NameCensus.

UK surname

Wraith

A wraith is an otherworldly spirit or ghostly apparition, suggesting this surname may refer to someone with a mysterious or ethereal nature.

In the 1881 census there were 436 people recorded with the Wraith surname, ranking it #7,485 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 953, ranked #6,026, up from #7,485 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft), Gateshead and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Doncaster and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wraith is 972 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 118.6%.

1881 census count

436

Ranked #7,485

Modern count

953

2016, ranked #6,026

Peak year

1999

972 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wraith had 436 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,485 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 953 in 2016, ranked #6,026.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 606 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Wraith surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wraith surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wraith 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 200 #10,403
1861 historical 213 #11,419
1881 historical 436 #7,485
1891 historical 461 #7,937
1901 historical 573 #7,321
1911 historical 606 #6,794
1997 modern 897 #5,978
1998 modern 956 #5,873
1999 modern 972 #5,833
2000 modern 959 #5,888
2001 modern 942 #5,860
2002 modern 954 #5,904
2003 modern 917 #5,991
2004 modern 936 #5,907
2005 modern 910 #5,973
2006 modern 901 #6,035
2007 modern 897 #6,101
2008 modern 901 #6,128
2009 modern 930 #6,090
2010 modern 965 #6,047
2011 modern 959 #6,028
2012 modern 940 #6,038
2013 modern 956 #6,043
2014 modern 961 #6,073
2015 modern 953 #6,058
2016 modern 953 #6,026

Geography

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Where Wraiths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft), Gateshead, Batley, Wakefield and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Doncaster, Rotherham, North Lincolnshire and Newcastle upon Tyne. 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 Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft) Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 038 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Doncaster 035 Doncaster
3 Rotherham 003 Rotherham
4 North Lincolnshire 021 North Lincolnshire
5 Newcastle upon Tyne 026 Newcastle upon Tyne

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wraith

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wraith

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Wraith surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Wraith household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Wraith 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

Wraith 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

Wraith falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wraith is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wraith

The surname Wraith is primarily of English origin, with its earliest roots tracing back to the medieval period. The name is largely associated with the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire. The etymology of the surname Wraith is somewhat elusive, but it is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word 'vǫrðr', meaning "guardian" or "watchman." This is reflective of the Norse influence prevalent in northern England due to Viking settlements during the early medieval period.

The surname Wraith in its earliest recorded form appears in historical manuscripts and documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax records of 1379, where a John Wra was mentioned. The variations in spellings over centuries include Wra, Wrath, and Wraithe, suggesting a phonetic evolution of the name.

Historical references to the surname Wraith also appear in legal and property documents from the medieval and post-medieval periods. For example, a 1524 Lay Subsidy Roll for Lancashire lists a Thomas Wraithe, indicating the presence and localized prominence of the surname. Similarly, a William Wra was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in the late 13th century, further solidifying the geographical concentration of the surname in northern England.

One notable individual with the surname Wraith was Richard Wraith, born around 1575 in Yorkshire. His family lineage can be traced back through several generations, indicating a well-established family presence in the region. Another significant figure was George Wraith, a landowner in Lancashire during the early 17th century, who contributed to local agricultural developments.

In the 18th century, the surname Wraith continued to appear in parish records, such as the baptism of Mary Wraith in 1742 in Leeds, Yorkshire. These records reaffirm the persistence of the surname in the northern counties over several centuries.

An important figure in the context of the surname is John Wraith, a prominent merchant in Hull during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Born in 1760, John Wraith was known for his contributions to the local economy and his involvement in civic duties.

By the 19th century, the surname Wraith had diffused more broadly across England. Another notable individual was Ann Wraith, born in 1823, who became associated with the early women's rights movement in Manchester.

