NameCensus.

UK surname

Worth

An English locational surname denoting someone who lived near an enclosure or on a protected homestead.

In the 1881 census there were 2,689 people recorded with the Worth surname, ranking it #1,653 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,775, ranked #1,788, down from #1,653 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, London parishes and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Cheshire East and West Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Worth is 4,049 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.4%.

1881 census count

2,689

Ranked #1,653

Modern count

3,775

2016, ranked #1,788

Peak year

1999

4,049 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Worth had 2,689 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,653 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,775 in 2016, ranked #1,788.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,736 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Worth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Worth surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Worth 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 2,012 #1,444
1861 historical 2,355 #1,246
1881 historical 2,689 #1,653
1891 historical 3,008 #1,563
1901 historical 3,567 #1,566
1911 historical 3,736 #1,390
1997 modern 3,864 #1,681
1998 modern 4,005 #1,687
1999 modern 4,049 #1,678
2000 modern 3,996 #1,698
2001 modern 3,877 #1,710
2002 modern 3,914 #1,732
2003 modern 3,882 #1,707
2004 modern 3,872 #1,713
2005 modern 3,784 #1,733
2006 modern 3,761 #1,744
2007 modern 3,793 #1,738
2008 modern 3,795 #1,745
2009 modern 3,871 #1,757
2010 modern 3,924 #1,771
2011 modern 3,907 #1,753
2012 modern 3,787 #1,774
2013 modern 3,830 #1,787
2014 modern 3,836 #1,795
2015 modern 3,802 #1,789
2016 modern 3,775 #1,788

Geography

Back to top

Where Worths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, London parishes and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Cheshire East, West Devon and North Devon. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 005 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 013 Cornwall
3 Cheshire East 020 Cheshire East
4 West Devon 004 West Devon
5 North Devon 002 North Devon

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Worth

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Worth

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Worth 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

Worth is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Worth falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Worth

The surname Worth originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. It derives from the Old English word "worð" or "wyrth," meaning an enclosed homestead, farm, or estate. The name was initially given to people who lived in or near such a homestead or settlement.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Worth date back to the late 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, includes several references to individuals with variations of the Worth surname.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Ailric de Worth, a landowner in Hampshire mentioned in the Domesday Book. Other early records include Reginald de Wurth in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1191 and William de la Worthe in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296.

Over time, the surname evolved to include various spellings, such as Worthe, Wurth, and Wurthe, reflecting regional dialects and scribal variations. Some of these variants became associated with specific locations, like Worth in Sussex, which likely influenced the name's spelling in that area.

Several notable individuals throughout history bore the Worth surname, including:

1. Richard Worth (c. 1450-1534), an English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. 2. William Worth (c. 1675-1749), an English philosopher and theologian known for his treatise on the immateriality of the soul. 3. Jonathan Worth (1802-1869), a prominent American politician who served as the 29th Governor of North Carolina from 1865 to 1868. 4. William Jenkins Worth (1794-1849), a United States Army officer who fought in the War of 1812, the Seminole Wars, and the Mexican-American War. 5. Nicholas Worth (c. 1641-1711), an English poet and playwright known for his tragedy "The Orphan of China."

The Worth surname has a rich history spanning several centuries, originating from the Old English word for an enclosed homestead and evolving into various spellings associated with specific regions and notable individuals.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Worth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Worth 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. Devon leads with 412 Worths recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.54x.

