NameCensus.

UK surname

Ainger

An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of nails or possibly a nickname for a tall, thin person.

In the 1881 census there were 343 people recorded with the Ainger surname, ranking it #8,889 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 454, ranked #10,732, down from #8,889 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Bentley, Great. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tendring, Ashfield and South Derbyshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ainger is 570 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.4%.

1881 census count

343

Ranked #8,889

Modern count

454

2016, ranked #10,732

Peak year

1998

570 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ainger had 343 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,889 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 454 in 2016, ranked #10,732.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 531 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Ainger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ainger surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ainger 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 195 #10,620
1861 historical 206 #11,725
1881 historical 343 #8,889
1891 historical 438 #8,234
1901 historical 473 #8,395
1911 historical 531 #7,492
1997 modern 547 #8,694
1998 modern 570 #8,685
1999 modern 554 #8,929
2000 modern 539 #9,094
2001 modern 515 #9,254
2002 modern 505 #9,563
2003 modern 513 #9,314
2004 modern 491 #9,630
2005 modern 485 #9,647
2006 modern 485 #9,691
2007 modern 474 #9,948
2008 modern 456 #10,306
2009 modern 463 #10,428
2010 modern 471 #10,510
2011 modern 481 #10,244
2012 modern 446 #10,733
2013 modern 469 #10,492
2014 modern 476 #10,457
2015 modern 462 #10,619
2016 modern 454 #10,732

Geography

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Where Aingers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Bentley, Great, Haddenham and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tendring, Ashfield, South Derbyshire and Arun. 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 1
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Bentley, Great Essex
4 Haddenham Cambridgeshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tendring 003 Tendring
2 Ashfield 010 Ashfield
3 South Derbyshire 011 South Derbyshire
4 Arun 016 Arun
5 Tendring 001 Tendring

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ainger

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ainger

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Ainger surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Ainger household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ainger 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

Ainger is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Ainger

The surname Ainger is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words 'ang' meaning 'meadow' and 'ger' meaning 'spear'. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, referring to someone who lived near a meadow where spears or lances were made or tested.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Angere' and 'Angier'. These entries suggest that the name was well-established in various parts of England by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Roger Ainger, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1194. In the 13th century, the name was also found in various spellings such as 'Aunger', 'Aungier', and 'Angier' in counties like Suffolk, Essex, and Bedfordshire.

The Ainger surname is associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most prominent was Thomas Ainger (1795-1863), an English clergyman and author who served as the Master of the Temple Church in London from 1842 until his death.

Another notable bearer of the name was Alfred Ainger (1837-1904), an English biographer, critic, and educator who was the Reverend of the Temple Church from 1887 to 1904. He is best known for his works on Charles Lamb and his editorship of the 'English Poets' series.

In the 19th century, George Ainger (1803-1857) was a British lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Ipswich from 1841 to 1857. He was also a prominent figure in the development of the railway system in East Anglia.

The Ainger name has also been associated with literary figures, such as the English writer and critic Alfred Ainger (1837-1904), who was the Reverend of the Temple Church in London from 1887 to 1904.

In the 20th century, Arthur Campbell Ainger (1884-1966) was a British artist and illustrator known for his work in children's books and magazines. He was also a member of the Royal Society of British Artists.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ainger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ainger 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. Middlesex leads with 93 Aingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.77x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 93 2.77x
Essex 81 12.23x
Norfolk 50 9.69x
Cambridgeshire 22 10.35x
Yorkshire 19 0.57x
Sussex 12 2.12x
Lincolnshire 9 1.68x
Northumberland 9 1.80x
Surrey 9 0.55x
Lancashire 8 0.20x
Suffolk 6 1.47x
Leicestershire 5 1.34x
Nottinghamshire 5 1.11x
Berkshire 4 1.59x
Buckinghamshire 4 1.97x
Durham 2 0.20x
Gloucestershire 1 0.15x
Kent 1 0.09x
Northamptonshire 1 0.32x
Staffordshire 1 0.09x
Wiltshire 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Carbrooke in Norfolk leads with 18 Aingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2571.43x.

