NameCensus.

UK surname

Caller

Originating from an occupation, referring to a town crier or messenger.

In the 1881 census there were 210 people recorded with the Caller surname, ranking it #12,440 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 404, ranked #11,793, up from #12,440 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Meopham, Petherton, South and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Spelthorne and Gravesham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Caller is 437 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 92.4%.

1881 census count

210

Ranked #12,440

Modern count

404

2016, ranked #11,793

Peak year

2010

437 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Caller had 210 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,440 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 404 in 2016, ranked #11,793.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 267 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Caller surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Caller surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Caller 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 113 #15,815
1861 historical 239 #10,273
1881 historical 210 #12,440
1891 historical 236 #13,278
1901 historical 216 #14,426
1911 historical 267 #12,360
1997 modern 379 #11,447
1998 modern 380 #11,827
1999 modern 389 #11,678
2000 modern 392 #11,564
2001 modern 382 #11,606
2002 modern 391 #11,627
2003 modern 388 #11,508
2004 modern 386 #11,579
2005 modern 372 #11,813
2006 modern 376 #11,775
2007 modern 389 #11,604
2008 modern 401 #11,441
2009 modern 415 #11,386
2010 modern 437 #11,165
2011 modern 406 #11,730
2012 modern 395 #11,836
2013 modern 398 #11,967
2014 modern 401 #11,979
2015 modern 395 #12,015
2016 modern 404 #11,793

Geography

Back to top

Where Callers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Meopham, Petherton, South, London parishes, Swanscombe and Wouldham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Spelthorne and Gravesham. 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 Meopham Kent
2 Petherton, South Somerset
3 London parishes London 3
4 Swanscombe Kent
5 Wouldham Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 003 Shropshire
2 Spelthorne 003 Spelthorne
3 Gravesham 011 Gravesham
4 Gravesham 006 Gravesham
5 Spelthorne 002 Spelthorne

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Caller

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Caller

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Caller surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Caller household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Caller is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Caller is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Caller falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Caller

The surname Caller originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. The name is thought to have been derived from the Old English word calere or calere, meaning a caller or someone who calls out, possibly a town crier or a herdsman using calls to manage livestock. It also bears resemblance to the Middle English word calere and was possibly used metaphorically or literally for individuals within communal or administrative roles in villages, townships, or early urban settings.

Historical records suggest the name Caller was locally prominent in the counties of Northumberland and Durham. The earliest references to this surname can be traced to the 12th and 13th centuries. One notable reference is the 1190 Pipe Rolls from Northumberland, where a Geoffrey le Caller was mentioned, exhibiting an early form of occupational surname convention.

Over time, the name Caller began to appear in various other records such as the Subsidy Rolls and the Poll Tax records of the 14th century. In the 1379 Poll Tax records of Yorkshire, a Richard Caller is listed, indicating the spread of the name within England. The alternate spellings like Cawler also emerged during this period due to regional dialectical differences and the lack of standardized spelling.

In the 16th century, the name continued to be recorded across England, and several notable individuals bearing the surname appeared in historical documents. One such person was Robert Caller, born in 1548, who was known to be a landholder in Durham. Another notable figure, Anne Caller, daughter of the wealthy merchant Thomas Caller (born 1570), was recorded in London around 1600.

By the 17th century, individuals with the surname Caller began appearing in parish records. Joseph Caller, born in 1625, is mentioned in the Baptismal Register of St. Andrew's church in Newcastle upon Tyne. Additionally, in 1678, Elizabeth Caller is recorded in the marriage records of St. Peter's Church, Leeds.

As the 18th century dawned, the surname Caller continued its association with various locales in England, predominantly in the northern regions. William Caller, a noted carpenter born in 1694, was a significant figure in the Tyne and Wear region, contributing to local architecture. Throughout history, the surname Caller has maintained a historical presence, reflective of its occupational roots and geographic spread.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Caller families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Caller 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. Kent leads with 75 Callers recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.78x.

County Total Index
Kent 75 10.78x
Somerset 66 20.11x
Middlesex 16 0.78x
Surrey 15 1.51x
Norfolk 9 2.87x
Yorkshire 8 0.40x
Cheshire 7 1.56x
Cambridgeshire 5 3.87x
Lancashire 2 0.08x
Sussex 2 0.58x
Devon 1 0.24x
Gloucestershire 1 0.25x
Suffolk 1 0.40x
Worcestershire 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. South Petherton in Somerset leads with 45 Callers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2662.72x.

Place Total Index
South Petherton 45 2662.72x
Meopham 30 3488.37x
Nursted 12 30000.00x
Sutton At Hone 12 833.33x
Wouldham 10 1136.36x
Bridgewater 8 89.79x
Kingsbury Episcopi 8 754.72x
St Pancras London 7 4.27x
Thames Ditton 7 339.81x
Brinnington 6 142.86x
Thorne 6 239.04x
Darenth 5 467.29x
Westacre 5 1724.14x
Wisbech St Peter 5 77.28x
Newington 4 5.31x
Croydon 3 5.44x
Great Massingham 3 483.87x
Hornsey 3 11.64x
Gate Fulford 2 42.37x
Stoke Under Hambdon 2 185.19x
Taunton St Mary 2 33.22x
Teston 2 869.57x
Tonbridge 2 7.97x
Battle 1 43.10x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 2.66x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 1 21.46x
Camberwell 1 0.77x
Erith 1 14.60x
Frant 1 40.98x
Fulham London 1 3.38x
Great Malvern 1 18.02x
Hackney London 1 0.88x
Hyde 1 7.53x
Kensington London 1 0.88x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 10.63x
Liverpool 1 0.68x
Mile End Old Town London 1 2.30x
Poplar London 1 2.60x
Southfleet 1 156.25x
Tormoham 1 5.57x
Walton On Hill 1 7.63x
Westminster St Margaret 1 10.17x
Yeovil 1 14.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 11
Mary 11
Emily 9
Sarah 9
Emma 8
Ellen 6
Harriet 5
Annie 4
Alice 3
Amelia 3
Eliza 3
Harriett 3
Jane 3
Ann 2
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Fanny 2
Minnie 2
Susannah 2
Ada 1
Adle 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Elizth 1
Esther 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
J.Anna 1
Lizzie 1
Lora 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Priscilla 1
Rose 1
Rosetta 1
Rosina 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 14
William 14
Edward 5
George 5
Robert 5
Albert 4
James 4
Thomas 4
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Ernest 2
Job 2
Louis 2
Aurther 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Elisibeth 1
Frank 1
Gilbert 1
Joseph 1
Joshua 1
Oliver 1
Samuel 1
Soloman 1

FAQ

Caller surname: questions and answers

How common was the Caller surname in 1881?

In 1881, 210 people were recorded with the Caller surname. That placed it at #12,440 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Caller surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 404 in 2016. That gives Caller a modern rank of #11,793.

What does the Caller surname mean?

Originating from an occupation, referring to a town crier or messenger.

What does the Caller map show?

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