NameCensus.

UK surname

Wisniewski

A Polish habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "cherry tree" or "cherry orchard."

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Tyneside, Barnsley and Test Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wisniewski is 1,152 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

1,152

2016, ranked #5,124

Peak year

2016

1,152 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,152 in 2016, ranked #5,124.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Wisniewski surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wisniewski surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wisniewski 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
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 349 #12,197
1998 modern 367 #12,121
1999 modern 363 #12,290
2000 modern 365 #12,196
2001 modern 357 #12,205
2002 modern 372 #12,077
2003 modern 372 #11,881
2004 modern 399 #11,297
2005 modern 475 #9,804
2006 modern 584 #8,450
2007 modern 688 #7,530
2008 modern 785 #6,864
2009 modern 854 #6,546
2010 modern 939 #6,173
2011 modern 936 #6,139
2012 modern 1,057 #5,461
2013 modern 1,099 #5,376
2014 modern 1,140 #5,237
2015 modern 1,150 #5,156
2016 modern 1,152 #5,124

Geography

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Where Wisniewskis are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Tyneside, Barnsley, Test Valley, Swale and West Lancashire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Tyneside 016 North Tyneside
2 Barnsley 001 Barnsley
3 Test Valley 008 Test Valley
4 Swale 008 Swale
5 West Lancashire 003 West Lancashire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wisniewski

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wisniewski

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Wisniewski surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Wisniewski household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Wisniewski is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wisniewski 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

Wisniewski falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wisniewski is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Wisniewski, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wisniewski

The surname Wisniewski originated in Poland and has been around since the 15th century. It is derived from the Polish word "wisnia," meaning cherry, suggesting that the name's bearers may have been involved in growing or trading cherries. The name can be traced back to the region of Greater Poland, particularly the areas around the cities of Poznan and Gniezno.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wisniewski can be found in the Ksiega Ławnicza Miasta Poznania, a legal record book from the city of Poznan, dating back to the late 15th century. The entry mentions a certain Jan Wisniewski, who was involved in a legal dispute over a property matter.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various church records and tax registers throughout Greater Poland. For example, the parish records of the town of Koscian from 1564 list a Bartosz Wisniewski among the local residents.

The name Wisniewski has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was Stanisław Wisniewski (1677-1749), a Polish Catholic priest and writer who authored several religious texts and served as a canon in the Diocese of Poznan.

Another prominent figure with this surname was Aleksander Wisniewski (1808-1895), a Polish mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to the fields of differential equations and celestial mechanics. He held a professorship at the University of Warsaw and was a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

In the 19th century, the name Wisniewski can be found in various records related to the Polish uprisings against Russian and Prussian rule. One such individual was Walenty Wisniewski (1837-1865), a Polish patriot and participant in the January Uprising of 1863-1864 against the Russian Empire.

Other notable individuals with the surname Wisniewski include Michał Wisniewski (1858-1892), a Polish writer and journalist who was a prominent figure in the Poznań literary scene of the late 19th century, and Bronisław Wisniewski (1876-1943), a Polish engineer and inventor who held several patents for various technological innovations.

While the surname Wisniewski is most commonly associated with Poland, it has also been found in other Slavic countries, particularly in areas with historical Polish settlements or connections, such as parts of modern-day Belarus, Lithuania, and Ukraine.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Wisniewski surname: questions and answers

How common is the Wisniewski surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,152 in 2016. That gives Wisniewski a modern rank of #5,124.

What does the Wisniewski surname mean?

A Polish habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "cherry tree" or "cherry orchard."

What does the Wisniewski map show?

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