NameCensus.

UK surname

Wormley

A locational surname referring to someone from Wormley, Hertfordshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 45 people recorded with the Wormley surname, ranking it #27,314 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 118, ranked #27,873, down from #27,314 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wormley is 135 in 2005. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 162.2%.

1881 census count

45

Ranked #27,314

Modern count

118

2016, ranked #27,873

Peak year

2005

135 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wormley had 45 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,314 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016, ranked #27,873.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 76 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Wormley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wormley surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wormley 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 28 #28,274
1861 historical 54 #27,127
1881 historical 45 #27,314
1891 historical 48 #30,447
1901 historical 61 #27,379
1911 historical 76 #25,221
1997 modern 128 #23,238
1998 modern 128 #23,828
1999 modern 130 #23,805
2000 modern 128 #24,015
2001 modern 127 #23,781
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 129 #23,783
2004 modern 127 #24,224
2005 modern 135 #23,297
2006 modern 131 #23,942
2007 modern 131 #24,282
2008 modern 127 #25,020
2009 modern 130 #25,176
2010 modern 132 #25,519
2011 modern 129 #25,673
2012 modern 129 #25,705
2013 modern 127 #26,452
2014 modern 124 #27,049
2015 modern 121 #27,405
2016 modern 118 #27,873

Geography

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Where Wormleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 003 Rotherham
2 Rotherham 004 Rotherham
3 Leeds 040 Leeds
4 Rotherham 002 Rotherham
5 Leeds 073 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wormley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wormley

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Wormley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Wormley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Wormley 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

Wormley is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wormley falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wormley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Wormley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wormley

The surname Wormley has its origins in England, specifically traced back to the Yorkshire region. The etymology of the name is deeply rooted in Old English and can be correlated to the place name Wormley, which means "a clearing or meadow by a warm stream." This interpretation comes from the Old English words "wyrm," meaning stream or serpent, and "leah," meaning clearing or meadow.

The earliest recordings of the surname Wormley date back to medieval England, with records indicating its presence from the 12th century onwards. One of the earliest documented references is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, although in this instance, the reference was to the place rather than the family. The village of Wormley in Hertfordshire is a notable reference point and shares a similar origin with the surname.

One historical figure bearing the surname Wormley is Sir John Wormley, a knight who lived during the 15th century. He was born around 1412 and is noted in historic English records for his service to the crown. Another early instance is Robert de Wormley, hailing from the 13th century, whose family held lands in Yorkshire and contributed to the local feudal economy.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various tax records and legal documents. Alice Wormley, born in 1534, is one example; she was recorded in parish registers in Yorkshire, where the family had substantial holdings. The Worcestershire archives also document a John Wormlie in the early 1500s, suggesting the name's spread and establishment beyond its Yorkshire roots.

The Wormley name reached the New World in the 17th century with figures such as Ralph Wormley, born in 1620, who emigrated to Virginia. He became a prominent landowner and political figure, contributing significantly to the early colonial governance. His son, Ralph Wormley II, born in 1650, further cemented the family’s influential status in American colonial society.

Finally, another notable individual is James Wormley, born in 1819, an African American businessman who became well-known in Washington, D.C. He founded the Wormley Hotel, which became famous in the late 19th century as a high-end establishment and a significant location for political discussions, including the Compromise of 1877.

The Wormley name holds a rich historical significance, with its origins in England and a legacy that spans across centuries and continents.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wormley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wormley 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. Yorkshire leads with 26 Wormleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.98x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 26 5.98x
Kent 16 10.69x
Middlesex 2 0.46x
Lancashire 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. York St Denis In in Yorkshire leads with 16 Wormleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8421.05x.

Place Total Index
York St Denis In 16 8421.05x
Greenwich 12 171.67x
Kelfield 3 6000.00x
Stockton On Forest 3 4285.71x
Deptford St Nicholas 2 168.07x
Deptford St Paul 2 17.32x
Gate Fulford 2 196.08x
Colton 1 5000.00x
Kensington London 1 4.10x
Mile End Old Town 1 14.43x
West Derby 1 6.57x
York Holy Trinity 1 263.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 8
John 3
Edward 2
Richard 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Fred 1
Henry 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1

Top occupations

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 Wormley households.

FAQ

Wormley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wormley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 45 people were recorded with the Wormley surname. That placed it at #27,314 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wormley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016. That gives Wormley a modern rank of #27,873.

What does the Wormley surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Wormley, Hertfordshire, England.

What does the Wormley map show?

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