NameCensus.

UK surname

Womble

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "hollow" or "valley" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 32 people recorded with the Womble surname, ranking it #29,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 98, ranked #31,470, down from #29,082 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, Rotherham and North East Derbyshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Womble is 107 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 206.3%.

1881 census count

32

Ranked #29,082

Modern count

98

2016, ranked #31,470

Peak year

1999

107 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Womble had 32 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,082 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 98 in 2016, ranked #31,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 62 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Womble surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Womble surname density by area, 1998 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Womble 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 16 #30,441
1861 historical 15 #31,942
1881 historical 32 #29,082
1891 historical 35 #31,540
1901 historical 45 #29,156
1911 historical 62 #26,622
1997 modern 94 #27,781
1998 modern 104 #26,981
1999 modern 107 #26,754
2000 modern 100 #27,695
2001 modern 98 #27,672
2002 modern 100 #27,944
2003 modern 100 #27,722
2004 modern 102 #27,637
2005 modern 96 #28,671
2006 modern 99 #28,453
2007 modern 97 #29,156
2008 modern 101 #28,825
2009 modern 105 #28,815
2010 modern 106 #29,305
2011 modern 105 #29,287
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 103 #30,235
2014 modern 102 #30,714
2015 modern 102 #30,624
2016 modern 98 #31,470

Geography

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Where Wombles 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 Bolsover, Rotherham, North East Derbyshire and Suffolk Coastal. 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 Bolsover 001 Bolsover
2 Bolsover 002 Bolsover
3 Rotherham 017 Rotherham
4 North East Derbyshire 001 North East Derbyshire
5 Suffolk Coastal 005 Suffolk Coastal

Forenames

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First names often paired with Womble

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Womble

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Womble is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Womble is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Womble 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 Womble is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Womble

The surname Womble is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "womb," which referred to a hollow or depression in the land, often a valley or dip between hills. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to describe someone who lived in such a geographic location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Womble can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This entry suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show a John de Womble residing in Staffordshire, indicating that the name had spread across various regions of England by that time. The prefix "de" in his name suggests a connection to a specific place, likely a township or village with a name derived from the Old English word "womb."

During the 14th century, variations of the spelling emerged, including Wombell, Wombwell, and Wombwell. These variations often reflected regional dialects or the preferences of scribes who recorded the name in official documents.

One notable figure in history who bore the Womble surname was Sir John Wombwell, a Member of Parliament for Yorkshire in the late 16th century. He was born in 1536 and played a significant role in the English Reformation, supporting the Protestant cause under Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Womble family established themselves in the county of Gloucestershire. A prominent member of this branch was Richard Womble, a successful merchant and landowner who was born in 1624 and left behind a substantial estate upon his death in 1692.

Another individual of note was Elizabeth Womble, born in 1745 in Wiltshire. She gained recognition as a skilled needleworker and embroiderer, with her intricate designs adorning the garments of wealthy patrons throughout the Georgian era.

During the 19th century, the Womble name continued to appear across various regions of England, with notable individuals including George Womble, a renowned architect from Yorkshire, born in 1817, and Samuel Womble, a prominent educator and headmaster from Derbyshire, born in 1853.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Womble families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Womble 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. Derbyshire leads with 9 Wombles recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.42x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 9 18.42x
Nottinghamshire 9 21.40x
Yorkshire 9 2.91x
Lincolnshire 3 6.01x
Durham 1 1.08x
Middlesex 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. Clowne in Derbyshire leads with 8 Wombles recorded in 1881 and an index of 4210.53x.

Place Total Index
Clowne 8 4210.53x
Caunton 5 12500.00x
Thurlstone 5 1666.67x
Langwith 3 7500.00x
St Martin Lincoln 3 652.17x
Stainbrough 2 3333.33x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 15.90x
Eckington 1 84.03x
Harrow On The Hill 1 161.29x
Hartlepool 1 75.76x
Holbeck 1 3333.33x
Rotherham 1 57.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Mary 2
Anne 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Jane 1
Jemima 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
George 3
Henry 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
James 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Womble households.

FAQ

Womble surname: questions and answers

How common was the Womble surname in 1881?

In 1881, 32 people were recorded with the Womble surname. That placed it at #29,082 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Womble surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 98 in 2016. That gives Womble a modern rank of #31,470.

What does the Womble surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "hollow" or "valley" in Old English.

What does the Womble map show?

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