NameCensus.

UK surname

Wreyford

A habitational surname derived from a place name in England.

In the 1881 census there were 58 people recorded with the Wreyford surname, ranking it #25,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 85, ranked #32,637, down from #25,428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Vale of White Horse, Plymouth and Exeter.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wreyford is 102 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.6%.

1881 census count

58

Ranked #25,428

Modern count

85

2016, ranked #32,637

Peak year

1998

102 bearers

Map years

1

1998 to 1998

Key insights

  • Wreyford had 58 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 85 in 2016, ranked #32,637.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 83 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wreyford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wreyford surname density by area, 1998 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wreyford 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 54 #23,577
1861 historical 81 #23,431
1881 historical 58 #25,428
1891 historical 77 #27,169
1901 historical 83 #24,900
1911 historical 81 #24,719
1997 modern 95 #27,638
1998 modern 102 #27,314
1999 modern 99 #27,906
2000 modern 92 #28,832
2001 modern 96 #27,976
2002 modern 97 #28,383
2003 modern 92 #28,974
2004 modern 92 #29,197
2005 modern 85 #30,219
2006 modern 83 #30,808
2007 modern 81 #31,408
2008 modern 89 #30,713
2009 modern 89 #31,235
2010 modern 85 #32,185
2011 modern 77 #32,909
2012 modern 78 #33,044
2013 modern 86 #32,557
2014 modern 88 #32,495
2015 modern 88 #32,421
2016 modern 85 #32,637

Geography

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Where Wreyfords 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 Vale of White Horse, Plymouth, Exeter, South Hams and Croydon. 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 Vale of White Horse 003 Vale of White Horse
2 Plymouth 001 Plymouth
3 Exeter 013 Exeter
4 South Hams 004 South Hams
5 Croydon 042 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wreyford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wreyford

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Wreyford is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wreyford 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

Wreyford falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wreyford

The surname Wreyford has its roots in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the southwestern region of the country, where place names often influenced family names. The name is most likely derived from an ancient local habitation, with "ford" indicating a shallow crossing in a river or stream and "Wrey" potentially stemming from an old English personal name or an old descriptive term for a bend or corner in the river.

Early records of the surname Wreyford can be found in various historical manuscripts and parish registers. One of the earliest documented instances of the name appears in a 14th-century tax roll from Devon, where a William de Wreyford is listed. This suggests that the family had some standing or property in the area.

Another significant historical reference occurs in the 15th century, with a Thomas Wreyford being mentioned in legal documents pertaining to land disputes in the county of Cornwall. This indicates that the name had spread to neighboring regions by that time.

In the 17th century, a Robert Wreyford is recorded as a notable figure in Devon, serving as a church warden and a minor local official. His involvement in the community highlights the stature that holders of the surname had attained by this period.

The 18th century saw an Anthony Wreyford listed among the merchants of Plymouth. Born in 1732 and passing away in 1797, he contributed to the commercial activities and maritime trade for which the port city was well-known. His prominence in Plymouth's trade circles marks another notable chapter in the history of the surname.

By the 19th century, the Wreyford name appears in various records beyond Devon and Cornwall, reflecting the broader migration of families during the industrial era. One such individual, Mary Wreyford, born in 1815, emigrated to North America and is documented in ship registries. Her journey signifies the geographical spread and adaptation of the family name over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wreyford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wreyford 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 44 Wreyfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.13x.

County Total Index
Devon 44 40.13x
Lancashire 6 0.96x
Cornwall 3 5.03x
Gloucestershire 1 0.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tormoham in Devon leads with 13 Wreyfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 280.17x.

Place Total Index
Tormoham 13 280.17x
Staverton 8 6153.85x
Moreton Hampstead 6 2142.86x
Toxteth Park 6 28.36x
Bishops Tawton 5 1470.59x
Highweek 4 1025.64x
Manaton 4 6666.67x
Camborne 3 121.95x
Bovey Tracey 1 263.16x
Bristol St Augustine 1 59.88x
Exeter Holy Trinity 1 232.56x
Exeter St Leonard 1 333.33x
Great Torrington 1 161.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Mary 3
Alice 2
Anna 2
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Ada 1
Bessie 1
Birthe 1
C.Rosamund 1
Caroline 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Isabella 1
Maude 1
Priscilla 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 6
John 5
William 5
George 3
Chales 1
Charles 1
Daniel 1
Edwin 1
Fredrick 1
Thomas 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 Wreyford households.

FAQ

Wreyford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wreyford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 58 people were recorded with the Wreyford surname. That placed it at #25,428 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wreyford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 85 in 2016. That gives Wreyford a modern rank of #32,637.

What does the Wreyford surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name in England.

What does the Wreyford map show?

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