NameCensus.

UK surname

Wisken

In the 1881 census there were 90 people recorded with the Wisken surname, ranking it #20,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 118, ranked #27,873, down from #20,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ilketshall St Lawrence, Bungay St Mary, Bungay Holy Trinity, Polstead and Reddenhall, Mendham (Stradbroke, Suffolk), Withersdale (Stradbroke, Suffolk), Metfield (Stradbroke,. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Norfolk, North Devon and Rochford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wisken is 122 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.1%.

1881 census count

90

Ranked #20,965

Modern count

118

2016, ranked #27,873

Peak year

1999

122 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wisken had 90 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016, ranked #27,873.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 104 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wisken surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wisken surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wisken 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 47 #24,810
1861 historical 48 #27,896
1881 historical 90 #20,965
1891 historical 79 #26,897
1901 historical 101 #22,726
1911 historical 104 #22,209
1997 modern 113 #25,106
1998 modern 111 #25,990
1999 modern 122 #24,745
2000 modern 118 #25,197
2001 modern 117 #24,974
2002 modern 113 #26,024
2003 modern 119 #25,026
2004 modern 111 #26,293
2005 modern 111 #26,260
2006 modern 105 #27,479
2007 modern 102 #28,351
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 114 #27,363
2010 modern 119 #27,250
2011 modern 118 #27,192
2012 modern 116 #27,550
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 113 #28,779
2015 modern 117 #27,982
2016 modern 118 #27,873

Geography

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Where Wiskens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ilketshall St Lawrence, Bungay St Mary, Bungay Holy Trinity, Polstead, Reddenhall, Mendham (Stradbroke, Suffolk), Withersdale (Stradbroke, Suffolk), Metfield (Stradbroke,, South Walsham St Mary and St Lawrence and Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Norfolk, North Devon, Rochford, Waveney and Southend-on-Sea. 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 Ilketshall St Lawrence, Bungay St Mary, Bungay Holy Trinity Suffolk
2 Polstead Suffolk
3 Reddenhall, Mendham (Stradbroke, Suffolk), Withersdale (Stradbroke, Suffolk), Metfield (Stradbroke, Norfolk
4 South Walsham St Mary and St Lawrence Norfolk
5 Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Norfolk 013 South Norfolk
2 North Devon 013 North Devon
3 Rochford 010 Rochford
4 Waveney 009 Waveney
5 Southend-on-Sea 013 Southend-on-Sea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wisken

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wisken

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

Wisken 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

Wisken falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Wisken families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wisken 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. Norfolk leads with 32 Wiskens recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.71x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 32 23.71x
Essex 19 10.96x
Middlesex 14 1.59x
Cambridgeshire 13 23.38x
Suffolk 7 6.55x
Sussex 3 2.03x
Lancashire 2 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Saffron Walden in Essex leads with 15 Wiskens recorded in 1881 and an index of 819.67x.

Place Total Index
Saffron Walden 15 819.67x
South Walsham St Mary 15 13636.36x
St Marylebone London 7 14.93x
Polstead 6 2400.00x
Harston 5 2083.33x
St Andrewthe Less 5 78.74x
Broome 4 2666.67x
Edmonton 4 56.58x
South Walsham St Lawrence 4 5714.29x
West Ham 4 10.45x
Blakeney 3 1250.00x
Brighton 3 10.05x
St Edward Cambridge 3 1666.67x
Heigham 2 27.62x
Hulme 2 9.20x
Islington London 2 2.35x
Narborough 2 1538.46x
Bungay St Mary 1 188.68x
Hackney London 1 2.03x
Horsey 1 1666.67x
Redenhall 1 192.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Charlotte 5
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 4
Emily 4
Mary 4
Alice 3
Emma 3
Sarah 3
Anna 2
Jane 2
Maryann 2
Ann 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Esther 1
Hannah 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Maude 1
Rhoda 1
Roseanna 1
Rossanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
John 6
Robert 4
Alfred 3
George 3
Henry 3
Albert 2
Charles 2
Thomas 2
Arthur 1
Austen 1
Austin 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Theophulus 1

FAQ

Wisken surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wisken surname in 1881?

In 1881, 90 people were recorded with the Wisken surname. That placed it at #20,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wisken surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016. That gives Wisken a modern rank of #27,873.

What does the Wisken map show?

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