to someone living near a hill.

In the 1881 census there were 371 people recorded with the Winslow surname, ranking it #8,417 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 657, ranked #8,108, up from #8,417 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Trowbridge, London parishes and Swindon, Lyddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Epping Forest and IZ12.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Winslow is 683 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 77.1%.

1881 census count

371

Ranked #8,417

Modern count

657

2016, ranked #8,108

Peak year

2000

683 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Winslow had 371 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,417 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 657 in 2016, ranked #8,108.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 487 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Winslow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Winslow surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Winslow 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 298 #7,691
1861 historical 269 #9,244
1881 historical 371 #8,417
1891 historical 429 #8,359
1901 historical 464 #8,512
1911 historical 487 #7,992
1997 modern 626 #7,904
1998 modern 664 #7,782
1999 modern 663 #7,825
2000 modern 683 #7,633
2001 modern 656 #7,744
2002 modern 649 #7,959
2003 modern 627 #8,040
2004 modern 653 #7,807
2005 modern 635 #7,922
2006 modern 633 #7,967
2007 modern 635 #8,022
2008 modern 641 #7,993
2009 modern 655 #8,019
2010 modern 663 #8,114
2011 modern 638 #8,281
2012 modern 630 #8,275
2013 modern 651 #8,213
2014 modern 661 #8,143
2015 modern 662 #8,077
2016 modern 657 #8,108

Geography

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Where Winslows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Trowbridge, London parishes, Swindon, Lyddington and Melksham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Epping Forest, IZ12, Elmbridge and Swindon. 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 Trowbridge Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Swindon, Lyddington Wiltshire
4 Melksham Wiltshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 021 Wiltshire
2 Epping Forest 014 Epping Forest
3 IZ12 West Dunbartonshire
4 Elmbridge 018 Elmbridge
5 Swindon 010 Swindon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Winslow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Winslow

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Winslow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Winslow household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Winslow is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Winslow is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Winslow

The surname Winslow is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Buckinghamshire. Its earliest recorded form was "Windeshlau," which appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a manuscript record of a survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed by order of King William the Conqueror.

The name Winslow is thought to be derived from the Old English words "wind" and "hlaw," meaning "windswept hill" or "hill exposed to the wind." This is likely a reference to the town of Winslow in Buckinghamshire, which may have been situated on a hill prone to strong winds.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Richard de Windeshlau, who is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1197. The Pipe Rolls were administrative records maintained by the English Exchequer, providing valuable insights into the names and locations of individuals during that time period.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, including Windeslawe, Windeslowe, and Wyndeslow, reflecting the evolution of the name over time. By the 14th century, the spelling had largely settled into its modern form, Winslow.

Notable individuals with the surname Winslow throughout history include:

1. Edward Winslow (c. 1595 - 1655), a Separatist who traveled on the Mayflower and became the governor of Plymouth Colony in 1633. 2. Josiah Winslow (1628 - 1680), the first native-born governor of Plymouth Colony, serving from 1673 to 1680. 3. James Winslow (1642 - 1720), a colonial military officer who commanded forces during King Philip's War in New England. 4. William Winslow (1776 - 1839), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Ohio. 5. Gordon Winslow (1905 - 1994), an American actor and playwright best known for his performance in the film "Sergeant York" (1941).

The Winslow surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Winslow, Arizona, and Winslow, Maine, which were likely named after individuals bearing the surname or in reference to the town of Winslow in Buckinghamshire, England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Winslow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Winslow 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. Middlesex leads with 74 Winslows recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.08x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 74 2.08x
Wiltshire 69 21.91x
Surrey 43 2.48x
Lancashire 31 0.73x
Somerset 25 4.36x
Sussex 18 3.00x
Yorkshire 17 0.48x
Kent 11 0.91x
Hampshire 10 1.37x
Lincolnshire 10 1.76x
Oxfordshire 8 3.64x
Staffordshire 8 0.67x
Lanarkshire 7 0.61x
Buckinghamshire 5 2.32x
Midlothian 4 0.84x
Dorset 3 1.28x
Gloucestershire 3 0.43x
Norfolk 3 0.55x
Selkirkshire 3 9.31x
Glamorgan 2 0.32x
Hertfordshire 2 0.82x
Warwickshire 2 0.22x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.69x
Derbyshire 1 0.18x
Essex 1 0.14x
Leicestershire 1 0.25x
Northumberland 1 0.19x
Worcestershire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Trowbridge in Wiltshire leads with 22 Winslows recorded in 1881 and an index of 158.05x.

