NameCensus.

UK surname

Colmer

An occupational surname meaning charcoal maker or seller.

In the 1881 census there were 344 people recorded with the Colmer surname, ranking it #8,864 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 519, ranked #9,736, down from #8,864 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Southampton St Mary and St Austell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stockton-on-Tees, Huntingdonshire and Southampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Colmer is 562 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.9%.

1881 census count

344

Ranked #8,864

Modern count

519

2016, ranked #9,736

Peak year

2002

562 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Colmer had 344 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,864 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 519 in 2016, ranked #9,736.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 483 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Colmer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Colmer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Colmer 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 244 #8,950
1861 historical 308 #8,233
1881 historical 344 #8,864
1891 historical 421 #8,502
1901 historical 473 #8,395
1911 historical 483 #8,043
1997 modern 536 #8,837
1998 modern 548 #8,960
1999 modern 551 #8,974
2000 modern 556 #8,874
2001 modern 542 #8,904
2002 modern 562 #8,835
2003 modern 535 #9,018
2004 modern 530 #9,117
2005 modern 520 #9,187
2006 modern 514 #9,291
2007 modern 518 #9,316
2008 modern 527 #9,259
2009 modern 533 #9,393
2010 modern 534 #9,581
2011 modern 525 #9,609
2012 modern 531 #9,431
2013 modern 539 #9,497
2014 modern 528 #9,701
2015 modern 524 #9,678
2016 modern 519 #9,736

Geography

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Where Colmers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Southampton St Mary, St Austell, Northill and Linkinhorne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stockton-on-Tees, Huntingdonshire, Southampton and North Dorset. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
3 St Austell Cornwall
4 Northill Cornwall
5 Linkinhorne Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stockton-on-Tees 023 Stockton-on-Tees
2 Huntingdonshire 009 Huntingdonshire
3 Huntingdonshire 008 Huntingdonshire
4 Southampton 005 Southampton
5 North Dorset 008 North Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Colmer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Colmer

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Colmer 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

Colmer 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

Colmer 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 Colmer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Colmer

The surname Colmer is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "col" meaning coal and "mere" meaning a pool or lake. It is believed to have originated in the 12th century as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a coal pit or a body of water where coal was mined.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the late 12th century, where it appears as "Colemere" and "Colmere". This suggests that the name was initially concentrated in the west of England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire and Somerset.

In the 13th century, the name is mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where it is spelled "Colmere". This indicates that the name had spread to other parts of the country by this time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Colmer, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. Another notable figure was Richard Colmer, who was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Oxfordshire in 1428.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name evolved to its modern spelling of "Colmer". In 1587, a John Colmer was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, while in 1642, a Thomas Colmer was recorded in the Protestation Returns of Somerset.

Notable individuals with the surname Colmer include:

1. Sir Archibald Colmer (1846-1931), a British engineer who played a significant role in the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal. 2. John Colmer (1891-1968), an English cricketer who played for Worcestershire County Cricket Club in the early 20th century. 3. Frederick Colmer (1865-1944), an English architect and surveyor known for his work on several notable buildings in London. 4. Charles Colmer (1816-1893), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Southampton from 1857 to 1865. 5. William Colmer (1871-1943), an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives and the United States House of Representatives.

