NameCensus.

UK surname

Christer

A surname derived from the Greek word for "anointed one" or "follower of Christ".

In the 1881 census there were 119 people recorded with the Christer surname, ranking it #17,841 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 345, ranked #13,321, up from #17,841 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Darlington and Tunbridge, Bidborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Trafford and North Tyneside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Christer is 363 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 189.9%.

1881 census count

119

Ranked #17,841

Modern count

345

2016, ranked #13,321

Peak year

2010

363 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Christer had 119 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,841 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 345 in 2016, ranked #13,321.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 275 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Christer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Christer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Christer 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 146 #13,157
1861 historical 193 #12,371
1881 historical 119 #17,841
1891 historical 275 #11,847
1901 historical 213 #14,563
1911 historical 247 #13,016
1997 modern 305 #13,377
1998 modern 316 #13,424
1999 modern 314 #13,556
2000 modern 308 #13,685
2001 modern 311 #13,423
2002 modern 338 #12,939
2003 modern 333 #12,875
2004 modern 322 #13,260
2005 modern 325 #13,080
2006 modern 321 #13,258
2007 modern 312 #13,674
2008 modern 317 #13,632
2009 modern 342 #13,193
2010 modern 363 #12,878
2011 modern 342 #13,314
2012 modern 340 #13,245
2013 modern 338 #13,508
2014 modern 355 #13,125
2015 modern 348 #13,221
2016 modern 345 #13,321

Geography

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Where Christers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Darlington, Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes and St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Trafford, North Tyneside and North Lincolnshire. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Darlington Durham
3 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 038 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 035 Northumberland
3 Trafford 024 Trafford
4 North Tyneside 002 North Tyneside
5 North Lincolnshire 018 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Christer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Christer

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Christer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Christer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Christer 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

Christer is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Christer 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 Christer 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 Christer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Christer

The surname Christer originated in Sweden, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Old Swedish word "Krister," a variant of the name "Christian." This name was widely adopted after the spread of Christianity in Scandinavia during the Viking Age.

In the medieval period, the name Christer was commonly found in various parts of Sweden, particularly in the central regions around Uppsala and Stockholm. It was often associated with individuals involved in the Church or religious orders, as Christianity played a significant role in the naming traditions of that time.

One of the earliest mentions of the Christer surname can be found in the Landskapshandlingar, a collection of historical records from the Swedish provinces. In a document dated 1567, a man named Olof Christer is mentioned as a landowner in the region of Uppland.

During the 17th century, the surname Christer gained prominence with the birth of Johan Christer Cederhielm (1615-1677), a Swedish military officer and nobleman. He served as a colonel in the Swedish army during the Thirty Years' War and was awarded the title of Count by Queen Christina of Sweden.

Another notable figure was Carl Christer Giötherstam (1720-1791), a Swedish merchant and shipowner from Gothenburg. He was instrumental in establishing trade routes between Sweden and the West Indies, contributing to the economic growth of the nation.

In the 19th century, the Christer surname was associated with Anders Christer Rutström (1808-1870), a Swedish painter and art professor. He was known for his landscape paintings and served as the principal of the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm.

The name Christer also gained literary recognition with the author and poet Christer Hellholm (1872-1942). He was a prominent figure in the Swedish literary scene, known for his works depicting rural life and the struggles of the working class.

Towards the late 20th century, the surname Christer was carried by notable figures like Christer Pettersson (1947-2004), a Swedish singer and songwriter who gained popularity in the 1970s and 1980s with his folk-inspired music.

While the surname Christer has its roots in Sweden, it has also found its way into other countries through emigration and cultural exchange. However, the majority of historical records and notable individuals bearing this surname can be traced back to its Swedish origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Christer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Christer 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. Durham leads with 38 Christers recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.00x.

County Total Index
Durham 38 11.00x
Northumberland 24 13.90x
Middlesex 18 1.55x
Kent 16 4.04x
Surrey 7 1.24x
Cumberland 4 4.00x
Essex 3 1.31x
Sussex 3 1.53x
Warwickshire 3 1.02x
Lancashire 2 0.15x
Perthshire 1 1.92x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mickley in Northumberland leads with 14 Christers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2592.59x.

Place Total Index
Mickley 14 2592.59x
Darlington 10 75.02x
Kensington London 9 13.95x
Conside Knitsley 8 298.51x
Deptford St Paul 8 26.20x
Tonbridge 8 56.02x
Bermondsey 7 20.26x
Iveston 7 440.25x
Willesden 7 63.99x
Heworth 6 88.24x
Wallsend 6 109.49x
Lambley 4 1379.31x
Tanfield 4 97.32x
Waterhead 4 3333.33x
Coventry Holy Trinity 3 34.32x
Mayfield 3 258.62x
Mile End Old Town London 2 8.10x
Rainham 2 400.00x
Benfieldside 1 44.05x
Broughton In Salford 1 7.94x
Collierley 1 64.94x
Habergham Eaves 1 7.94x
Holmside 1 117.65x
Mistley 1 161.29x
Perth Middle Church 1 51.02x

Top female names

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

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Christer households.

FAQ

Christer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Christer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 119 people were recorded with the Christer surname. That placed it at #17,841 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Christer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 345 in 2016. That gives Christer a modern rank of #13,321.

What does the Christer surname mean?

A surname derived from the Greek word for "anointed one" or "follower of Christ".

What does the Christer map show?

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