NameCensus.

UK surname

Wooton

Derived from a place name meaning "settlement from the wood town" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 793 people recorded with the Wooton surname, ranking it #4,693 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 380, ranked #12,346, down from #4,693 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wilton, South Newton, Burcombe, Wolstanton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, Glenmavis and Greengairs and Corby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wooton is 793 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 52.1%.

1881 census count

793

Ranked #4,693

Modern count

380

2016, ranked #12,346

Peak year

1881

793 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wooton had 793 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,693 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 380 in 2016, ranked #12,346.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 793 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Wooton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wooton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wooton 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 461 #5,378
1861 historical 496 #5,271
1881 historical 793 #4,693
1891 historical 694 #5,646
1901 historical 576 #7,293
1911 historical 389 #9,470
1997 modern 453 #10,015
1998 modern 470 #10,066
1999 modern 479 #9,987
2000 modern 394 #11,520
2001 modern 367 #11,968
2002 modern 400 #11,443
2003 modern 370 #11,919
2004 modern 398 #11,321
2005 modern 405 #11,078
2006 modern 398 #11,304
2007 modern 396 #11,459
2008 modern 405 #11,351
2009 modern 415 #11,386
2010 modern 432 #11,262
2011 modern 414 #11,533
2012 modern 404 #11,647
2013 modern 396 #12,015
2014 modern 396 #12,100
2015 modern 383 #12,295
2016 modern 380 #12,346

Geography

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Where Wootons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wilton, South Newton, Burcombe, Wolstanton, London parishes and Burslem. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, Glenmavis and Greengairs, Corby and Wigan. 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 Wilton, South Newton, Burcombe Wiltshire
2 Wolstanton Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Burslem Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 003 Sunderland
2 Glenmavis and Greengairs North Lanarkshire
3 Corby 002 Corby
4 Sunderland 026 Sunderland
5 Wigan 012 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wooton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wooton

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wooton, 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 Wooton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Wooton 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, Wooton 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

Wooton 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

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

Meaning and origin of Wooton

The surname Wooton has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "wudu" meaning wood, and "tun" meaning a farm or settlement, essentially translating to a "settlement in the woods." The earliest known spelling variations of the name include Wodetoune, Wodeton, and Wodetun.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Walter de Wodetoune holding lands in Devon. This suggests that the name was already established in parts of southern England by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Wooton surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Somerset, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire. Several places in these regions, such as Wootton Bassett and Wootton-under-Edge, are believed to have influenced the surname's spelling and spread.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named William de Wooton served as the Bishop of Worcester from 1268 to 1301. He was born in Wootton, Oxfordshire, around 1220 and played a significant role in the ecclesiastical and political affairs of his time.

Another historical figure bearing the Wooton surname was Sir Henry Wooton (1568-1639), an English author, diplomat, and courtier during the reign of King James I. He served as the Ambassador to Venice and is known for his famous quote, "An ambassador is an honest man sent to lie abroad for the commonwealth."

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Colonel Thomas Wooton (1588-1666) was a prominent military commander who fought for the Parliamentarian forces against King Charles I. He was later appointed as the Governor of Coventry and played a crucial role in defending the city against Royalist forces.

In the literary world, John Wooton (1679-1765) was an English clergyman and poet best known for his epic poem "The Life of the Reverend Mr. John Wooton" published in 1725. The poem provides insights into the life and times of the author and his contemporaries.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Wooton (1737-1806), a British naval officer and explorer. He is credited with the discovery of several islands in the South Pacific, including the Wooton Islands, now known as the Wallis and Futuna Islands.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wooton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wooton 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. Staffordshire leads with 161 Wootons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.14x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 161 6.14x
Warwickshire 76 3.88x
Middlesex 72 0.93x
Surrey 57 1.51x
Wiltshire 47 6.84x
Northamptonshire 44 6.02x
Buckinghamshire 36 7.67x
Lancashire 34 0.37x
Yorkshire 27 0.35x
Worcestershire 26 2.56x
Bedfordshire 20 4.97x
Nottinghamshire 18 1.72x
Derbyshire 17 1.40x
Leicestershire 17 1.97x
Devon 16 0.99x
Hampshire 14 0.88x
Shropshire 12 1.79x
Glamorgan 10 0.74x
Durham 9 0.39x
Kent 8 0.30x
Lincolnshire 8 0.64x
Cheshire 7 0.41x
Gloucestershire 7 0.46x
Huntingdonshire 6 3.89x
Berkshire 5 0.86x
Isle of Man 5 3.47x
Somerset 5 0.40x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.81x
Hertfordshire 4 0.75x
Oxfordshire 3 0.63x
Royal Navy 3 3.24x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.61x
Essex 2 0.13x
Flintshire 2 0.96x
Herefordshire 2 0.63x
Norfolk 2 0.17x
Suffolk 2 0.21x
Cornwall 1 0.11x
Lanarkshire 1 0.04x
Midlothian 1 0.10x
Monmouthshire 1 0.18x
Rutland 1 1.75x
Sussex 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 26 Wootons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.82x.

