NameCensus.

UK surname

Canner

An occupational surname referring to a person who canned or preserved food.

In the 1881 census there were 163 people recorded with the Canner surname, ranking it #14,689 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 198, ranked #19,713, down from #14,689 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rufford, Portsmouth, Portsea and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Lindsey, South Derbyshire and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Canner is 396 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.5%.

1881 census count

163

Ranked #14,689

Modern count

198

2016, ranked #19,713

Peak year

1861

396 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Canner had 163 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,689 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 198 in 2016, ranked #19,713.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 396 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Canner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Canner surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Canner 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 216 #9,818
1861 historical 396 #6,476
1881 historical 163 #14,689
1891 historical 248 #12,849
1901 historical 231 #13,805
1911 historical 240 #13,281
1997 modern 192 #18,103
1998 modern 191 #18,624
1999 modern 189 #18,862
2000 modern 182 #19,300
2001 modern 175 #19,484
2002 modern 194 #18,651
2003 modern 187 #18,856
2004 modern 192 #18,678
2005 modern 189 #18,807
2006 modern 191 #18,825
2007 modern 189 #19,146
2008 modern 184 #19,666
2009 modern 191 #19,592
2010 modern 203 #19,264
2011 modern 211 #18,630
2012 modern 215 #18,304
2013 modern 218 #18,441
2014 modern 211 #19,002
2015 modern 207 #19,155
2016 modern 198 #19,713

Geography

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Where Canners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rufford, Portsmouth, Portsea, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Havant and Ashby-de-la-Zouch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Lindsey, South Derbyshire, Wakefield, Lincoln and Wirral. 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 Rufford Lancashire
2 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Havant Hampshire
5 Ashby-de-la-Zouch Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Lindsey 011 West Lindsey
2 South Derbyshire 012 South Derbyshire
3 Wakefield 043 Wakefield
4 Lincoln 002 Lincoln
5 Wirral 009 Wirral

Forenames

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First names often paired with Canner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Canner

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Canner surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Canner household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Canner 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

Canner 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

Canner falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Canner is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Canner

The surname CANNER has its origins in Germany and is derived from the German word "Kanne," which means "can" or "container." It is believed to have originated as an occupational surname for someone who worked as a maker or seller of cans or containers.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 16th century, with records showing individuals with the surname CANNER living in various parts of Germany, such as Bavaria and Saxony. Some of the earliest known examples include Hans Canner, born in 1532 in Nuremberg, and Anna Canner, born in 1558 in Leipzig.

As the name spread across Europe, variations in spelling emerged, including Kanner, Kannert, and Kannerer. In some regions, particularly in the Netherlands and Belgium, the name took on a slightly different form, such as Canne or Cannegieter, often associated with the trade of barrel-making or coopering.

One notable individual with the surname CANNER was Johannes Canner, a German theologian and author who lived in the 17th century. Born in 1628 in Nuremberg, he wrote several theological works and served as a minister in various churches throughout his life.

Another historical figure with this surname was Karl Canner, a German artist born in 1784 in Dresden. He was known for his landscape paintings and etchings, and his works can be found in several museums and private collections.

In the 19th century, the name CANNER gained some prominence in England, where it was associated with the brewing industry. One example is Samuel Canner, born in 1812 in London, who was a renowned brewer and owner of the Canner Brewery Company.

Other notable individuals with the surname CANNER include:

1. Heinrich Canner (1571-1631), a German composer and organist who lived during the Renaissance period. 2. Amalie Canner (1825-1899), a German opera singer and actress who performed in various theaters across Europe. 3. Wilhelm Canner (1876-1945), a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Reichstag in the early 20th century. 4. Gertrude Canner (1888-1976), an American writer and journalist known for her work on women's rights and social issues. 5. Otto Canner (1901-1987), a German-born American chemist and inventor who held numerous patents for his work in the field of plastics and polymers.

Overall, the surname CANNER has a rich history spanning several centuries and regions, with its origins rooted in the German language and occupational traditions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Canner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Canner 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. Leicestershire leads with 48 Canners recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.74x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 48 27.74x
Hampshire 34 10.63x
Derbyshire 19 7.78x
Lancashire 16 0.86x
Lincolnshire 11 4.41x
Middlesex 9 0.58x
Durham 5 1.08x
Renfrewshire 4 3.31x
Shropshire 3 2.23x
Worcestershire 3 1.47x
Kent 2 0.38x
Sussex 2 0.76x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.48x
Rutland 1 8.73x
Surrey 1 0.13x
Warwickshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashby De La Zouch in Leicestershire leads with 25 Canners recorded in 1881 and an index of 623.44x.

Place Total Index
Ashby De La Zouch 25 623.44x
Portsea 17 27.12x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 11 313.39x
Havant 9 555.56x
Church Gresley 8 205.66x
Leicester St Margaret 8 18.96x
Manchester 8 9.61x
Hackney London 7 8.00x
Melton Mowbray 6 192.93x
Warrington 6 27.33x
Darlington 5 27.89x
Ilkeston 5 72.99x
Aldershot 4 37.31x
Leicester St Mary 4 28.61x
Paisley High Church 4 41.54x
Kirk Hallam 3 7500.00x
Oldbury 3 29.91x
Pontesbury 3 182.93x
Seals 3 491.80x
Dale Abbey 2 909.09x
Everton 2 3.39x
Ightham 2 298.51x
Oving 2 224.72x
Warblington 2 157.48x
Alton 1 41.49x
Aston 1 0.92x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.48x
Dorking 1 19.57x
Ealing 1 7.17x
East Bridgford 1 208.33x
Empingham 1 227.27x
Humberstone 1 70.42x
Leicester Newarke 1 111.11x
Portsmouth 1 13.57x
West Hallam 1 312.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 15
Thomas 12
James 8
John 6
Edwin 4
Joseph 4
Herbert 3
Walter 3
Abraham 2
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
George 2
Benjamin 1
Blunstone 1
Clement 1
Eli 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Rebecca 1
Wm. 1
Wm.E. 1

FAQ

Canner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Canner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 163 people were recorded with the Canner surname. That placed it at #14,689 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Canner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 198 in 2016. That gives Canner a modern rank of #19,713.

What does the Canner surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who canned or preserved food.

What does the Canner map show?

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