NameCensus.

UK surname

Woolsey

Derived from a place name meaning "Wulf's island" in Old English, likely referring to an ancestor's origin or residence.

In the 1881 census there were 362 people recorded with the Woolsey surname, ranking it #8,561 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 548, ranked #9,309, down from #8,561 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mitcham, London parishes and Gooderstone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Holland, Broadland and Badenoch and Strathspey Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Woolsey is 556 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.4%.

1881 census count

362

Ranked #8,561

Modern count

548

2016, ranked #9,309

Peak year

2014

556 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Woolsey had 362 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,561 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 548 in 2016, ranked #9,309.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 484 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Woolsey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Woolsey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Woolsey 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 289 #7,860
1861 historical 288 #8,743
1881 historical 362 #8,561
1891 historical 394 #8,982
1901 historical 431 #8,982
1911 historical 484 #8,026
1997 modern 487 #9,482
1998 modern 510 #9,448
1999 modern 523 #9,332
2000 modern 529 #9,233
2001 modern 516 #9,234
2002 modern 531 #9,227
2003 modern 484 #9,717
2004 modern 516 #9,302
2005 modern 500 #9,443
2006 modern 505 #9,415
2007 modern 515 #9,357
2008 modern 512 #9,470
2009 modern 530 #9,432
2010 modern 552 #9,338
2011 modern 538 #9,444
2012 modern 537 #9,348
2013 modern 550 #9,339
2014 modern 556 #9,298
2015 modern 551 #9,294
2016 modern 548 #9,309

Geography

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Where Woolseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mitcham, London parishes, Gooderstone and Dartford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Holland, Broadland and Badenoch and Strathspey Central. 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 Mitcham Surrey
2 London parishes London 1
3 Gooderstone Norfolk
4 London parishes London 3
5 Dartford Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Holland 007 South Holland
2 South Holland 009 South Holland
3 South Holland 005 South Holland
4 Broadland 018 Broadland
5 Badenoch and Strathspey Central Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Woolsey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Woolsey

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Woolsey is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Woolsey is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Woolsey falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Woolsey

The surname Woolsey is an English toponymic name derived from the Old English words 'wull' meaning wool and 'ey' meaning island, referring to an island where wool was traded or processed. The name originated in Dorset, England, during the medieval period.

Woolsey is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Wulleseia, referring to the village of Woolsey in Dorset. The earliest known bearer of the name was Walter de Wulleseia, who was mentioned in records from the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Wollesye, Wollesy, and Wullesye. During this time, the Woolsey family held lands in Dorset and neighbouring counties. One notable member was Sir William Woolsey (c. 1260-1325), a knight who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence.

By the 14th century, the surname had spread to other parts of England, including London and Essex. Records from this period mention individuals like John Wullesye (b. c. 1320) and Thomas Wollesey (b. c. 1350), both from Essex.

In the 15th century, the name was sometimes associated with the village of Woolsey in Oxfordshire, leading to variations like Wolsey and Wulcy. One famous bearer was Cardinal Thomas Wolsey (c. 1475-1530), an influential statesman and the Lord Chancellor of England under King Henry VIII.

The 16th and 17th centuries saw the Woolsey name spread further across England, with families settling in counties like Yorkshire, Warwickshire, and Gloucestershire. Notable individuals from this period include Robert Woolsey (c. 1580-1645), a merchant and alderman in London, and Thomas Woolsey (c. 1620-1692), a Puritan minister in New England.

