NameCensus.

UK surname

Baster

A Dutch surname referring to an illegitimate child or one born out of wedlock.

In the 1881 census there were 155 people recorded with the Baster surname, ranking it #15,174 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 97, ranked #31,585, down from #15,174 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lowestoft, Kirkley, South Stoneham and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Braintree, Redbridge and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Baster is 735 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 37.4%.

1881 census count

155

Ranked #15,174

Modern count

97

2016, ranked #31,585

Peak year

1861

735 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 1911

Key insights

  • Baster had 155 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,174 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 97 in 2016, ranked #31,585.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 735 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Baster surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Baster surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Baster 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 280 #8,043
1861 historical 735 #3,715
1881 historical 155 #15,174
1891 historical 559 #6,792
1901 historical 221 #14,212
1911 historical 341 #10,468
1997 modern 92 #28,079
1998 modern 93 #28,563
1999 modern 101 #27,617
2000 modern 90 #29,068
2001 modern 82 #29,714
2002 modern 84 #29,982
2003 modern 80 #30,425
2004 modern 77 #31,024
2005 modern 84 #30,359
2006 modern 85 #30,556
2007 modern 88 #30,515
2008 modern 87 #30,999
2009 modern 95 #30,393
2010 modern 90 #31,621
2011 modern 88 #31,801
2012 modern 85 #32,395
2013 modern 90 #32,146
2014 modern 94 #31,909
2015 modern 98 #31,342
2016 modern 97 #31,585

Geography

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Where Basters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lowestoft, Kirkley, South Stoneham, London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Braintree, Redbridge, Sunderland, Waveney and East Mainland. 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 Lowestoft, Kirkley Suffolk
2 South Stoneham Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Braintree 003 Braintree
2 Redbridge 022 Redbridge
3 Sunderland 008 Sunderland
4 Waveney 002 Waveney
5 East Mainland Orkney Islands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Baster

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Baster

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Baster is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Baster is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Baster 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 Baster 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Baster

The surname Baster has its origins in the Netherlands, tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Dutch word "bastaard," which means "illegitimate child." This suggests that the name may have initially been given as a descriptive term for someone born out of wedlock.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Baster can be found in the Dutch municipality of Veere, where a man named Pieter Baster was listed in the town records in 1583. The name also appears in the archives of the city of Amsterdam, with a record of a merchant named Jan Baster in 1612.

During the 17th century, the Baster surname gained prominence in the Dutch Cape Colony, which is now part of South Africa. In 1655, a group of mixed-race individuals known as the "Baster" were banished from the Cape Colony by the Dutch East India Company. These individuals, who were of European and African descent, established their own settlements in the arid regions of present-day Namibia and South Africa.

In the late 18th century, a notable figure named Klaas Baster (1753-1805) emerged as a leader among the Baster community in southern Africa. He played a significant role in negotiating land rights and securing autonomy for his people.

Another notable individual with the Baster surname was Hendrik Baster (1836-1915), a South African politician and member of the Cape Parliament. He was a prominent figure in the early days of the Cape Colony and advocated for the rights of the Baster community.

In Europe, the name Baster can be traced to the Netherlands and parts of Germany. One notable bearer of the name was Willem Baster (1742-1805), a Dutch naturalist and writer who published works on zoology and natural history.

Throughout history, the name Baster has been associated with various spellings and variations, such as Bastert, Basterd, and Bastardes, reflecting regional differences and linguistic evolution.

It is important to note that while the name Baster has its roots in a term with a potentially derogatory connotation, it has since become a respected surname, particularly in parts of southern Africa, where it holds historical significance and cultural identity.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Baster families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Baster 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. Middlesex leads with 61 Basters recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.03x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 61 4.03x
Durham 22 4.89x
Norfolk 12 5.16x
Surrey 11 1.49x
Somerset 10 4.11x
Fife 7 7.82x
Midlothian 7 3.46x
Hampshire 5 1.61x
Essex 3 1.01x
Kent 3 0.58x
Suffolk 3 1.63x
Glamorgan 2 0.76x
Wiltshire 2 1.50x
Bedfordshire 1 1.28x
Dorset 1 1.01x
Hertfordshire 1 0.96x
Lancashire 1 0.06x
Leicestershire 1 0.60x
Worcestershire 1 0.51x
Yorkshire 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. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 13 Basters recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.34x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 13 15.34x
Mile End Old Town London 12 37.29x
Ratcliffe London 12 143.71x
Islington London 10 6.82x
Lyncombe Widcombe 10 156.99x
Newbottle 9 365.85x
Falkland 7 496.45x
Monkwearmouth 7 162.41x
Newington 7 12.53x
North Leith 7 74.71x
Mundesley 6 3000.00x
Whinburgh 6 5000.00x
Bethnal Green London 4 6.09x
Staines 4 167.36x
Lowestoft 3 34.48x
Portsea 3 4.94x
St Marylebone London 3 3.72x
West Ham 3 4.55x
Westoe 3 11.76x
Bishopwearmouth 2 5.18x
Devizes St James 2 112.36x
Kingston On Thames 2 11.30x
Limehouse London 2 12.05x
Neath 2 37.31x
Camberwell 1 1.04x
Cliffe 1 86.21x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 20.04x
Eaton Socon 1 81.30x
Great Malvern 1 24.27x
Hertford All Saints 1 172.41x
Keighley 1 6.26x
Lymington 1 43.86x
Lytham 1 36.50x
Melton Mowbray 1 33.22x
Portsmouth 1 14.03x
St Sepulchre London 1 45.25x
West Langdon 1 2000.00x
Whitworth 1 30.40x
Wimbledon 1 12.09x
Yetminster 1 270.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 5
Mary 5
Jane 4
Louisa 4
Ada 3
Alice 3
Anne 3
Ellen 3
Margaret 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Helen 2
Isabella 2
Adelaide 1
Agatha 1
Agness 1
Amelia 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Isabel 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Mabel 1
Magdalene 1
Martha 1
Phoebe 1
Rebecca 1
Sarah 1
Sarahann 1
Selina 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
Charles 7
Thomas 6
George 4
James 4
Arthur 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Herbert 2
John 2
Joseph 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Albert 1
Alfonso 1
Alfred 1
Authur 1
C.G. 1
Duiald 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Harrold 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Levi 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Stanley 1
Walter 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Baster surname: questions and answers

How common was the Baster surname in 1881?

In 1881, 155 people were recorded with the Baster surname. That placed it at #15,174 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Baster surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 97 in 2016. That gives Baster a modern rank of #31,585.

What does the Baster surname mean?

A Dutch surname referring to an illegitimate child or one born out of wedlock.

What does the Baster map show?

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