NameCensus.

UK surname

Wolfendale

An English surname derived from the Old English "Wulfan" meaning wolf, combined with "dael" meaning valley.

In the 1881 census there were 242 people recorded with the Wolfendale surname, ranking it #11,333 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 346, ranked #13,291, down from #11,333 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, Wigan and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wolfendale is 374 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.0%.

1881 census count

242

Ranked #11,333

Modern count

346

2016, ranked #13,291

Peak year

1999

374 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wolfendale had 242 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,333 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 346 in 2016, ranked #13,291.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 284 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Wolfendale surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wolfendale surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wolfendale 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 109 #16,212
1861 historical 191 #12,467
1881 historical 242 #11,333
1891 historical 275 #11,847
1901 historical 284 #12,093
1911 historical 283 #11,883
1997 modern 335 #12,575
1998 modern 358 #12,349
1999 modern 374 #12,026
2000 modern 374 #11,976
2001 modern 374 #11,805
2002 modern 365 #12,246
2003 modern 339 #12,714
2004 modern 332 #12,951
2005 modern 319 #13,275
2006 modern 327 #13,092
2007 modern 335 #13,001
2008 modern 343 #12,899
2009 modern 347 #13,044
2010 modern 343 #13,416
2011 modern 336 #13,498
2012 modern 327 #13,654
2013 modern 335 #13,604
2014 modern 335 #13,720
2015 modern 337 #13,560
2016 modern 346 #13,291

Geography

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Where Wolfendales are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, Wigan, Manchester, Dean and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton and Salford. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dean Lancashire
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 033 Bolton
2 Bolton 029 Bolton
3 Bolton 034 Bolton
4 Salford 017 Salford
5 Bolton 005 Bolton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wolfendale

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wolfendale

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Wolfendale surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Wolfendale household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Wolfendale is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wolfendale is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wolfendale falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wolfendale 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wolfendale

The surname Wolfendale originated in England during the medieval period. The name is believed to have its roots in Northern England, specifically in areas such as Yorkshire and Lancashire, where many traditional English surnames developed. Wolfendale derives from an Old English compound of "wulf," meaning wolf, and "dael," meaning valley; thus, it translates to "wolf's valley." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived in a valley frequented by wolves or one with a landscape reminiscent of such an environment.

One of the earliest instances where a similar name appears is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where place names with similar construction are recorded. While Wolfendale itself does not appear in the Domesday Book, its structure is consistent with Old English naming conventions involving animals and geographical features. Variations like Wulfendale and Wolfendale reflect the natural evolution of the name's spelling over time.

Historical references to the surname Wolfendale can be found in various English records from the 13th century onward. For example, in the Yorkshire Poll Tax records of 1379, a Richard de Wolfendale was mentioned, indicating the name's presence and use in official documents. Another early reference comes from the Lancashire Assize Rolls of 1246, where a Simon de Wolfendale was noted, suggesting that the name was established in Northern England by the mid-13th century.

One significant figure bearing the name was John Wolfendale, born in 1565 in Lancashire. He is recorded in parish records as a notable landowner and farmer, contributing to the agricultural development of the region. Another notable individual is Edward Wolfendale, who was born in 1630 and became a mayor of a small Yorkshire town, showing the family's involvement in local governance.

Elizabeth Wolfendale (1672-1745) was a prominent early 18th-century figure in Yorkshire, known for her charitable works and founding a local school that provided education to poor children, an unusual and highly regarded accomplishment for a woman of her time. Additionally, George Wolfendale, born in 1702, was a significant figure in the woolen industry in West Yorkshire, indicating the diversification of the Wolfendale family into various trades and enterprises.

William Wolfendale, born in 1765, served as a Member of Parliament for a brief period in the early 19th century, representing a Lancashire constituency. His involvement in politics underscores the family's rising status and influence in England. Another prominent member of the surname was Thomas Wolfendale (1833-1890), a notable Victorian architect whose designs remain part of Northern England's architectural heritage.

The history and etymology of the surname Wolfendale showcase its deep connection to English geography and social history, symbolizing the family's integration and adaptability across diverse spheres over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wolfendale families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wolfendale 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. Lancashire leads with 207 Wolfendales recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.39x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 207 7.39x
Yorkshire 20 0.86x
Staffordshire 5 0.63x
Cheshire 4 0.77x
Devon 3 0.61x
Derbyshire 1 0.27x
Hampshire 1 0.21x
Worcestershire 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Farnworth in Lancashire leads with 85 Wolfendales recorded in 1881 and an index of 506.56x.

Place Total Index
Farnworth 85 506.56x
Lancaster 31 185.96x
Wigan 24 61.32x
Manchester 22 17.47x
Bury 10 31.25x
Slaidburn 9 2250.00x
Little Bolton 6 16.66x
Worsley 6 34.74x
Little Hulton 5 107.76x
Manningham 5 17.35x
Bradford 4 7.06x
Kearsley 4 67.91x
Prestwich 4 57.22x
Tutbury 4 206.19x
Ashton On Mersey 3 111.52x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 7.93x
Great Bolton 2 5.39x
Liverpool 2 1.18x
Pilkington 2 18.80x
Belper 1 13.97x
Carisbrooke 1 14.88x
Chester St John Baptist 1 10.67x
Everton 1 1.12x
Gargrave 1 96.15x
Harborne 1 3.92x
Hulme 1 1.71x
Ryhill 1 156.25x
Salford 1 1.21x
Stoke Prior 1 52.63x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 1 12.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Alice 12
Elizabeth 11
Sarah 11
Ellen 7
Jane 7
Ann 5
Eliza 4
Hannah 4
Margaret 4
Emma 3
Annie 2
Harriet 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Bathia 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Betty 1
Catherine 1
Christiana 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Emily 1
Isabella 1
M.A. 1
Mable 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Minnie 1
Miriam 1
Rachel 1
Ruth 1
S. 1
Salena 1
Sophia 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 20
John 18
William 18
Richard 8
Thomas 7
Joseph 6
George 4
Jonathan 4
Samuel 3
Thos. 3
Albert 2
Charles 2
Fred 2
J. 2
Jas. 2
Levi 2
Robert 2
A. 1
Abraham 1
Benjamin 1
David 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Isaiah 1
J.W. 1
Jas.A. 1
Johanathan 1
Martin 1
Nathan 1
Roger 1
Saml. 1
Wm. 1
Wm.C. 1

FAQ

Wolfendale surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wolfendale surname in 1881?

In 1881, 242 people were recorded with the Wolfendale surname. That placed it at #11,333 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wolfendale surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 346 in 2016. That gives Wolfendale a modern rank of #13,291.

What does the Wolfendale surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English "Wulfan" meaning wolf, combined with "dael" meaning valley.

What does the Wolfendale map show?

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