NameCensus.

UK surname

Wyles

Locational surname derived from a place name originating from Anglo-Saxon words meaning "willow stream" or "willow wood".

In the 1881 census there were 750 people recorded with the Wyles surname, ranking it #4,909 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,046, ranked #5,577, down from #4,909 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Duddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Northamptonshire, Dover and Cannock Chase.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wyles is 1,142 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.5%.

1881 census count

750

Ranked #4,909

Modern count

1,046

2016, ranked #5,577

Peak year

2000

1,142 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wyles had 750 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,909 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,046 in 2016, ranked #5,577.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,016 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wyles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wyles surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wyles 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 359 #6,583
1861 historical 386 #6,638
1881 historical 750 #4,909
1891 historical 894 #4,606
1901 historical 1,016 #4,696
1911 historical 1,015 #4,487
1997 modern 1,069 #5,199
1998 modern 1,110 #5,219
1999 modern 1,136 #5,158
2000 modern 1,142 #5,105
2001 modern 1,127 #5,067
2002 modern 1,101 #5,272
2003 modern 1,039 #5,428
2004 modern 1,014 #5,531
2005 modern 1,013 #5,491
2006 modern 1,004 #5,551
2007 modern 1,013 #5,545
2008 modern 1,018 #5,569
2009 modern 1,063 #5,487
2010 modern 1,079 #5,521
2011 modern 1,099 #5,376
2012 modern 1,040 #5,549
2013 modern 1,053 #5,587
2014 modern 1,048 #5,638
2015 modern 1,036 #5,647
2016 modern 1,046 #5,577

Geography

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Where Wyles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Duddington and Faversham, Ospring Liberty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Northamptonshire, Dover, Cannock Chase, Melton and South Kesteven. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Duddington Lincolnshire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Faversham, Ospring Liberty Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Northamptonshire 002 East Northamptonshire
2 Dover 001 Dover
3 Cannock Chase 008 Cannock Chase
4 Melton 004 Melton
5 South Kesteven 001 South Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wyles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wyles

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Wyles is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Wyles is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wyles 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 Wyles 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 Wyles, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wyles

The surname Wyles is of English origin, with its roots traceable back to medieval times. The surname is thought to have originated in the Anglo-Saxon period, predominantly in the regions of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. In historical records, it has been suggested that the name Wyles may be a variant of the surname Wiles, which is derived from the Old English word "wille" or "wyll," meaning "spring" or "stream." Such names were often given to people residing near natural water sources.

The earliest known historical references to the surname Wyles can be found in medieval documents and registers. One significant record is the Subsidy Rolls of 1332 from Lincolnshire, which mentioned a Robert Wyles, indicating that the name was present and established by the early 14th century. These rolls were tax records, suggesting that individuals bearing the surname Wyles were landholders or notable persons within their communities.

Several individuals with the surname Wyles have been noted throughout history. One such person is John Wyles, who was recorded in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379. This document provides evidence of the surname's presence in Yorkshire during the late 14th century. Another historical figure is Thomas Wyles, who appears in the Feet of Fines from 1428, a collection of legal documents recording land transactions in Lincolnshire, signifying the family's continued presence in that county.

As time progressed, the name Wyles continued to appear in various records and contexts. In the 16th century, there are mentions of William Wyles, a resident of Lincolnshire, in the Wills and Inventories of the Archdeaconry of Lincoln, dated 1558. These records provide a glimpse into the lives and estates of individuals from that area and time.

In the 17th century, the name gained further prominence with figures such as Henry Wyles, who is noted in the parish registers of St. Botolph's Church, Boston, Lincolnshire. Henry Wyles made significant contributions to his local community, being involved in agricultural and civic activities. Another notable individual from the 18th century is Anne Wyles, born in 1723, whose family were well-known landowners in Yorkshire.

The Wyles surname has thus a rich history, with its beginnings in the Anglo-Saxon era and continued presence throughout England, particularly in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. This surname, evolving from terms denoting natural landmarks, paints a historical narrative of a family closely connected to the English landscape and its medieval societies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wyles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wyles 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. Kent leads with 156 Wyles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.20x.