The surname Wraith, with its origins deeply entrenched in northern England, represents a lineage linked with Norse heritage and medieval watchfulness. Its presence in historical records, spanning across centuries and regions, highlights the enduring legacy of this unique surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wraith families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wraith 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 190 Wraiths recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.53x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 190 4.53x
Durham 99 7.86x
Kent 35 2.42x
Lancashire 28 0.56x
Lincolnshire 19 2.81x
Northumberland 19 3.02x
Renfrewshire 10 3.05x
Derbyshire 9 1.36x
Middlesex 7 0.17x
Essex 6 0.72x
Pembrokeshire 6 4.46x
Warwickshire 2 0.19x
Denbighshire 1 0.63x
Leicestershire 1 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.18x
Roxburghshire 1 1.30x

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 26 Wraiths recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.98x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 26 10.98x
Hatfield In Thorne 20 763.36x
Gateshead 19 20.15x
Thorne 18 346.15x
Belton 15 545.45x
Heworth 14 56.41x
Chatham 13 32.71x
Westoe 13 18.21x
Horton In Bradford 12 18.32x
Maidstone 11 25.57x
Newcastle On Tyne St 11 33.69x
Wakefield 11 34.16x
Port Glasgow 10 63.05x
Preston 10 7.44x
Dewsbury 9 20.92x
Litchurch 9 33.75x
Templenewsam 9 296.05x
Tudhoe 9 81.67x
West Auckland 9 195.23x
Crowle 8 194.17x
Moston 8 158.73x
Brightside Bierlow 7 8.51x
Washington 7 132.58x
Wombwell 7 57.24x
Hedleyhope 6 275.23x
Rotherham 6 25.37x
Ryhope 6 68.65x
Skelton In Guisbrough 6 52.86x
Steynton 6 137.93x
Brentwood 5 98.04x
Byker 5 16.06x
Darfield 5 130.89x
Darlington 5 10.28x
Goole 5 71.12x
Hipperholme Cum 5 27.13x
Lower Darwen 5 75.87x
Sandal Magna 5 80.65x
Wentworth 5 192.31x
Barnsley 4 9.24x
Hackney London 4 1.69x
Harton 4 80.32x
Hoyland Nether 4 38.87x
Over Darwen 4 9.97x
Stainforth In Thorne 4 373.83x
Thurnscoe 4 1111.11x
Bishop Auckland 3 17.75x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 5.50x
Shitlington 3 69.12x
St Pancras London 3 0.88x
Canterbury St Andrew 2 327.87x
Kenilworth 2 33.22x
Milton In Gravesend 2 9.23x
Rochester St Margaret 2 13.13x
Sandwich St Clement 2 163.93x
Sheffield 2 1.50x
Whitley 2 98.52x
Barnetby Le Wold 1 81.30x
Clipstone 1 232.56x
Denbigh 1 15.58x
Garthorpe 1 588.24x
Gillingham 1 3.36x
Horncastle 1 14.31x
Hunslet 1 1.53x
Hunton 1 79.37x
Jedburgh 1 13.30x
Little Harwood 1 109.89x
Lotherton Cum Aberford 1 156.25x
Soothill 1 6.60x
South Shields 1 8.91x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 1 5.13x
Tetford 1 116.28x
Tynemouth 1 2.96x
Walton In Wakefield 1 111.11x
West Butterwick With 1 96.15x
West Ham 1 0.54x
West Wickham 1 71.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 25
William 23
John 19
Thomas 14
Charles 13
Robert 11
Edward 9
Richard 9
Samuel 9
Henry 7
Matthew 6
Joseph 4
Fred 3
Lawrence 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Benjamin 2
Christopher 2
Frank 2
Hart 2
Herbert 2
Percy 2
Thew 2
Thos. 2
Thos.Hampshire 2
Walter 2
Arthur 1
Atkin 1
Castle 1
David 1
Denis 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Freadrick 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
James 1
Jno. 1
Jonathan 1
Leonard 1
Morris 1
Oswald 1
Ralph 1
Stephen 1
Thos.Wm. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Wraith surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wraith surname in 1881?

In 1881, 436 people were recorded with the Wraith surname. That placed it at #7,485 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wraith surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 953 in 2016. That gives Wraith a modern rank of #6,026.

What does the Wraith surname mean?

A wraith is an otherworldly spirit or ghostly apparition, suggesting this surname may refer to someone with a mysterious or ethereal nature.

What does the Wraith map show?

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