NameCensus.

UK surname

Woolfrey

A surname derived from the Old Norse elements "varg" (wolf) and "frid" (peace, beautiful).

In the 1881 census there were 118 people recorded with the Woolfrey surname, ranking it #17,935 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 123, ranked #27,115, down from #17,935 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Poole St James and Child Okeford, Oakford Fitzpaine, Bellchalwell, Fifehead Neville. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dacorum, Tandridge and Brent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Woolfrey is 140 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.2%.

1881 census count

118

Ranked #17,935

Modern count

123

2016, ranked #27,115

Peak year

1891

140 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Woolfrey had 118 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,935 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016, ranked #27,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 140 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Woolfrey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Woolfrey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Woolfrey 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 76 #20,127
1861 historical 98 #21,388
1881 historical 118 #17,935
1891 historical 140 #19,193
1901 historical 103 #22,444
1911 historical 129 #19,577
1997 modern 103 #26,498
1998 modern 115 #25,466
1999 modern 113 #25,913
2000 modern 103 #27,280
2001 modern 104 #26,765
2002 modern 113 #26,024
2003 modern 116 #25,415
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 107 #26,875
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 109 #27,253
2008 modern 107 #27,844
2009 modern 105 #28,815
2010 modern 114 #28,017
2011 modern 109 #28,653
2012 modern 117 #27,394
2013 modern 123 #26,974
2014 modern 122 #27,358
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 123 #27,115

Geography

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Where Woolfreys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Poole St James, Child Okeford, Oakford Fitzpaine, Bellchalwell, Fifehead Neville and St Philip and Jacob. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dacorum, Tandridge, Brent, South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset. 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 Poole St James Dorset
3 London parishes London 3
4 Child Okeford, Oakford Fitzpaine, Bellchalwell, Fifehead Neville Dorset
5 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dacorum 015 Dacorum
2 Tandridge 012 Tandridge
3 Brent 017 Brent
4 South Gloucestershire 010 South Gloucestershire
5 Bath and North East Somerset 027 Bath and North East Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Woolfrey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Woolfrey

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

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Woolfrey 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

Woolfrey is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Woolfrey falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Woolfrey

The surname Woolfrey has its origins in the medieval period, most likely emerging in England. The name appears to derive from the Old English elements "wulf", meaning wolf, and "ric", meaning power or ruler. This etymology suggests that the name Woolfrey might have initially been a descriptive or occupational name for someone who was seen as having the strength or leadership qualities associated with a wolf.

The earliest known use of a similar name can be traced to the Domesday Book of 1086, where variations such as "Wulfric" are documented. These early forms can be linked to specific locales, particularly in areas of Anglo-Saxon settlement. Records from medieval England show that the elements "wulf" and "ric" were quite common in the forming of personal names and later surnames.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname in a more recognizable form is found in the 13th century. In 1273, a Geoffrey Wulfric appeared in the Hundred Rolls, a census conducted for tax purposes. This suggests that variants of the name were spreading and becoming solidified as family surnames.

In the 14th century, the name continued to evolve and spread throughout England. A notable individual during this period was John Woolfrey, documented as owning land in Kent in the late 1300s. His presence in historical records underscores the name's geographic distribution within the country.

By the 16th century, Woolfrey had become somewhat more standardized in its spelling. William Woolfrey, born in 1512 and a resident of Gloucestershire, is noted in parish registers. These records indicate not only marriages and death but also the prevalent use of the surname among common folk.

Into the 18th century, the name Woolfrey appears in legal documents and records of commerce. Thomas Woolfrey, born in 1723 and an influential merchant in London, is one such example. His involvement in trade and business highlights the socio-economic strata the surname had come to represent by this time.

As the name continued to flourish, another prominent individual bearing the surname was Edward Woolfrey, born in 1784, a noted clergyman and scholar. Edward's contributions to religious education in the early 19th century further propagated the name's association with learning and ecclesiastical accomplishments.

Through these historical snapshots, the surname Woolfrey traces a path from its Anglo-Saxon roots to its established presence in various social and economic spheres of England. This lineage reflects the dynamic nature of surname evolution and the rich tapestry of historical records that help us trace such names through the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Woolfrey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Woolfrey 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. Dorset leads with 39 Woolfreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.63x.

County Total Index
Dorset 39 51.63x
Gloucestershire 23 10.19x
Middlesex 17 1.48x
Surrey 12 2.14x
Devon 10 4.17x
Hampshire 7 2.97x
Somerset 5 2.70x
Kent 2 0.51x
Northamptonshire 2 1.85x
Cornwall 1 0.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Child Okeford in Dorset leads with 27 Woolfreys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8181.82x.

Place Total Index
Child Okeford 27 8181.82x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 15 70.59x
Lambeth 10 9.96x
Hammersmith London 6 21.16x
Portsea 6 12.98x
Okeford Fitzpaine 5 2083.33x
Plymouth Charles The 5 47.35x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 27.09x
Wareham Lady St Mary 5 862.07x
Islington London 4 3.59x
Wilton 4 833.33x
Clifton 3 26.29x
Bristol St Augustine 2 54.95x
Bristol St Paul In 2 33.28x
Clapham 2 13.90x
Northampton St Sepulchre 2 36.30x
Poole St James 2 70.42x
Shoreditch London 2 4.01x
St Pancras London 2 2.16x
Westminster St James 2 16.91x
Bristol St James In 1 30.12x
Hackney London 1 1.55x
Milton In Milton 1 59.88x
North Cray 1 400.00x
Southampton All Sts 1 24.69x
Taunton St Mary 1 29.41x
Truro St Mary 1 91.74x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
Alfred 6
William 6
George 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Henry 2
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Eliza 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Harold 1
Horace 1
Hy.Jno. 1
Iuan 1
J.A. 1
James 1
Norbert 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Woolfrey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Woolfrey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 118 people were recorded with the Woolfrey surname. That placed it at #17,935 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Woolfrey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016. That gives Woolfrey a modern rank of #27,115.

What does the Woolfrey surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old Norse elements "varg" (wolf) and "frid" (peace, beautiful).

What does the Woolfrey map show?

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