NameCensus.

UK surname

Deer

An English surname derived from the animal, likely referring to a hunter or someone living near deer.

In the 1881 census there were 473 people recorded with the Deer surname, ranking it #7,057 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 626, ranked #8,424, down from #7,057 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Arlsey, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wirral, Doncaster and Shropshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Deer is 629 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.3%.

1881 census count

473

Ranked #7,057

Modern count

626

2016, ranked #8,424

Peak year

2015

629 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Deer had 473 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,057 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 626 in 2016, ranked #8,424.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 473 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Deer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Deer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Deer 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 446 #5,521
1861 historical 435 #5,918
1881 historical 473 #7,057
1891 historical 437 #8,251
1901 historical 450 #8,700
1911 historical 441 #8,638
1997 modern 539 #8,796
1998 modern 573 #8,643
1999 modern 584 #8,595
2000 modern 557 #8,860
2001 modern 545 #8,859
2002 modern 554 #8,933
2003 modern 537 #8,997
2004 modern 539 #8,991
2005 modern 533 #9,008
2006 modern 541 #8,930
2007 modern 538 #9,044
2008 modern 548 #8,993
2009 modern 571 #8,911
2010 modern 587 #8,936
2011 modern 591 #8,793
2012 modern 584 #8,773
2013 modern 608 #8,651
2014 modern 625 #8,533
2015 modern 629 #8,406
2016 modern 626 #8,424

Geography

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Where Deers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Arlsey, London parishes, Lambeth, Llangafelach and Aberdare. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wirral, Doncaster, Shropshire and Taunton Deane. 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 Arlsey Bedfordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Llangafelach Glamorganshire
5 Aberdare Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wirral 025 Wirral
2 Doncaster 005 Doncaster
3 Shropshire 013 Shropshire
4 Taunton Deane 003 Taunton Deane
5 Shropshire 024 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Deer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Deer

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Deer is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Deer 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

Deer falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Deer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Deer

The surname Deer originates from England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to be an occupational name derived from the Old English word "deor," meaning a wild animal or a deer. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, where it appeared as "le Derre" in 1176.

In medieval times, the name was likely used to identify individuals who were involved in hunting or keeping deer, either as gamekeepers or foresters. Some early bearers of the name may have lived near areas known for their deer populations or forests where deer were found.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Deer was Richard le Deer, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272. Another early bearer was Willelmus le Derre, whose name appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1274.

The surname Deer can also be linked to various place names in England, such as Deerfield in Derbyshire and Deerham in Norfolk. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Deer include:

1. Sir Ralph Deer (c. 1550 - 1625), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for Maldon in Essex during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 2. Thomas Deer (1572 - 1636), an English clergyman and author of several religious works, including "The Doctrine of the Sabbath." 3. John Deer (1804 - 1886), an American blacksmith and inventor, best known for founding the Deer & Company, which later became the Deer & Company agricultural machinery company. 4. Sir Ralph Deer (1876 - 1958), a British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Governor of Bermuda from 1935 to 1939. 5. Dorothy Deer (1920 - 2008), an American writer and journalist who authored several books on travel and culture.

