NameCensus.

UK surname

Badger

An occupational surname referring to a person who hunts or catches badgers, or a nickname for an argumentative person.

In the 1881 census there were 1,732 people recorded with the Badger surname, ranking it #2,494 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,206, ranked #2,941, down from #2,494 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wychavon, Cornwall and Vale of White Horse.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Badger is 2,370 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.4%.

1881 census count

1,732

Ranked #2,494

Modern count

2,206

2016, ranked #2,941

Peak year

1999

2,370 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Badger had 1,732 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,494 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,206 in 2016, ranked #2,941.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,171 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Badger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Badger surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Badger 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 1,099 #2,560
1861 historical 1,241 #2,301
1881 historical 1,732 #2,494
1891 historical 1,837 #2,497
1901 historical 2,042 #2,623
1911 historical 2,171 #2,318
1997 modern 2,268 #2,737
1998 modern 2,357 #2,751
1999 modern 2,370 #2,758
2000 modern 2,366 #2,742
2001 modern 2,302 #2,754
2002 modern 2,368 #2,738
2003 modern 2,316 #2,742
2004 modern 2,293 #2,760
2005 modern 2,222 #2,807
2006 modern 2,202 #2,838
2007 modern 2,171 #2,890
2008 modern 2,174 #2,911
2009 modern 2,212 #2,937
2010 modern 2,241 #2,966
2011 modern 2,237 #2,936
2012 modern 2,195 #2,921
2013 modern 2,235 #2,924
2014 modern 2,229 #2,948
2015 modern 2,214 #2,930
2016 modern 2,206 #2,941

Geography

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Where Badgers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wychavon, Cornwall, Vale of White Horse, Dudley and Rotherham. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wychavon 008 Wychavon
2 Cornwall 066 Cornwall
3 Vale of White Horse 014 Vale of White Horse
4 Dudley 012 Dudley
5 Rotherham 021 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Badger

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Badger

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Badger is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Badger is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Badger falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Badger

The surname BADGER is of English origin, derived from the Middle English word "bager" or "badger," which referred to the small furry mammal known for digging burrows. The name likely emerged as a descriptive nickname or occupational name for someone who trapped or hunted badgers.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname BADGER date back to the 13th century. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William le Badger, mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1273. The Hundred Rolls of 1275 also record a Richard le Badgere from Oxfordshire.

The BADGER surname is believed to have originated in various regions of England, particularly in counties such as Staffordshire, Oxfordshire, and Derbyshire, where badgers were more prevalent. The name may have also derived from certain place names containing the word "badger," such as Badger Hill in Shropshire or Badger's Cross in Somerset.

In the 14th century, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire mentioned a John Badger in 1327. The name also appeared in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, with a record of Johanna Badgere.

One notable early bearer of the BADGER surname was Sir John Badger (c. 1460-1518), an English landowner and member of the gentry from Wolverton, Dorset. He served as Sheriff of Dorset and Somerset in 1497.

Another well-known figure with the BADGER surname was Richard Badger (c. 1575-1635), an English printer and bookseller from London. He was a prominent publisher of theological works and served as the printer to the University of Cambridge.

In the 17th century, a significant bearer of the name was Thomas Badger (c. 1612-1685), an English clergyman and academic. He was a fellow of Wadham College, Oxford, and served as the vicar of Britwell Salome in Oxfordshire.

The BADGER surname has also had notable bearers in more recent centuries. John Badger (1788-1846) was an English engraver and artist known for his landscape paintings and engravings of English scenery.

Another prominent individual with the surname was Algernon Badger (1823-1889), an English scientist and chemist. He was a fellow of the Royal Society and made significant contributions to the study of organic chemistry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Badger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Badger 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. Staffordshire leads with 248 Badgers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.34x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 248 4.34x
Yorkshire 242 1.44x
Warwickshire 202 4.74x
Middlesex 193 1.14x
Worcestershire 176 7.97x
Lancashire 97 0.48x
Shropshire 63 4.31x
Carmarthenshire 46 6.45x
Durham 43 0.85x
Lanarkshire 37 0.68x
Oxfordshire 33 3.16x
Glamorgan 32 1.09x
Cheshire 28 0.75x
Northamptonshire 28 1.76x
Surrey 24 0.29x
Derbyshire 23 0.87x
Gloucestershire 22 0.66x
Northumberland 21 0.83x
Somerset 16 0.59x
Kent 15 0.26x
Essex 14 0.42x
Herefordshire 13 1.87x
Buckinghamshire 12 1.17x
East Lothian 12 5.36x
Ayrshire 10 0.79x
Hampshire 10 0.29x
Monmouthshire 9 0.74x
Dunbartonshire 8 1.76x
Berkshire 7 0.55x
Sussex 7 0.25x
Devon 6 0.17x
Hertfordshire 6 0.51x
Lincolnshire 6 0.22x
West Lothian 6 2.36x
Huntingdonshire 4 1.19x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.13x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.19x
Midlothian 2 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.37x
Angus 1 0.06x
Cardiganshire 1 0.24x
Norfolk 1 0.04x
Renfrewshire 1 0.08x
Royal Navy 1 0.50x
Wiltshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 57 Badgers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.85x.

