NameCensus.

UK surname

Wootton

From a place name meaning "settlement in a wooded area" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 2,712 people recorded with the Wootton surname, ranking it #1,641 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,158, ranked #1,313, up from #1,641 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, Walsall and Bedford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wootton is 5,624 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 90.2%.

1881 census count

2,712

Ranked #1,641

Modern count

5,158

2016, ranked #1,313

Peak year

1999

5,624 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wootton had 2,712 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,641 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,158 in 2016, ranked #1,313.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,982 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wootton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wootton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wootton 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 1,762 #1,638
1861 historical 1,545 #1,839
1881 historical 2,712 #1,641
1891 historical 3,262 #1,458
1901 historical 4,447 #1,280
1911 historical 4,982 #1,051
1997 modern 5,101 #1,280
1998 modern 5,587 #1,212
1999 modern 5,624 #1,213
2000 modern 5,603 #1,215
2001 modern 5,456 #1,218
2002 modern 5,535 #1,230
2003 modern 5,339 #1,244
2004 modern 5,327 #1,242
2005 modern 5,247 #1,244
2006 modern 5,211 #1,252
2007 modern 5,187 #1,273
2008 modern 5,192 #1,282
2009 modern 5,328 #1,279
2010 modern 5,411 #1,289
2011 modern 5,342 #1,285
2012 modern 5,174 #1,296
2013 modern 5,256 #1,301
2014 modern 5,294 #1,298
2015 modern 5,204 #1,306
2016 modern 5,158 #1,313

Geography

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Where Woottons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Walsall and Brackley St James and St Peter, Whitfield, Syresham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, Walsall, Bedford, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Barnsley. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 Brackley St James and St Peter, Whitfield, Syresham Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 044 Wakefield
2 Walsall 014 Walsall
3 Bedford 004 Bedford
4 Newcastle-under-Lyme 001 Newcastle-under-Lyme
5 Barnsley 028 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wootton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wootton

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Wootton 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

Wootton 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

Wootton falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wootton

The surname Wootton originates from England and dates back to the 11th century. It is a locational name, derived from any of the several places called Wootton scattered across various counties, including Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, and Staffordshire. The name itself is derived from the Old English words "wudu" meaning wood and "tun" meaning enclosure or settlement, indicating that the original bearers of this name hailed from a wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Wootton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Wodtune" in reference to a settlement in Hampshire. This demonstrates the longevity and historical significance of the name.

An early bearer of the name was Sir Robert de Wootton, who was born in Northamptonshire in the late 12th century and served as a prominent knight during the reign of King John. Another notable figure was Thomas Wootton, a 16th-century English painter who was born in Wootton, Oxfordshire, around 1497 and was renowned for his portraiture.

During the 13th century, the name Wootton was also associated with a place in Staffordshire, which was recorded as "Wottone" in historical documents from that time. This further highlights the connection between the surname and various place names across England.

In the 17th century, John Wootton, born around 1670 in Oxfordshire, became a respected portrait painter and was appointed as a painter to the British Crown. His works can be found in prestigious collections, including those of the National Portrait Gallery in London.

Another significant individual bearing the Wootton surname was William Wootton, a prominent English architect who lived in the 18th century. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings, including the Shire Hall in Chelmsford, Essex, and the Radcliffe Camera in Oxford.

These examples demonstrate the historical significance and prevalence of the surname Wootton, which has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including knights, artists, and architects, over several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wootton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wootton 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 634 Woottons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.08x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 634 7.08x
Middlesex 244 0.92x
Northamptonshire 173 6.93x
Surrey 161 1.25x
Warwickshire 153 2.29x
Kent 129 1.43x
Nottinghamshire 120 3.36x
Yorkshire 109 0.41x
Buckinghamshire 106 6.61x
Bedfordshire 103 7.50x
Lancashire 83 0.26x
Leicestershire 83 2.82x
Shropshire 66 2.88x
Derbyshire 58 1.40x
Wiltshire 55 2.34x
Cheshire 54 0.92x
Berkshire 46 2.31x
Worcestershire 40 1.15x
Essex 38 0.73x
Norfolk 25 0.61x
Somerset 25 0.59x
Gloucestershire 24 0.46x
Hertfordshire 22 1.20x
Cambridgeshire 16 0.95x
Lincolnshire 15 0.35x
Devon 12 0.22x
Monmouthshire 12 0.63x
Hampshire 11 0.20x
Huntingdonshire 11 2.09x
Oxfordshire 11 0.67x
Denbighshire 10 1.00x
Dorset 10 0.57x
Herefordshire 10 0.92x
Suffolk 9 0.28x
Durham 8 0.10x
Glamorgan 8 0.17x
Brecknockshire 7 1.32x
Rutland 6 3.08x
Isle of Man 4 0.81x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.19x
Sussex 2 0.04x
Cumberland 1 0.04x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 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. Walsall Foreign in Staffordshire leads with 129 Woottons recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.89x.

