NameCensus.

UK surname

Worcester

A locational surname referring to the town of Worcester in England, derived from Old English "Weogorna ceaster," meaning "Roman fort of the Weogora people."

In the 1881 census there were 139 people recorded with the Worcester surname, ranking it #16,228 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 244, ranked #17,096, down from #16,228 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Reigate and Banstead, Reading and Chorley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Worcester is 261 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 75.5%.

1881 census count

139

Ranked #16,228

Modern count

244

2016, ranked #17,096

Peak year

2010

261 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Worcester had 139 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,228 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 244 in 2016, ranked #17,096.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 194 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Worcester surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Worcester surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Worcester 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 113 #15,815
1861 historical 138 #16,365
1881 historical 139 #16,228
1891 historical 177 #16,330
1901 historical 182 #16,057
1911 historical 194 #15,250
1997 modern 255 #15,077
1998 modern 250 #15,675
1999 modern 247 #15,932
2000 modern 251 #15,692
2001 modern 247 #15,637
2002 modern 239 #16,332
2003 modern 235 #16,291
2004 modern 242 #16,050
2005 modern 229 #16,631
2006 modern 237 #16,334
2007 modern 239 #16,449
2008 modern 249 #16,111
2009 modern 258 #16,050
2010 modern 261 #16,294
2011 modern 251 #16,589
2012 modern 242 #16,886
2013 modern 243 #17,114
2014 modern 253 #16,774
2015 modern 249 #16,858
2016 modern 244 #17,096

Geography

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Where Worcesters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes, St John Hackney and Horsham, Sullington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Reigate and Banstead, Reading, Chorley, Charnwood and Leeds. 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 Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst Sussex
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 Horsham, Sullington Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Reigate and Banstead 015 Reigate and Banstead
2 Reading 006 Reading
3 Chorley 005 Chorley
4 Charnwood 012 Charnwood
5 Leeds 021 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Worcester

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Worcester

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

Worcester is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Worcester falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Worcester

The surname WORCESTER has its origins in England and dates back to the 11th century. It is derived from the place name Worcester, which comes from the Old English words "Wir" meaning "village" and "Cester" meaning "Roman fort or town." The name likely referred to the town of Worcester in Worcestershire, which was an important center in Anglo-Saxon times.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname WORCESTER can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Wirecestre" in this document, reflecting the Old English spelling.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named John of Worcester (c. 1190-1268) was a chronicler and monk at the Worcester Priory. His work, the "Chronicon ex Chronicis," is an important source for the history of that era.

Another prominent individual with the surname WORCESTER was William Worcester (c. 1415-c. 1482), an English antiquary and topographer who traveled extensively and made detailed notes on the places he visited. His work, "Itinerarium," provides valuable insights into the geography and architecture of 15th-century England.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Edward Worcester (c. 1601-1667), a Royalist soldier and inventor, is credited with developing one of the earliest steam-powered engines. He is also known for his work on hydraulic machinery.

In the 18th century, the WORCESTER name was associated with the family of the Marquesses of Worcester, who held significant land and titles in Worcestershire. One notable member was Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort (1629-1700), who was also known as the Marquess of Worcester.

The surname WORCESTER has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Worcester Park in Surrey and Worcester Priory in Worcestershire, reflecting the geographical origins of the name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Worcester families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Worcester 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. Middlesex leads with 71 Worcesters recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.20x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 71 5.20x
Sussex 24 10.42x
Warwickshire 14 4.07x
Surrey 9 1.35x
Yorkshire 8 0.59x
Essex 6 2.23x
Kent 2 0.43x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.21x
Gloucestershire 1 0.37x
Rutland 1 9.97x
Suffolk 1 0.60x
Worcestershire 1 0.56x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 11 Worcesters recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.54x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 11 18.54x
Horsham 11 246.09x
Kensington London 10 13.17x
Hackney London 9 11.76x
Kenilworth 9 463.92x
St Pancras London 8 7.28x
Bow London 7 40.28x
Mile End Old Town 7 32.48x
Nuthurst 6 1578.95x
Westminster St 6 119.28x
Aston 5 5.27x
Chingford 5 769.23x
Merstham 5 1190.48x
Leeds 4 5.24x
Rusper 3 1200.00x
St Andrew Holborn 3 64.79x
St George Hanover 3 16.84x
York St Cuthbert 3 241.94x
Reigate Borough 2 130.72x
Westminster St John 2 12.03x
Aylesbury 1 27.32x
Brighton 1 2.15x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 20.58x
Croydon 1 2.71x
East Grinstead 1 30.67x
Great Badminton 1 434.78x
Great Braxted 1 588.24x
Hammersmith London 1 2.97x
Hampstead London 1 4.70x
Heworth 1 285.71x
Hove 1 9.90x
Ifield 1 104.17x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 1 64.94x
Lambeth 1 0.84x
Lee 1 14.79x
Poplar London 1 3.88x
St Botolph Aldersgate 1 63.69x
St Marylebone London 1 1.37x
Uppingham 1 83.33x
Worcester St Peter 1 29.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Sarah 6
Alice 5
Emma 5
Louisa 5
Amy 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Elizabeth 3
Ann 2
Anne 2
Charlotte 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Ada 1
Agnas 1
Annie 1
Barbara 1
Beatrice 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Honrietta 1
Lissie 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Rebecca 1
Sareah 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
Henry 4
Thomas 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
James 3
John 3
David 2
Frederick 2
Fredk. 2
Morris 2
Richard 2
Wm. 2
(Marquis 1
Albert 1
Alfd. 1
Allen 1
Archibald 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Darcy 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
George 1
Hy. 1
Jim 1
Joseph 1
Nelson 1
Reginald 1
Robert 1
Walter 1
Wlm. 1

FAQ

Worcester surname: questions and answers

How common was the Worcester surname in 1881?

In 1881, 139 people were recorded with the Worcester surname. That placed it at #16,228 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Worcester surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 244 in 2016. That gives Worcester a modern rank of #17,096.

What does the Worcester surname mean?

A locational surname referring to the town of Worcester in England, derived from Old English "Weogorna ceaster," meaning "Roman fort of the Weogora people."

What does the Worcester map show?

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