NameCensus.

UK surname

Balmer

A surname of German origin, referring to someone who lived on a rounded hill or mountain.

In the 1881 census there were 1,141 people recorded with the Balmer surname, ranking it #3,509 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,979, ranked #3,252, up from #3,509 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hawick and Wilton, London parishes and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, Eden and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Balmer is 2,093 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.4%.

1881 census count

1,141

Ranked #3,509

Modern count

1,979

2016, ranked #3,252

Peak year

1999

2,093 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Balmer had 1,141 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,509 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,979 in 2016, ranked #3,252.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,694 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Balmer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Balmer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Balmer 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 900 #3,058
1861 historical 1,275 #2,238
1881 historical 1,141 #3,509
1891 historical 1,500 #2,937
1901 historical 1,694 #3,047
1911 historical 1,542 #3,147
1997 modern 2,053 #2,993
1998 modern 2,072 #3,073
1999 modern 2,093 #3,071
2000 modern 2,070 #3,084
2001 modern 1,995 #3,119
2002 modern 2,059 #3,099
2003 modern 1,994 #3,122
2004 modern 2,009 #3,103
2005 modern 1,986 #3,108
2006 modern 1,964 #3,145
2007 modern 1,960 #3,177
2008 modern 1,945 #3,210
2009 modern 1,979 #3,237
2010 modern 2,043 #3,213
2011 modern 1,959 #3,291
2012 modern 1,948 #3,252
2013 modern 2,011 #3,221
2014 modern 2,024 #3,235
2015 modern 1,996 #3,244
2016 modern 1,979 #3,252

Geography

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Where Balmers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hawick and Wilton, London parishes, Toxteth Park, Gateshead and Prescot. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, Eden and County Durham. 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 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
2 London parishes London 3
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Prescot Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 027 Wigan
2 Eden 007 Eden
3 Wigan 033 Wigan
4 Eden 006 Eden
5 County Durham 064 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Balmer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Balmer

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Balmer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Balmer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Balmer 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

Balmer is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Balmer

The surname Balmer is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in the county of Wiltshire, located in the south-west of England. The name is derived from the Old English words 'beal' meaning 'rounded hill' and 'mere' meaning 'lake or pool', suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name lived near a distinctive rounded hill near a body of water.

The Balmer name is found in several early records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Walter de Balmere in the county of Wiltshire. This provides evidence that the name was already established in the region by the 11th century.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Balmer was Sir John Balmer, a prominent military commander who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France in the 14th century. He was knighted for his bravery on the battlefield and is mentioned in several historical chronicles from that period.

In the 16th century, the Balmer family held lands in the village of Mere, located in Wiltshire. This village likely played a role in the origin of the surname, as it shares the same root as the 'mere' component of the name.

Another notable figure was Robert Balmer, a successful merchant and philanthropist who lived in London during the 17th century. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers and used his wealth to support various charitable causes, including the founding of a school for underprivileged children.

In the 18th century, the Reverend James Balmer was a respected Church of England clergyman who served as the Rector of Mere in Wiltshire. He is known for his published sermons and writings on religious subjects.

Moving into the 19th century, Johann Jakob Balmer, a Swiss mathematician and physicist, made significant contributions to the field of spectroscopy. He is best known for discovering the Balmer series, an important mathematical formula that describes the visible spectrum of hydrogen.