While the surname Deer may have evolved from different sources or regions within England, its origins can be traced back to the 12th century and are closely tied to the Old English word for deer or wild animals.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Deer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Deer 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. Glamorgan leads with 86 Deers recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.82x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 86 10.82x
Middlesex 67 1.47x
Surrey 42 1.89x
Suffolk 31 5.57x
Essex 27 3.00x
Lancashire 23 0.42x
Yorkshire 17 0.38x
Devon 16 1.68x
Cambridgeshire 15 5.19x
Nottinghamshire 15 2.44x
Gloucestershire 12 1.34x
Warwickshire 11 0.96x
Hampshire 9 0.96x
Staffordshire 9 0.58x
Durham 8 0.59x
Worcestershire 8 1.34x
Monmouthshire 7 2.12x
Somerset 7 0.95x
Angus 6 1.42x
East Lothian 6 9.92x
Northamptonshire 6 1.40x
Carmarthenshire 5 2.60x
Lincolnshire 5 0.69x
Sussex 5 0.65x
Dorset 4 1.34x
Kent 4 0.26x
Midlothian 3 0.49x
Oxfordshire 3 1.06x
Huntingdonshire 2 2.21x
Pembrokeshire 2 1.38x
Berkshire 1 0.29x
Brecknockshire 1 1.10x
Denbighshire 1 0.58x
Fife 1 0.37x
Hertfordshire 1 0.32x
Perthshire 1 0.49x
West Lothian 1 1.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 22 Deers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.97x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 22 4.97x
Prittlewell 20 160.13x
Aberdare 18 32.99x
Hucknall Torkard 15 96.15x
Wardleworth 14 45.22x
Fulham London 11 16.61x
Rhyndwyclydach 11 199.64x
Ystradyfodwg 11 15.78x
Cardiff St Mary 10 22.84x
Lambeth 9 2.26x
Rushall 9 99.23x
Dyffryn Clydach 8 418.85x
Richmond 8 25.67x
Barnsley 7 15.00x
Gloucester Barton St 7 133.33x
Helmington Row 7 110.58x
Rattlesden 7 429.45x
Redditch 7 57.90x
Barnstaple 6 40.21x
Clatworthy 6 1714.29x
Coyty Lower 6 116.28x
Ingham 6 1363.64x
Innerwick 6 491.80x
Kettins 6 422.54x
Mildenhall 6 101.52x
Newington 6 3.56x
Peterborough 6 19.30x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 8.20x
Portsea 6 3.27x
Stratford On Avon 6 93.90x
Bermondsey 5 3.68x
Blaenhonddan 5 135.14x
Chelsea London 5 3.63x
Kensington London 5 1.97x
Llanelly 5 11.54x
Salford 5 3.14x
Whittlesey St Mary St 5 49.51x
Normanby In 4 33.09x
Rotherhithe 4 7.09x
Southwark St Saviour 4 17.05x
St Andrewthe Less 4 12.11x
St Woollos 4 10.86x
West Ham 4 2.01x
Balsham 3 189.87x
Bere Regis 3 149.25x
Birmingham 3 0.78x
Bovey Tracey 3 90.36x
Cheveley 3 303.03x
Dalton In Huddersfield 3 29.62x
Ealing 3 7.35x
Great Grimsby 3 6.48x
Harrow On The Hill 3 32.89x
Holy Trinity 3 2.76x
Limehouse London 3 5.99x
Llanblethian 3 265.49x
Manchester 3 1.23x
Newmarket St Mary 3 70.26x
Risby 3 434.78x
St Brides Major 3 283.02x
St Pancras London 3 0.82x
Swansea Town 3 4.60x
Teddington London 3 29.01x
Battersea 2 1.19x
Brighton 2 1.29x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 2.37x
Christchurch 2 19.59x
Coychurch Lower 2 487.80x
Eastbourne 2 5.65x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 0.81x
Fornham All Sts 2 303.03x
Hawstead 2 377.36x
Kew 2 155.04x
Shoreditch London 2 1.01x
Southampton All Sts 2 12.45x
Wiston 2 178.57x
Beddington 1 11.63x
Elton 1 78.74x
Hungerford 1 21.60x
Kirkcaldy 1 7.46x
Neath 1 6.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 24
Elizabeth 21
Sarah 21
Ann 9
Emma 7
Jane 7
Alice 6
Annie 5
Caroline 5
Eliza 5
Susan 5
Agnes 4
Amelia 4
Catherine 4
Fanny 4
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Louisa 4
Margaret 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Gwenny 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Maud 2
Nellie 2
Rachel 2
Rose 2
Susanna 2
Susannah 2
Amy 1
Catharine 1
Dorothy 1
Elenn 1
Esther 1
Eugenie 1
Jennet 1
Jessie 1
Joanna 1
Kathleen 1
Lillah 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
William 27
Charles 15
Thomas 15
Edward 13
James 11
George 10
Henry 9
Joseph 8
Alfred 6
David 6
Harry 6
Albert 4
Arthur 4
Robert 4
Herbert 3
Jacob 3
Richard 3
Alonsa 2
Daniel 2
Edmond 2
Emmanuel 2
Evan 2
Frederick 2
Philip 2
Wm. 2
Augustus 1
Benjamin 1
Edman 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.J. 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Hubbard 1
Infant 1
Ivor 1
Jas. 1
Jas.E. 1
Joshua 1
Louis 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Morgan 1
Moses 1
Nathian 1
Ralph 1
Reginald 1
Reuben 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Deer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Deer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 473 people were recorded with the Deer surname. That placed it at #7,057 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Deer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 626 in 2016. That gives Deer a modern rank of #8,424.

What does the Deer surname mean?

An English surname derived from the animal, likely referring to a hunter or someone living near deer.

What does the Deer map show?

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