NameCensus.

UK surname

Colyer

An occupational surname for one who makes or sells charcoal, derived from the Old English "col" meaning "coal."

In the 1881 census there were 775 people recorded with the Colyer surname, ranking it #4,779 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 927, ranked #6,164, down from #4,779 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Graveney, Boughton-under-Blean, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Medway, Wealden and Caerphilly.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Colyer is 1,046 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.6%.

1881 census count

775

Ranked #4,779

Modern count

927

2016, ranked #6,164

Peak year

1999

1,046 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Colyer had 775 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,779 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 927 in 2016, ranked #6,164.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 935 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Colyer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Colyer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Colyer 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 728 #3,605
1861 historical 544 #4,830
1881 historical 775 #4,779
1891 historical 789 #5,096
1901 historical 827 #5,471
1911 historical 935 #4,803
1997 modern 990 #5,551
1998 modern 1,036 #5,511
1999 modern 1,046 #5,504
2000 modern 1,018 #5,599
2001 modern 992 #5,608
2002 modern 1,009 #5,650
2003 modern 957 #5,802
2004 modern 982 #5,678
2005 modern 922 #5,913
2006 modern 929 #5,889
2007 modern 945 #5,877
2008 modern 969 #5,786
2009 modern 968 #5,914
2010 modern 971 #6,015
2011 modern 947 #6,084
2012 modern 908 #6,212
2013 modern 926 #6,216
2014 modern 932 #6,223
2015 modern 931 #6,173
2016 modern 927 #6,164

Geography

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Where Colyers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Graveney, Boughton-under-Blean, London parishes, Lambeth, Good Easter, Mashbury, Margaret Roothing and Gravesend, Milton next Gravesend. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Medway, Wealden, Caerphilly, Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans and Thanet. 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 Graveney, Boughton-under-Blean Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Good Easter, Mashbury, Margaret Roothing Essex
5 Gravesend, Milton next Gravesend Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Medway 018 Medway
2 Wealden 002 Wealden
3 Caerphilly 012 Caerphilly
4 Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans Perth and Kinross
5 Thanet 010 Thanet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Colyer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Colyer

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Colyer, 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 Colyer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Colyer 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Colyer 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.

Read profile summary

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

Colyer 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

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

Meaning and origin of Colyer

The surname Colyer has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'col', meaning charcoal, and the occupational suffix '-er', indicating someone who was a charcoal burner or seller of charcoal.

This name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Kent and Sussex, where the production of charcoal from the extensive woodlands was an important industry. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was Coliere, found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296.

Colyer is also thought to have been influenced by the Old French word 'coulier', meaning a strainer or sieve maker. This suggests that some bearers of the name may have been involved in the production or trade of sieves or strainers, which were essential tools in many industries at the time.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the name Colyer, but it does mention several places with similar names, such as Colridge in Staffordshire and Colne in Essex, which may have given rise to variants of the surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Colyer is that of Richard Colyer, who was born in Kent around 1450 and served as a member of the Parliament during the reign of Edward IV.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir John Colyer, a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London during the 16th century. He was born in 1520 and played a significant role in the trade and commerce of the city.

In the 17th century, Samuel Colyer (1624-1687) was a respected minister and author who served as the vicar of Leigh in Essex. His works included several religious treatises and sermons.

The name Colyer also has ties to the village of Colyers in Kent, which was once a center for charcoal production and may have been named after those who worked in that industry.

One of the more recent famous individuals with the surname Colyer was Walter Colyer (1897-1964), a British journalist and writer who covered major events such as the Spanish Civil War and World War II for various newspapers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Colyer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Colyer 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. Kent leads with 326 Colyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.59x.

