NameCensus.

UK surname

Banister

An occupational surname for one who made banisters or worked as a marshal or lawyer.

In the 1881 census there were 1,243 people recorded with the Banister surname, ranking it #3,267 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 617, ranked #8,523, down from #3,267 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Croston, Dudley and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Lancashire, West Berkshire and Staffordshire Moorlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Banister is 1,408 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 50.4%.

1881 census count

1,243

Ranked #3,267

Modern count

617

2016, ranked #8,523

Peak year

1851

1,408 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Banister had 1,243 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,267 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 617 in 2016, ranked #8,523.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,408 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Banister surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Banister surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Banister 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 1,408 #2,045
1861 historical 1,081 #2,603
1881 historical 1,243 #3,267
1891 historical 926 #4,461
1901 historical 933 #5,002
1911 historical 988 #4,579
1997 modern 605 #8,094
1998 modern 625 #8,153
1999 modern 632 #8,139
2000 modern 625 #8,191
2001 modern 597 #8,321
2002 modern 607 #8,387
2003 modern 602 #8,313
2004 modern 584 #8,508
2005 modern 578 #8,495
2006 modern 575 #8,550
2007 modern 567 #8,703
2008 modern 589 #8,539
2009 modern 605 #8,544
2010 modern 634 #8,412
2011 modern 620 #8,474
2012 modern 597 #8,640
2013 modern 616 #8,567
2014 modern 626 #8,520
2015 modern 623 #8,473
2016 modern 617 #8,523

Geography

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Where Banisters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Croston, Dudley, London parishes, St Pancras and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Lancashire, West Berkshire, Staffordshire Moorlands, Tunbridge Wells and Chorley. 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 Croston Lancashire
2 Dudley Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Lancashire 001 West Lancashire
2 West Berkshire 021 West Berkshire
3 Staffordshire Moorlands 002 Staffordshire Moorlands
4 Tunbridge Wells 001 Tunbridge Wells
5 Chorley 007 Chorley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Banister

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Banister

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Banister 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

Banister 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

Banister falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Banister

The surname Banister is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "banistan" or "banistere," which referred to a maker or seller of bannisters, the wooden railings on staircases. The name can be traced back to the late 13th century in England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Banister appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which lists a William le Banistre in Oxfordshire. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 also mention a John Banyster in Norfolk.

In the late 14th century, the surname Banister was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Oxfordshire. The Hearth Tax Returns of the late 17th century show the name concentrated in these areas, as well as in Somerset and Wiltshire.

The surname Banister is also closely associated with the village of Idbury in Oxfordshire, where a family of that name held land and property for several generations. One notable member of this family was Sir John Banister (c. 1533-1624), a prominent lawyer and judge who served as Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas.

Another notable figure with the surname Banister was John Banister (1650-1692), an English-born naturalist and botanist who settled in Virginia. He is credited with being one of the earliest American naturalists and made significant contributions to the study of the flora and fauna of the New World.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Banister was sometimes spelled as "Banaster" or "Bannister," reflecting the variations in spelling common at the time. The place name "Banister's Park" in Suffolk is also thought to be derived from this surname.

Other notable individuals with the surname Banister include:

- John Banister (1624-1679), an English Puritan minister and writer. - Henry Charles Banister (1794-1856), an English painter and lithographer. - John Banister Tabb (1845-1909), an American poet and educator. - Violet Banister (1888-1986), an English author and illustrator of children's books.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Banister families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Banister 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 352 Banisters recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.44x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 352 2.44x
Middlesex 165 1.36x
Surrey 94 1.59x
Yorkshire 68 0.56x
Sussex 63 3.07x
Kent 54 1.30x
Lincolnshire 45 2.31x
Derbyshire 36 1.89x
Worcestershire 36 2.27x
Cheshire 35 1.30x
Essex 32 1.33x
Staffordshire 31 0.76x
Warwickshire 30 0.98x
Hampshire 24 0.96x
Berkshire 17 1.86x
Nottinghamshire 17 1.04x
Leicestershire 15 1.11x
Dorset 14 1.75x
Gloucestershire 14 0.59x
Buckinghamshire 13 1.77x
Durham 13 0.36x
Glamorgan 11 0.52x
Northamptonshire 9 0.79x
Bedfordshire 8 1.27x
Channel Islands 7 1.94x
Denbighshire 7 1.52x
Herefordshire 6 1.20x
Suffolk 6 0.41x
Devon 5 0.20x
Norfolk 4 0.21x
Cardiganshire 3 1.01x
Wiltshire 3 0.28x
Oxfordshire 2 0.27x
Royal Navy 2 1.38x
Westmorland 2 0.75x
Hertfordshire 1 0.12x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.36x
Shropshire 1 0.10x
Wigtownshire 1 0.62x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leyland in Lancashire leads with 67 Banisters recorded in 1881 and an index of 266.83x.

