NameCensus.

UK surname

Worland

A surname derived from the Old English words "worl" and "land", meaning a person who lived on land belonging to someone named Worl.

In the 1881 census there were 158 people recorded with the Worland surname, ranking it #14,989 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 162, ranked #22,512, down from #14,989 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cottenham, St Mary Islington and Foxton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Bucks, North Kesteven and Isle of Anglesey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Worland is 240 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.5%.

1881 census count

158

Ranked #14,989

Modern count

162

2016, ranked #22,512

Peak year

1911

240 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Worland had 158 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,989 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016, ranked #22,512.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 240 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Worland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Worland surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Worland 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 147 #13,084
1861 historical 140 #16,169
1881 historical 158 #14,989
1891 historical 151 #18,242
1901 historical 198 #15,213
1911 historical 240 #13,281
1997 modern 178 #18,958
1998 modern 175 #19,658
1999 modern 182 #19,317
2000 modern 189 #18,860
2001 modern 183 #18,980
2002 modern 191 #18,817
2003 modern 183 #19,152
2004 modern 180 #19,424
2005 modern 170 #20,066
2006 modern 169 #20,294
2007 modern 173 #20,243
2008 modern 167 #20,901
2009 modern 166 #21,469
2010 modern 176 #21,101
2011 modern 168 #21,563
2012 modern 171 #21,303
2013 modern 171 #21,654
2014 modern 168 #22,075
2015 modern 163 #22,407
2016 modern 162 #22,512

Geography

Back to top

Where Worlands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cottenham, St Mary Islington, Foxton, Melbourn, Meldreth and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Bucks, North Kesteven, Isle of Anglesey and Castle Point. 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 Cottenham Cambridgeshire
2 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
3 Foxton Hertfordshire
4 Melbourn, Meldreth Hertfordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Bucks 003 South Bucks
2 North Kesteven 014 North Kesteven
3 Isle of Anglesey 003 Isle of Anglesey
4 Castle Point 002 Castle Point
5 North Kesteven 013 North Kesteven

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Worland

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Worland

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Worland, 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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Worland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Worland household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Worland 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

Worland is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Worland falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Worland

The surname Worland likely originates from England, dating back to medieval times. Derived from locational origins, it is connected to places named Worlington in Suffolk and Devon, England. The name Worland is believed to stem from the Old English elements "weorf" meaning cattle and "land," signifying a land suitable for grazing livestock.

Earliest records show various spellings of the name such as "Wurleton" or "Worlington" in historical documents, including the Domesday Book of 1086. During this period, locations with names similar to Worland indicated their importance in local agriculture and economy, specifically livestock farming.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in the England Subsidy Rolls of 1327 under "John de Worletone." This suggests that the surname was adopted by people living near or originating from the described areas. Other early records include Simon Worland documented in 1379 Poll Tax records from Yorkshire.

In the 16th century, the name appears more prominently. An example is Thomas Worland (1520-1585), a landowner in Suffolk, whose family played a role in local administration and agriculture. Another notable individual is Richard Worland (1590-1654), an English merchant who engaged in trade with the Low Countries and expanded the family’s business reach.

By the 18th century, the name Worland surfaces in colonial America. William Worland (1703-1763) emigrated from England to the Virginia Colony, where his descendants became part of the early American fabric. His lineage contributed to local governance and development.

In the 19th century, John Worland (1832-1901), an English industrialist, made significant advancements in textile manufacturing in Manchester. His contributions to the industry were noteworthy during the industrial revolution, impacting economic growth and technology.

Throughout history, the surname Worland has been associated with agriculture, trade, and industry, tracing back to its medieval English roots. The various individuals bearing this name have marked their presence in local histories and contributed to broader societal progress.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Worland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Worland 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 67 Worlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 68.64x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 67 68.64x
Middlesex 39 2.53x
Essex 17 5.59x
Yorkshire 13 0.85x
Surrey 9 1.20x
Hertfordshire 8 7.53x
Hampshire 4 1.27x
Kent 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Foxton in Cambridgeshire leads with 24 Worlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 10909.09x.

Place Total Index
Foxton 24 10909.09x
Cottenham 17 1307.69x
West Ham 17 25.31x
Melbourn 14 1473.68x
Bethnal Green London 9 13.44x
Islington London 8 5.36x
Ashwell 7 843.37x
Poplar London 6 20.63x
Skinningrove 6 638.30x
Clerkenwell London 5 13.75x
Farnley In Bramley 5 261.78x
Bromley London 4 11.80x
Meldreth 4 1052.63x
Camberwell 3 3.05x
Lambeth 3 2.23x
Portsea 3 4.85x
St Andrewthe Less 3 26.91x
Tottenham 3 12.22x
Croydon Cum Clapton 2 800.00x
Harston 2 487.80x
Shoreditch London 2 2.99x
Barmston 1 1000.00x
Cheshunt 1 26.95x
Frimley 1 46.73x
Hornsey 1 5.13x
Kingston On Thames 1 5.54x
Lewisham 1 3.57x
Penge 1 10.16x
Portsmouth 1 13.76x
Richmond 1 41.84x
St Pancras London 1 0.81x
Trumpington 1 200.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 6
Charles 5
George 5
Joseph 5
Arthur 4
Edward 4
James 4
Abbis 3
Alfred 3
Henry 3
Thomas 3
Albert 2
Fred 2
Augustus 1
Chas. 1
Clarence 1
Clifford 1
David 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Lewis 1
Philip 1
Piggott 1
Raymond 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Worland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Worland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 158 people were recorded with the Worland surname. That placed it at #14,989 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Worland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016. That gives Worland a modern rank of #22,512.

What does the Worland surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English words "worl" and "land", meaning a person who lived on land belonging to someone named Worl.

What does the Worland map show?

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