County Total Index
Kent 326 12.59x
Middlesex 132 1.74x
Surrey 75 2.03x
Berkshire 47 8.25x
Essex 36 2.40x
Hampshire 25 1.61x
Hertfordshire 17 3.25x
Yorkshire 12 0.16x
Devon 11 0.70x
Suffolk 9 0.97x
Cheshire 8 0.48x
Lancashire 8 0.09x
Northamptonshire 8 1.12x
Sussex 8 0.63x
Wiltshire 8 1.19x
Derbyshire 7 0.59x
East Lothian 6 5.97x
Buckinghamshire 5 1.09x
Huntingdonshire 5 3.32x
Leicestershire 5 0.59x
Norfolk 4 0.34x
Bedfordshire 3 0.76x
Royal Navy 3 3.32x
Lincolnshire 2 0.16x
Staffordshire 2 0.08x
Warwickshire 2 0.10x
Angus 1 0.14x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.21x
Durham 1 0.04x
Glamorgan 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 34 Colyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.14x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 34 5.14x
Frindsbury 23 235.66x
Milton In Gravesend 21 54.08x
Hougham 20 129.87x
Reading St Giles 19 34.00x
Wokingham 15 115.38x
Faversham 14 56.70x
Camberwell 12 2.48x
Tilehurst 12 104.26x
Blean 11 617.98x
Crayford 11 97.26x
Lewisham 11 7.97x
Mile End Old Town London 11 6.81x
Darenth 10 250.63x
Ospringe 10 313.48x
Upton Grey 10 925.93x
Boughton Under Blean 9 207.37x
Hadlow 9 140.19x
Rochester St Nicholas 9 111.66x
Sutton At Hone 9 167.60x
Westminster St James 9 11.54x
Burbage 8 233.92x
Good Easter 8 592.59x
Hackney London 8 1.88x
Newbold Astbury 8 400.00x
Tonbridge 8 8.57x
Tottenham 8 6.62x
Whitstable 8 62.99x
Acton 7 15.73x
Ash Normandy 7 139.44x
Bethnal Green London 7 2.12x
Brighton 7 2.71x
Chatham 7 9.83x
Clerkenwell London 7 3.91x
Deptford St Paul 7 3.50x
Farningham 7 301.72x
Nonington 7 339.81x
Ramsgate 7 16.56x
Rotherhithe 7 7.47x
Seale 7 295.36x
South Warnborough 7 853.66x
St George Hanover Square 7 5.24x
St Luke London 7 5.75x
Stoke Damerel 7 6.33x
Buckland In Dover 6 69.93x
Canterbury St Dunstan 6 134.23x
Doddington 6 400.00x
East Peckham 6 111.52x
Higham 6 171.43x
Islington London 6 0.82x
South Mimms 6 57.64x
St Giles In Fields London 6 16.12x
Toxteth Park 6 1.97x
Witham 6 77.72x
Yester 6 247.93x
Bow London 5 5.18x
Bramfield 5 306.75x
Buckden 5 184.50x
Cheshunt 5 27.34x
Halstead 5 28.60x
Melbourne 5 61.58x
Orpington 5 63.05x
St Marylebone London 5 1.23x
St Pancras London 5 0.82x
Stoke Newington London 5 8.46x
Strood 5 33.85x
Chelsea London 4 1.75x
Denton In Dover 4 1111.11x
Dishley Cum Thorpacre 4 727.27x
Elstead 4 224.72x
Ivinghoe 4 111.73x
Little Canfield 4 519.48x
Maidstone 4 5.19x
Martham 4 140.35x
Nether Hallam 4 3.93x
Plumstead 4 4.63x
Sawbridgeworth 4 50.51x
Shoreditch London 4 1.22x
Wateringbury 4 118.34x
Ryde 3 8.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 43
John 34
Henry 31
James 26
Charles 24
Thomas 24
Alfred 23
George 18
Edward 15
Walter 12
Richard 9
Arthur 8
Albert 7
Robert 7
Frederick 6
Harry 6
Samuel 6
Edwin 5
Ernest 5
Frank 5
Allen 4
Herbert 4
Joseph 4
Stephen 4
Francis 3
Fred 3
Daniel 2
Harold 2
Horace 2
Isaac 2
Leonard 2
Lewis 2
Pelham 2
Sidney 2
Stanley 2
Wm. 2
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Friend 1
G. 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Earnest 1
Henery 1
Jno.Ed. 1
Lindsay 1
Mark 1
Melville 1
Morris 1
Oswald 1
Wm.Spicer 1

FAQ

Colyer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Colyer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 775 people were recorded with the Colyer surname. That placed it at #4,779 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Colyer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 927 in 2016. That gives Colyer a modern rank of #6,164.

What does the Colyer surname mean?

An occupational surname for one who makes or sells charcoal, derived from the Old English "col" meaning "coal."

What does the Colyer map show?

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