NameCensus.

UK surname

Aylmer

An old surname referring to someone from the town of Aylmer in Normandy.

In the 1881 census there were 188 people recorded with the Aylmer surname, ranking it #13,379 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 296, ranked #14,882, down from #13,379 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Greenwich, Fincham and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud, Dartford and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Aylmer is 328 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.4%.

1881 census count

188

Ranked #13,379

Modern count

296

2016, ranked #14,882

Peak year

1999

328 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Aylmer had 188 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,379 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 296 in 2016, ranked #14,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 258 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Aylmer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Aylmer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Aylmer 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 135 #13,964
1861 historical 157 #14,732
1881 historical 188 #13,379
1891 historical 220 #13,937
1901 historical 258 #12,875
1911 historical 228 #13,759
1997 modern 295 #13,680
1998 modern 318 #13,362
1999 modern 328 #13,183
2000 modern 321 #13,337
2001 modern 303 #13,645
2002 modern 295 #14,146
2003 modern 289 #14,158
2004 modern 297 #13,971
2005 modern 288 #14,189
2006 modern 281 #14,500
2007 modern 282 #14,618
2008 modern 288 #14,537
2009 modern 306 #14,218
2010 modern 300 #14,730
2011 modern 290 #14,933
2012 modern 286 #15,012
2013 modern 296 #14,876
2014 modern 299 #14,880
2015 modern 293 #15,005
2016 modern 296 #14,882

Geography

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Where Aylmers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Greenwich, Fincham, London parishes, Manchester and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud, Dartford, Kensington and Chelsea and Rochdale. 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 Greenwich London (South Districts)
2 Fincham Norfolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 004 Stroud
2 Dartford 007 Dartford
3 Stroud 006 Stroud
4 Kensington and Chelsea 007 Kensington and Chelsea
5 Rochdale 022 Rochdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Aylmer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Aylmer

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Aylmer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Aylmer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Aylmer is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Aylmer 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

Aylmer falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Aylmer

The surname Aylmer has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the town of Aylmer in Buckinghamshire, which itself was named after an ancient landholder called Ælmar or Æthelmer, comprised of the Old English elements 'æthel' meaning noble and 'mær' meaning famous.

The earliest known recorded instance of the name Aylmer dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Aelmer' and 'Ailmer'. This prestigious tome, commissioned by William the Conqueror, serves as a comprehensive survey of landholdings across England and parts of Wales.

During the 13th century, the name Aylmer emerged in various forms, including 'Ailmarus', 'Aylmarus', and 'Aylmerus', as evidenced in historical records such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273 and the Pipe Rolls of 1230.

One notable bearer of the Aylmer surname was Sir John Aylmer (c. 1520-1594), an English bishop and historian who served as the Bishop of London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. His works included "An Harborowe for Faithful and Trewe Subjects" and "An Answer to a Certain Book."

Another distinguished figure was Matthew Aylmer, 1st Baron Aylmer (1775-1858), a British Army officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor-General of British North America from 1830 to 1835.

The name Aylmer also gained prominence through Matthew Whitworth-Aylmer, 5th Baron Aylmer (1775-1850), a British naval officer and politician who held the position of Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Aylmer name can be found in the person of John Aylmer (1615-1674), a prominent Puritan settler in Dedham, Massachusetts.

Another notable American figure was Matthew Aylmer (1864-1954), a prominent banker and philanthropist from Ohio, who served as the president of the Cleveland Trust Company.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Aylmer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Aylmer 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 37 Aylmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.59x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 37 12.59x
Middlesex 35 1.83x
Surrey 23 2.47x
Hampshire 19 4.85x
Lanarkshire 13 2.10x
Kent 11 1.69x
Lancashire 11 0.48x
Channel Islands 8 14.12x
Nottinghamshire 6 2.33x
Cornwall 5 2.31x
Gloucestershire 5 1.33x
Caernarfonshire 4 5.17x
Essex 3 0.80x
Somerset 3 0.97x
Wiltshire 3 1.77x
Berwickshire 2 8.64x
Cheshire 2 0.47x
Sussex 2 0.62x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.83x
Durham 1 0.18x
Pembrokeshire 1 1.65x
Yorkshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 17 Aylmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.14x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 17 22.14x
Chorlton On Medlock 11 30.52x
Fincham 10 1923.08x
Lambeth 10 6.00x
Pentney 10 2857.14x
St Peter Port 8 76.34x
Whitechapel London 8 42.46x
Bow London 7 28.76x
Streatham 7 49.37x
Barony 6 3.83x
Cropwell Butler 6 1714.29x
Islington London 6 3.24x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 15.60x
Stradsett 6 6666.67x
Falmouth 5 65.27x
Greenwich 5 16.43x
Shoreditch London 5 6.03x
Charlton Kings 4 154.44x
Glasgow 4 3.64x
Llanbeblig 4 51.02x
Bethnal Green London 3 3.61x
Govan 3 1.96x
Lewisham 3 8.63x
Malmesbury St Paul 3 206.90x
Walcot 3 18.30x
West Dereham 3 810.81x
Westacre 3 1111.11x
Brighton 2 3.08x
Cockburnspath 2 270.27x
Friern Barnet 2 47.51x
Loughton 2 106.95x
Macclesfield 2 10.66x
St Pancras London 2 1.30x
Tonbridge 2 8.50x
Aldershot 1 7.62x
Cheltenham 1 3.46x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.22x
Coltishall 1 161.29x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 1 18.94x
Gate Fulford 1 22.62x
Gillingham 1 7.43x
Great Aycliffe 1 181.82x
Hatfield Peverel 1 123.46x
Hubberston 1 112.36x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 11.34x
Marham 1 204.08x
Southampton All Sts 1 14.88x
St Martin In Fields 1 8.73x
Swaffham 1 41.84x
West Bilney 1 666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Sarah 6
Alice 5
Annie 4
Elizabeth 4
Emily 4
Ann 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Ellen 2
Ethel 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Amelia 1
Catherine 1
Cathrine 1
Dinah 1
Dora 1
Eleanor 1
Emma 1
Evelyn 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Lilian 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Mina 1
Penrose 1
Precilla 1
Rosalie 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
T. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 8
William 8
Arthur 6
Charles 6
John 6
Henry 5
Gerald 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Ernest 2
Fenton 2
James 2
Michael 2
Rbt. 2
Thomas 2
Archibald 1
Bagel 1
Esmond 1
Frank 1
Fredk.Arthur 1
Geo. 1
H. 1
H.L. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Hubert 1
Hugh 1
Infant 1
J.H. 1
Joseph 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Aylmer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Aylmer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 188 people were recorded with the Aylmer surname. That placed it at #13,379 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Aylmer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 296 in 2016. That gives Aylmer a modern rank of #14,882.

What does the Aylmer surname mean?

An old surname referring to someone from the town of Aylmer in Normandy.

What does the Aylmer map show?

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