NameCensus.

UK surname

Wolsey

A surname derived from a placename likely referring to someone from Wolesley or Wulfrices-lea.

In the 1881 census there were 201 people recorded with the Wolsey surname, ranking it #12,791 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 420, ranked #11,414, up from #12,791 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Briston and St Giles Camberwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mearns South and Benholm, Calderdale and Swansea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wolsey is 455 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 109.0%.

1881 census count

201

Ranked #12,791

Modern count

420

2016, ranked #11,414

Peak year

1998

455 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wolsey had 201 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,791 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 420 in 2016, ranked #11,414.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 328 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wolsey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wolsey surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Wolsey 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 104 #16,746
1861 historical 135 #16,651
1881 historical 201 #12,791
1891 historical 241 #13,089
1901 historical 290 #11,925
1911 historical 328 #10,714
1997 modern 442 #10,209
1998 modern 455 #10,315
1999 modern 450 #10,451
2000 modern 450 #10,433
2001 modern 436 #10,500
2002 modern 439 #10,656
2003 modern 418 #10,896
2004 modern 420 #10,889
2005 modern 409 #10,999
2006 modern 401 #11,237
2007 modern 400 #11,374
2008 modern 401 #11,441
2009 modern 411 #11,480
2010 modern 423 #11,470
2011 modern 422 #11,359
2012 modern 437 #10,915
2013 modern 427 #11,325
2014 modern 442 #11,057
2015 modern 431 #11,206
2016 modern 420 #11,414

Geography

Back to top

Where Wolseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Briston, St Giles Camberwell and Swansea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mearns South and Benholm, Calderdale, Swansea, Bridgend and Pembrokeshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Briston Norfolk
4 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)
5 Swansea Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mearns South and Benholm Aberdeenshire
2 Calderdale 004 Calderdale
3 Swansea 002 Swansea
4 Bridgend 017 Bridgend
5 Pembrokeshire 003 Pembrokeshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Wolsey

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Wolsey

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Wolsey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wolsey is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wolsey falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wolsey

The surname Wolsey originates from England, with its roots tracing back to medieval times. The name appears to have derived from the Old English given name Wulfsige, which is composed of the elements "wulf," meaning wolf, and "sige," meaning victory. This suggests that the name originally meant "wolf victory" or "victorious wolf," a common practice in Anglo-Saxon England where names with such strong connotations were popular.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Wolsey date back to the late 12th and early 13th centuries. The name appears in various medieval manuscripts and charters, illustrating its historical significance. For example, a reference to a person named Robert Wolsey can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire from the year 1198. Such records indicate that the name was well-established in England by this time.

One of the most notable figures bearing the surname is Thomas Wolsey, born circa 1473 and died in 1530. Thomas Wolsey rose to prominence as a cardinal and statesman under King Henry VIII. His role as Lord Chancellor of England made him one of the most powerful men in the country during the early 16th century. His legacy remains heavily associated with the political and religious upheavals of the Tudor period.

Other historical figures with the surname include John Wolsey, who lived in the early 14th century and is mentioned in ecclesiastical records. Furthermore, Geoffrey Wolsey, from the mid-15th century, appears in property records in Suffolk, suggesting that the surname was geographically widespread and carried by individuals of varying social statuses.

The surname also appears in variations such as Wolsie and Wolseley. These variations indicate the fluid nature of spellings in medieval England. Place names like Wolston in Warwickshire and Woolstone in Gloucestershire may share etymological connections with the Wolsey surname, further illustrating its deep historical roots.

