UK surname
An occupational surname for a maker or seller of leather bags, pouches, or purses.
In the 1881 census there were 71 people recorded with the Ballenger surname, ranking it #23,517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 24, ranked #36,392, down from #23,517 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Churchdown, Ombersley and Huntley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ballenger is 140 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 66.2%.
1881 census count
71
Ranked #23,517
Modern count
24
2016, ranked #36,392
Peak year
1861
140 bearers
Map years
2
1851 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Ballenger surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Ballenger surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 115 | #15,634 |
| 1861 | historical | 140 | #16,169 |
| 1881 | historical | 71 | #23,517 |
| 1891 | historical | 99 | #24,200 |
| 1901 | historical | 69 | #26,499 |
| 1911 | historical | 45 | #28,332 |
| 1997 | modern | 25 | #35,261 |
| 1998 | modern | 29 | #34,948 |
| 1999 | modern | 29 | #35,031 |
| 2000 | modern | 30 | #34,885 |
| 2001 | modern | 31 | #34,648 |
| 2002 | modern | 36 | #34,480 |
| 2003 | modern | 34 | #34,681 |
| 2004 | modern | 33 | #34,947 |
| 2005 | modern | 35 | #34,982 |
| 2006 | modern | 33 | #35,329 |
| 2007 | modern | 35 | #35,347 |
| 2008 | modern | 36 | #35,397 |
| 2009 | modern | 31 | #35,794 |
| 2010 | modern | 27 | #36,153 |
| 2011 | modern | 24 | #36,306 |
| 2012 | modern | 26 | #36,166 |
| 2013 | modern | 25 | #36,276 |
| 2014 | modern | 26 | #36,244 |
| 2015 | modern | 24 | #36,364 |
| 2016 | modern | 24 | #36,392 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Churchdown, Ombersley, Huntley, Cheltenham and Ripple. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Churchdown | Gloucestershire |
| 2 | Ombersley | Worcestershire |
| 3 | Huntley | Gloucestershire |
| 4 | Cheltenham | Gloucestershire |
| 5 | Ripple | Worcestershire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Ballenger surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Ballenger, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Ballenger surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Ballenger household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Ballenger is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ballenger is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Ballenger, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname BALLENGER is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words 'bæl' meaning 'fire' or 'blaze' and 'eng' meaning 'meadow' or 'field'. It likely originated in the early medieval period as a locational name for someone who lived near a field or meadow where fires were lit.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1285, where it appears as 'Balenger'. This suggests the name was already established by the late 13th century in the county of Essex, which may have been the original homeland of the Ballenger family.
The Ballenger name is also found in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1327, spelled as 'Balenger'. This indicates the name had spread to other parts of England by the early 14th century.
A notable early bearer of the name was John Ballenger, a landowner from Worcestershire who was recorded in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Hales in 1432. Another early example is Thomas Ballenger, who was listed in the Muster Rolls for Warwickshire in 1539.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name was sometimes spelled as 'Balinger' or 'Ballingar', reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling. William Balinger, born around 1560 in Gloucestershire, was a prominent figure during this period.
In the late 17th century, the playwright John Ballenger (1670-1725) gained recognition for his works, which included the comedies "The Constant Couple" and "The Recruiting Officer". His contemporary, Sir Richard Ballenger (1679-1744), was a renowned military officer who served in the War of the Spanish Succession.
Other notable bearers of the Ballenger name include the explorer and naturalist Robert Ballenger (1825-1888), who made significant contributions to the study of the flora and fauna of the American West, and the novelist and essayist Alice Ballenger (1862-1933), whose works explored themes of feminism and social reform.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ballenger surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Gloucestershire leads with 36 Ballengers recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.51x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Gloucestershire | 36 | 26.51x |
| Worcestershire | 7 | 7.74x |
| Herefordshire | 5 | 17.61x |
| Monmouthshire | 5 | 9.99x |
| Derbyshire | 4 | 3.69x |
| Warwickshire | 4 | 2.29x |
| Surrey | 3 | 0.89x |
| Somerset | 2 | 1.79x |
| Dorset | 1 | 2.20x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.12x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.14x |
| Northamptonshire | 1 | 1.54x |
| Wiltshire | 1 | 1.63x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Churcham in Gloucestershire leads with 7 Ballengers recorded in 1881 and an index of 5833.33x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Churcham | 7 | 5833.33x |
| Dowdeswell | 7 | 5833.33x |
| Westbury On Severn | 7 | 1296.30x |
| Ombersley | 6 | 1200.00x |
| Cwmcarvan | 5 | 8333.33x |
| Marden | 5 | 2500.00x |
| Dumbleton | 4 | 4000.00x |
| Winchcomb | 4 | 597.01x |
| Cheltenham | 3 | 28.63x |
| Sawley | 3 | 909.09x |
| Aston | 2 | 4.16x |
| Bedminster | 2 | 19.10x |
| Birmingham | 2 | 3.44x |
| Painswick | 2 | 208.33x |
| Penge | 2 | 45.25x |
| Bishops Cleeve | 1 | 294.12x |
| Buxton | 1 | 108.70x |
| Cricklade St Sampson | 1 | 344.83x |
| Croydon | 1 | 5.34x |
| Kidderminster Borough | 1 | 18.90x |
| Newchurch | 1 | 14.88x |
| Portland | 1 | 40.98x |
| St Luke London | 1 | 9.00x |
| Thornbury | 1 | 107.53x |
| Towcester | 1 | 149.25x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Ballenger surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Ballenger surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Ballenger households.
FAQ
In 1881, 71 people were recorded with the Ballenger surname. That placed it at #23,517 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 24 in 2016. That gives Ballenger a modern rank of #36,392.
An occupational surname for a maker or seller of leather bags, pouches, or purses.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ballenger bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.