NameCensus.

UK surname

Winter

An English surname referring to someone who lived near or worked in a cold or snowy place.

In the 1881 census there were 10,608 people recorded with the Winter surname, ranking it #403 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 14,755, ranked #431, down from #403 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Taunton Deane and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Winter is 14,999 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.1%.

1881 census count

10,608

Ranked #403

Modern count

14,755

2016, ranked #431

Peak year

1999

14,999 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Winter had 10,608 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #403 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 14,755 in 2016, ranked #431.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 14,187 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Winter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Winter surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Winter 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 7,291 #384
1861 historical 7,273 #393
1881 historical 10,608 #403
1891 historical 11,526 #386
1901 historical 13,382 #390
1911 historical 14,187 #344
1997 modern 14,390 #418
1998 modern 14,869 #421
1999 modern 14,999 #420
2000 modern 14,884 #423
2001 modern 14,541 #424
2002 modern 14,830 #424
2003 modern 14,411 #425
2004 modern 14,311 #427
2005 modern 13,919 #436
2006 modern 13,927 #435
2007 modern 14,062 #434
2008 modern 14,158 #433
2009 modern 14,462 #435
2010 modern 14,780 #437
2011 modern 14,614 #434
2012 modern 14,401 #431
2013 modern 14,825 #427
2014 modern 14,974 #426
2015 modern 14,855 #427
2016 modern 14,755 #431

Geography

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Where Winters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Taunton Deane and County Durham. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Taunton Deane 012 Taunton Deane
2 County Durham 027 County Durham
3 Taunton Deane 013 Taunton Deane
4 County Durham 045 County Durham
5 County Durham 029 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Winter

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Winter

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Winter is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Winter is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Winter

The surname Winter is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'winter', which referred to the coldest season of the year. It was initially used as a descriptive name, likely given to someone who was born or lived near a particularly harsh winter, or who had a notably cold demeanor.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Winter date back to the late 12th century in various English counties, including Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Oxfordshire. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there are references to individuals bearing the name, such as Willelmus Winter and Rogerus Winter.

The Winter surname can also be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. However, the spelling in this document was often inconsistent, with variations like 'Wintre' or 'Wyntre' appearing.

In the 14th century, the surname Winter was associated with several notable individuals. One example is John Winter, a prominent English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1370. Another was William Winter, a renowned poet and author who was born around 1310 and is best known for his work titled 'The Tale of the Wandering Knight'.

During the Tudor period, the Winter surname gained further prominence. Sir William Winter (c. 1497-1589) was a distinguished English naval officer and politician who served as Vice-Admiral of England under Queen Elizabeth I. He played a crucial role in the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.

The Winter surname also has connections to the American colonies. One notable figure was Jedediah Winter (1696-1778), a colonial soldier and landowner from Massachusetts who fought in the French and Indian War. His descendants went on to establish prominent families in various parts of New England.

Other notable individuals with the surname Winter include Samuel Winter (1603-1666), an English clergyman and author known for his work 'The Summe of Diverse Sermons', and Sir James Winter (1845-1922), a British lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of British Honduras (now Belize).