Other historical figures with the Woolsey surname include George Woolsey (1667-1728), a British naval officer and colonial governor of Virginia; Theodore Dwight Woolsey (1801-1889), an American scholar and president of Yale College; and Robert Woolsey (1888-1962), an American diplomat and the first Director of Central Intelligence under President Truman.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Woolsey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Woolsey 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. Norfolk leads with 135 Woolseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.00x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 135 25.00x
Lincolnshire 46 8.19x
Suffolk 44 10.29x
Surrey 37 2.16x
Middlesex 33 0.94x
Kent 16 1.34x
Lancashire 14 0.34x
Lanarkshire 9 0.79x
Cambridgeshire 7 3.15x
Yorkshire 5 0.14x
Derbyshire 2 0.36x
Essex 2 0.29x
Gloucestershire 2 0.29x
Bedfordshire 1 0.55x
Channel Islands 1 0.96x
Hampshire 1 0.14x
Northamptonshire 1 0.30x
Somerset 1 0.18x
Sussex 1 0.17x
Westmorland 1 1.30x
Wiltshire 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. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 45 Woolseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 100.63x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 45 100.63x
Mitcham 23 212.77x
Mile End Old Town 21 37.89x
Brandon 20 689.66x
Spalding 12 107.72x
Sedgeford 9 989.01x
Barony 8 2.78x
Briston 8 784.31x
Dartford 8 65.31x
Eye 8 289.86x
Gorleston 8 73.60x
Messingham 8 588.24x
Norwich St Michael At 8 255.59x
Frenze 7 7777.78x
Great Grimsby 7 19.64x
Hinderclay 7 1891.89x
Ince In Makerfield 7 36.10x
Waddington 7 679.61x
Dunsfold 6 645.16x
Aylsham 5 155.76x
Clee With Weelsby 5 40.68x
Haverhill 5 131.58x
Heigham 5 17.25x
St Pancras London 5 1.77x
Bermondsey 4 3.83x
Gooderstone 4 677.97x
Plumstead 4 10.02x
Rougham 4 408.16x
Tuddenham St Mary 4 869.57x
Blofield 3 218.98x
Gissing 3 545.45x
Ipswich St Clement 3 27.60x
Manthorpe Cum Little 3 69.93x
St Giles In Fields 3 24.77x
Swaffham Prior 3 306.12x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 6.04x
Bromley 2 10.95x
Derby St Alkmund 2 12.14x
Erpingham 2 454.55x
Gainsborough 2 15.11x
Great Shelford 2 170.94x
Horsham St Faith 2 222.22x
Linthorpe 2 9.63x
March 2 26.85x
North Walsham 2 51.41x
Norwich St Stephen 2 40.32x
Pinchbeck 2 55.56x
Rickinghall Superior 2 289.86x
Salford 2 1.63x
Sevenhampton 2 327.87x
St Giles Cripplegate 2 42.92x
Streatham 2 7.68x
Thelnetham 2 425.53x
Thetford St Mary 2 136.05x
Altcar 1 151.52x
Carlton 1 175.44x
Chislehurst 1 15.58x
Coltishall 1 86.96x
Croydon 1 1.05x
Danby 1 70.92x
Elmswell 1 109.89x
Feltwell 1 95.24x
Golborne 1 18.42x
Holdenhurst 1 5.30x
Holy Trinity 1 1.19x
Hove 1 3.85x
Lambeth 1 0.33x
Ludham 1 104.17x
Manchester 1 0.53x
Needham 1 263.16x
Newbiggin 1 588.24x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 1 36.90x
Paddington London 1 0.77x
Pewsey 1 43.86x
Puxton 1 625.00x
St Peter Port 1 5.19x
Swaffham 1 22.78x
Thetford St Cuthbert 1 51.28x
West Ham 1 0.65x
Wooldale 1 16.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Sarah 12
Elizabeth 10
Eliza 9
Ellen 7
Louisa 6
Emily 5
Jane 5
Alice 4
Clara 4
Kate 4
Lydia 4
Ann 3
Caroline 3
Frances 3
Gertrude 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Harriett 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Matilda 3
Selina 3
Sophia 3
Agnes 2
Annie 2
Beatrice 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Julia 2
Margaret 2
Minnie 2
Rebecca 2
Betsy 1
Charlotte 1
Elenor 1
Elviner 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Evelyn 1
Lavenia 1
Lavinia 1
Lily 1
Mabel 1
Marie 1
Marion 1
Tilla 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 33
John 15
George 12
Thomas 10
Henry 9
Alfred 8
James 8
Edward 7
Robert 5
Samuel 5
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Cardinal 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
Daniel 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Horace 2
Abraham 1
Adam 1
Alfd. 1
Benjamin 1
Christopher 1
Clarence 1
Clifford 1
Drewery 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Fredk.H. 1
J. 1
Jeremiah 1
Joseph 1
Leonard 1
Matthew 1
O'BRYEN 1
Sydney 1
Walter 1
Wm.D. 1

FAQ

Woolsey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Woolsey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 362 people were recorded with the Woolsey surname. That placed it at #8,561 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Woolsey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 548 in 2016. That gives Woolsey a modern rank of #9,309.

What does the Woolsey surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "Wulf's island" in Old English, likely referring to an ancestor's origin or residence.

What does the Woolsey map show?

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