NameCensus.

UK surname

Banger

A surname derived from a German word meaning a baker or bread maker.

In the 1881 census there were 197 people recorded with the Banger surname, ranking it #12,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 355, ranked #13,020, down from #12,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Southampton St Mary and St Lawrence in Thanet. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wolverhampton, Ealing and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Banger is 374 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 80.2%.

1881 census count

197

Ranked #12,955

Modern count

355

2016, ranked #13,020

Peak year

2010

374 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Banger had 197 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 355 in 2016, ranked #13,020.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 227 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Banger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Banger surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Banger 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 176 #11,489
1861 historical 227 #10,749
1881 historical 197 #12,955
1891 historical 215 #14,155
1901 historical 166 #17,011
1911 historical 171 #16,461
1997 modern 246 #15,445
1998 modern 265 #15,087
1999 modern 285 #14,438
2000 modern 288 #14,312
2001 modern 290 #14,033
2002 modern 302 #13,938
2003 modern 304 #13,685
2004 modern 311 #13,549
2005 modern 328 #12,992
2006 modern 339 #12,754
2007 modern 325 #13,291
2008 modern 338 #13,044
2009 modern 353 #12,894
2010 modern 374 #12,597
2011 modern 363 #12,738
2012 modern 342 #13,184
2013 modern 352 #13,130
2014 modern 353 #13,183
2015 modern 347 #13,252
2016 modern 355 #13,020

Geography

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Where Bangers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Southampton St Mary, St Lawrence in Thanet, Charminster and Yetminster. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wolverhampton, Ealing and Birmingham. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
3 St Lawrence in Thanet Kent
4 Charminster Dorset
5 Yetminster Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wolverhampton 020 Wolverhampton
2 Ealing 026 Ealing
3 Birmingham 032 Birmingham
4 Birmingham 034 Birmingham
5 Birmingham 039 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Banger

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Banger

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students

Nationally, the Banger surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Banger household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples with dependent children are common in this Group, with many parents born in Africa or the EU. The representation of residents amongst different ethnic minority groups is high, particularly for individuals of Pakistani ethnic group. For many residents, English is not their main language, and affiliation to Christian religions is less common. Privately rented terrace properties predominate and levels of overcrowding are high. Part time work is common, with many employed in elementary occupations and sales and customer services. There are also many students living within these areas, and overall unemployment levels are high.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Banger is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Banger is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Banger falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Banger is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Indian

This describes the area pattern most associated with Banger, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Banger

The surname BANGER originates from Germany, with its earliest recorded examples dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the German word "Banger," which was used to describe someone who worked as a maker of metal rings or bangles.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BANGER can be found in the town records of Nürnberg, Germany, where a certain Hans Banger is mentioned as a metalsmith in the year 1532. Another early reference is found in the church registers of Augsburg, where a family by the name of Banger is listed as residing in the city in the late 16th century.

The name BANGER likely originated in the regions of Bavaria and Franconia, where the metalworking trade was prevalent during the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods. As the name spread across Germany, it took on various spellings, such as Bänger, Baenger, and Bengler, which were used interchangeably in different regions.

In the 17th century, the name BANGER began to appear in other parts of Europe, particularly in regions with strong German cultural influences. One notable example is Johann Banger, a German-born musician and composer who lived in Denmark from 1635 to 1701. He was known for his contributions to the development of Danish church music during the Baroque era.

Another historical figure associated with the surname BANGER is Wilhelm Banger, a German architect born in 1844. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Berlin and other German cities during the late 19th century, including the Reichsbank building and the Neue Synagoge in Berlin.

In the 20th century, the name BANGER gained recognition through individuals such as Hans Banger (1893-1975), a German painter and printmaker known for his landscape and architectural works. Additionally, Ernst Banger (1897-1957) was a German-American physicist who made significant contributions to the field of nuclear physics and worked on the Manhattan Project during World War II.

While the surname BANGER is not as common as some other German surnames, it has a rich history rooted in the metalworking traditions of central Europe and has been carried by individuals who have made their mark in various fields, from music and architecture to art and science.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Banger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Banger 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. Dorset leads with 60 Bangers recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.06x.

County Total Index
Dorset 60 48.06x
Somerset 34 11.10x
Middlesex 26 1.37x
Surrey 18 1.94x
Hampshire 17 4.36x
Kent 16 2.47x
Sussex 5 1.56x
Northumberland 4 1.41x
Wiltshire 4 2.38x
Norfolk 3 1.03x
Essex 2 0.53x
Lancashire 2 0.09x
Glamorgan 1 0.30x
Staffordshire 1 0.16x
Warwickshire 1 0.21x
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. Newington in Surrey leads with 14 Bangers recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.93x.

Place Total Index
Newington 14 19.93x
Caundle Stourton 11 4583.33x
Charminster 10 1010.10x
Chetnole 10 6250.00x
St Marylebone London 10 9.85x
Milton Clevedon 8 7272.73x
St Lawrence 8 179.37x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 7 693.07x
Glastonbury 6 240.00x
Oborne 6 6666.67x
South Stoneham 6 70.92x
Yeovil 6 96.46x
Hampstead London 5 16.88x
Lyncombe Widcombe 5 62.34x
St Giles In Fields London 5 53.59x
Charlton 4 92.81x
Elswick 4 17.71x
Hove 4 28.43x
Portsea 4 5.23x
Yeovilton 4 2500.00x
Deptford St Paul 3 5.99x
Fordington 3 111.52x
Heigham 3 19.11x
Lillington 3 3333.33x
Swindon 3 22.99x
Weston Super Mare 3 38.81x
Yetminster 3 652.17x
Leigh 2 769.23x
Longburton 2 800.00x
Southampton St Mary 2 8.16x
Southampton St Michael 2 156.25x
St Pancras London 2 1.31x
Toxteth Park 2 2.62x
Woodford 2 47.06x
Aldershot 1 7.66x
Brading 1 19.31x
Bridport 1 38.91x
Brighton 1 1.55x
Camberwell 1 0.82x
Catterick 1 238.10x
Chelsea London 1 1.74x
Chertsey 1 16.69x
Hammersmith London 1 2.13x
Henstridge 1 117.65x
Holdenhurst 1 9.78x
Sherborne 1 27.17x
Southwark Christchurch 1 11.22x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.61x
Spitalfields London 1 6.99x
Stratford On Avon 1 37.59x
Swansea Town 1 3.68x
Tollard Royal 1 555.56x
Walmer 1 35.46x
West Camel 1 555.56x
Westminster St James 1 5.12x
Weymouth 1 42.37x
Wolverhampton 1 2.03x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
John 10
James 7
Samuel 6
Ernest 5
George 5
Thomas 5
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Albert 3
Eli 3
Henry 3
Robert 3
Edwin 2
Frederick 2
Josiah 2
Adolphus 1
Arthur 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Esau 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.R. 1
Isaac 1
Job 1
Moate 1
Moses 1
Soloman 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Banger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Banger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 197 people were recorded with the Banger surname. That placed it at #12,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Banger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 355 in 2016. That gives Banger a modern rank of #13,020.

What does the Banger surname mean?

A surname derived from a German word meaning a baker or bread maker.

What does the Banger map show?

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