Place Total Index
Trowbridge 22 158.05x
Lambeth 15 4.83x
Shoreditch London 14 9.07x
Bethnal Green London 12 7.76x
Lower Booths 11 145.31x
Swindon 11 45.05x
Westbury 10 136.05x
Brightside Bierlow 9 13.01x
Clee With Weelsby 9 72.23x
Great Crosby 9 78.13x
Melksham 9 164.53x
Seavington St Michael 9 3214.29x
Kensington London 8 4.04x
Kingswinford 8 18.34x
Thame 8 200.00x
St George Hanover 7 15.06x
St Marylebone London 7 3.68x
Steeple Ashton 7 823.53x
Abbots Leigh 6 1363.64x
Hayes 6 165.29x
Hastings St Mary 5 33.47x
Leeds 5 2.51x
St Pancras London 5 1.74x
Thames Ditton 5 138.89x
Wandsworth 5 14.59x
Wycombe 5 31.15x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 11.92x
Bradford On Avon 4 39.68x
Broadwater 4 29.05x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 4 88.69x
Deptford St Paul 4 4.27x
Glasgow 4 1.96x
Poplar London 4 5.95x
Portsea 4 2.80x
Putney 4 24.65x
Wadhurst 4 101.52x
Walcot 4 13.11x
Aldershot 3 12.27x
Barnes 3 40.87x
Batcombe 3 394.74x
Bermondsey 3 2.83x
Croydon 3 3.12x
Galashiels 3 25.19x
Hammersmith London 3 3.42x
Maidstone 3 8.29x
Old Monkland 3 6.57x
Birmingham 2 0.67x
Devizes St Mary 2 62.89x
Edinburgh Old 2 69.20x
Hove 2 7.59x
Iwerne Courtnay 2 127.39x
Laycock 2 139.86x
Maiden Bradley 2 273.97x
Paddington London 2 1.53x
South Lynn 2 32.36x
Spaxton 2 178.57x
Tottenham 2 3.53x
Wivelsfield 2 85.11x
Berkeley 1 25.71x
Bow London 1 2.21x
Camberwell 1 0.44x
Denio 1 29.67x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 10.79x
Farnborough 1 56.50x
Folkestone 1 4.24x
Hackney London 1 0.50x
Milton In Gravesend 1 5.49x
Nether Hallam 1 2.10x
Pencoed 1 104.17x
Portbury 1 104.17x
Repton 1 47.39x
Richmond 1 4.11x
Sculcoates 1 1.79x
Sheffield 1 0.89x
St Paul Walden 1 80.65x
Stapleton 1 7.55x
Tibenham 1 129.87x
Warrington 1 2.00x
Welwyn 1 46.95x
Willesden 1 2.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Elizabeth 16
Sarah 10
Eliza 7
Jane 7
Ellen 5
Emily 5
Emma 5
Isabella 5
Alice 4
Clara 4
Annie 3
Ethel 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Minnie 2
Rachel 2
Rebecca 2
Adah 1
Agness 1
Amelia 1
Beatrice 1
Caik 1
Cassandra 1
Catherine 1
Eleanor 1
Elisa 1
Elsie 1
Emilly 1
Emmeline 1
Esther 1
Georgiana 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harrieta 1
Hestor 1
Ida 1
Jessica 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Winslow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Winslow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 371 people were recorded with the Winslow surname. That placed it at #8,417 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Winslow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 657 in 2016. That gives Winslow a modern rank of #8,108.

What does the Winslow surname mean?

From the Old English elements "wine" meaning friend and "slow" meaning hill, likely referring to someone living near a hill.

What does the Winslow map show?

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