NameCensus.

UK surname

Wooles

In the 1881 census there were 83 people recorded with the Wooles surname, ranking it #21,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 134, ranked #25,636, down from #21,808 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Herefordshire and Pembrokeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wooles is 152 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 61.4%.

1881 census count

83

Ranked #21,808

Modern count

134

2016, ranked #25,636

Peak year

2010

152 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wooles had 83 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,808 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016, ranked #25,636.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 97 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Wooles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wooles surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wooles 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 41 #25,926
1861 historical 34 #29,685
1881 historical 83 #21,808
1891 historical 96 #24,559
1901 historical 89 #24,154
1911 historical 97 #23,076
1997 modern 122 #23,917
1998 modern 127 #23,940
1999 modern 126 #24,239
2000 modern 119 #25,072
2001 modern 118 #24,832
2002 modern 124 #24,616
2003 modern 123 #24,497
2004 modern 126 #24,335
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 123 #24,873
2007 modern 136 #23,708
2008 modern 141 #23,383
2009 modern 149 #23,031
2010 modern 152 #23,282
2011 modern 133 #25,177
2012 modern 129 #25,705
2013 modern 124 #26,842
2014 modern 129 #26,352
2015 modern 131 #25,979
2016 modern 134 #25,636

Geography

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Where Wooles' 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 Herefordshire 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Herefordshire 017 Herefordshire, County of
2 Herefordshire 011 Herefordshire, County of
3 Herefordshire 016 Herefordshire, County of
4 Pembrokeshire 014 Pembrokeshire
5 Herefordshire 021 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wooles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wooles

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Wooles surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Wooles household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Wooles is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wooles 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

Wooles 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 Wooles 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 Wooles, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Wooles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wooles 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. Gloucestershire leads with 69 Wooles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.46x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 69 43.46x
Monmouthshire 4 6.84x
Herefordshire 3 9.04x
Glamorgan 2 1.42x
Oxfordshire 2 4.00x
Somerset 2 1.53x
Berkshire 1 1.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newnham in Gloucestershire leads with 16 Wooles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3902.44x.

Place Total Index
Newnham 16 3902.44x
Lydney 12 1463.41x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 53.51x
West Dean 7 271.32x
Gloucester St Owen 5 2941.18x
Westbury On Severn East 5 139.28x
Westbury On Trym 5 92.94x
Aberystruth 4 77.52x
Bisley 4 277.78x
Bristol St Paul In 3 70.92x
Hereford St John 3 789.47x
S Weston 2 6666.67x
Awre 1 303.03x
Bedminster 1 8.17x
Cardiff St John 1 21.74x
Dymock 1 263.16x
East Hagbourn 1 666.67x
Hartpury 1 454.55x
Swansea Town 1 8.65x
Winscombe 1 285.71x
Wotton St Mary 1 121.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Sarah 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Rose 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Decima 1
Edith 1
Elizabeth 1
Ella 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Hadline 1
Katherine 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Rosina 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Wooles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wooles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 83 people were recorded with the Wooles surname. That placed it at #21,808 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wooles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016. That gives Wooles a modern rank of #25,636.

What does the Wooles map show?

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