County Total Index
Devon 412 7.54x
Yorkshire 359 1.38x
Lancashire 284 0.91x
Cheshire 252 4.35x
Cornwall 211 7.10x
Middlesex 207 0.79x
Lincolnshire 106 2.53x
Leicestershire 101 3.47x
Surrey 90 0.70x
Essex 80 1.54x
Durham 58 0.74x
Hampshire 53 0.99x
Warwickshire 51 0.77x
Northamptonshire 48 1.94x
Staffordshire 48 0.54x
Kent 40 0.45x
Oxfordshire 36 2.22x
Derbyshire 32 0.78x
Nottinghamshire 31 0.88x
Gloucestershire 29 0.56x
Suffolk 23 0.72x
Somerset 15 0.36x
Worcestershire 14 0.41x
Brecknockshire 12 2.29x
Northumberland 12 0.31x
Cambridgeshire 10 0.60x
Berkshire 9 0.46x
Buckinghamshire 9 0.57x
Sussex 9 0.20x
Norfolk 8 0.20x
Wiltshire 6 0.26x
Cumberland 5 0.22x
Channel Islands 4 0.51x
Lanarkshire 4 0.05x
Royal Navy 4 1.28x
Shropshire 3 0.13x
Anglesey 2 0.43x
Bedfordshire 2 0.15x
Hertfordshire 2 0.11x
Monmouthshire 2 0.11x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.33x
Dorset 1 0.06x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.17x
Fife 1 0.06x
Glamorgan 1 0.02x
Midlothian 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 55 Worths recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.75x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 55 3.75x
Islington London 47 1.85x
Plymouth St Andrew 38 9.03x
Siddington 38 1038.25x
Lidford 33 134.53x
Stoke Damerel 31 8.11x
Aston 29 1.59x
Paul 29 53.73x
Kensington London 27 1.85x
Toxteth Park 26 2.47x
Lambeth 25 1.09x
Manchester 25 1.79x
Congleton 24 23.98x
Leicester St Margaret 23 3.24x
St Mary Magdalene 23 105.31x
Anstey 22 191.30x
Leicester St Mary 22 9.36x
Calverley Cum Farsley 21 28.44x
Saddleworth 20 9.97x
St Tudy 20 427.35x
Haughton 19 41.83x
Oxford St Thomas 19 25.13x
Salford 19 2.07x
Exeter St Mary Steps 18 146.10x
North Bierley 18 12.82x
Pownall Fee 18 69.47x
Beckingham 17 546.62x
Clerkenwell London 17 2.74x
Elland Cum Greetland 17 14.51x
Scaldwell 17 553.75x
Hackney London 16 1.09x
Holbeach 16 34.24x
Stockton On Tees 16 4.25x
Towcester 16 62.84x
Portsea 15 1.42x
Holdenhurst 14 9.92x
Macclesfield 14 5.44x
Monks Coppenhall 14 6.41x
Openshaw 14 9.60x
West Bergholt 14 144.78x
Widnes 14 6.23x
Battersea 13 1.35x
Capesthorne 13 1300.00x
Glossop Dale 13 6.76x
Markfield 13 90.09x
Bedminster 12 3.02x
Bollington In 12 23.27x
Bratton Clovelly 12 222.22x
Calstock 12 20.60x
Deptford St Paul 12 1.74x
Horbury 12 26.38x
Llanvillo 12 621.76x
Nether Alderley 12 233.01x
Plymouth Charles The 12 4.99x
Wolverhampton 12 1.76x
Ashton Under Lyne 11 1.62x
Castleton 11 3.54x
Old Withington 11 210.33x
Tormoham 11 4.76x
Wormingford 11 257.01x
Biddulph 10 20.01x
Eastdown 10 309.60x
Methley 10 27.31x
Nottingham St Mary 10 1.09x
Rotherham 10 6.82x
Rothwell 10 19.04x
Sourton 10 216.45x
St George Hanover 10 2.92x
Thorpe St Peter 10 195.31x
Broughton In Salford 9 3.16x
Bury 9 2.53x
Cheadle 9 8.14x
Hammersmith London 9 1.39x
Ilsington 9 94.24x
Lamerton 9 86.71x
Manningtree 9 106.76x
Marwood 9 123.97x
Shoreditch London 9 0.79x
Teddington London 9 15.14x
Wakefield 9 4.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 183
John 169
George 91
Thomas 89
James 87
Henry 67
Charles 58
Samuel 45
Alfred 33
Joseph 30
Richard 27
Arthur 24
Frederick 23
Edward 21
Walter 20
Harry 17
Albert 16
Robert 14
Ernest 13
Benjamin 12
Francis 11
Herbert 11
David 10
Edwin 10
Isaac 9
Wm. 9
Fredrick 8
Tom 8
Daniel 7
Abel 6
Frank 6
Peter 6
Fred 5
Geo. 5
Philip 5
Sydney 5
Christopher 4
Davies 4
Moses 4
Sidney 4
Jesse 3
Joe 3
Nathan 3
Thos. 3
Amos 2
Chas. 2
Leonard 2
Lewis 2
Lot 2
Martin 2

FAQ

Worth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Worth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,689 people were recorded with the Worth surname. That placed it at #1,653 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Worth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,775 in 2016. That gives Worth a modern rank of #1,788.

What does the Worth surname mean?

An English locational surname denoting someone who lived near an enclosure or on a protected homestead.

What does the Worth map show?

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