NameCensus.

UK surname

Alabaster

A surname referring to someone who worked with alabaster, a soft white mineral often used for carving.

In the 1881 census there were 198 people recorded with the Alabaster surname, ranking it #12,922 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 349, ranked #13,189, down from #12,922 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Walthamstow, Low Leyton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Kesteven, Marchmont West and Suffolk Coastal.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alabaster is 401 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.3%.

1881 census count

198

Ranked #12,922

Modern count

349

2016, ranked #13,189

Peak year

2000

401 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Alabaster had 198 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,922 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 349 in 2016, ranked #13,189.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 359 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Alabaster surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Alabaster surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Alabaster 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 96 #17,594
1861 historical 128 #17,375
1881 historical 198 #12,922
1891 historical 270 #12,027
1901 historical 297 #11,721
1911 historical 359 #10,084
1997 modern 379 #11,447
1998 modern 390 #11,563
1999 modern 396 #11,527
2000 modern 401 #11,382
2001 modern 393 #11,366
2002 modern 386 #11,740
2003 modern 371 #11,901
2004 modern 362 #12,155
2005 modern 357 #12,194
2006 modern 351 #12,420
2007 modern 351 #12,571
2008 modern 359 #12,459
2009 modern 365 #12,558
2010 modern 375 #12,568
2011 modern 370 #12,576
2012 modern 375 #12,292
2013 modern 377 #12,449
2014 modern 368 #12,770
2015 modern 360 #12,880
2016 modern 349 #13,189

Geography

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Where Alabasters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Walthamstow, Low Leyton, London parishes, Lambeth and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Kesteven, Marchmont West, Suffolk Coastal, Havering and Waltham Forest. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 Walthamstow, Low Leyton Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Kesteven 016 South Kesteven
2 Marchmont West City of Edinburgh
3 Suffolk Coastal 001 Suffolk Coastal
4 Havering 012 Havering
5 Waltham Forest 005 Waltham Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Alabaster

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Alabaster

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

Alabaster 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

Alabaster falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Alabaster

The surname Alabaster is an English occupational name derived from the Old French word "alabastre," which in turn comes from the Late Latin "alabastrum" and ultimately from the Greek "alabastros." The Greek word referred to a type of stone or mineral used for making vases and ornaments. The name Alabaster originated as an occupational surname for someone who worked with alabaster stone, either as a sculptor, carver, or seller of alabaster objects.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Alabaster can be found in English records dating back to the 13th century. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Alabastre, who was mentioned in the Patent Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1273. Another early record is that of John Alabastre, who was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279.

During the medieval period, the surname Alabaster was primarily concentrated in the counties of Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire, which were areas known for their alabaster quarries and production of alabaster objects. The name may have originated in these regions due to the prevalence of the alabaster trade.

In the 14th century, the surname Alabaster appeared in the Domesday Book, a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name was recorded in various forms, including Alabastere, Alabastre, and Albastre.

One notable individual with the surname Alabaster was William Alabaster (1567-1640), an English poet, playwright, and religious writer. He was born in Hadleigh, Suffolk, and is best known for his poem "Roxana" and his work "The Liturgy of the Church of England."

Another prominent figure was William Alabaster (1619-1689), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford. He was born in Hadleigh, Suffolk, and published several religious works.

In the 17th century, the name Alabaster was also associated with a prominent family from Derbyshire. Thomas Alabaster (1604-1675) was a landowner and Member of Parliament for Derbyshire, while his son, Thomas Alabaster (1633-1706), also served as a Member of Parliament.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Gulielmus Alabaster (1567-1640), a Latin poet and scholar who was born in Suffolk. He authored several works on theology and philosophy, including "Ecce Sponsus Venit" and "Spiraculum Tubae."

The surname Alabaster has a rich history rooted in the English alabaster trade and has been borne by notable individuals in various fields, including literature, religion, and politics.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Alabaster families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Alabaster 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 126 Alabasters recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.52x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 126 6.52x
Essex 20 5.25x
Norfolk 15 5.05x
Somerset 8 2.57x
Surrey 8 0.85x
Worcestershire 7 2.78x
Kent 4 0.61x
Sussex 4 1.23x
Warwickshire 3 0.62x
Gloucestershire 1 0.26x
Huntingdonshire 1 2.61x
Lincolnshire 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 68 Alabasters recorded in 1881 and an index of 81.05x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 68 81.05x
Great Yarmouth 14 56.91x
Shoreditch London 12 14.33x
Bow London 10 40.67x
Walthamstow 9 65.60x
Hackney London 8 7.39x
Lyncombe Widcombe 8 98.28x
Islington London 7 3.74x
Kings Norton 7 30.95x
Hornchurch 6 320.86x
Mile End New Town London 5 130.89x
Mile End Old Town London 5 12.16x
Bromley London 4 9.41x
Chichester St Pancras 4 412.37x
Birmingham 3 1.85x
Camberwell 3 2.43x
Deptford St Paul 3 5.90x
St Andrew Holborn London 3 35.89x
Croydon 2 3.83x
Hornsey 2 8.19x
Leyton 2 30.44x
Richmond 2 15.16x
Aveley 1 156.25x
Frindsbury 1 40.32x
Great Stukeley 1 357.14x
Hampstead London 1 3.32x
Harlow 1 60.98x
Horfield 1 26.25x
Lambeth 1 0.59x
Norwich St Andrew 1 196.08x
Skirbeck 1 57.80x
St Vedast Foster Lane 1 833.33x
West Ham 1 1.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Ellen 6
Ann 5
Sarah 5
Emma 4
Harriet 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Elizabeth 3
Fanny 3
Jane 3
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Celia 2
Eliza 2
Francis 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Maria 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Adeline 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Arabella 1
Clara 1
Cordelia 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
James 1
Jessie 1
Laura 1
Letitia 1
Lily 1
Mable 1
Margt. 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Maude 1
May 1
Nellie 1
Nora 1
Phoebe 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
Henry 10
William 10
Walter 8
George 6
Alfred 5
James 5
Edwin 4
Robert 4
Arthur 3
Joseph 3
Thomas 3
Edward 2
Harry 2
Richard 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Infant 1
Leonard 1

FAQ

Alabaster surname: questions and answers

How common was the Alabaster surname in 1881?

In 1881, 198 people were recorded with the Alabaster surname. That placed it at #12,922 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Alabaster surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 349 in 2016. That gives Alabaster a modern rank of #13,189.

What does the Alabaster surname mean?

A surname referring to someone who worked with alabaster, a soft white mineral often used for carving.

What does the Alabaster map show?

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