UK surname
An occupational surname for a poet, writer, or scribe, derived from the Old English "wyrhta" meaning "worker" or "shaper."
In the 1881 census there were 208 people recorded with the Word surname, ranking it #12,511 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 16, ranked #36,998, down from #12,511 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Pancras, Manchester and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Word is 1,635 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 92.3%.
1881 census count
208
Ranked #12,511
Modern count
16
2016, ranked #36,998
Peak year
1861
1,635 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Word surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Word surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 458 | #5,402 |
| 1861 | historical | 1,635 | #1,749 |
| 1881 | historical | 208 | #12,511 |
| 1891 | historical | 1,339 | #3,253 |
| 1901 | historical | 367 | #10,076 |
| 1911 | historical | 136 | #18,962 |
| 1997 | modern | 9 | #37,214 |
| 1998 | modern | 7 | #37,533 |
| 1999 | modern | 7 | #37,513 |
| 2000 | modern | 5 | #37,823 |
| 2001 | modern | 4 | #37,862 |
| 2002 | modern | 9 | #37,051 |
| 2003 | modern | 6 | #37,586 |
| 2004 | modern | 6 | #37,655 |
| 2005 | modern | 7 | #37,581 |
| 2006 | modern | 8 | #37,481 |
| 2007 | modern | 11 | #37,217 |
| 2008 | modern | 12 | #37,143 |
| 2009 | modern | 12 | #37,230 |
| 2010 | modern | 9 | #37,654 |
| 2011 | modern | 7 | #37,865 |
| 2012 | modern | 13 | #37,169 |
| 2013 | modern | 12 | #37,342 |
| 2014 | modern | 13 | #37,256 |
| 2015 | modern | 15 | #37,070 |
| 2016 | modern | 16 | #36,998 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Pancras, Manchester, Preston, St Giles Camberwell and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 2 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 3 | Preston | Lancashire |
| 4 | St Giles Camberwell | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | Sheffield | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Word surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Word, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Word surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Word household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Word is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Word is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Word, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname WORD is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is thought to have derived from the Old English word "worð" or "wurð", meaning an enclosed homestead or dwelling place. It is believed to have first emerged in the region of Wiltshire, England, during the 8th or 9th century.
The earliest recorded use of the name WORD can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Worthe" and "Wurthe". These entries refer to landholders in the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset. During the Middle Ages, the name was also spelled as "Worde", "Wurde", and "Wurde".
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Richard Wurthe, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1207. In the 13th century, John atte Wurthe was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275.
The name WORD is also associated with several place names in England, such as Worth in Kent, Worthing in Sussex, and Worthington in Lancashire. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.
Among notable historical figures with the surname WORD, there was Sir William Worde (c. 1480-1542), who was a prominent English printer and publisher during the Renaissance period. He is known for publishing works by famous authors like Thomas Malory and John Lydgate.
Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Edward Worde (1554-1636), an English diplomat and Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I. He served as the English ambassador to Denmark and Sweden.
In the 18th century, Thomas Word (1728-1798) was a renowned English architect and surveyor, known for his work on several country houses and estates in Wiltshire and Somerset.
The surname WORD was also borne by William Worde (1779-1859), an English clergyman and antiquarian who published several works on the history and antiquities of Wiltshire and the surrounding areas.