Place Total Index
Carbrooke 18 2571.43x
St Pancras London 18 6.66x
Great Ryburgh 16 2000.00x
Haddenham 13 650.00x
Islington London 13 4.00x
Fryerning 12 1481.48x
Sidlesham 12 1100.92x
Hackney London 11 5.85x
Limehouse London 11 29.86x
Epping 9 334.57x
Brightlingsea 8 211.64x
Dovercourt 8 343.35x
Great Bromley 8 963.86x
Little Bentley 8 2222.22x
Great Bentley 7 666.67x
Lambeth 7 2.39x
Tynemouth 7 26.18x
Beeston 6 178.57x
Fakenham 6 236.22x
Hampstead London 6 11.48x
Hunslet 6 11.57x
Shenfield 6 348.84x
Bawtry 5 476.19x
Calverton 5 349.65x
Cottenham 5 177.31x
Fulham London 5 10.28x
Great Little Marsden 5 27.41x
Harwich St Nicholas 5 97.66x
Leicester St Margaret 5 5.51x
Eton 4 86.96x
Kensington London 4 2.14x
Mile End Old Town London 4 5.60x
Old Buckenham 4 303.03x
Pointon 4 800.00x
Willesden 4 12.65x
Accrington 3 8.29x
Enfield 3 13.62x
Shoreditch London 3 2.06x
Sunninghill 3 85.96x
West Ham 3 2.05x
Westminster St John 3 7.34x
Colchester St Mary At 2 85.11x
Moulton 2 77.52x
North Elmham 2 160.00x
St Vedast Foster Lane 2 952.38x
West Herrington 2 57.14x
Whitton 2 2222.22x
Aldham 1 204.08x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.69x
Billingborough 1 72.99x
Bradford 1 1.24x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 4.56x
Camberwell 1 0.47x
Chesterton 1 15.27x
Colchester St Martin 1 82.64x
Edmonton 1 3.70x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 1 10.79x
Godalming 1 9.72x
Great Walsingham 1 192.31x
Holbrook 1 112.36x
Holy Trinity 1 1.25x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 1 26.39x
Ipswich St Peter 1 18.18x
Irchester 1 51.02x
Ixworth 1 86.96x
Lewisham 1 1.64x
Manningtree 1 92.59x
Melton 1 62.11x
Mistley 1 56.18x
Reading St Lawrence 1 18.55x
Scoulton 1 270.27x
Southery 1 73.53x
St Clement Cambridge 1 113.64x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.69x
St George In East London 1 3.17x
St Marylebone London 1 0.56x
Stafford St Mary 1 6.24x
Stutton 1 161.29x
Swindon 1 4.34x
Whittlesey St Mary St 1 13.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Sarah 19
Elizabeth 14
Eliza 9
Emily 7
Harriet 6
Caroline 5
Jane 5
Ann 4
Charlotte 4
Emma 4
Hannah 4
Agnes 3
Alice 3
Edith 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Lydia 3
Eliz. 2
Ellen 2
Harriett 2
Henrietta 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Letitia 2
Martha 2
Nelly 2
Susan 2
Amy 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Audrey 1
Carry 1
Daisy 1
Eleanor 1
Emmily 1
Florence 1
Grace 1
Helen 1
Isobel 1
Jemima 1
Laura 1
Loria 1
Lotta 1
Louisa 1
Lyslen 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Nellie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 23
James 21
George 20
John 12
Charles 11
Frank 8
Alfred 6
Edward 6
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Thomas 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Henry 3
Louis 3
Robert 3
Francis 2
Herbert 2
Luke 2
Matthew 2
Stewart 2
Abner 1
Abraham 1
Algenon 1
Allen 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edwd.Barnard 1
F. 1
Fredreck 1
Harold 1
Horace 1
Isaiah 1
J. 1
Joseph 1
Josiah 1
L. 1
Lewis 1
Napoleon 1
Newton 1
R. 1
Richard 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Ainger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ainger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 343 people were recorded with the Ainger surname. That placed it at #8,889 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ainger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 454 in 2016. That gives Ainger a modern rank of #10,732.

What does the Ainger surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a maker or seller of nails or possibly a nickname for a tall, thin person.

What does the Ainger map show?

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