NameCensus.

UK surname

Asker

A Turkish surname referring to someone in the military.

In the 1881 census there were 189 people recorded with the Asker surname, ranking it #13,322 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 396, ranked #11,967, up from #13,322 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Snettisham, St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Stratford-on-Avon and Norwich.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Asker is 401 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 109.5%.

1881 census count

189

Ranked #13,322

Modern count

396

2016, ranked #11,967

Peak year

2014

401 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Asker had 189 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,322 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 396 in 2016, ranked #11,967.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 283 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Asker surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Asker surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Asker 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 194 #10,662
1861 historical 256 #9,667
1881 historical 189 #13,322
1891 historical 283 #11,573
1901 historical 189 #15,684
1911 historical 263 #12,473
1997 modern 374 #11,574
1998 modern 382 #11,779
1999 modern 382 #11,843
2000 modern 393 #11,540
2001 modern 382 #11,606
2002 modern 390 #11,646
2003 modern 393 #11,401
2004 modern 399 #11,297
2005 modern 370 #11,875
2006 modern 357 #12,253
2007 modern 374 #11,974
2008 modern 370 #12,182
2009 modern 374 #12,343
2010 modern 376 #12,548
2011 modern 384 #12,218
2012 modern 385 #12,061
2013 modern 394 #12,064
2014 modern 401 #11,979
2015 modern 401 #11,889
2016 modern 396 #11,967

Geography

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Where Askers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Snettisham, St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, London parishes, Beckenham and Ingoldesthorpe. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Stratford-on-Avon, Norwich and St Edmundsbury. 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 Snettisham Norfolk
2 St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju Norfolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 Beckenham Kent
5 Ingoldesthorpe Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 013 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 004 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Stratford-on-Avon 004 Stratford-on-Avon
4 Norwich 005 Norwich
5 St Edmundsbury 005 St Edmundsbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Asker

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Asker

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Asker is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Asker is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Asker

The surname Asker has its origins in Norway, where it can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old Norse word "askr," meaning ash tree, suggesting that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near an ash tree or an area with many ash trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Asker appears in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian documents, in the year 1273. The entry mentions a man named Thorvald Asker, likely referring to his place of origin or residence.

In the 14th century, the name Asker is found in the Icelandic Sagas, which are prose narratives that provide valuable insights into the lives and customs of the early Scandinavian people. One notable example is Gísli Asker, a character mentioned in the Saga of the Sworn Brothers.

The name Asker is also linked to the town of Asker in Norway, which is believed to have been named after the ash trees that grew abundantly in the area. This connection between the surname and the place name suggests that the name may have originated as a locational surname, indicating where a person was born or lived.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Asker. One such person was Hans Asker (1499-1571), a Norwegian landowner and nobleman who played a significant role in the Reformation in Norway. Another was Ingeborg Asker (1642-1718), a Norwegian merchant and landowner known for her business acumen and philanthropic efforts.

In the 19th century, Ole Asker (1824-1888) was a prominent Norwegian writer and journalist who contributed to the development of the Nynorsk language, which is one of the two official written standards of Norwegian.

Other notable individuals with the surname Asker include the Swedish poet and author Gunnar Asker (1892-1935) and the Norwegian politician and diplomat Knut Asker (1915-2004).

The surname Asker has maintained a presence throughout the centuries, carrying with it a rich history and connection to the natural world and the cultural heritage of Norway and the Scandinavian region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Asker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Asker 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. Norfolk leads with 80 Askers recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.22x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 80 28.22x
Kent 24 3.82x
Middlesex 21 1.14x
Lancashire 18 0.82x
Buckinghamshire 8 7.18x
Yorkshire 8 0.44x
Essex 6 1.65x
Northamptonshire 6 3.46x
Hampshire 3 0.79x
Staffordshire 3 0.48x
Surrey 3 0.33x
Northumberland 2 0.73x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.80x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.86x
Durham 1 0.18x
Suffolk 1 0.45x
Sussex 1 0.32x
Warwickshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dersingham in Norfolk leads with 10 Askers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1562.50x.

Place Total Index
Dersingham 10 1562.50x
Snettisham 10 1265.82x
Islington London 9 5.04x
Leyland 9 236.22x
Sedgeford 9 1875.00x
Shoreditch London 9 11.26x
Lakenham 8 198.51x
Stony Stratford West 8 1038.96x
Lewisham 6 17.89x
Northampton All Sts 6 102.04x
Norwich St Julian 6 504.20x
Sandal Magna 6 222.22x
West Ham 6 7.47x
Bexley 5 89.93x
Canterbury St Mary 4 94.79x
Castle Acre 4 476.19x
Hulme 4 8.76x
Ingoldisthorpe 4 2000.00x
Ingworth 4 4444.44x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 4 47.00x
Farnborough 3 75.57x
Norwich St Peter 3 161.29x
Norwich St Stephen 3 115.38x
Camberwell 2 1.70x
Clerkenwell London 2 4.60x
Deptford St Paul 2 4.12x
Great Massingham 2 357.14x
Hawksworth 2 2000.00x
Hunstanton 2 208.33x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 2 108.70x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 2 140.85x
Orpington 2 103.63x
Rougham 2 800.00x
Sutton At Hone 2 152.67x
Tynemouth 2 13.61x
Walsall Borough 2 41.41x
Weasenham All Sts 2 869.57x
Widnes 2 12.67x
Birmingham 1 0.65x
Brighton 1 1.59x
Crossgate 1 41.67x
Eaton St Andrew 1 126.58x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 1 19.65x
Entwistle 1 454.55x
Erith 1 16.13x
Greenwich 1 3.41x
Heaton Norris 1 8.03x
Hillington 1 555.56x
Kirby Hill In Great 1 1000.00x
Lambeth 1 0.62x
Linthorpe 1 9.17x
Little Massingham 1 1111.11x
Liverpool 1 0.75x
Norton Canes 1 44.05x
Paddington London 1 1.48x
Woolwich 1 4.30x
Yoxford 1 149.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 10
Mary 10
Sarah 8
Ann 5
Jane 5
Ellen 4
Martha 4
Alice 3
Hannah 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Selina 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Agatha 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Barbara 1
Barbary 1
Beatrice 1
Carry 1
Dinah 1
Eve 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Henry 1
Hizzia 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Lenor 1
Lucy 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Phoebe 1
Rosa 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Asker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Asker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 189 people were recorded with the Asker surname. That placed it at #13,322 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Asker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 396 in 2016. That gives Asker a modern rank of #11,967.

What does the Asker surname mean?

A Turkish surname referring to someone in the military.

What does the Asker map show?

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