NameCensus.

UK surname

Wylde

An English surname derived from the Old English word "wilde" meaning wild or savage.

In the 1881 census there were 615 people recorded with the Wylde surname, ranking it #5,717 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,119, ranked #5,265, up from #5,717 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wirral, Huntingdonshire and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wylde is 1,180 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 82.0%.

1881 census count

615

Ranked #5,717

Modern count

1,119

2016, ranked #5,265

Peak year

2010

1,180 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wylde had 615 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,717 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,119 in 2016, ranked #5,265.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 947 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Wylde surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wylde surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wylde 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 361 #6,554
1861 historical 366 #6,987
1881 historical 615 #5,717
1891 historical 720 #5,479
1901 historical 896 #5,163
1911 historical 947 #4,753
1997 modern 1,099 #5,072
1998 modern 1,130 #5,134
1999 modern 1,151 #5,107
2000 modern 1,159 #5,053
2001 modern 1,142 #5,019
2002 modern 1,162 #5,049
2003 modern 1,135 #5,044
2004 modern 1,140 #5,035
2005 modern 1,114 #5,083
2006 modern 1,143 #4,962
2007 modern 1,154 #4,972
2008 modern 1,144 #5,044
2009 modern 1,150 #5,140
2010 modern 1,180 #5,113
2011 modern 1,148 #5,187
2012 modern 1,125 #5,188
2013 modern 1,133 #5,239
2014 modern 1,128 #5,291
2015 modern 1,121 #5,267
2016 modern 1,119 #5,265

Geography

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Where Wyldes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Manchester, Lambeth and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wirral, Huntingdonshire and Bristol. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wirral 005 Wirral
2 Huntingdonshire 003 Huntingdonshire
3 Bristol 008 Bristol, City of
4 Wirral 002 Wirral
5 Wirral 010 Wirral

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wylde

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wylde

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Wylde is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wylde is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wylde 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 Wylde is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Wylde

The surname Wylde has its origins in England and is primarily found in regions such as Yorkshire and Derbyshire. It dates back to the Middle Ages, with its earliest origins rooted in the Old English word "wilde," which means wild or untamed. This suggests that the name was likely used to describe someone who was untamed in spirit or lived near a wilderness.

The Wylde surname appears in several historical records and manuscripts, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which was commissioned by William the Conqueror. This extensive record listed many families and estates in England following the Norman Conquest. Although the surname Wylde itself is not directly mentioned in the Domesday Book, the name's usage began to emerge in subsequent centuries as surnames became more common.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the Wylde surname was in the 13th century. William Wylde is noted in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, which were a census-like record of property owners. This period marked the growing use of surnames for taxation and legal documentation purposes.

The 14th-century records show Thomas Wylde as a landowner in Derbyshire. His name appears in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls, which were tax records used by the crown. Such records help trace the movement and establishment of the Wylde family in various counties across England.

In the 16th century, Sir Edmund Wylde, born in 1490 and dying in 1560, served as a notable figure associated with the Wylde surname. He was a country gentleman and held significant landholdings, highlighting the family's continued prominence.

A later individual of note is Sir Robert Wylde, who lived during the reign of King James I. Born in 1562 and dying in 1622, he was a wealthy landowner and held the title of Knight. His presence in the socio-political landscape of his time underscores the lasting influence of the Wylde family.

The surname also appears in association with specific place names. Wylde Green, located in the West Midlands, is a notable example where the family's name is believed to have influenced the area's designation. This suggests a long-standing connection between the Wylde family and various localities within England.

In summary, the Wylde surname has deep roots in English history, originating from Old English and being associated with characteristics of the wild or untamed. The name appears in various historical records from the 13th century onwards, with individuals such as William Wylde, Thomas Wylde, Sir Edmund Wylde, and Sir Robert Wylde marking notable points of reference in its lineage. The association with place names like Wylde Green further reflects the family's historical significance and geographical spread.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wylde families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wylde 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. Lancashire leads with 90 Wyldes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.26x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 90 1.26x
Cheshire 81 6.10x
Middlesex 61 1.01x
Yorkshire 57 0.96x
Surrey 53 1.81x
Staffordshire 50 2.46x
Worcestershire 38 4.83x
Nottinghamshire 25 3.08x
Leicestershire 20 3.00x
Shropshire 19 3.65x
Derbyshire 17 1.80x
Glamorgan 12 1.15x
Durham 10 0.56x
Warwickshire 9 0.59x
Lanarkshire 8 0.41x
Kent 7 0.34x
Cumberland 6 1.16x
Oxfordshire 6 1.61x
Radnorshire 6 12.36x
Sussex 5 0.49x
Angus 4 0.72x
Essex 4 0.34x
Midlothian 4 0.50x
Northamptonshire 4 0.71x
Norfolk 3 0.32x
Perthshire 3 1.11x
Somerset 3 0.31x
Devon 2 0.16x
Gloucestershire 2 0.17x
Hampshire 2 0.16x
Royal Navy 2 2.79x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.27x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.41x
Denbighshire 1 0.44x
Northumberland 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kingswinford in Staffordshire leads with 31 Wyldes recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.03x.

