NameCensus.

UK surname

Billinger

A German surname indicating that the bearer may have originated from the town of Billingen.

In the 1881 census there were 66 people recorded with the Billinger surname, ranking it #24,256 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 76, ranked #33,304, down from #24,256 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, St Dunstan Stepney and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, Cornwall and East Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Billinger is 132 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.2%.

1881 census count

66

Ranked #24,256

Modern count

76

2016, ranked #33,304

Peak year

1891

132 bearers

Map years

4

1891 to 1998

Key insights

  • Billinger had 66 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,256 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 76 in 2016, ranked #33,304.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 132 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Billinger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Billinger surname density by area, 1998 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Billinger 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 35 #27,037
1861 historical 94 #21,883
1881 historical 66 #24,256
1891 historical 132 #19,976
1901 historical 112 #21,382
1911 historical 119 #20,535
1997 modern 90 #28,360
1998 modern 101 #27,479
1999 modern 96 #28,326
2000 modern 94 #28,573
2001 modern 93 #28,382
2002 modern 99 #28,082
2003 modern 95 #28,536
2004 modern 95 #28,746
2005 modern 99 #28,177
2006 modern 98 #28,621
2007 modern 99 #28,852
2008 modern 98 #29,355
2009 modern 96 #30,239
2010 modern 93 #31,239
2011 modern 89 #31,659
2012 modern 79 #32,966
2013 modern 83 #32,813
2014 modern 80 #33,133
2015 modern 75 #33,425
2016 modern 76 #33,304

Geography

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Where Billingers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, St Dunstan Stepney, Manchester, St George the Martyr and Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early),. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, Cornwall, East Lindsey and Erewash. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 St George the Martyr London (South Districts)
5 Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early), Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
2 Cornwall 067 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 068 Cornwall
4 East Lindsey 003 East Lindsey
5 Erewash 013 Erewash

Forenames

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First names often paired with Billinger

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Billinger

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Billinger, 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 Billinger surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Billinger 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, Billinger 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

Billinger 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

Billinger falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Billinger

The surname Billinger is believed to have originated in Germany, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "bille," which means "battle" or "fight," combined with the suffix "-inger," which denotes a person or a group of people.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Billinger name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval charters and documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 12th century. In this document, a person named Henricus Billinger is mentioned, indicating the presence of the name in that area during that time period.

Another notable historical reference to the Billinger name is found in the Annales Saxonici, a chronicle written by a monk named Albert von Stade in the 13th century. This chronicle mentions a nobleman named Gerhard Billinger, who was involved in a dispute with the Archbishop of Bremen in the year 1242.

The earliest known Billinger family is believed to have originated in the town of Billingerhausen, located in the modern-day state of Hesse, Germany. This town's name is a clear indication of the surname's connection to the region, as it likely derived from the family name itself.

One of the most notable figures in history bearing the Billinger surname was Johann Billinger, a German philosopher and theologian who lived from 1565 to 1628. He was a professor at the University of Marburg and was renowned for his contributions to the field of ethics and moral philosophy.

Another prominent individual with the Billinger name was Christoph Billinger, a German painter who lived from 1558 to 1625. He was known for his religious paintings and was commissioned by several churches and nobility in the region.

In the 17th century, a family of Billingers was recorded as residing in the town of Quedlinburg, located in the present-day state of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. This family included several members who held prominent positions within the local community, such as town officials and merchants.

A notable figure from the 18th century was Friedrich Billinger, a German composer and organist who lived from 1720 to 1795. He served as the court organist for the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg and composed numerous works for the organ and other instruments.

In the 19th century, a Billinger family settled in the town of Eisenach, located in the modern-day state of Thuringia, Germany. One member of this family, Wilhelm Billinger, born in 1832, was a respected educator and served as the headmaster of the local school for several years.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Billinger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Billinger 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. Somerset leads with 11 Billingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.12x.

County Total Index
Somerset 11 11.12x
Gloucestershire 10 8.30x
Hampshire 9 7.15x
Middlesex 8 1.30x
Berkshire 5 10.84x
Dorset 5 12.40x
Cheshire 4 2.95x
Lincolnshire 4 4.07x
Sussex 2 1.93x
Essex 1 0.82x
Lancashire 1 0.14x
Staffordshire 1 0.48x
Surrey 1 0.33x
Warwickshire 1 0.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 8 Billingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.41x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 8 32.41x
Bridgewater 6 223.88x
Hackney London 6 17.42x
Bristol St Paul In 5 155.76x
Reading St Giles 5 110.62x
Steepleton Preston 5 25000.00x
Westbury On Trym 5 122.55x
Birkenhead 4 37.00x
Bleadon 3 2307.69x
Gainsborough 2 86.21x
Hastings St Clement 2 206.19x
Asgarby 1 2000.00x
Aston 1 2.34x
Chelsea London 1 5.40x
Chigwell 1 87.72x
Clapham 1 13.02x
Compton Bishop 1 833.33x
Evercreech 1 416.67x
Manchester 1 3.05x
Mile End Old Town London 1 7.65x
Revesby 1 833.33x
Steventon 1 1666.67x
Wolverhampton 1 6.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 5
Emily 3
Ellen 2
Mary 2
Susan 2
Alfred 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Charlotte 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Maria 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Charles 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
George 2
John 2
Ambrose 1
Amos 1
Arthur 1
Edmund 1
Edwd. 1
Freddy 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
James 1
Samuel 1
William 1
Windom 1

FAQ

Billinger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Billinger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 66 people were recorded with the Billinger surname. That placed it at #24,256 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Billinger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 76 in 2016. That gives Billinger a modern rank of #33,304.

What does the Billinger surname mean?

A German surname indicating that the bearer may have originated from the town of Billingen.

What does the Billinger map show?

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