NameCensus.

UK surname

Winsor

English occupational surname for a person who made or sold winnowing sieves, derived from the Old English "windel".

In the 1881 census there were 901 people recorded with the Winsor surname, ranking it #4,231 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 902, ranked #6,292, down from #4,231 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bovey Tracey, Hennock, Paignton and Tormoham with Torquay. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, East Northamptonshire and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Winsor is 1,064 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.1%.

1881 census count

901

Ranked #4,231

Modern count

902

2016, ranked #6,292

Peak year

1911

1,064 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Winsor had 901 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,231 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 902 in 2016, ranked #6,292.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,064 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Winsor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Winsor surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Winsor 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 788 #3,385
1861 historical 603 #4,390
1881 historical 901 #4,231
1891 historical 852 #4,801
1901 historical 949 #4,939
1911 historical 1,064 #4,345
1997 modern 875 #6,097
1998 modern 916 #6,064
1999 modern 908 #6,156
2000 modern 907 #6,142
2001 modern 889 #6,132
2002 modern 916 #6,123
2003 modern 865 #6,255
2004 modern 851 #6,345
2005 modern 827 #6,432
2006 modern 829 #6,437
2007 modern 837 #6,454
2008 modern 855 #6,393
2009 modern 878 #6,392
2010 modern 909 #6,343
2011 modern 907 #6,288
2012 modern 905 #6,226
2013 modern 913 #6,284
2014 modern 935 #6,204
2015 modern 910 #6,282
2016 modern 902 #6,292

Geography

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Where Winsors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bovey Tracey, Hennock, Paignton, Tormoham with Torquay and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester, East Northamptonshire, Kingston upon Hull, Isle of Wight and Fenland. 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 Bovey Tracey, Hennock Devon
2 Paignton Devon
3 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
4 London parishes London 3
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 030 Cheshire West and Chester
2 East Northamptonshire 003 East Northamptonshire
3 Kingston upon Hull 033 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 Isle of Wight 012 Isle of Wight
5 Fenland 003 Fenland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Winsor

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Winsor

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Winsor, 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 Winsor surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Winsor 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Winsor is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Winsor 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

Winsor falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Winsor

The surname Winsor is of English origin, originating in the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "windrā," meaning "one who comes from Windsor," a town located in the county of Berkshire. The name is closely associated with the royal town of Windsor, known for its majestic castle and its proximity to London.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where several variations such as "Windesores" and "Windresores" are mentioned. These entries suggest that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Winsor family played a prominent role in the local affairs of Windsor and its surrounding areas. Notable individuals from this period include Sir William Winsor, a knight who served under King Edward III in the 14th century, and John Winsor, a respected landowner and member of the local gentry in the 15th century.

As the centuries passed, the Winsor surname spread beyond its original geographic boundaries. One notable bearer of this name was Frederick Albert Winsor, born in 1763, a British army officer who served with distinction during the Napoleonic Wars and later became the Governor of the Bahamas.

Another prominent figure was Justin Winsor, an American writer and librarian born in 1831. He was renowned for his contributions to the field of bibliography and served as the librarian of the prestigious Boston Public Library.

In the artistic realm, the name is associated with Frederic Winsor, an American painter born in 1763, known for his landscapes and marine scenes. His works were highly celebrated during his lifetime and are now part of esteemed collections across the United States.

Throughout its history, the Winsor surname has maintained a strong connection to its origins in the town of Windsor. While its bearers have dispersed across different regions and continents, the name continues to carry the legacy of its medieval English roots and the rich heritage associated with the royal town from which it originated.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Winsor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Winsor 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. Devon leads with 320 Winsors recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.51x.

County Total Index
Devon 320 17.51x
Somerset 92 6.51x
Middlesex 91 1.04x
Lancashire 43 0.41x
Yorkshire 42 0.48x
Surrey 41 0.96x
Staffordshire 36 1.21x
Hampshire 35 1.95x
Dorset 31 5.38x
Northamptonshire 28 3.39x
Gloucestershire 26 1.51x
Kent 16 0.53x
Lincolnshire 12 0.85x
Bedfordshire 11 2.42x
Huntingdonshire 11 6.31x
Monmouthshire 9 1.42x
Cornwall 6 0.60x
Suffolk 6 0.56x
Angus 5 0.61x
Derbyshire 5 0.36x
Sussex 5 0.34x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.75x
Glamorgan 4 0.26x
Royal Navy 4 3.82x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.54x
Leicestershire 3 0.31x
Cheshire 2 0.10x
Warwickshire 2 0.09x
Brecknockshire 1 0.57x
East Lothian 1 0.86x
Herefordshire 1 0.28x
Hertfordshire 1 0.17x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.50x
Oxfordshire 1 0.18x
Renfrewshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tormoham in Devon leads with 27 Winsors recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.92x.