Throughout its history, the Winter surname has been associated with various occupations, from merchants and politicians to soldiers and clergymen, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Winter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Winter 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 1,433 Winters recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.38x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,433 1.38x
Yorkshire 1,173 1.14x
Surrey 954 1.89x
Durham 687 2.23x
Somerset 540 3.24x
Lincolnshire 424 2.56x
Norfolk 424 2.66x
Hampshire 400 1.88x
Lancashire 365 0.30x
Sussex 357 2.04x
Kent 349 0.99x
Gloucestershire 340 1.67x
Northumberland 294 1.91x
Berkshire 233 3.00x
Essex 220 1.08x
Angus 196 2.04x
Warwickshire 168 0.64x
Devon 140 0.65x
Glamorgan 128 0.71x
Suffolk 115 0.91x
Cumberland 106 1.19x
Nottinghamshire 104 0.74x
Hertfordshire 102 1.43x
Lanarkshire 99 0.30x
Derbyshire 95 0.59x
Dorset 93 1.37x
Cambridgeshire 86 1.31x
Westmorland 73 3.21x
Wiltshire 72 0.79x
Herefordshire 68 1.60x
Staffordshire 64 0.18x
Midlothian 61 0.44x
Monmouthshire 61 0.81x
Leicestershire 54 0.47x
Buckinghamshire 52 0.83x
Northamptonshire 52 0.53x
Cheshire 41 0.18x
Oxfordshire 34 0.53x
Perthshire 33 0.71x
Worcestershire 33 0.24x
Berwickshire 29 2.31x
Aberdeenshire 27 0.28x
Cornwall 22 0.19x
Huntingdonshire 20 0.97x
Fife 19 0.31x
Flintshire 17 0.61x
Renfrewshire 16 0.20x
Channel Islands 13 0.42x
Ayrshire 12 0.15x
Bedfordshire 12 0.22x
Brecknockshire 11 0.53x
Kincardineshire 10 0.79x
Denbighshire 9 0.23x
Pembrokeshire 9 0.27x
Shropshire 8 0.09x
Morayshire 7 0.43x
Roxburghshire 7 0.37x
Argyllshire 6 0.21x
Banffshire 6 0.28x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.14x
Royal Navy 6 0.49x
Dunbartonshire 5 0.18x
Isle of Man 5 0.26x
Caithness 3 0.21x
Montgomeryshire 3 0.13x
Rutland 3 0.39x
Selkirkshire 2 0.21x
Cardiganshire 1 0.04x
East Lothian 1 0.07x
West Lothian 1 0.06x
Wigtownshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 130 Winters recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.44x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 130 1.44x
St Pancras London 128 1.54x
Islington London 122 1.22x
Newington 103 2.69x
Camberwell 102 1.54x
Bethnal Green London 96 2.13x
St Marylebone London 94 1.70x
Shoreditch London 90 2.00x
Hackney London 85 1.46x
Battersea 84 2.20x
Brighton 79 2.24x
Wellington 71 31.40x
Bermondsey 70 2.27x
Paddington London 70 1.84x
Barnsley 66 6.23x
Bishopwearmouth 66 2.49x
West Ham 61 1.35x
Chelsea London 60 1.92x
St George Hanover 59 4.36x
Norwich St James 58 46.41x
Leeds 56 0.97x
Sheffield 55 1.68x
Mile End Old Town 54 3.30x
Westoe 52 2.98x
Bedminster 50 3.19x
Kensington London 49 0.85x
Portsea 49 1.18x
Gateshead 46 1.99x
Portland 46 12.58x
Holy Trinity 45 1.82x
Dundee 42 1.17x
Sculcoates 42 2.58x
Birmingham 41 0.47x
Bishops Waltham 39 44.10x
Bromley London 39 1.71x
Guisbrough 39 17.39x
Chieveley 38 91.99x
Elswick 38 3.09x
Kirriemuir 38 16.05x
Clapham 37 2.86x
Crook Billy Row 36 9.12x
Barony 35 0.41x
Heigham 35 4.09x
Norwich St Paul 35 36.70x
Liverpool 34 0.46x
Aston 33 0.46x
Tottenham 32 1.94x
Nottingham St Mary 31 0.86x
Bristol St George 30 3.19x
Conside Knitsley 30 12.52x
Croydon 30 1.07x
Reading St Giles 30 3.93x
Manchester 29 0.52x
Darlington 28 2.35x
Glasgow 28 0.47x
Brightside Bierlow 27 1.34x
Tynemouth 27 3.27x
Barrow In Furness 26 1.56x
Boston 26 5.17x
Deptford St Paul 26 0.95x
Roath 26 3.17x
Thursley 26 71.74x
Worsbrough 26 8.64x
Ashwell 25 44.59x
Clerkenwell London 25 1.02x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 25 0.45x
Everton 25 0.64x
Grays Thurrock 25 13.15x
Hammersmith London 25 0.98x
Kempsford 25 84.83x
Market Weighton Arras 25 37.48x
Norwich St Clement 25 13.54x
Ecclesfield 24 3.19x
Hastings St Mary In The 24 6.44x
Westminster St John 24 1.90x
Forfar 23 4.43x
Hampstead London 23 1.43x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 23 1.72x
Peterhead 23 4.53x
Willesden 22 2.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 668
Elizabeth 399
Sarah 334
Jane 232
Ann 209
Alice 163
Annie 151
Eliza 144
Ellen 134
Emily 119
Emma 118
Hannah 106
Margaret 95
Louisa 93
Charlotte 78
Harriet 73
Martha 71
Florence 63
Fanny 62
Edith 59
Frances 57
Ada 55
Caroline 55
Maria 52
Kate 51
Catherine 47
Lucy 44
Isabella 41
Rose 35
Anne 34
Matilda 33
Clara 31
Susan 31
Agnes 30
Harriett 30
Sophia 27
Julia 26
Amy 25
Amelia 24
Eleanor 24
Rebecca 24
Elizth. 22
Lydia 20
Ethel 19
Susannah 19
Rosa 18
Laura 17
Henrietta 16
Jessie 16
Lizzie 16

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 600
John 594
George 410
Thomas 369
James 299
Charles 238
Henry 226
Robert 162
Joseph 134
Arthur 112
Frederick 105
Richard 104
Alfred 102
Walter 98
Edward 97
Albert 87
Samuel 64
Harry 63
Frank 41
Herbert 41
Ernest 40
Edwin 37
Francis 34
David 27
Wm. 25
Isaac 21
Benjamin 20
Stephen 20
Christopher 18
Fred 17
Fredrick 17
Chas. 15
Geo. 15
Matthew 15
Daniel 12
Andrew 11
Thos. 11
Fredk. 10
Tom 10
Edmund 9
Horace 9
Sidney 9
Alexander 8
Jacob 8
Jonathan 8
Jesse 7
Job 7
Louis 7
Philip 7
Willm. 7

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 Winter households.

FAQ

Winter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Winter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 10,608 people were recorded with the Winter surname. That placed it at #403 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Winter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 14,755 in 2016. That gives Winter a modern rank of #431.

What does the Winter surname mean?

An English surname referring to someone who lived near or worked in a cold or snowy place.

What does the Winter map show?

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