NameCensus.

UK surname

Witherall

In the 1881 census there were 80 people recorded with the Witherall surname, ranking it #22,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 144, ranked #24,390, down from #22,225 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Peter, London parishes and Dinnington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Reading, Dacorum and South Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Witherall is 189 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 80.0%.

1881 census count

80

Ranked #22,225

Modern count

144

2016, ranked #24,390

Peak year

1901

189 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Witherall had 80 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,225 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016, ranked #24,390.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 189 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Witherall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Witherall surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Witherall 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 113 #15,815
1861 historical 139 #16,263
1881 historical 80 #22,225
1891 historical 100 #24,045
1901 historical 189 #15,684
1911 historical 125 #19,932
1997 modern 113 #25,106
1998 modern 118 #25,041
1999 modern 122 #24,745
2000 modern 128 #24,015
2001 modern 133 #23,132
2002 modern 136 #23,296
2003 modern 134 #23,260
2004 modern 141 #22,689
2005 modern 141 #22,688
2006 modern 140 #22,948
2007 modern 129 #24,503
2008 modern 135 #24,123
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 141 #24,460
2011 modern 134 #25,050
2012 modern 135 #24,952
2013 modern 145 #24,207
2014 modern 149 #23,969
2015 modern 146 #24,148
2016 modern 144 #24,390

Geography

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Where Witheralls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Peter, London parishes, Dinnington and Beckenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Reading, Dacorum, South Northamptonshire, Dartford and Crawley. 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 St Peter Berkshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Dinnington Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 Beckenham Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Reading 018 Reading
2 Dacorum 021 Dacorum
3 South Northamptonshire 006 South Northamptonshire
4 Dartford 004 Dartford
5 Crawley 011 Crawley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Witherall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Witherall

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Witherall, 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 Witherall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Witherall 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, Witherall 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

Witherall is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Witherall falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Witherall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Witherall 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. Berkshire leads with 36 Witheralls recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.46x.

County Total Index
Berkshire 36 61.46x
Oxfordshire 8 16.60x
Middlesex 7 0.90x
Lancashire 6 0.65x
Somerset 5 3.98x
Durham 4 1.72x
Lanarkshire 4 1.59x
Surrey 3 0.79x
Staffordshire 2 0.76x
Warwickshire 2 1.02x
Cornwall 1 1.13x
Devon 1 0.62x
Leicestershire 1 1.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Reading St Giles in Berkshire leads with 7 Witheralls recorded in 1881 and an index of 121.74x.

Place Total Index
Reading St Giles 7 121.74x
Cholsey 6 1304.35x
Basildon 5 2777.78x
Crowmarsh Gifford 5 6250.00x
Taunton St James 5 273.22x
Finchampstead 4 2222.22x
Fulham London 4 35.34x
Gateshead 4 23.02x
Hamilton 4 56.82x
Manchester 4 9.61x
Sandhurst 4 353.98x
Chieveley 3 967.74x
Reading St Mary 3 63.97x
Speen 3 312.50x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 9.88x
Heston 2 77.22x
Oxford St Ebbe 2 140.85x
West Bromwich 2 13.26x
Atherstone 1 99.01x
Bodmin 1 68.49x
Devonport 1 53.48x
Kingston On Thames 1 10.95x
Lambeth 1 1.47x
Leamington Hastings 1 833.33x
Newnham Murren 1 1428.57x
Paddington London 1 3.49x
Richmond 1 18.76x
Sheepy Magna 1 909.09x
Wallingford St Mary Le 1 303.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Sarah 5
Eliza 3
Elizabeth 3
Emily 3
Hannah 3
Ann 2
Esther 2
Jane 2
Ada 1
Ailsee 1
Alice 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Betty 1
Charlotte 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Harriet 1
Martha 1
Rosa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 8
John 4
Richard 4
Thomas 3
Albert 2
Charles 2
Henry 2
Absolum 1
David 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Joseph 1
Sidney 1
Tom 1
William 1
Wilson 1

FAQ

Witherall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Witherall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 80 people were recorded with the Witherall surname. That placed it at #22,225 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Witherall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 144 in 2016. That gives Witherall a modern rank of #24,390.

What does the Witherall map show?

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