NameCensus.

UK surname

Ambler

An occupational surname referring to a walker or inspector of boundaries, fences, and ditches.

In the 1881 census there were 2,647 people recorded with the Ambler surname, ranking it #1,676 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,434, ranked #2,706, down from #1,676 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Bradford and Keighley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Calderdale, Bradford and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ambler is 3,170 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 8.0%.

1881 census count

2,647

Ranked #1,676

Modern count

2,434

2016, ranked #2,706

Peak year

1911

3,170 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ambler had 2,647 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,676 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,434 in 2016, ranked #2,706.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,170 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Ambler surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ambler surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ambler 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 1,741 #1,657
1861 historical 1,802 #1,608
1881 historical 2,647 #1,676
1891 historical 2,835 #1,673
1901 historical 2,925 #1,918
1911 historical 3,170 #1,645
1997 modern 2,410 #2,607
1998 modern 2,471 #2,644
1999 modern 2,497 #2,639
2000 modern 2,501 #2,616
2001 modern 2,411 #2,647
2002 modern 2,483 #2,634
2003 modern 2,387 #2,678
2004 modern 2,364 #2,697
2005 modern 2,338 #2,688
2006 modern 2,340 #2,693
2007 modern 2,360 #2,691
2008 modern 2,373 #2,695
2009 modern 2,457 #2,683
2010 modern 2,480 #2,718
2011 modern 2,455 #2,714
2012 modern 2,402 #2,705
2013 modern 2,461 #2,706
2014 modern 2,458 #2,721
2015 modern 2,432 #2,719
2016 modern 2,434 #2,706

Geography

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Where Amblers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Bradford, Keighley, London parishes and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Calderdale, Bradford and Wakefield. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 London parishes London 2
5 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Calderdale 003 Calderdale
2 Calderdale 025 Calderdale
3 Bradford 031 Bradford
4 Calderdale 008 Calderdale
5 Wakefield 016 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ambler

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ambler

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Ambler surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Ambler household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Ambler 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

Ambler 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

Ambler falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ambler

The surname Ambler originated in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word 'ambler', meaning a person who ambled or walked with a leisurely gait. The name was likely initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone who had a distinct walking style.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Ambler can be found in various county records and tax rolls from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273 mention a Robert le Amblour, while the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379 list a Johannes Ambler.

In the 15th century, the surname appears in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence between members of the Paston family of Norfolk. One letter from 1472 mentions a John Ambler, who was likely a servant or retainer of the Paston household.

During the Tudor period, the Ambler surname can be found in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1524, which list a William Ambler. In the 16th century, the name was also associated with the village of Ambleside in Cumbria, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in that region.

Notable individuals with the surname Ambler include:

1. John Ambler (c. 1624-1668), an English Puritan minister and author who served as a chaplain during the English Civil War.

2. Jacquetta Ambler (1697-1764), an English poet and writer who published several books of poetry and religious works.

3. Charles Ambler (1808-1898), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several notable buildings in London, including St. Pancras Station.

4. Charles Henry Ambler (1876-1957), an American historian and author who wrote extensively on the history of West Virginia and the American South.

5. Eric Ambler (1909-1998), a renowned English novelist and screenwriter best known for his spy and thriller novels, including "The Mask of Dimitrios" and "Journey into Fear".

The Ambler surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Ambleside in Cumbria, Amberley in West Sussex, and Ambrosden in Oxfordshire, which may have influenced the spelling and distribution of the name over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ambler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ambler 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. Yorkshire leads with 1,906 Amblers recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.46x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,906 7.46x
Middlesex 174 0.67x
Lancashire 127 0.42x
Durham 69 0.90x
Cheshire 51 0.90x
Hertfordshire 50 2.81x
Surrey 32 0.25x
Staffordshire 31 0.36x
Kent 30 0.34x
Northamptonshire 28 1.15x
Lincolnshire 22 0.53x
Gloucestershire 17 0.34x
Hampshire 14 0.26x
Warwickshire 13 0.20x
Worcestershire 12 0.36x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.29x
Derbyshire 9 0.22x
Shropshire 9 0.40x
Suffolk 8 0.25x
Essex 7 0.14x
Sussex 6 0.14x
Leicestershire 5 0.17x
Northumberland 4 0.10x
Somerset 3 0.07x
Wiltshire 3 0.13x
Berkshire 1 0.05x
Cumberland 1 0.05x
Norfolk 1 0.03x
Oxfordshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Northowram in Yorkshire leads with 183 Amblers recorded in 1881 and an index of 102.11x.

