NameCensus.

UK surname

Wynne

A Welsh surname derived from the word "wyn," meaning "fair" or "blessed," likely referring to a person's appearance or character.

In the 1881 census there were 2,879 people recorded with the Wynne surname, ranking it #1,558 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,292, ranked #1,275, up from #1,558 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Denbigh, Henllan, London parishes and Rhuddlan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Denbighshire, Flintshire and Cheshire West and Chester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wynne is 5,481 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 83.8%.

1881 census count

2,879

Ranked #1,558

Modern count

5,292

2016, ranked #1,275

Peak year

2010

5,481 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wynne had 2,879 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,558 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,292 in 2016, ranked #1,275.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,927 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wynne surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Wynne surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wynne 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 1,887 #1,532
1861 historical 1,479 #1,912
1881 historical 2,879 #1,558
1891 historical 3,033 #1,552
1901 historical 3,926 #1,437
1911 historical 3,927 #1,308
1997 modern 5,010 #1,307
1998 modern 5,302 #1,285
1999 modern 5,374 #1,276
2000 modern 5,364 #1,272
2001 modern 5,241 #1,270
2002 modern 5,292 #1,287
2003 modern 5,243 #1,262
2004 modern 5,152 #1,288
2005 modern 5,113 #1,276
2006 modern 5,158 #1,265
2007 modern 5,208 #1,266
2008 modern 5,285 #1,255
2009 modern 5,352 #1,275
2010 modern 5,481 #1,267
2011 modern 5,407 #1,268
2012 modern 5,237 #1,283
2013 modern 5,322 #1,285
2014 modern 5,375 #1,281
2015 modern 5,322 #1,273
2016 modern 5,292 #1,275

Geography

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Where Wynnes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Denbigh, Henllan, London parishes, Rhuddlan and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Denbighshire, Flintshire, Cheshire West and Chester and Wrexham. 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 Denbigh, Henllan Denbighshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Rhuddlan Denbighshire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Denbighshire 012 Denbighshire
2 Denbighshire 011 Denbighshire
3 Flintshire 016 Flintshire
4 Cheshire West and Chester 047 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Wrexham 004 Wrexham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wynne

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wynne

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Wynne is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Wynne 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

Wynne falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Wynne

The surname Wynne is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "wyn" meaning joy, pleasure or delight. It is believed to have originated as a nickname for a cheerful or joyful person.

The name Wynne can be traced back to the 12th century in records from Cheshire, England. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1191, where it is spelled "Wyne".

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror, there is a reference to a person named "Winemon" in Shropshire, which is believed to be an early variation of the Wynne surname.

The Wynne family was prominent in Wales, particularly in Denbighshire and Flintshire, where they held lands and estates from the 13th century onwards. Notable members of the Wynne family include Sir John Wynn (1553-1627), a Welsh antiquary and historian who wrote the "History of the Gwydir Family".

Another famous bearer of the surname was Robert Wynne (1691-1743), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Camelford. He was also a prominent landowner in Cheshire and Montgomeryshire.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Wynne surname is William Wynne, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. He later became a prominent landowner and member of the House of Burgesses in Virginia.

Other notable individuals with the surname Wynne include Thomas Wynne (1627-1691), a Welsh-born Quaker who founded the town of Gwynedd in Pennsylvania, and Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn (1749-1789), a Welsh politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Denbighshire.

The Wynne surname has also been associated with several place names, such as Wynn-stay in Shropshire, which was once owned by the Wynne family, and Wynnewood in Pennsylvania, named after Thomas Wynne, the founder of the nearby town of Gwynedd.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wynne families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wynne 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. Denbighshire leads with 554 Wynnes recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.09x.

County Total Index
Denbighshire 554 52.09x
Lancashire 545 1.63x
Flintshire 336 44.40x
Cheshire 208 3.35x
Middlesex 193 0.69x
Staffordshire 155 1.63x
Caernarfonshire 93 8.17x
Surrey 90 0.66x
Merionethshire 82 15.92x
Shropshire 82 3.37x
Midlothian 61 1.62x
Yorkshire 49 0.18x
Kent 39 0.41x
Lanarkshire 37 0.41x
Worcestershire 36 0.98x
Montgomeryshire 34 5.27x
Glamorgan 31 0.63x
Anglesey 22 4.41x
Warwickshire 19 0.27x
Hertfordshire 17 0.88x
Sussex 15 0.32x
Cardiganshire 14 2.04x
Essex 13 0.23x
Gloucestershire 13 0.24x
Durham 12 0.14x
Somerset 12 0.26x
Derbyshire 11 0.25x
Lincolnshire 11 0.24x
Cumberland 10 0.41x
Hampshire 10 0.17x
Renfrewshire 10 0.46x
Norfolk 9 0.21x
Devon 8 0.14x
Northumberland 8 0.19x
Northamptonshire 7 0.26x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.16x
Leicestershire 4 0.13x
Monmouthshire 4 0.20x
Isle of Man 3 0.57x
Westmorland 3 0.48x
Wiltshire 3 0.12x
Berkshire 2 0.09x
Buteshire 2 1.17x
Channel Islands 2 0.24x
Dorset 2 0.11x
Ayrshire 1 0.05x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.06x
Cornwall 1 0.03x
Fife 1 0.06x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.11x
Radnorshire 1 0.44x
Roxburghshire 1 0.20x
Rutland 1 0.48x
Suffolk 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Derby in Lancashire leads with 78 Wynnes recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.98x.

