NameCensus.

UK surname

Bircher

A locational surname for someone from a place with birch trees.

In the 1881 census there were 191 people recorded with the Bircher surname, ranking it #13,224 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 312, ranked #14,350, down from #13,224 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Burton-on-Trent and Tamworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gloucester, Barrow-in-Furness and Tewkesbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bircher is 376 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.4%.

1881 census count

191

Ranked #13,224

Modern count

312

2016, ranked #14,350

Peak year

1998

376 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bircher had 191 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,224 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 312 in 2016, ranked #14,350.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 308 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Bircher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bircher surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bircher 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 101 #17,036
1861 historical 109 #19,693
1881 historical 191 #13,224
1891 historical 211 #14,366
1901 historical 249 #13,172
1911 historical 308 #11,230
1997 modern 341 #12,407
1998 modern 376 #11,918
1999 modern 367 #12,202
2000 modern 350 #12,564
2001 modern 345 #12,504
2002 modern 357 #12,424
2003 modern 346 #12,511
2004 modern 339 #12,744
2005 modern 327 #13,011
2006 modern 330 #13,021
2007 modern 335 #13,001
2008 modern 323 #13,462
2009 modern 321 #13,770
2010 modern 321 #14,066
2011 modern 317 #14,059
2012 modern 297 #14,607
2013 modern 310 #14,403
2014 modern 316 #14,301
2015 modern 309 #14,430
2016 modern 312 #14,350

Geography

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Where Birchers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, Burton-on-Trent, Tamworth, Churchdown and Austrey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gloucester, Barrow-in-Furness, Tewkesbury and Maldon. 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 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
2 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
3 Tamworth Staffordshire
4 Churchdown Gloucestershire
5 Austrey Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gloucester 015 Gloucester
2 Barrow-in-Furness 003 Barrow-in-Furness
3 Gloucester 001 Gloucester
4 Tewkesbury 007 Tewkesbury
5 Maldon 002 Maldon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bircher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bircher

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Bircher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bircher household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Bircher is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bircher is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bircher 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 Bircher is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bircher

The surname Bircher is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is derived from the German word "birke," meaning "birch tree," suggesting that the name was initially given to someone who lived near a prominent birch tree or a birch forest.

The earliest known record of the name Bircher can be found in the town of Freiburg, located in the present-day German state of Baden-Württemberg. In a document dated 1328, a certain Hans Bircher is mentioned as a landowner in the region. This indicates that the name was already well-established by the 14th century.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the Bircher family seems to have been primarily concentrated in the southern German states, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Several historical documents from the 15th and 16th centuries mention individuals bearing the name, including a merchant named Konrad Bircher, who traded in textiles and spices in the city of Augsburg around 1480.

As the name spread across German-speaking regions, variations in spelling emerged, such as Bircher, Biercher, and Bürcher. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and scribal practices of the time.

One notable figure with the surname Bircher was Johann Bircher (1615-1681), a Swiss theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland. He was born in the town of Aarau and later became a prominent minister and author, publishing several influential works on theology and church reform.

Another individual of note was Friedrich Bircher (1834-1898), a Swiss physician and pioneer in the field of nutrition. He is best known for developing the "Bircher-Benner" diet, which emphasized the consumption of raw fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. His work laid the foundation for the modern concept of a balanced and healthy diet.

The surname Bircher also gained recognition through the Swiss politician and lawyer, Eugen Bircher (1882-1956). He served as the president of the Swiss National Council, which is one of the two chambers of the Swiss Federal Assembly, from 1939 to 1940.

In the realm of literature, the German writer and novelist, Max Bircher-Benner (1867-1939), gained prominence for his works exploring themes of nature, spirituality, and health. He was a proponent of the "life reform" movement and advocated for a holistic approach to wellness.

It is worth noting that while the name Bircher has its origins in German-speaking regions, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, carried by migration and population movements throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bircher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bircher 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. Gloucestershire leads with 54 Birchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.51x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 54 15.51x
Staffordshire 43 7.18x
Derbyshire 22 7.92x
Warwickshire 13 2.90x
Leicestershire 10 5.08x
Hampshire 9 2.47x
Northumberland 7 2.65x
Lancashire 5 0.24x
Sussex 4 1.34x
Durham 3 0.57x
Oxfordshire 3 2.74x
Middlesex 2 0.11x
Devon 1 0.27x
Dorset 1 0.86x
Herefordshire 1 1.37x
Northamptonshire 1 0.60x
Shropshire 1 0.65x
Surrey 1 0.12x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Churchdown in Gloucestershire leads with 21 Birchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3043.48x.

Place Total Index
Churchdown 21 3043.48x
Barnwood 12 2553.19x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 12 188.38x
Tamworth 11 343.75x
Aldershot 9 73.83x
Atherstone 8 349.35x
Bedlington 7 79.37x
West Bromwich 6 17.49x
Winshill 6 338.98x
Burton Upon Trent 5 35.66x
Derby St Peter 5 56.50x
Derby St Werburgh 5 31.15x
Elford 5 1923.08x
Clifton Campville 4 851.06x
Ibstock 4 279.72x
Leicester St Margaret 4 8.33x
Long Eaton 4 108.99x
Angmering 3 500.00x
Barrow In Furness 3 10.47x
Cheltenham 3 11.17x
Cowley 3 87.72x
Newton Regis 3 1111.11x
Walsall Foreign 3 9.69x
Wednesbury 3 20.03x
Westoe 3 10.02x
Wigginton 3 588.24x
Derby St Alkmund 2 24.01x
Kensington London 2 2.03x
Wotton St Mary 2 110.50x
Austrey 1 454.55x
Birmingham 1 0.67x
Burton Extra 1 29.07x
Crigglestone 1 59.17x
Gloucester St Aldate 1 232.56x
Gloucester St Catherine 1 102.04x
Gloucester St Michael 1 125.00x
Harborne 1 5.21x
Hastings St Mary 1 13.42x
Hereford St John 1 120.48x
Horninglow 1 35.46x
Kempley 1 588.24x
Lambeth 1 0.65x
Moston 1 47.39x
Nether Seal 1 285.71x
Pilkington 1 12.50x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 3.51x
Portland 1 15.95x
Shrewsbury St Julian 1 26.39x
Syston 1 54.35x
Walgrave 1 270.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 15
George 10
James 7
Charles 6
Joseph 6
Thomas 6
Arthur 5
Henry 5
Samuel 5
Albert 4
John 4
Alfred 3
Richard 3
Edwin 2
Walter 2
Adin 1
Adolph 1
Anthony 1
Brewin 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.Ed.Rose 1
Henery 1
Percy 1
Robert 1

FAQ

Bircher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bircher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 191 people were recorded with the Bircher surname. That placed it at #13,224 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bircher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 312 in 2016. That gives Bircher a modern rank of #14,350.

What does the Bircher surname mean?

A locational surname for someone from a place with birch trees.

What does the Bircher map show?

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