Place Total Index
Aston 26 4.82x
Birmingham 25 3.83x
South Newton 24 1340.78x
Potterspury 21 719.18x
Stoke Upon Trent 19 6.84x
Lambeth 18 2.66x
Wolstanton 18 22.61x
Coventry Holy Trinity 15 25.65x
Nottingham St Mary 14 5.17x
St Pancras London 14 2.24x
Wolverhampton 13 6.45x
Burslem 12 15.98x
Silverstone 12 389.61x
Willenhall 12 24.44x
Wednesfield 11 28.52x
Merthyr Tydfil 10 7.70x
Chelsea London 9 3.85x
Colerne 9 320.28x
Kingswinford 9 9.46x
Sedgley 9 9.25x
Smallthorne 9 92.50x
Hammersmith London 8 4.18x
Lillingstone Lovell 8 1860.47x
Newington 8 2.79x
Pilsley 8 199.50x
Tempsford 8 563.38x
Walsall Foreign 8 5.91x
Wolborough 8 39.16x
Heston 7 27.14x
Leicester St Mary 7 10.06x
Melbourne 7 84.24x
Oldbury 7 14.03x
Poplar London 7 4.78x
Wycombe 7 20.01x
Bilston 6 11.81x
Coventry St Michael 6 9.54x
Dudley 6 4.87x
Marshfield 6 147.42x
Ogley Hay 6 110.29x
Ormesby 6 29.01x
Stony Stratford West 6 185.76x
Sutton 6 21.92x
Sutton Veney 6 310.88x
Trentham 6 26.92x
Bentley 5 555.56x
Camberwell 5 1.01x
Clophill 5 169.49x
Cookham 5 27.52x
Gateshead 5 2.89x
Goodworth Clatford 5 375.94x
Great Grimsby 5 6.35x
Longparish 5 277.78x
Onchan 5 12.04x
Shoreditch London 5 1.49x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 3.20x
St Neots 5 59.67x
Stretford 5 9.86x
Twyford 5 335.57x
Wigan 5 3.88x
Yardley 5 19.28x
Belgrave 4 20.59x
Bishopwearmouth 4 2.02x
Clapham 4 4.12x
Cleobury Mortimer 4 94.56x
Cloughton 4 275.86x
Crewkerne 4 30.14x
Golborne 4 33.31x
Islington London 4 0.53x
Mursley 4 264.90x
Newport 4 49.38x
Oldham 4 1.35x
Ramsbury 4 64.31x
Sheffield 4 1.63x
St George Hanover 4 3.95x
West Bromwich 4 2.67x
Greenwich 3 2.43x
Penge 3 6.05x
Stottesdon 3 98.68x
Swindon 3 5.63x
Wooburn 3 46.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 56
John 43
Thomas 28
George 25
Henry 22
Joseph 19
Charles 17
James 17
Samuel 13
Albert 11
Arthur 10
Edward 9
Frederick 9
Walter 9
Alfred 8
David 7
Edwin 7
Enoch 5
Isaac 4
Phillip 4
Richard 4
Stephen 4
Thos. 4
Daniel 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Reuben 3
Robert 3
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
Elijah 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Jabez 2
Jesse 2
Matthew 2
Chas. 1
Ebenezer 1
Fredreck 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.W. 1
Henery 1
Mahol 1
Malachi 1
Mark 1
Mordecai 1
Moses 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Wooton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wooton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 793 people were recorded with the Wooton surname. That placed it at #4,693 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wooton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 380 in 2016. That gives Wooton a modern rank of #12,346.

What does the Wooton surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "settlement from the wood town" in Old English.

What does the Wooton map show?

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