Throughout history, the Balmer surname has been found in various spellings, including Balmere, Balmor, and Balmore, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of different time periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Balmer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Balmer 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. Lancashire leads with 384 Balmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.93x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 384 2.93x
Durham 148 4.50x
Westmorland 86 35.41x
Northumberland 84 5.11x
Roxburghshire 74 36.96x
Lanarkshire 59 1.65x
Middlesex 51 0.46x
Yorkshire 42 0.38x
Surrey 39 0.72x
Selkirkshire 34 34.00x
Ayrshire 14 1.69x
Berwickshire 12 8.97x
Midlothian 10 0.68x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.60x
Angus 8 0.78x
Dumfriesshire 8 3.28x
Shropshire 8 0.84x
Huntingdonshire 7 3.19x
Derbyshire 6 0.35x
Kent 6 0.16x
Gloucestershire 5 0.23x
Cumberland 4 0.42x
Wigtownshire 4 2.73x
Cheshire 3 0.12x
Glamorgan 3 0.16x
Somerset 3 0.17x
Argyllshire 2 0.65x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.67x
Fife 2 0.31x
Herefordshire 2 0.44x
Morayshire 2 1.16x
Renfrewshire 2 0.23x
Stirlingshire 2 0.49x
Sussex 2 0.11x
Berkshire 1 0.12x
Hampshire 1 0.04x
Lincolnshire 1 0.06x
Warwickshire 1 0.04x
Wiltshire 1 0.10x
Worcestershire 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. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 40 Balmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.01x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 40 9.01x
Liverpool 37 4.65x
Everton 32 7.66x
Govan 23 2.60x
Hawick 23 51.34x
Bishopwearmouth 21 7.44x
Walton On Hill 21 29.56x
Bermondsey 20 6.08x
West Derby 18 4.69x
Widnes 18 19.03x
Barony 17 1.88x
Evenwood Barony 17 152.06x
Barrow In Furness 16 8.97x
Wilton 16 72.83x
Jedburgh 15 76.45x
Warcop 15 551.47x
Hulme 14 5.11x
North Bedburn 14 152.34x
Prescot 14 59.02x
Westgate 14 13.75x
Abram 13 129.22x
Darlington 13 10.24x
Houghton Le Spring 13 57.19x
Shildon 13 49.21x
Soulby 13 1250.00x
Warrington 13 8.36x
Windle 13 17.62x
Aughton 12 92.38x
Bury 12 8.01x
Galashiels 12 32.46x
Hackney London 12 1.94x
Roberton 12 558.14x
Stranton 11 9.94x
Haworth 10 38.42x
Skircoat 10 23.15x
Westleigh 10 33.58x
Ancroft 9 155.71x
Broughton In Salford 9 7.51x
Glasgow 9 1.42x
Hampstead London 9 5.23x
Pendleton In Salford 9 5.76x
Tarbolton 9 66.13x
Westoe 9 4.83x
Appleby St Michael 8 146.52x
Minto 8 487.80x
Bootle Cum Linacre 7 6.72x
Bromley London 7 2.88x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 1.18x
Elswick 7 5.33x
Huntingdon St John 7 110.06x
Melrose 7 40.44x
Melrose 7 27.81x
Orton 7 96.42x
Tweedmouth 7 34.15x
Wandsworth 7 6.58x
Wellington 7 13.05x
Appleby St Lawrence 6 108.50x
Auckland St Andrew 6 69.12x
Brough 6 252.10x
Carnforth 6 83.33x
Cowpen 6 15.84x
Greenlaw 6 126.58x
Hunwick Helmington 6 75.95x
Kirkdale 6 2.72x
Lanark 6 20.86x
Litchurch 6 8.62x
Poulton Le Fylde 6 129.03x
Undermilbeck 6 74.91x
Beeston 5 29.21x
Benwell 5 27.82x
Byker 5 6.15x
Crosby Ravensworth 5 168.35x
Croston 5 73.75x
Kenton 5 211.86x
Ladykirk 5 301.20x
Layton With Warbreck 5 10.39x
St Pancras London 5 0.56x
Wylam 5 138.12x
Ashton In Makerfield 4 10.71x
Stannington 4 102.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 70
Elizabeth 52
Margaret 35
Sarah 35
Jane 33
Ann 21
Ellen 12
Annie 10
Agnes 9
Emily 9
Hannah 9
Isabella 9
Catherine 7
Martha 7
Eliza 6
Emma 6
Charlotte 5
Florence 5
Ada 4
Alice 4
Edith 4
Eleanor 4
Harriet 4
Margret 4
Barbara 3
Fanny 3
Georgina 3
Janet 3
Maria 3
Rachel 3
Susannah 3
Allise 2
Bertha 2
Bridget 2
Clara 2
Elenor 2
Elizth. 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Helen 2
Nancy 2
Susan 2
Anne 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Dorothy 1
E. 1
E.Ann 1
Eliza. 1
Grace 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 81
William 52
Thomas 44
James 38
Robert 27
Joseph 25
George 17
Henry 14
Edward 9
Samuel 8
Richard 7
Stephen 7
Arthur 6
Charles 6
Alfred 5
Peter 5
Fenwick 4
Frederick 4
Michael 4
Ralph 4
Thos. 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
Alexander 3
Edmund 3
Geo. 3
Percy 3
Albert 2
Anthony 2
Arnold 2
Edwin 2
Emanuel 2
Ernest 2
Fredk. 2
Harry 2
Matthew 2
Pringle 2
Reginald 2
Robt. 2
Septimus 2
Daniel 1
Edwd. 1
Fred 1
Gilbert 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Kenwick 1
Lancelot 1
Launcelot 1
Levi 1

FAQ

Balmer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Balmer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,141 people were recorded with the Balmer surname. That placed it at #3,509 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Balmer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,979 in 2016. That gives Balmer a modern rank of #3,252.

What does the Balmer surname mean?

A surname of German origin, referring to someone who lived on a rounded hill or mountain.

What does the Balmer map show?

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