NameCensus.

UK surname

Clothier

An occupational surname referring to one who made or sold clothing.

In the 1881 census there were 607 people recorded with the Clothier surname, ranking it #5,775 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 991, ranked #5,843, down from #5,775 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Castle Cary, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Somerset, West Dorset and Mendip.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clothier is 1,066 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.3%.

1881 census count

607

Ranked #5,775

Modern count

991

2016, ranked #5,843

Peak year

2002

1,066 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clothier had 607 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,775 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 991 in 2016, ranked #5,843.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 821 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Clothier surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clothier surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clothier 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 396 #6,083
1861 historical 433 #5,944
1881 historical 607 #5,775
1891 historical 636 #6,088
1901 historical 766 #5,842
1911 historical 821 #5,364
1997 modern 999 #5,505
1998 modern 1,020 #5,591
1999 modern 1,035 #5,555
2000 modern 1,047 #5,480
2001 modern 1,031 #5,451
2002 modern 1,066 #5,406
2003 modern 1,041 #5,418
2004 modern 1,034 #5,462
2005 modern 1,014 #5,484
2006 modern 989 #5,611
2007 modern 976 #5,720
2008 modern 964 #5,812
2009 modern 991 #5,801
2010 modern 1,014 #5,822
2011 modern 1,006 #5,793
2012 modern 1,003 #5,721
2013 modern 1,012 #5,763
2014 modern 993 #5,894
2015 modern 1,000 #5,808
2016 modern 991 #5,843

Geography

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Where Clothiers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Castle Cary, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Ditcheat, West Bradley and Mere. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Somerset, West Dorset and Mendip. 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 Castle Cary Somerset
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ditcheat, West Bradley Somerset
5 Mere Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Somerset 001 South Somerset
2 West Dorset 002 West Dorset
3 South Somerset 002 South Somerset
4 Mendip 006 Mendip
5 West Dorset 001 West Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clothier

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clothier

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Clothier is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Clothier is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Clothier

The surname Clothier has its origins in England, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "clāþere," meaning "a maker or seller of cloth." This name was originally given to individuals involved in the cloth trade, either as weavers, merchants, or tailors.

Clothier is a variation of the more common spelling "Clothier," which can be found in several historical records and documents. One of the earliest known references to this surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1199, where a person named William le Clothier is mentioned.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Clothier gained prominence in several regions of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Gloucestershire. These areas were renowned for their thriving textile industries, and it is likely that many individuals with this surname were employed in the production or trade of woolen cloth.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of landowners and their holdings, several entries for individuals with the surname Clothier can be found, including John Clothier from Oxfordshire and Robert le Clothier from Lincolnshire.

One notable figure from the 14th century was John Clothier, a wealthy cloth merchant from Bristol who served as the city's mayor in 1376. He played a significant role in establishing Bristol as a major center for the wool trade during that period.

In the 15th century, the surname Clothier appeared in various forms, such as Clothyere, Clothyer, and Clother. One example is William Clothyer, a merchant from London who was recorded in the city's records in 1487.

Another prominent individual with this surname was John Clothier (c. 1520-1592), a English clergyman and theologian who served as the Archdeacon of Derby from 1582 until his death.

Other notable figures with the surname Clothier include:

1. William Clothier (1737-1815), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Ohio. 2. George Clothier (1808-1877), a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Clothworkers' Company in London. 3. Robert Clothier (1919-2005), an American educational administrator who served as the president of Rutgers University from 1957 to 1962. 4. William Clothier (1768-1828), an English artist and engraver known for his landscape paintings and etchings. 5. George Clothier (1842-1918), a British engineer and inventor who patented several improvements to steam engines and boilers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clothier families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clothier 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. Somerset leads with 247 Clothiers recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.25x.

County Total Index
Somerset 247 25.25x
Middlesex 80 1.32x
Kent 69 3.33x
Dorset 39 9.78x
Hampshire 38 3.05x
Wiltshire 34 6.33x
Gloucestershire 32 2.68x
Surrey 19 0.64x
Glamorgan 16 1.51x
Channel Islands 15 8.33x
Monmouthshire 15 3.41x
Devon 6 0.47x
Lancashire 5 0.07x
Sussex 2 0.20x
Berkshire 1 0.22x
Brecknockshire 1 0.82x
Essex 1 0.08x
Northumberland 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 1.38x
Warwickshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Castle Cary in Somerset leads with 29 Clothiers recorded in 1881 and an index of 680.75x.