Place Total Index
West Derby 78 7.98x
Birkenhead 60 12.11x
Rhuddlan 47 70.55x
Liverpool 43 2.12x
Manchester 43 2.86x
Toxteth Park 43 3.80x
Kirkdale 36 6.41x
Denbigh 31 72.63x
Eglwysfach 31 285.71x
Bettws Yn Rhos 30 423.13x
Battersea 29 2.80x
Everton 29 2.72x
Kensington London 28 1.79x
Flint 27 62.85x
Gwytherin 27 846.40x
Gresford Gwersyllt 26 78.81x
Wolstanton Chesterton 26 53.53x
Llansantffraid Glan 25 223.21x
Hope 24 63.75x
Currie 23 99.61x
Holywell 23 24.21x
Bangor 22 20.04x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 22 1.45x
Llanasa 20 76.19x
Ardwick 19 6.31x
Hammersmith London 19 2.74x
Brymbo 18 48.61x
Burslem 18 6.61x
Islington London 18 0.66x
Llanrwst 18 48.90x
Abergele 17 55.57x
Lambeth 17 0.69x
Llannefydd 17 199.77x
Mold 17 24.77x
Festiniog 16 14.72x
Great Boughton 16 74.70x
Martin Hussingtree 16 981.60x
Pool 16 32.88x
St George Hanover 16 4.35x
Stafford St Mary 16 11.89x
Wrexham Regis 16 20.26x
Conway 15 68.06x
Henllan 15 55.25x
Barony 14 0.61x
Chorlton On Medlock 14 2.64x
St Marylebone London 14 0.93x
Wrexham Abbot 14 52.38x
Wrockwardine 14 26.18x
Ashton Under Lyne 13 1.78x
Bersham 13 28.66x
Gwyddelwern 13 145.90x
Llandrillo Yn Rhos 13 82.59x
Llanenddwyn 13 141.15x
Llansannan 13 121.61x
Llanynys 13 192.59x
Shoreditch London 13 1.07x
Stoke Upon Trent 13 1.29x
Wimbledon 13 8.44x
Chester St Oswald 12 10.66x
Cilcen 12 170.21x
Garston 12 12.17x
Great Bolton 12 2.71x
Hawarden 12 20.19x
Llanbeblig 12 10.39x
Mold Arddynwent 12 275.86x
Salford 12 1.22x
Whittington 12 58.94x
Barton Upon Irwell 11 4.37x
Cerrig Y Druidion 11 106.90x
Chipping Barnet 11 32.41x
Halkin 11 82.96x
Oldham 11 1.02x
Overton 11 137.33x
Solihull 11 21.55x
St Pancras London 11 0.49x
Whitford 11 28.05x
Bootle Cum Linacre 10 3.77x
Llanarmon 10 61.69x
Mold Argoed 10 93.20x
Tranmere 10 4.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 206
Elizabeth 144
Sarah 89
Jane 78
Margaret 72
Ellen 64
Ann 59
Anne 44
Annie 36
Catherine 31
Alice 29
Edith 25
Emma 25
Hannah 24
Martha 19
Eliza 18
Harriet 18
Kate 17
Maria 16
Emily 15
Frances 14
Louisa 11
Fanny 10
Florence 10
Agnes 9
Charlotte 8
Lizzie 8
Ada 7
Margret 7
Caroline 6
Clara 6
Gertrude 6
Grace 6
Lucy 6
Eleanor 5
Elisabeth 5
Elizth. 5
Harriett 5
Margt. 5
Matilda 5
Minnie 5
Ruth 5
Susannah 5
Anna 4
Bridget 4
Dorothy 4
Jemima 4
Julia 4
Laura 4
Winifred 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 231
William 151
Thomas 131
Robert 97
George 66
Edward 61
James 47
Charles 45
David 37
Richard 34
Joseph 31
Henry 29
Alfred 20
Arthur 19
Albert 13
Evan 12
Frederick 12
Hugh 12
Samuel 12
Walter 10
Francis 9
Herbert 9
Thos. 9
Wm. 9
Edwin 8
Ellis 8
Owen 8
Harry 7
Michael 7
Peter 7
Robt. 7
Geo. 6
Elias 4
Ernest 4
Frank 4
Jno. 4
Patrick 4
Percy 4
Stephen 4
Benjamin 3
Bernard 3
Ebenezer 3
Fredk. 3
Isaac 3
Rowland 3
Tom 3
Watkin 3
Mark 2
Martin 2
Maurice 2

FAQ

Wynne surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wynne surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,879 people were recorded with the Wynne surname. That placed it at #1,558 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wynne surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,292 in 2016. That gives Wynne a modern rank of #1,275.

What does the Wynne surname mean?

A Welsh surname derived from the word "wyn," meaning "fair" or "blessed," likely referring to a person's appearance or character.

What does the Wynne map show?

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