Place Total Index
Kingswinford 31 42.03x
Lambeth 24 4.57x
Bollington In 23 194.42x
Cradley 22 309.42x
Runcorn 18 58.77x
Great Bolton 15 15.86x
Islington London 13 2.23x
Withington 11 47.81x
Macclesfield 10 16.93x
Paddington London 10 4.52x
Poynton 10 223.71x
Saddleworth 9 19.57x
Walsall Foreign 9 8.58x
Walton On Hill 9 23.26x
Hetton Le Hole 8 35.26x
Kensington London 8 2.39x
Little Bolton 8 8.71x
Preston 8 243.16x
Woodborough 8 437.16x
Dawley 7 37.00x
Frimley 7 83.83x
Hulme 7 4.69x
Ness 7 909.09x
Battersea 6 2.71x
Bromley London 6 4.53x
Halifax 6 6.85x
Leicester St Margaret 6 3.69x
Llanrhidian Higher 6 90.09x
Nantmel 6 236.22x
Norwell Woodhouse 6 3333.33x
Rumworth 6 58.77x
Shackerstone 6 1016.95x
Cleator 5 23.18x
Gorton 5 7.45x
Llanfabon 5 91.24x
Oddingley 5 1219.51x
Potter Newton 5 47.53x
Rugeley 5 34.29x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 5 18.04x
Stanton Lacy 5 111.36x
Tollerton 5 1923.08x
Barony 4 0.81x
Belbroughton 4 98.04x
Broughton In Salford 4 6.13x
Cannock 4 11.28x
Chapel En Le Frith 4 46.51x
Chelsea London 4 2.21x
Chiswick 4 12.16x
Claylane 4 30.53x
Elland Cum Greetland 4 14.89x
Govan 4 0.83x
Hollingworth 4 72.99x
Horsforth 4 30.58x
Leeds 4 1.19x
Madeley 4 20.98x
Marsden In Almondbury 4 73.66x
Menston 4 294.12x
Moss Side 4 10.64x
Oxford St Giles 4 22.56x
Putney 4 14.58x
St Pancras London 4 0.83x
Ashover 3 63.97x
Bromsgrove 3 11.34x
Camberwell 3 0.78x
Caputh 3 70.59x
Colchester St Botolph 3 29.67x
Dundee 3 1.44x
Eastbourne 3 6.43x
Halton 3 101.35x
Northampton St Sepulchre 3 10.42x
Northfield 3 20.12x
Penketh 3 116.73x
Sileby 3 71.26x
Solihull 3 27.50x
South Leith 3 3.31x
St Marylebone London 3 0.93x
Tonbridge 3 4.05x
Upton 3 291.26x
Wormhill 3 152.28x
St Bartholomew Great 2 36.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 44
John 30
James 19
Thomas 18
George 15
Samuel 11
Charles 10
Edward 10
Henry 10
Joseph 9
Robert 8
Arthur 7
Alfred 5
Edwin 4
Richard 4
Abraham 3
Anthony 3
Frederick 3
Herbert 3
Percy 3
Peter 3
Albert 2
Alexander 2
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
David 2
Denis 2
Everard 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Harold 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Wm. 2
Arnold 1
Cecil 1
Chares 1
Claude 1
Daniel 1
Ellis 1
Enoch 1
Geo. 1
Geo.F. 1
Jabez 1
Jonathan 1
Josiah 1
Lester 1
Lewis 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1

FAQ

Wylde surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wylde surname in 1881?

In 1881, 615 people were recorded with the Wylde surname. That placed it at #5,717 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wylde surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,119 in 2016. That gives Wylde a modern rank of #5,265.

What does the Wylde surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English word "wilde" meaning wild or savage.

What does the Wylde map show?

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