Place Total Index
Tormoham 27 34.92x
Bovey Tracey 25 391.24x
Yeovil 22 76.63x
Plymouth Charles The 18 22.36x
Toxteth Park 18 5.10x
Stoke Damerel 16 12.51x
Ashburton 14 160.18x
Battersea 14 4.33x
Everton 14 4.22x
Paignton 14 100.65x
Nailsea 13 232.97x
Portsea 13 3.69x
Holy Trinity 12 5.73x
Kensington London 12 2.46x
Plymouth St Andrew 12 8.52x
Winterborne Stickland 12 833.33x
Brington 11 2075.47x
Holne 11 1222.22x
South Barrow 11 2972.97x
Ugborough 11 248.87x
Wymington 11 738.26x
St Marylebone London 10 2.13x
Churston Ferrers 9 468.75x
Eston 9 47.49x
Geddington 9 338.35x
Hackney London 9 1.83x
West Camel 9 1058.82x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 8 51.02x
Camberwell 8 1.43x
Hornsey 8 7.21x
Rewe 8 941.18x
Sowton 8 650.41x
Brixham 7 33.07x
Burslem 7 8.25x
Hammersmith London 7 3.24x
Hawkhurst 7 75.19x
Hennock 7 301.72x
Queen Camel 7 421.69x
Totnes 7 65.48x
Trevethin 7 11.68x
Acton 6 11.66x
Ashprington 6 444.44x
Cannock 6 11.60x
Clevedon 6 40.82x
Clifton 6 6.89x
Fareham 6 27.74x
Kettering 6 17.96x
Kirton In Lindsey 6 107.91x
Knaresborough 6 43.92x
Maker 6 65.36x
Newton Abbot St Mary 6 39.14x
Paddington London 6 1.86x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 1.91x
Upton Pyne 6 491.80x
Woolwich 6 5.42x
Blandford Forum 5 43.98x
Buckfastleigh 5 59.31x
Dundee 5 1.65x
East Stonehouse 5 13.89x
Exeter Heavitree 5 36.68x
Exeter Holy Trinity 5 69.83x
Exeter St Sidwell 5 11.95x
Frodingham 5 100.00x
Ilsington 5 156.74x
Ipplepen 5 200.80x
Islington London 5 0.59x
Kessingland 5 135.50x
Littleham 5 37.43x
Northampton St Sepulchre 5 11.90x
St Pancras London 5 0.71x
Sutton Stoneferry 5 20.09x
Walcot 5 6.64x
Whippingham 5 36.68x
Beaminster 4 62.50x
Bedminster 4 3.01x
Isham 4 347.83x
Lambeth 4 0.52x
Newington 4 1.23x
Sherford 4 330.58x
Willesden 4 4.83x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 70
John 49
George 35
Thomas 29
James 27
Henry 26
Samuel 15
Alfred 11
Joseph 11
Robert 11
Frederick 9
Walter 9
Charles 8
Richard 8
Harry 7
Arthur 6
Edward 6
Albert 5
Benjamin 5
Francis 5
Tom 5
Frank 4
Herbert 4
Daniel 3
Edwin 3
Allan 2
Anthony 2
David 2
Elias 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Fredk.Wm. 2
Geo. 2
Gregory 2
Isaac 2
Job 2
Mark 2
Phillip 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Bengm. 1
Charlie 1
Ephraim 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Jno.S.T. 1
Lewis 1
Marshall 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Winsor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Winsor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 901 people were recorded with the Winsor surname. That placed it at #4,231 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Winsor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 902 in 2016. That gives Winsor a modern rank of #6,292.

What does the Winsor surname mean?

English occupational surname for a person who made or sold winnowing sieves, derived from the Old English "windel".

What does the Winsor map show?

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