Place Total Index
Castle Cary 29 680.75x
North Cadbury 23 1229.95x
Walcot 21 40.31x
Whitstable 21 206.49x
Yeovil 18 90.54x
Woolwich 16 20.89x
Bedminster 15 16.32x
Bristol St George 15 27.21x
Millbrook 15 47.82x
Charlton Next Woolwich 14 64.75x
Ditcheat 13 773.81x
Trevethin 13 31.33x
Mere 12 196.40x
Bradford On Avon 11 63.92x
Deptford St Paul 11 6.88x
Stoke Under Hambdon 11 342.68x
Kensington London 10 2.96x
Nursling 10 502.51x
St Luke London 10 10.26x
Yarlington 10 2272.73x
Mile End Old Town London 9 6.96x
St Peter Port 9 27.02x
Street 9 170.13x
Weston 9 119.68x
East Brent 8 540.54x
Calne 7 63.29x
Hornsey 7 9.11x
Lyncombe Widcombe 7 27.33x
Sherborne 7 59.57x
St George Hanover Square 7 6.54x
Wembdon 7 242.21x
Weston Super Mare 7 28.34x
Maiden Newton 6 359.28x
Shadwell London 6 35.27x
St Helier 6 10.24x
Westbury On Trym 6 14.86x
Winterborne Came 6 2000.00x
Barwick 5 510.20x
Bristol St James In 5 28.52x
Chelsea London 5 2.73x
Chew Magna 5 145.77x
Lambeth 5 0.94x
Llanwonno 5 13.15x
Merthyr Tydfil 5 4.92x
Newington 5 2.23x
Rotherhithe 5 6.66x
Sparkford 5 943.40x
St Clement Danes London 5 39.75x
Wells St Cuthbert 5 74.85x
Weston Bamfylde 5 2272.73x
Bruton 4 103.90x
Cardiff St John 4 11.57x
Chippenham 4 35.49x
Pemberton 4 13.91x
Portland 4 18.65x
St Marylebone London 4 1.23x
Warblington 4 80.97x
Almsford 3 483.87x
Charlton Musgrove 3 352.94x
Gillingham 3 43.80x
Hook 3 937.50x
Islington London 3 0.51x
Nunney 3 141.51x
Odcombe 3 230.77x
Roosdown 3 3333.33x
Bishops Lydeard 2 80.00x
Bristol St Paul In 2 6.30x
Burnham 2 26.81x
Charminster 2 63.09x
Croydon 2 1.22x
Haslemere 2 85.84x
Margate St John Baptist 2 5.27x
Paddington London 2 0.90x
Penselwood 2 229.89x
Plumstead 2 2.89x
Portsea 2 0.82x
St George Martyr London 2 16.25x
Twerton 2 19.82x
Wolborough 2 12.51x
Ystradyfodwg 2 2.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 40
Elizabeth 27
Sarah 20
Emily 16
Eliza 12
Jane 12
Annie 11
Ann 10
Agnes 8
Ellen 8
Alice 7
Maria 7
Martha 7
Louisa 6
Susan 6
Charlotte 5
Hannah 5
Harriet 5
Rhoda 5
Anna 4
Bessie 4
Caroline 4
Catherine 4
Clara 4
Ethel 4
Ada 3
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Kate 3
Rachel 3
Rebecca 3
Ella 2
Florance 2
Julia 2
Laura 2
Maud 2
Norah 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Amelia 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.A. 1
Eva 1
Isabella 1
Jessey 1
Jessie 1
Juely 1
Katherine 1
Lilian 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 32
George 28
John 28
Thomas 21
Charles 17
James 15
Henry 14
Edward 9
Frederick 9
Robert 8
Alfred 7
Harry 7
Benjamin 6
Joseph 6
Albert 5
Edwin 5
Samuel 5
Arthur 4
Frank 4
Tom 4
Walter 4
Ernest 3
Fredrick 3
Enos 2
Francis 2
Herbert 2
Jas. 2
Richard 2
Sidney 2
Sydney 2
Arnold 1
Charls. 1
Chas. 1
Chas.H. 1
David 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Emmanuel 1
Everitt 1
Frances 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Hugh 1
Javis 1
Jno. 1
Jonathan 1
Manoah 1
Mark 1
Noah 1
William. 1

FAQ

Clothier surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clothier surname in 1881?

In 1881, 607 people were recorded with the Clothier surname. That placed it at #5,775 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clothier surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 991 in 2016. That gives Clothier a modern rank of #5,843.

What does the Clothier surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to one who made or sold clothing.

What does the Clothier map show?

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