Place Total Index
Aston 57 4.85x
Sheffield 51 9.56x
St Pancras London 39 2.86x
Kimberworth 38 40.85x
Wednesfield 38 45.22x
Wolverhampton 37 8.43x
Kingswinford 36 17.37x
Ecclesall Bierlow 30 8.80x
Llanelly 28 17.44x
Birmingham 24 1.69x
Upton Snodsbury 24 1132.08x
Walsall Foreign 23 7.80x
Napton On Hill 22 428.85x
Nether Hallam 21 9.26x
Islington London 19 1.16x
Aston Cantlow 18 282.13x
Daventry 18 79.96x
Inkberrow 18 201.57x
Pembrey 18 54.91x
St George Hanover Square 18 6.04x
Roath 17 12.71x
St Marylebone London 16 1.77x
Barony 15 1.08x
Brightside Bierlow 15 4.56x
Ecclesfield 15 12.21x
Feckenham 15 59.34x
Kings Norton 15 7.57x
Shrewsbury St Julian 15 41.49x
Stourbridge 15 26.39x
Warrington 13 5.46x
Clitheroe 12 20.31x
Stoke Prior 12 88.11x
Evesham All Sts 11 106.90x
Hackney London 11 1.16x
Hampstead London 11 4.18x
Marston 11 367.89x
Monks Coppenhall 11 7.81x
Newcastle On Tyne St 11 8.43x
Old Monkland 11 5.07x
Billesley 10 4000.00x
Camberwell 10 0.93x
West Derby 10 1.70x
Willenhall 10 9.35x
Glasgow 9 0.93x
Hanbury 9 150.50x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 9 4.13x
Pendleton In Clitheroe 9 118.42x
Shrewsbury St Chad 9 17.55x
St George In East London 9 5.66x
Stoke Upon Trent 9 1.49x
Tipton 9 5.15x
Wednesbury 9 6.31x
Cardross 8 14.66x
Chelsea London 8 1.57x
Dore 8 158.10x
Gateshead 8 2.12x
Gnosall 8 58.06x
Great Marlow 8 28.99x
Haddington 8 24.19x
Kington 8 46.59x
Kinver 8 48.60x
Southam 8 77.22x
Stockton On Tees 8 3.30x
Tottenham 8 2.97x
Tynemouth 8 5.94x
Wembdon 8 99.38x
York St Cuthbert 8 52.15x
Batley 7 4.39x
Brinsworth 7 90.09x
Bristol Temple 7 32.05x
Chester St John Baptist 7 10.43x
Hulme 7 1.67x
Lambeth 7 0.47x
New Windsor 7 16.40x
Norton Lindsey 7 823.53x
Pershore Holy Cross 7 49.44x
Rawmarsh 7 11.82x
Simonstone 7 286.89x
Wombourn 7 66.04x
Worston 7 1944.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 110
Sarah 62
Elizabeth 54
Ann 34
Jane 28
Emma 27
Annie 24
Ellen 24
Eliza 21
Hannah 21
Margaret 19
Harriet 18
Emily 16
Alice 14
Maria 14
Louisa 12
Anne 11
Caroline 11
Ada 10
Fanny 10
Martha 10
Catherine 9
Charlotte 9
Edith 8
Frances 8
Kate 8
Rose 8
Agnes 7
Amelia 7
Clara 7
Gertrude 7
Amy 6
Lucy 6
Rebecca 6
Ethel 5
Isabella 5
Julia 5
Minnie 5
Sophia 5
Susannah 5
E. 4
Eleanor 4
Elizth. 4
Esther 4
Matilda 4
Florence 3
Jemima 3
Lilly 3
Lizzie 3
Susan 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 112
John 91
George 69
Thomas 67
Henry 46
Joseph 44
James 38
Charles 32
Edward 29
Arthur 16
Samuel 16
Albert 15
Frederick 14
Richard 14
Alfred 13
Herbert 12
Harry 11
Walter 10
Edwin 9
Benjamin 6
Francis 6
David 5
Ernest 5
Robert 5
Thos. 5
Andrew 4
Isaac 4
Job 4
Mark 4
Edwd. 3
Frank 3
Fred 3
Jas. 3
Tom 3
Wilfred 3
Chas. 2
Edmund 2
Frederic 2
Fredk 2
Fredrick 2
G. 2
Jennings 2
Josiah 2
Leonard 2
Lionel 2
Mathew 2
Nathaniel 2
Phillip 2
Robt. 2
Sidney 2

FAQ

Badger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Badger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,732 people were recorded with the Badger surname. That placed it at #2,494 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Badger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,206 in 2016. That gives Badger a modern rank of #2,941.

What does the Badger surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who hunts or catches badgers, or a nickname for an argumentative person.

What does the Badger map show?

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