NameCensus.

UK surname

Alner

In the 1881 census there were 127 people recorded with the Alner surname, ranking it #17,166 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 207, ranked #19,118, down from #17,166 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Donhead St Mary, Donhead St Andrew, Berwick St John, Cann St Rumbold and Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Dorset and North Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alner is 223 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.0%.

1881 census count

127

Ranked #17,166

Modern count

207

2016, ranked #19,118

Peak year

1997

223 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Alner had 127 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,166 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 207 in 2016, ranked #19,118.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 220 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Alner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Alner surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Alner 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 78 #19,840
1861 historical 90 #22,312
1881 historical 127 #17,166
1891 historical 120 #21,292
1901 historical 156 #17,638
1911 historical 220 #14,088
1997 modern 223 #16,448
1998 modern 222 #16,969
1999 modern 216 #17,364
2000 modern 214 #17,457
2001 modern 206 #17,624
2002 modern 209 #17,803
2003 modern 209 #17,620
2004 modern 201 #18,168
2005 modern 198 #18,279
2006 modern 202 #18,160
2007 modern 204 #18,251
2008 modern 210 #18,052
2009 modern 208 #18,551
2010 modern 212 #18,726
2011 modern 214 #18,436
2012 modern 198 #19,340
2013 modern 210 #18,932
2014 modern 210 #19,064
2015 modern 209 #19,018
2016 modern 207 #19,118

Geography

Back to top

Where Alners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Donhead St Mary, Donhead St Andrew, Berwick St John, Cann St Rumbold, Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner, Child Okeford, Oakford Fitzpaine, Bellchalwell, Fifehead Neville and Southampton St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Dorset and North Dorset. 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 Donhead St Mary, Donhead St Andrew, Berwick St John Wiltshire
2 Cann St Rumbold Dorset
3 Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner Hampshire
4 Child Okeford, Oakford Fitzpaine, Bellchalwell, Fifehead Neville Dorset
5 Southampton St Mary Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Dorset 007 West Dorset
2 North Dorset 008 North Dorset
3 West Dorset 006 West Dorset
4 West Dorset 008 West Dorset
5 North Dorset 003 North Dorset

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Alner

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Alner

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Alner is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Alner is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Alner 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 Alner is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Alner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Alner 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. Dorset leads with 67 Alners recorded in 1881 and an index of 82.42x.

County Total Index
Dorset 67 82.42x
Hampshire 41 16.15x
Wiltshire 14 12.78x
Gloucestershire 2 0.82x
Devon 1 0.39x
Somerset 1 0.50x
Surrey 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Alverstoke in Hampshire leads with 18 Alners recorded in 1881 and an index of 195.87x.

Place Total Index
Alverstoke 18 195.87x
Dewlish 15 7500.00x
Melcombe Horsey 11 13750.00x
Holdenhurst 10 150.15x
Sedghill 8 10000.00x
Cann 7 2916.67x
Binsted 6 618.56x
Tollard Farnham 6 7500.00x
Donhead St Mary 5 892.86x
Haselbury Bryan 5 1666.67x
Melbury Abbas 5 3571.43x
Blandford Forum 4 250.00x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 4 606.06x
Fifehead Neville 3 6000.00x
Southampton St Mary 3 18.79x
West Woodyates 3 30000.00x
Bere Regis 2 370.37x
Bristol St George 2 17.79x
Charlton Musgrove 1 588.24x
Compton Abbas 1 500.00x
Nursling 1 243.90x
Portsea 1 2.01x
Rotherhithe 1 6.54x
Ryde 1 18.35x
Seaton 1 101.01x
Shaftesbury St Peter 1 263.16x
Southampton All Sts 1 22.94x
West Harnham 1 833.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Jane 6
Emma 4
Louisa 4
Martha 3
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Kezia 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Armenia 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Betty 1
Elizabeth 1
Emela 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Gertude 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Rose 1
Tryphena 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 6
Joseph 6
William 6
John 4
Robert 4
Edward 3
Henry 3
Mark 3
Abner 2
James 2
Samuel 2
Sidney 2
Walter 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Asher 1
Bertrand 1
Charles 1
David 1
Elias 1
Even 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Lucy 1
Noah 1
Richard 1
Robt.Jno. 1
Silas 1
Tarsel 1
Thomas 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Alner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Alner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 127 people were recorded with the Alner surname. That placed it at #17,166 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Alner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 207 in 2016. That gives Alner a modern rank of #19,118.

What does the Alner map show?

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