Place Total Index
Northowram 183 102.11x
Leeds 141 9.77x
Ovenden 129 113.41x
Halifax 93 24.79x
Bradford 92 14.87x
Keighley 74 27.16x
Horton In Bradford 71 17.79x
Manningham 71 22.55x
Islington London 41 1.64x
Bingley 38 23.35x
Bowling 37 14.62x
Clayton 34 54.36x
St Pancras London 33 1.59x
Church Fenton 30 653.59x
Calverley Cum Farsley 27 37.21x
North Bierley 24 17.39x
Rastrick 24 33.81x
Rothwell 23 44.56x
Templenewsam 21 113.51x
Elland Cum Greetland 20 17.37x
Preston 20 2.44x
Shipley 20 15.08x
Nether Hallam 19 5.49x
Shenley 19 162.12x
Ecclesall Bierlow 18 3.46x
Cleckheaton 17 18.06x
York St Mary 17 16.06x
Burton Latimer 16 109.14x
Idle 16 13.50x
Hipperholme Cum 15 13.36x
Mirfield 15 10.69x
Morton In Keighley 15 74.70x
Wakefield 15 7.64x
Wilsden 15 57.14x
Barnsley 14 5.31x
Hunslet 14 3.51x
Kildwick 14 60.16x
Lepton 14 52.43x
Skircoat 14 13.89x
Wath On Dearne 14 27.46x
Wigan 14 3.27x
Wolverhampton 14 2.09x
Hetton Le Hole 13 13.37x
Holy Trinity 13 2.11x
Southowram 13 16.66x
Bermondsey 12 1.56x
Dewsbury 12 4.58x
Manchester 12 0.87x
Thornton In Bradford 12 14.10x
Wortley In Bramley 12 5.93x
Batley 11 4.53x
East Barnet 11 31.20x
Great Stanmore 11 94.99x
Heaton 11 40.06x
Portsea 11 1.06x
Salford 11 1.22x
Sherburn 11 52.38x
Sowerby In Halifax 11 13.16x
Warley 11 14.89x
Baildon 10 20.78x
Collierley 10 29.26x
Fulham London 10 2.67x
Kensington London 10 0.70x
Liscard 10 9.75x
Plumstead 10 3.41x
Pudsey 10 7.32x
Ruskington 10 95.15x
Dawdon 9 9.54x
Drighlington 9 24.17x
Normanton 9 11.72x
Walton In Wakefield 9 164.23x
West Witton 9 204.08x
Birmingham 8 0.37x
Bushey 8 18.90x
Churwell 8 45.90x
Eccleshill 8 12.86x
Glass Houghton 8 86.30x
Gomersal 8 6.71x
Middlesbrough 8 2.40x
Yeadon 8 13.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 182
Sarah 121
Elizabeth 85
Emma 62
Ann 59
Hannah 49
Jane 46
Annie 45
Alice 40
Eliza 39
Martha 39
Ellen 34
Ada 28
Clara 23
Emily 22
Harriet 19
Margaret 19
Maria 19
Edith 16
Florence 14
Agnes 13
Rachel 13
Louisa 12
Susannah 12
Caroline 11
Charlotte 9
Fanny 9
Frances 9
Harriett 9
Isabella 9
Kate 9
Lucy 9
Rose 9
Anne 7
Lilly 7
Nancy 7
Bertha 6
Elizth. 6
Esther 6
Minnie 6
Ruth 6
Ethel 5
Gertrude 5
Grace 5
Lily 5
Amy 4
Betty 4
Catherine 4
Lavinia 4
Rebecca 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 162
William 108
James 78
George 72
Thomas 65
Joseph 48
Charles 40
Samuel 31
Henry 30
Alfred 28
Walter 25
Arthur 24
Harry 24
Robert 23
Fred 22
Edward 21
Abraham 19
Herbert 19
Richard 18
Albert 16
Frank 14
Benjamin 12
David 12
Tom 10
Isaac 9
Stephen 9
Wm. 9
Daniel 8
Edwin 8
Francis 8
Percy 8
Jeremiah 6
Ernest 5
Fred. 5
Frederick 5
Sam 5
Abram 4
Christopher 4
Earnest 4
Elisha 4
Enoch 4
Geo. 4
Joe 4
Levi 4
Saml. 4
Thos. 4
Willie 4
Jno. 3
Jonathan 3
Squire 3

FAQ

Ambler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ambler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,647 people were recorded with the Ambler surname. That placed it at #1,676 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ambler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,434 in 2016. That gives Ambler a modern rank of #2,706.

What does the Ambler surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a walker or inspector of boundaries, fences, and ditches.

What does the Ambler map show?

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