NameCensus.

UK surname

Wormwell

In the 1881 census there were 183 people recorded with the Wormwell surname, ranking it #13,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 106, ranked #29,927, down from #13,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Thornton in Craven, Rochdale and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pendle, Leeds and Ribble Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wormwell is 193 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 42.1%.

1881 census count

183

Ranked #13,596

Modern count

106

2016, ranked #29,927

Peak year

1911

193 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wormwell had 183 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 106 in 2016, ranked #29,927.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 193 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Wormwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wormwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wormwell 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 97 #17,484
1861 historical 103 #20,650
1881 historical 183 #13,596
1891 historical 170 #16,816
1901 historical 191 #15,579
1911 historical 193 #15,294
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 120 #24,793
1999 modern 119 #25,095
2000 modern 116 #25,452
2001 modern 107 #26,328
2002 modern 97 #28,383
2003 modern 101 #27,561
2004 modern 96 #28,605
2005 modern 100 #28,025
2006 modern 96 #28,946
2007 modern 97 #29,156
2008 modern 103 #28,519
2009 modern 107 #28,483
2010 modern 107 #29,153
2011 modern 101 #29,938
2012 modern 113 #28,016
2013 modern 119 #27,541
2014 modern 113 #28,779
2015 modern 108 #29,512
2016 modern 106 #29,927

Geography

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Where Wormwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Thornton in Craven, Rochdale, Bradford and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pendle, Leeds and Ribble Valley. 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 Thornton in Craven Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Rochdale Lancashire
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pendle 003 Pendle
2 Pendle 004 Pendle
3 Pendle 007 Pendle
4 Leeds 098 Leeds
5 Ribble Valley 006 Ribble Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wormwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wormwell

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Wormwell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Wormwell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Wormwell is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Wormwell 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

Wormwell falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Wormwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wormwell 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 90 Wormwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.23x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 90 5.23x
Lancashire 83 4.03x
Westmorland 3 7.86x
Essex 1 0.29x
Leicestershire 1 0.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Thornton In Craven in Yorkshire leads with 45 Wormwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3260.87x.

Place Total Index
Thornton In Craven 45 3260.87x
Colne 18 293.16x
Burnley 16 92.22x
Habergham Eaves 13 69.04x
Great Little Marsden 11 116.53x
Tottington Higher End 9 382.98x
Saddleworth 8 60.29x
Baildon 6 185.19x
Holbeck 6 52.63x
Reedley Hallows 6 1500.00x
Armley 5 65.88x
Eccleshill 5 119.33x
Manningham 4 18.87x
Steeton Cum Eastburn 4 677.97x
Wuerdle Wardle 4 64.00x
Gisburn 3 967.74x
Kirkby Lonsdale 3 291.26x
Accrington 2 10.68x
Newchurch 2 11.87x
Paythorne 2 3333.33x
Arkesden 1 400.00x
Barrowford Booth 1 43.86x
Cowling 1 89.29x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 1 45.45x
Great Glenn 1 196.08x
Leeds 1 1.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Sarah 9
Margaret 8
Annie 5
Elizabeth 5
Hannah 5
Grace 4
Jane 4
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Isabella 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Clara 2
Ada 1
Ann 1
Betty 1
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Eliz.E. 1
Emla 1
Esther 1
Jannett 1
Kate 1
Lena 1
Lucetta 1
Lydia 1
Maggie 1
Nancy 1
Selina 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Tabtha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 15
John 13
Henry 9
William 6
Robert 4
George 3
Hartley 3
Joseph 3
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Christopher 2
Luke 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
Benm. 1
Danial 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Holmes 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Jeremiah 1
Laycock 1
Peter 1
Pinkney 1
Rennie 1
Richard 1
Robinson 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Wormwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wormwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 183 people were recorded with the Wormwell surname. That placed it at #13,596 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wormwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 106 in 2016. That gives Wormwell a modern rank of #29,927.

What does the Wormwell map show?

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