NameCensus.

UK surname

Woollen

An occupational surname referring to someone involved in the wool trade or textile industry.

In the 1881 census there were 289 people recorded with the Woollen surname, ranking it #9,968 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 207, ranked #19,118, down from #9,968 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Othery, Lyng. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Bath and North East Somerset and Selby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Woollen is 440 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 28.4%.

1881 census count

289

Ranked #9,968

Modern count

207

2016, ranked #19,118

Peak year

1891

440 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Woollen had 289 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,968 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 207 in 2016, ranked #19,118.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 440 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Woollen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Woollen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Woollen 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 165 #12,053
1861 historical 294 #8,571
1881 historical 289 #9,968
1891 historical 440 #8,216
1901 historical 411 #9,300
1911 historical 373 #9,787
1997 modern 211 #17,048
1998 modern 222 #16,969
1999 modern 217 #17,307
2000 modern 226 #16,840
2001 modern 221 #16,848
2002 modern 231 #16,677
2003 modern 221 #16,987
2004 modern 226 #16,829
2005 modern 223 #16,938
2006 modern 225 #16,941
2007 modern 233 #16,752
2008 modern 228 #17,146
2009 modern 230 #17,382
2010 modern 221 #18,205
2011 modern 229 #17,633
2012 modern 217 #18,184
2013 modern 226 #17,969
2014 modern 226 #18,088
2015 modern 216 #18,600
2016 modern 207 #19,118

Geography

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Where Woollens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Othery, Lyng, Sheffield and Rotherham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Bath and North East Somerset, Selby, Sheffield and North East Derbyshire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Othery, Lyng Somerset
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Rotherham Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 032 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Bath and North East Somerset 010 Bath and North East Somerset
3 Selby 002 Selby
4 Sheffield 022 Sheffield
5 North East Derbyshire 005 North East Derbyshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Woollen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Woollen

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Woollen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Woollen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Woollen is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Woollen 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

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

Meaning and origin of Woollen

The surname Woollen likely originates from England, tracing back to the early medieval period, roughly around the 12th to 13th centuries. The name is believed to be of occupational origin, derived from the Old English word "wulle," meaning wool, combined with "lēah," a clearing or wood. This indicates that the name may have originally been given to someone who worked with wool or lived near an area where wool was produced.

Woollen appears in historical records and documents dating back several centuries. One of the earliest mentions of the name can be found in tax records such as the Subsidy Rolls, with an entry for William Wolle in Yorkshire in 1379. Another notable early record includes a reference to a John Woollen in the "Feet of Fines" from the reign of Richard II, dating to around 1399, indicating the name had further spread within England.

The Woollen surname also appears connected to various place names across England. For instance, there are historical references to places such as Wollen's Hill in Gloucestershire, suggesting the spread and regional association of the name with specific locations.

Five notable individuals bearing the surname Woollen include Samuel Woollen, an English merchant active in the early 17th century who played a significant role in the wool trade. John Woollen, a 15th-century landowner who held estates in the northern counties, is also a prominent figure. Moving into the 18th century, Thomas Woollen (1723-1791) was known for his work in academia and his contributions to the University of Cambridge. In the literary world, Sarah Woollen (1745-1821) was a significant figure, known for her poetry and essays. Lastly, in the late 19th century, Charles Woollen (1840-1903) emerged as an influential industrialist during the Industrial Revolution, contributing to advancements in textile manufacturing.

The Woollen surname thus holds a rich history, grounded in occupational roots and spreading across various regions and contexts within England, marked by significant contributions from those who bore the name throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Woollen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Woollen 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 156 Woollens recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.55x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 156 5.55x
Somerset 41 8.97x
Middlesex 26 0.92x
Gloucestershire 16 2.87x
Lancashire 13 0.39x
Devon 8 1.35x
Surrey 8 0.58x
Essex 7 1.25x
Warwickshire 5 0.70x
Staffordshire 4 0.42x
Derbyshire 3 0.68x
Kent 3 0.31x
Royal Navy 1 2.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 48 Woollens recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.60x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 48 53.60x
Nether Hallam 35 91.98x
Ecclesall Bierlow 21 36.71x
Rotherham 13 81.97x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 9 89.55x
Taunton St Mary 9 107.27x
Brightside Bierlow 8 14.50x
Holy Trinity 8 11.83x
Lyng 8 2758.62x
St George Hanover 8 21.59x
Barrow In Furness 7 15.28x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 6 58.88x
Stoke St Gregory 6 431.65x
Birmingham 5 2.10x
Creech St Michael 5 438.60x
Heeley 5 58.48x
North Curry 5 322.58x
Shepton Mallet 5 97.47x
West Ham 5 4.04x
Westminster St John 5 14.46x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 4 15.27x
Barnstaple 4 43.15x
Clerkenwell London 4 5.97x
Exeter St Thomas The 4 66.45x
Horfield 4 71.43x
Poplar London 4 7.47x
Rawmarsh 4 40.24x
West Bromwich 4 7.29x
Bristol St Paul In 3 20.23x
Greenwich 3 6.64x
Hulme 3 4.27x
Minchinhampton 3 67.57x
Norton 3 81.97x
St Pancras London 3 1.31x
Wandsworth 3 10.98x
Bedminster 2 4.66x
Hornchurch 2 72.73x
Croydon 1 1.30x
Crumpsall 1 12.59x
Frome 1 9.15x
Hammersmith London 1 1.43x
Lambeth 1 0.40x
Leeds 1 0.63x
Newington 1 0.95x
Richmond 1 5.16x
Royal Navy 1 3.46x
Salford 1 1.01x
Southwark St Saviour 1 6.85x
St Marylebone London 1 0.66x
Windle 1 5.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 13
Mary 12
Elizabeth 11
Emma 7
Eliza 6
Jane 6
Alice 4
Fanny 4
Kate 4
Lucy 4
Matilda 4
Ada 3
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Ann 2
Bertha 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Louisa 2
Rebecca 2
Amey 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Araminta 1
Bessie 1
Betty 1
Catherine 1
Damorus 1
Eleanor 1
Elizebeth 1
Ethel 1
Florrence 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Imogene 1
Irene 1
Jessy 1
Lilly 1
Lucilla 1
Lydia 1
Martha 1
Naomi 1
Priscilla 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 19
John 15
Charles 13
James 12
Arthur 9
George 9
Henry 8
Joseph 5
Albert 4
Alfred 4
Robert 4
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Thomas 3
Walter 3
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Jonathan 2
Josh. 2
Matthew 2
Samuel 2
Alfd. 1
Alfd.A. 1
Amos 1
Arnold 1
Benjamen 1
Charley 1
Chas. 1
Cornilous 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frances 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Gabriel 1
Hale 1
Herbert 1
J.A. 1
Jno 1
Pringle 1
Reuben 1
Sam 1
Thos. 1
Tomas 1
Verdon 1
W.H. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Woollen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Woollen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 289 people were recorded with the Woollen surname. That placed it at #9,968 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Woollen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 207 in 2016. That gives Woollen a modern rank of #19,118.

What does the Woollen surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone involved in the wool trade or textile industry.

What does the Woollen map show?

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