Place Total Index
Walsall Foreign 129 27.89x
Birmingham 69 3.10x
Islington London 56 2.18x
Wednesfield 51 38.71x
Stoke Upon Trent 50 5.27x
Wolverhampton 46 6.68x
Cannock 42 26.89x
Nottingham St Mary 35 3.79x
Hammersmith London 31 4.74x
Aston 30 1.63x
Bedford St Paul 29 30.79x
Loughborough 28 20.98x
Stone 27 23.58x
Bilston 26 14.98x
Lambeth 25 1.08x
Newington 25 2.55x
West Bromwich 25 4.88x
Wolstanton Oldcott 24 74.01x
Darlaston 23 18.59x
Syresham 23 316.80x
Harborne 22 7.67x
Ramsbury 20 94.12x
Brackley St Peter 19 111.05x
Richmond 19 10.49x
Stretford 19 10.97x
Wymeswold 19 223.53x
Battersea 18 1.84x
Hackney London 18 1.21x
Margate St John Baptist 18 10.86x
St George Hanover 17 4.91x
Wednesbury 17 7.60x
Willenhall 17 10.14x
Congleton 16 15.82x
Sulgrave 16 383.69x
Wolstanton 16 5.88x
Henlow 15 176.89x
Soothill 15 15.80x
Wellington 15 11.65x
Kingswinford 14 4.31x
Aylesbury 13 18.30x
Bradwell 13 57.60x
Coventry St Michael 13 6.05x
Handsworth 13 5.89x
Leamington Priors 13 7.90x
West Ham 13 1.12x
Buckingham 12 36.80x
Camberwell 12 0.71x
Coventry Holy Trinity 12 6.01x
Croughton 12 218.18x
New Windsor 12 17.93x
Sandwich St Peter 12 126.18x
Sedgley 12 3.61x
Basford 11 6.68x
Bridgnorth St Mary 11 49.22x
Carlton 11 26.97x
Chislet 11 107.63x
Crewkerne 11 24.26x
Gayton 11 210.73x
Reading St Mary 11 6.90x
St Neots 11 38.42x
Tankersley 11 56.15x
Worsbrough 11 14.28x
Worthen 11 45.19x
Brewood 10 38.74x
Litchurch 10 5.98x
Mangotsfield 10 19.29x
Normanton 10 28.51x
Princes Risborough 10 46.55x
Renhold 10 210.97x
Ruddington 10 41.72x
Silverstone 10 95.06x
St Pancras London 10 0.47x
Stony Stratford West 10 90.58x
Bromley London 9 1.54x
Castle Donnington 9 36.90x
Caverswall 9 19.34x
Chepstow 9 27.57x
Herne 9 22.46x
Snenton 9 6.41x
Wycombe 9 7.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 149
Sarah 107
Elizabeth 103
Emma 58
Eliza 56
Ann 52
Alice 48
Annie 39
Jane 37
Emily 35
Martha 32
Hannah 31
Ellen 30
Caroline 27
Harriet 25
Florence 24
Louisa 24
Clara 21
Charlotte 20
Fanny 18
Maria 18
Edith 17
Frances 14
Harriett 13
Agnes 12
Rebecca 12
Ada 11
Amy 10
Minnie 10
Kate 9
Lucy 9
Rose 9
Anne 8
Catherine 8
Matilda 8
Gertrude 7
Susan 7
Eleanor 6
Elizth. 6
Esther 6
Julia 6
Lydia 6
Adelaide 5
Amelia 5
Beatrice 5
Betsy 5
Flora 5
Isabella 5
Margaret 5
Nellie 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 167
John 140
Thomas 110
George 81
James 60
Joseph 59
Charles 54
Henry 53
Edward 37
Samuel 34
Frederick 29
Harry 28
Alfred 27
Arthur 27
Robert 27
Walter 20
David 18
Richard 15
Albert 14
Ernest 13
Enoch 12
Edwin 11
Frank 9
Fred 9
Herbert 9
Francis 8
Stephen 8
Daniel 7
Isaac 7
Philip 7
Chas. 6
Fredrick 6
Mark 6
Wm. 6
Abraham 5
Jesse 5
Jonah 5
Leonard 5
Willm. 5
Eli 4
Phillip 4
Alexander 3
Allen 3
Edmund 3
Edwd. 3
Hyla 3
Job 3
Joshua 3
Sydney 3
Thos. 3

FAQ

Wootton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wootton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,712 people were recorded with the Wootton surname. That placed it at #1,641 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wootton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,158 in 2016. That gives Wootton a modern rank of #1,313.

What does the Wootton surname mean?

From a place name meaning "settlement in a wooded area" in Old English.

What does the Wootton map show?

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