In the 20th century, Sir Wilfred Word (1904-1991) was a distinguished British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Ambassador to the United Nations from 1963 to 1968.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Word surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 25 Words recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.23x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 25 | 1.23x |
| Durham | 22 | 3.64x |
| Warwickshire | 22 | 4.30x |
| Kent | 18 | 2.60x |
| Lancashire | 18 | 0.75x |
| Surrey | 18 | 1.82x |
| Yorkshire | 13 | 0.65x |
| Staffordshire | 10 | 1.46x |
| Cambridgeshire | 9 | 7.00x |
| Buckinghamshire | 8 | 6.52x |
| Cheshire | 8 | 1.79x |
| Midlothian | 8 | 2.94x |
| Northumberland | 5 | 1.66x |
| Devon | 3 | 0.71x |
| Hampshire | 3 | 0.72x |
| Sussex | 3 | 0.88x |
| Gloucestershire | 2 | 0.50x |
| Northamptonshire | 2 | 1.05x |
| Ayrshire | 1 | 0.66x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 0.66x |
| Cornwall | 1 | 0.44x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 0.31x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.25x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 0.72x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.15x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.37x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 4.14x |
| Stirlingshire | 1 | 1.34x |
| Worcestershire | 1 | 0.38x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 12 Words recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.04x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Word surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Sarah | 10 |
| Mary | 9 |
| Elizabeth | 8 |
| Emily | 7 |
| Emma | 7 |
| Ellen | 6 |
| Alice | 3 |
| Harriett | 3 |
| Hannah | 2 |
| Helen | 2 |
| Isabella | 2 |
| Jane | 2 |
| Kate | 2 |
| Louisa | 2 |
| Margaret | 2 |
| Ann | 1 |
| Annie | 1 |
| Betsy | 1 |
| Betty | 1 |
| Catherine | 1 |
| Chalotte | 1 |
| Christina | 1 |
| Clara | 1 |
| Dorothea | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Elenor | 1 |
| Eliza | 1 |
| Esther | 1 |
| F. | 1 |
| Harriet | 1 |
| Henrietta | 1 |
| Jessie | 1 |
| Lilly | 1 |
| Mabel | 1 |
| Marg. | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Marianne | 1 |
| Martha | 1 |
| Maryann | 1 |
| May | 1 |
| Minnie | 1 |
| Naomia | 1 |
| Rachael | 1 |
| Ruth | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Word surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| George | 11 |
| William | 11 |
| John | 10 |
| James | 7 |
| Joseph | 7 |
| Charles | 6 |
| Edward | 6 |
| Thomas | 4 |
| Peter | 3 |
| Walter | 3 |
| Albert | 2 |
| Arthur | 2 |
| Ernest | 2 |
| Frank | 2 |
| Henry | 2 |
| Robert | 2 |
| Alexander | 1 |
| Alfd. | 1 |
| Alfred | 1 |
| Brigham | 1 |
| Elisha | 1 |
| Fred | 1 |
| Gideon | 1 |
| Herbt. | 1 |
| Hubert | 1 |
| Hugh | 1 |
| J.W. | 1 |
| Jno. | 1 |
| Jonathan | 1 |
| Josiah | 1 |
| Matthew | 1 |
| Michael | 1 |
| Richard | 1 |
| Sidney | 1 |
| Stephen | 1 |
| Theodor | 1 |
| Wm. | 1 |
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Word households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 37 |
| Coal Miner | 4 |
| Coal Miner Son | 4 |
| Painter | 4 |
| Bricklayer | 3 |
| Domestic Serv | 3 |
| No Occupation | 3 |
| Bricklayers Labourer | 2 |
| Carter | 2 |
| Charwoman | 2 |
| Domestic Servant | 2 |
| Harness Maker | 2 |
| Assists At Home | 1 |
| Baker & Corn Dealer | 1 |
| Baker's Assistant | 1 |
| Boy | 1 |
| Butler | 1 |
| Carpente (Master) Emp 5 Apprentices | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| China & Earthenware Dealer | 1 |
| Cl Miner | 1 |
| Cloth Weaver | 1 |
| Coal Miner Wife | 1 |
| Commercial Clerk | 1 |
| Cooper | 1 |
| Cotton Operative | 1 |
| Cotton Winder | 1 |
| Cowkeeper | 1 |
| Dock Porter | 1 |
| Domestic Servent | 1 |
| Dress Maker | 1 |
| Employed In ...(Inn) | 1 |
| Farm Lab | 1 |
| Farmer Of 8 Acres | 1 |
| Farmers Daur | 1 |
| Farmers Son | 1 |
| Formerly Laundress | 1 |
| Gardener | 1 |
| General Ldo | 1 |
| General Servant Domestic | 1 |
| Governess | 1 |
| Governess (Private) | 1 |
| Grocers Assistant | 1 |
| Grocers Shopman | 1 |
| Guard | 1 |
| Gunner R H A | 1 |
| Hairdresser | 1 |
| Harness Stitching | 1 |
| Hawker | 1 |
| Wife Paper Manufacturer | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 208 people were recorded with the Word surname. That placed it at #12,511 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 16 in 2016. That gives Word a modern rank of #36,998.
An occupational surname for a poet, writer, or scribe, derived from the Old English "wyrhta" meaning "worker" or "shaper."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Word bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.