NameCensus.

UK surname

Would

In the 1881 census there were 155 people recorded with the Would surname, ranking it #15,174 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 190, ranked #20,262, down from #15,174 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, Lewisham and Clee. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Kesteven, Cornwall and West Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Would is 232 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.6%.

1881 census count

155

Ranked #15,174

Modern count

190

2016, ranked #20,262

Peak year

1911

232 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Would had 155 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,174 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 190 in 2016, ranked #20,262.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 232 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Would surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Would surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Would 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 117 #15,456
1861 historical 119 #18,393
1881 historical 155 #15,174
1891 historical 182 #15,983
1901 historical 208 #14,760
1911 historical 232 #13,592
1997 modern 204 #17,409
1998 modern 214 #17,366
1999 modern 206 #17,905
2000 modern 203 #18,043
2001 modern 196 #18,146
2002 modern 203 #18,115
2003 modern 202 #18,032
2004 modern 198 #18,308
2005 modern 199 #18,198
2006 modern 190 #18,898
2007 modern 188 #19,204
2008 modern 192 #19,143
2009 modern 187 #19,868
2010 modern 186 #20,379
2011 modern 191 #19,871
2012 modern 186 #20,141
2013 modern 188 #20,352
2014 modern 186 #20,664
2015 modern 185 #20,641
2016 modern 190 #20,262

Geography

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Where Woulds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, Lewisham, Clee, London parishes and Coningsby, Haven Bank, Langrick Ferry, High and Low Toynton (incl. High and Low Toynton allotments),. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Kesteven, Cornwall, West Lindsey, East Lindsey and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 Lewisham London (South Districts)
3 Clee Lincolnshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Coningsby, Haven Bank, Langrick Ferry, High and Low Toynton (incl. High and Low Toynton allotments), Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Kesteven 001 North Kesteven
2 Cornwall 001 Cornwall
3 West Lindsey 010 West Lindsey
4 East Lindsey 001 East Lindsey
5 Kingston upon Hull 030 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Would

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Would

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Would is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Would is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Would falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Would is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Would families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Would 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. Lincolnshire leads with 97 Woulds recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.87x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 97 39.87x
Kent 20 3.85x
Yorkshire 19 1.26x
Surrey 6 0.81x
Middlesex 5 0.33x
Nottinghamshire 4 1.95x
Warwickshire 2 0.52x
Lancashire 1 0.06x
Norfolk 1 0.43x
Royal Navy 1 5.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Coningsby in Lincolnshire leads with 13 Woulds recorded in 1881 and an index of 1857.14x.

Place Total Index
Coningsby 13 1857.14x
Lewisham 11 39.73x
Cleethorpes 9 629.37x
Eston 9 274.39x
Greenwich 7 28.90x
Irby In Marsh 7 7777.78x
Roughton 7 8750.00x
St Swithin Lincoln 7 182.77x
Belchford 6 2400.00x
Camberwell 6 6.17x
Ruskington 6 967.74x
Brightside Bierlow 5 16.90x
Baumber 4 2222.22x
Blyth 4 1250.00x
Islington London 4 2.71x
Kirmington 4 1904.76x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 4 116.96x
Great Grimsby 3 19.43x
Holton Beckering 3 3333.33x
Horncastle 3 119.52x
Welton 3 833.33x
Bennington By Boston 2 689.66x
Deptford St Paul 2 4.99x
Edgbaston 2 16.81x
Holy Trinity 2 5.51x
Minting 2 1111.11x
Moulton 2 170.94x
Algarkirk 1 370.37x
Boston 1 13.55x
Bourn 1 50.76x
Claxby Pluckacre 1 3333.33x
Drypool 1 43.29x
Frithville Fishtoft 1 555.56x
Hornsey 1 5.20x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 14.25x
Layton With Warbreck 1 15.08x
Louth 1 17.92x
Lusby 1 2000.00x
Old Bolingbroke 1 416.67x
Royal Navy 1 6.45x
Sculcoates 1 4.18x
Sixhills 1 1111.11x
Skelton In Guisbrough 1 24.51x
Skirbeck Quarter 1 227.27x
St John Lincoln 1 384.62x
Swineshead 1 125.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Sarah 8
Eliza 6
Annie 5
Elizabeth 5
Ann 3
Emma 3
Margaret 3
Betsey 2
Catherine 2
Ellen 2
Harriet 2
Naomi 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Amy 1
Anne 1
Charlotte 1
Damaris 1
Eliz.A. 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Petitia 1
Susanna 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 16
John 15
George 7
Henry 6
Charles 5
Thomas 5
James 4
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Stephen 3
Alfred 1
Anthony 1
Benjamin 1
Chas. 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
Hiram 1
Overton 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Would surname: questions and answers

How common was the Would surname in 1881?

In 1881, 155 people were recorded with the Would surname. That placed it at #15,174 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Would surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 190 in 2016. That gives Would a modern rank of #20,262.

What does the Would map show?

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