NameCensus.

UK surname

Cavalier

A surname referring to a horseman, especially a mounted soldier or knight.

In the 1881 census there were 109 people recorded with the Cavalier surname, ranking it #18,793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 249, ranked #16,847, up from #18,793 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, St Mary Stoke Newington and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Calderdale, Stevenage and Islington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cavalier is 261 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 128.4%.

1881 census count

109

Ranked #18,793

Modern count

249

2016, ranked #16,847

Peak year

1999

261 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cavalier had 109 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,793 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 249 in 2016, ranked #16,847.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 170 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Cavalier surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cavalier surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cavalier 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 63 #22,069
1861 historical 60 #26,313
1881 historical 109 #18,793
1891 historical 129 #20,285
1901 historical 148 #18,212
1911 historical 170 #16,510
1997 modern 254 #15,111
1998 modern 255 #15,470
1999 modern 261 #15,353
2000 modern 249 #15,787
2001 modern 243 #15,791
2002 modern 244 #16,085
2003 modern 240 #16,061
2004 modern 241 #16,086
2005 modern 229 #16,631
2006 modern 226 #16,891
2007 modern 234 #16,706
2008 modern 228 #17,146
2009 modern 228 #17,486
2010 modern 237 #17,368
2011 modern 238 #17,188
2012 modern 240 #16,979
2013 modern 245 #17,025
2014 modern 250 #16,905
2015 modern 253 #16,669
2016 modern 249 #16,847

Geography

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Where Cavaliers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, St Mary Stoke Newington, London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick and St Dunstan Stepney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Calderdale, Stevenage, Islington, North Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire. 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 St George in the East London (East Districts)
2 St Mary Stoke Newington London (North Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Calderdale 027 Calderdale
2 Stevenage 008 Stevenage
3 Islington 012 Islington
4 North Lincolnshire 015 North Lincolnshire
5 Pembrokeshire 002 Pembrokeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cavalier

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cavalier

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cavalier, 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 Cavalier surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Cavalier household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Cavalier is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

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Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cavalier is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cavalier falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cavalier is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Cavalier

The surname CAVALIER finds its origins in the French language, emerging in the late Middle Ages around the 13th or 14th century. It is derived from the Old French word "cavalier," which means a mounted soldier or knight. The name likely originated in the regions of northern France, particularly Normandy, where the chivalric traditions of knighthood were prominent during this period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the CAVALIER surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were census-like records compiled in England during the reign of King Edward I. The rolls mention a Robert le Cavalier, suggesting the surname's use among the Norman nobility who settled in England after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

The CAVALIER surname also appears in various medieval manuscripts and records, such as the Calender of Wills and the Patent Rolls, indicating its widespread use among the landed gentry and aristocracy of the time. In the 14th century, a Sir John Cavalier is mentioned as a prominent landowner in the county of Kent, England.

During the English Civil War of the 17th century, the term "Cavalier" became associated with the Royalist supporters of King Charles I, who were known for their flamboyant style and cavalier attitudes. This connection further solidified the surname's connotations of nobility and military service.

Notable individuals with the CAVALIER surname include:

1. Jean Cavalier (1681-1740), a French Protestant leader during the Camisard Revolt against Louis XIV. 2. Sir William Cavalier (c. 1500-1568), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 3. Alain Cavalier (born 1935), a French film director and screenwriter, known for his works such as "Thérèse" and "Le Plein de Super." 4. Juanita Cavalier (1815-1887), a prominent socialite and hostess in New Orleans during the 19th century. 5. Robert Cavalier, Sieur de La Salle (1643-1687), a French explorer and fur trader who claimed the Louisiana territory for France and explored the Great Lakes region.

While the CAVALIER surname has its roots in French nobility and military service, it has since spread globally and taken on various spellings and variations, reflecting the diverse cultural influences and migrations of families over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cavalier families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cavalier 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 77 Cavaliers recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.18x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 77 7.18x
Surrey 14 2.68x
Berkshire 5 6.21x
Cambridgeshire 4 5.89x
Essex 3 1.42x
Cheshire 2 0.84x
Gloucestershire 1 0.48x
Hampshire 1 0.45x
Lancashire 1 0.08x
Royal Navy 1 7.82x
Shropshire 1 1.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mile End Old Town London in Middlesex leads with 18 Cavaliers recorded in 1881 and an index of 78.81x.

Place Total Index
Mile End Old Town London 18 78.81x
St George In East London 16 158.57x
Putney 11 224.95x
Bromley London 10 42.35x
Stoke Newington London 7 83.73x
Hackney London 6 9.97x
Kensington London 5 8.38x
Reading St Mary 5 77.52x
Manea 4 930.23x
St Andrew Holborn London 3 64.52x
Bethnal Green London 2 4.29x
Chester St Oswald 2 46.62x
Mile End New Town London 2 94.34x
Prittlewell 2 68.03x
St George Martyr London 2 92.17x
St Marylebone London 2 3.49x
Tottenham 2 11.70x
Birkdale 1 31.06x
Bow London 1 7.32x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 1 95.24x
Cheltenham 1 6.16x
Esher 1 136.99x
Lambeth 1 1.07x
Portsmouth 1 19.76x
Royal Navy 1 9.15x
Shoreditch London 1 2.15x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 4.63x
Wanstead 1 26.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Lucy 3
Mary 3
Rosa 3
A. 2
Alice 2
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Hannah 2
Louisa 2
Miriam 2
Rebecca 2
Sarah 2
Amelie 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Christianna 1
Clara 1
Dina 1
Edith 1
Edward 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
G. 1
Georgina 1
Helenor 1
Isabella 1
J. 1
Jemima 1
Katherine 1
Lilian 1
M. 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 6
George 4
Henry 4
Frederick 3
William 3
Alfred 2
Edward 2
Eugene 2
H. 2
Thomas 2
Thos. 2
A. 1
Albert 1
Alf.Geo. 1
Alfd. 1
Alfd.J. 1
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Henri 1
Herbert 1
Hy. 1
Jno.J. 1
John 1
Nathaiel 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Cavalier surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cavalier surname in 1881?

In 1881, 109 people were recorded with the Cavalier surname. That placed it at #18,793 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cavalier surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 249 in 2016. That gives Cavalier a modern rank of #16,847.

What does the Cavalier surname mean?

A surname referring to a horseman, especially a mounted soldier or knight.

What does the Cavalier map show?

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