In studying the name Wolsey, it is clear that it carries a rich heritage, deeply embedded in English history and culture. The evolution of its spelling and the prominence of individuals bearing the surname highlight its historical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Wolsey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wolsey 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 49 Wolseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.49x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 49 2.49x
Surrey 37 3.85x
Lancashire 25 1.07x
Norfolk 18 5.94x
Yorkshire 14 0.72x
Essex 13 3.34x
Derbyshire 7 2.27x
Glamorgan 7 2.04x
Warwickshire 7 1.41x
Kent 6 0.89x
Sussex 4 1.20x
Devon 3 0.73x
Suffolk 3 1.25x
Lincolnshire 2 0.63x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.75x
Berkshire 1 0.68x
Clackmannanshire 1 6.15x
Denbighshire 1 1.34x
Durham 1 0.17x
Royal Navy 1 4.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 17 Wolseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.51x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 17 13.51x
Islington London 9 4.71x
Kensington London 8 7.30x
Sutton 8 102.04x
Hammersmith London 7 14.42x
Swansea Town 7 24.88x
West Ham 7 8.15x
Whittington 7 163.93x
Beddington 6 161.73x
Birmingham 6 3.62x
Lambeth 6 3.49x
Lee 6 61.48x
Teddington London 6 134.53x
Westhoughton 6 96.15x
Ashton In Makerfield 4 60.06x
Brigham 4 5714.29x
Fulham London 4 14.00x
Skelton In Guisbrough 4 75.76x
St Luke London 4 12.65x
St Marylebone London 4 3.80x
Eastbourne 3 19.62x
Haverhill 3 857.14x
Heigham 3 18.45x
Parr 3 35.84x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 7.57x
Wereham 3 731.71x
Wiggenhall St Mary Virgin 3 1363.64x
Bradford 2 4.23x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 2 80.00x
Ipswich St Clement 2 32.79x
Kingston On Thames 2 8.67x
Long Ditton 2 127.39x
Mile End New Town 2 74.35x
Nottingham St Mary 2 2.91x
Spalding 2 32.00x
Stoke Damerel 2 6.97x
Aldbrough In Skirlaugh 1 277.78x
Allerton Bywater 1 94.34x
Alloa 1 12.67x
Ash Normandy 1 76.92x
Barking 1 80.65x
Bispham 1 526.32x
Braintree 1 28.65x
Brandon 1 61.35x
Bressingham 1 294.12x
Brighton 1 1.49x
Castle Rising 1 416.67x
Culmstock 1 172.41x
Didlington 1 1666.67x
Edgbaston 1 6.49x
Everton 1 1.34x
Freethorpe 1 370.37x
Harlow 1 59.52x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 10.99x
Llandrillo Yn Rhos 1 90.91x
Norwich St Gregory 1 188.68x
Paddington London 1 1.38x
Rainham 1 117.65x
Royal Navy 1 4.98x
Ruswarp 1 46.08x
Shoreditch London 1 1.17x
South Lynn 1 29.24x
St George Hanover 1 3.89x
St Giles In Fields 1 14.71x
Stockton On Tees 1 3.54x
Sunninghill 1 48.78x
Tottenham 1 3.19x
Watlington 1 238.10x
Whitby 1 15.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 7
Charlotte 5
Ellen 5
Sarah 5
Hannah 4
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Louisa 3
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Marion 2
Sussanna 2
Ada 1
Annie 1
Belinda 1
Betsy 1
Blyndy 1
Catherine 1
Celia 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Ella 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Louise 1
Margaret 1
Margaretta 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Maude 1
Minnie 1
Rosetta 1
Rosey 1
Susannah 1
Sushannah 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 11
William 11
Arthur 8
Thomas 7
Charles 5
Frederick 5
Henry 5
Walter 5
George 4
James 4
Robert 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Abraham 2
Christopher 2
Gilbert 2
Mark 2
Samuel 2
A. 1
Albert 1
Amos 1
Benjamin 1
Christr. 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
Elias 1
Elijah 1
F. 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Shadrack 1
Tom 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Wolsey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wolsey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 201 people were recorded with the Wolsey surname. That placed it at #12,791 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wolsey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 420 in 2016. That gives Wolsey a modern rank of #11,414.

What does the Wolsey surname mean?

A surname derived from a placename likely referring to someone from Wolesley or Wulfrices-lea.

What does the Wolsey map show?

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