While the name has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and settlement in former British colonies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Colmer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Colmer 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 88 Colmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.61x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 88 2.61x
Cornwall 80 21.00x
Somerset 57 10.52x
Devon 51 7.28x
Hampshire 18 2.61x
Surrey 18 1.10x
Selkirkshire 7 22.99x
Dorset 6 2.72x
Kent 5 0.44x
Warwickshire 4 0.47x
Royal Navy 3 7.48x
Gloucestershire 2 0.30x
Staffordshire 2 0.18x
Berkshire 1 0.40x
Glamorgan 1 0.17x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.50x
Lincolnshire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Damerel in Devon leads with 21 Colmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.83x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Damerel 21 42.83x
Linkinhorne 18 679.25x
Liskeard 16 250.78x
Islington London 15 4.60x
Paddington London 12 9.70x
Corston 11 2500.00x
Crewkerne 11 191.30x
Clevedon 10 177.62x
Southampton St Mary 10 23.05x
Yeovil 10 90.83x
Mile End Old Town London 9 12.56x
North Hill 8 655.74x
Newington 7 5.63x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 12.97x
Bideford 6 80.00x
Boyton 6 1363.64x
Galashiels 6 53.29x
Hammersmith London 6 7.24x
Maker 6 170.45x
Shoreditch London 6 4.11x
Southampton All Sts 6 50.68x
Poplar London 5 7.87x
St George Hanover Square 5 8.43x
St Luke London 5 9.26x
Batheaston 4 216.22x
Camberwell 4 1.86x
Chelsea London 4 3.94x
Clerkenwell London 4 5.04x
Evershot 4 689.66x
Old Stratford 4 83.33x
Sampford Spiney 4 851.06x
St George Bloomsbury 4 20.71x
St Marylebone London 4 2.23x
St Stephens By Saltash 4 243.90x
Barnstaple 3 27.27x
Bath St Peter St Paul 3 125.00x
Callington 3 135.14x
Englishcombe 3 500.00x
Hougham 3 43.92x
Lambeth 3 1.02x
Royal Navy 3 8.75x
St Budeaux 3 137.61x
St Neot 3 200.00x
Tottenham 3 5.60x
Whitstone 3 638.30x
Withycombe Rawleigh 3 82.19x
Bermondsey 2 2.00x
Epsom 2 25.03x
Fulham London 2 4.10x
Henbury 2 62.11x
Kensington London 2 1.07x
Lewisham 2 3.27x
Long Sutton 2 198.02x
Melcombe Regis 2 21.86x
Saltash 2 67.80x
St Cleer 2 60.61x
Talland 2 222.22x
Tywardreath 2 81.63x
West Bromwich 2 3.08x
Bromley London 1 1.35x
Cardiff St John 1 5.22x
Chard 1 15.24x
Clee With Weelsby 1 8.49x
Davidstow 1 212.77x
Devonport 1 12.42x
Ermington 1 39.22x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 6.23x
Huntingdon St Mary 1 59.88x
Ilfracombe 1 13.87x
Menheniot 1 63.29x
Millbrook 1 5.76x
North Stoneham 1 63.69x
Padstow 1 39.53x
Selkirk 1 11.66x
St Austell 1 7.68x
St Mary Magdalene 1 35.71x
Taunton St Mary 1 10.06x
Thatcham 1 25.71x
Westminster St John 1 2.44x
Wilton 1 70.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Elizabeth 12
Jane 10
Annie 8
Sarah 7
Ann 6
Edith 6
Emma 5
Louisa 5
Alice 4
Caroline 4
Hannah 4
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Florence 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Rebecca 2
Anne 1
Bernice 1
Blanch 1
Christiana 1
Constance 1
Dorothy 1
Eleanor 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Evelyn 1
Fanny 1
Florry 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Hanny 1
Harriet 1
Infant 1
Janafer 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Thomasine 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 32
John 22
James 16
Henry 7
Robert 7
Arthur 6
Richard 6
Frederick 5
Thomas 5
Charles 4
George 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Arnold 2
Cornelius 2
Edwin 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Matthew 2
Ptolemy 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Wm.H. 2
Alix 1
Barnibes 1
Burrin 1
Cecil 1
Charley 1
Charls 1
Christopher 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Jabez 1
Joseph 1
Michael 1
Oliver 1
Ralph 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Tommy 1
Valentine 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Colmer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Colmer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 344 people were recorded with the Colmer surname. That placed it at #8,864 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Colmer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 519 in 2016. That gives Colmer a modern rank of #9,736.

What does the Colmer surname mean?

An occupational surname meaning charcoal maker or seller.

What does the Colmer map show?

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