Place Total Index
Leyland 67 266.83x
Camberwell 46 5.92x
St Pancras London 29 2.96x
Croston 28 375.34x
Farington 25 297.62x
Chorley 24 29.63x
Atherton 22 41.87x
Preston 22 5.70x
Peasmarsh 20 573.07x
Lytham 16 72.60x
St Marylebone London 16 2.46x
Keighley 15 11.67x
Birmingham 14 1.37x
Bridport 13 79.12x
Leicester St Margaret 13 3.95x
Westminster St James 13 10.40x
Brampton 12 45.08x
Kensington London 12 1.77x
Mareham Le Fen 12 392.16x
Clapham 11 7.23x
Barton Upon Irwell 10 9.20x
Blackburn 10 2.60x
Dudley 10 5.18x
Macclesfield 10 8.38x
West Derby 10 2.37x
Clerkenwell London 9 3.13x
Guestling 9 269.46x
Lewisham 9 4.07x
Little Lever 9 48.75x
Selston 9 49.15x
Tarleton 9 113.35x
Willesden 9 7.85x
Briton Ferry 8 31.66x
Friern Barnet 8 29.86x
Friesthorpe 8 3200.00x
Hawkhurst 8 62.02x
Islington London 8 0.68x
South Littleton 8 592.59x
Westbury On Severn East 8 14.83x
Brighton 7 1.69x
Ewhurst 7 153.51x
Grays Thurrock 7 31.36x
Holbeck 7 8.77x
Liverpool 7 0.80x
Maldon St Peter 7 57.24x
Northampton St Giles 7 16.06x
Nottingham St Mary 7 1.65x
St Luke London 7 3.59x
St Peter 7 67.31x
Sutton Coldfield 7 21.71x
Tingewick 7 212.12x
Bedford St Paul 6 13.89x
Bingley 6 7.82x
Bollington In 6 25.10x
Bromley London 6 2.24x
Danbury 6 147.42x
Donington 6 85.96x
Greenwich 6 3.10x
Gresford Llay 6 262.01x
Lambeth 6 0.57x
Manchester 6 0.92x
Minster In Sheppey 6 8.73x
Newington 6 1.34x
Penkridge 6 56.66x
Plumstead 6 4.34x
Scunthorpe 6 68.57x
Tottenham 6 3.10x
Trimdon 6 46.91x
Walton Le Dale 6 15.47x
Wandsworth 6 5.12x
Woolwich 6 3.91x
Yateley 6 127.12x
Battle 5 36.13x
Bury 5 3.03x
Cholsey 5 69.25x
Croydon 5 1.52x
Kingston On Thames 5 3.51x
Little Braxted 5 1020.41x
St Anne Soho London 5 7.20x
Stoke Poges 5 55.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 80
John 73
Thomas 47
James 40
George 35
Joseph 23
Henry 22
Robert 22
Charles 17
Arthur 16
Edward 16
Alfred 12
Richard 11
Frederick 10
Albert 9
Walter 8
Harry 7
Isaac 6
Wm. 5
David 4
Ernest 4
Fred 4
Samuel 4
Thos. 4
Aaron 3
Benjamin 3
Edmund 3
Herbert 3
Tom 3
Bartholomew 2
Chas. 2
Edgar 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Frederic 2
Job 2
Moses 2
Nathan 2
Nathaniel 2
Nicholas 2
Percy 2
Abram 1
Aublice 1
Augusta 1
Augustus 1
Christopher 1
Clement 1
Ebenezer 1
H.R. 1
Harold 1

FAQ

Banister surname: questions and answers

How common was the Banister surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,243 people were recorded with the Banister surname. That placed it at #3,267 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Banister surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 617 in 2016. That gives Banister a modern rank of #8,523.

What does the Banister surname mean?

An occupational surname for one who made banisters or worked as a marshal or lawyer.

What does the Banister map show?

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