County Total Index
Kent 156 6.20x
Lincolnshire 104 8.82x
Middlesex 59 0.80x
Northamptonshire 47 6.78x
Fife 42 9.62x
Berkshire 35 6.32x
Huntingdonshire 27 18.44x
Nottinghamshire 22 2.21x
Surrey 20 0.56x
Derbyshire 19 1.65x
Cambridgeshire 18 3.85x
Warwickshire 18 0.97x
Herefordshire 17 5.62x
Buckinghamshire 16 3.59x
Oxfordshire 16 3.51x
Lancashire 13 0.15x
Roxburghshire 13 9.73x
Dorset 11 2.27x
Rutland 11 20.31x
Leicestershire 10 1.22x
Sussex 9 0.72x
Bedfordshire 7 1.83x
Cumberland 7 1.10x
Monmouthshire 7 1.31x
Isle of Man 6 4.38x
Worcestershire 6 0.62x
Yorkshire 6 0.08x
Norfolk 5 0.44x
Cheshire 4 0.25x
Lanarkshire 4 0.17x
Hertfordshire 3 0.59x
Midlothian 3 0.30x
Suffolk 3 0.33x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.29x
Dumfriesshire 2 1.23x
Wiltshire 2 0.31x
Cornwall 1 0.12x
Devon 1 0.07x
Hampshire 1 0.07x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.43x
Royal Navy 1 1.14x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Duddington in Northamptonshire leads with 25 Wyles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2747.25x.

Place Total Index
Duddington 25 2747.25x
Wemyss 24 129.94x
Faversham 23 95.87x
Oundle 19 245.16x
Bromley London 17 10.48x
Longstow 16 2285.71x
Carlby 14 3414.63x
Sittingbourne 14 70.46x
Glatton 13 921.99x
Grantham 13 84.58x
Chatham 12 17.34x
Hastingleigh 12 2068.97x
Rainham 12 173.66x
Rodmersham 12 1111.11x
Reading St Giles 11 20.25x
Dowsby 10 2439.02x
Gillingham 10 19.28x
Hackney London 10 2.42x
Kington Magna 10 854.70x
Market Deeping 10 326.80x
Tonbridge 10 11.02x
Baston 9 461.54x
Brighton 9 3.59x
Coventry Holy Trinity 9 16.21x
Islington London 9 1.26x
Kinghorn 9 97.09x
Stoke Poges 9 165.44x
Deeping St Nicholas 8 231.88x
Greetham 8 544.22x
Lambeth 8 1.24x
Wickhambreux 8 655.74x
Allesley 7 285.71x
Bedford St Mary 7 71.14x
Bucknall 7 823.53x
Dysart 7 23.81x
Eye Dunsden 7 318.18x
Hawick 7 23.41x
Nottingham St Mary 7 2.72x
Pembridge 7 210.21x
Rochester St Nicholas 7 89.40x
Trevethin 7 13.90x
Upchurch 7 246.48x
Banbury 6 65.79x
Bourn 6 63.03x
Caldewgate 6 17.25x
German Peel 6 76.05x
Kington 6 80.11x
Southwell 6 82.99x
Toft Lound Manthorpe 6 895.52x
Upton Cum Chalvey 6 33.76x
Wilton 6 40.93x
Battersea 5 1.84x
Bucklebury 5 173.61x
Chesterfield 5 11.55x
Corby 5 252.53x
Earley 5 54.23x
Little Ponton 5 862.07x
Oldbury 5 10.55x
Poplar London 5 3.59x
Reading St Lawrence 5 42.23x
Snenton 5 12.80x
Wimbotsham 5 347.22x
Ashborne 4 50.96x
Barony 4 0.66x
Glatton Holme 4 493.83x
Litchurch 4 8.61x
Melton Mowbray 4 27.21x
Offcote Underwood 4 333.33x
Ospringe 4 129.03x
Preston 4 1.71x
Ramsgate 4 9.74x
Sheldwich 4 248.45x
Wallingford St Leonard 4 155.04x
Farcett 3 166.67x
Hereford St Nicholas 3 72.99x
North Meols 3 3.50x
St Marylebone London 3 0.76x
St Pancras London 3 0.51x
Stamford St George 3 56.60x
Willerby In Scarborough 3 285.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 48
John 40
George 30
Thomas 25
James 16
Henry 13
Alfred 12
Frederick 11
Walter 9
Robert 8
Albert 7
Edward 6
Ernest 6
Joseph 6
Richard 6
Samuel 6
Arthur 5
Benjamin 3
Charles 3
Edmund 3
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Horace 3
Burrows 2
Chester 2
Fredk. 2
Harry 2
Joe 2
Lawrence 2
Oliver 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Stephen 2
Tom 2
Andrew 1
Cornelius 1
Elijah 1
Ezra 1
Francis 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Isaac 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1
Laurence 1
Lorenze 1
Martin 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Wyles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wyles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 750 people were recorded with the Wyles surname. That placed it at #4,909 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wyles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,046 in 2016. That gives Wyles a modern rank of #5,577.

What does the Wyles surname mean?

Locational surname derived from a place name originating from Anglo-Saxon words meaning "willow stream" or "willow wood".

What does the Wyles map show?

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