NameCensus.

UK surname

Woolham

In the 1881 census there were 67 people recorded with the Woolham surname, ranking it #24,104 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 131, ranked #26,004, down from #24,104 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hope, Winwick and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton, Bradford and Tewkesbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Woolham is 155 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 95.5%.

1881 census count

67

Ranked #24,104

Modern count

131

2016, ranked #26,004

Peak year

2002

155 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Woolham had 67 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,104 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016, ranked #26,004.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 112 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Woolham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Woolham surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Woolham 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 35 #27,037
1861 historical 81 #23,431
1881 historical 67 #24,104
1891 historical 112 #22,291
1901 historical 96 #23,342
1911 historical 103 #22,328
1997 modern 147 #21,393
1998 modern 149 #21,755
1999 modern 150 #21,826
2000 modern 154 #21,415
2001 modern 150 #21,482
2002 modern 155 #21,431
2003 modern 137 #22,939
2004 modern 137 #23,098
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 124 #24,750
2007 modern 129 #24,503
2008 modern 131 #24,583
2009 modern 128 #25,427
2010 modern 136 #25,009
2011 modern 128 #25,793
2012 modern 121 #26,829
2013 modern 122 #27,122
2014 modern 120 #27,646
2015 modern 121 #27,405
2016 modern 131 #26,004

Geography

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Where Woolhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hope, Winwick, Manchester, Liverpool and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton, Bradford, Tewkesbury, Wigan 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 Hope Denbighshire
2 Winwick Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 004 Bolton
2 Bradford 059 Bradford
3 Tewkesbury 003 Tewkesbury
4 Wigan 007 Wigan
5 Salford 001 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Woolham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Woolham

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Woolham, 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 Woolham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Woolham 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Woolham is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Woolham 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

Woolham 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 Woolham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Woolham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Woolham 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. Yorkshire leads with 23 Woolhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.55x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 23 3.55x
Lancashire 19 2.45x
Shropshire 18 31.88x
Staffordshire 4 1.81x
Cheshire 2 1.39x
Surrey 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bradford in Yorkshire leads with 18 Woolhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 114.80x.

Place Total Index
Bradford 18 114.80x
Manchester 8 22.94x
Welsh Hampton 8 6666.67x
Whitchurch 8 727.27x
West Derby 7 30.85x
Manningham 3 37.59x
Burton Extra 2 158.73x
Castle Church 2 150.38x
Leeds 2 5.47x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 2 120.48x
Stanton Upon Hine Heath 2 1333.33x
Toxteth Park 2 7.62x
Croydon 1 5.66x
Haydock 1 74.63x
Lower Booths 1 71.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 5
George 4
John 4
Joseph 3
Thomas 3
Edward 2
Embrey 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
G.F.A. 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
James 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Nathanial 1
Richard 1
Robert 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 Woolham households.

FAQ

Woolham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Woolham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 67 people were recorded with the Woolham surname. That placed it at #24,104 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Woolham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016. That gives Woolham a modern rank of #26,004.

What does the Woolham map show?

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