NameCensus.

UK surname

Easter

An English surname derived from the Old English word "ēastre," referring to the goddess or the spring festival.

In the 1881 census there were 1,215 people recorded with the Easter surname, ranking it #3,328 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,534, ranked #4,032, down from #3,328 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Wakefield and Hales. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Norfolk, Mid Suffolk and Breckland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Easter is 1,660 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.3%.

1881 census count

1,215

Ranked #3,328

Modern count

1,534

2016, ranked #4,032

Peak year

1911

1,660 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Easter had 1,215 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,328 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,534 in 2016, ranked #4,032.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,660 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Easter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Easter surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Easter 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 760 #3,504
1861 historical 940 #2,950
1881 historical 1,215 #3,328
1891 historical 1,383 #3,142
1901 historical 1,539 #3,346
1911 historical 1,660 #2,942
1997 modern 1,577 #3,740
1998 modern 1,600 #3,843
1999 modern 1,621 #3,822
2000 modern 1,633 #3,777
2001 modern 1,602 #3,773
2002 modern 1,627 #3,788
2003 modern 1,551 #3,881
2004 modern 1,552 #3,878
2005 modern 1,479 #4,009
2006 modern 1,482 #4,007
2007 modern 1,479 #4,055
2008 modern 1,469 #4,097
2009 modern 1,505 #4,107
2010 modern 1,548 #4,086
2011 modern 1,518 #4,118
2012 modern 1,498 #4,091
2013 modern 1,525 #4,099
2014 modern 1,528 #4,111
2015 modern 1,522 #4,083
2016 modern 1,534 #4,032

Geography

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Where Easters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Wakefield, Hales and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Norfolk, Mid Suffolk, Breckland and Wakefield. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Hales Norfolk
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Norfolk 001 South Norfolk
2 Mid Suffolk 007 Mid Suffolk
3 Breckland 002 Breckland
4 Wakefield 022 Wakefield
5 Breckland 009 Breckland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Easter

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Easter

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Easter 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

Easter 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

Easter falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Easter 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 Easter, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Easter

The surname Easter is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "ēastre," which means "east." This name likely originated in the Middle Ages, when it was common practice to use directional terms as surnames to identify people from a particular region or location.

In medieval England, the surname Easter may have been given to individuals who lived in the eastern part of a town or village, or those who had migrated from the east. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century, with entries in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mention individuals named Robert le Ester and William le Ester.

The surname Easter has been subject to various spelling variations over the centuries, including Ester, Estre, and Easters. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

One notable early bearer of the surname was Sir John Easter, a wealthy English merchant and alderman from London, who lived in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1399 and was a prominent figure in the city's affairs.

Another historical figure with the surname Easter was Richard Easter, an English politician and landowner who lived in the 16th century. He served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in 1558 and played a role in the political turmoil surrounding the reign of Queen Mary I.

In the 17th century, the surname Easter can be found in records from various parts of England, including the parish registers of Wiltshire, where a family named Easter resided in the village of Bishops Cannings.

One notable bearer of the name in later centuries was John Easter, an English engraver and artist who lived from 1784 to 1834. He was known for his engravings of landscapes and architectural subjects, and his works were exhibited at the Royal Academy.

Another individual of note was William Easter, a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century. He participated in several notable battles, including the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and rose to the rank of Captain in the Royal Navy.

While the surname Easter is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has a rich history dating back to medieval times, reflecting the diverse origins and migrations of people across the British Isles.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Easter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Easter 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. Norfolk leads with 297 Easters recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.39x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 297 16.39x
Essex 175 7.52x
Middlesex 161 1.37x
Suffolk 120 8.36x
Surrey 81 1.41x
Kent 65 1.62x
Yorkshire 37 0.32x
Lincolnshire 34 1.80x
Durham 32 0.91x
Midlothian 27 1.71x
Staffordshire 23 0.58x
Leicestershire 18 1.38x
Devon 16 0.65x
Sussex 16 0.81x
Dorset 15 1.94x
Northumberland 12 0.68x
Hampshire 11 0.46x
Hertfordshire 10 1.23x
Glamorgan 9 0.44x
Huntingdonshire 8 3.42x
Wiltshire 8 0.77x
Derbyshire 4 0.22x
Lancashire 4 0.03x
Westmorland 4 1.54x
Gloucestershire 3 0.13x
Lanarkshire 3 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.19x
Berkshire 2 0.23x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.27x
Cornwall 2 0.15x
Bedfordshire 1 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.14x
Cheshire 1 0.04x
Denbighshire 1 0.22x
Morayshire 1 0.55x
Perthshire 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. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 26 Easters recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.09x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 26 4.09x
Great Yarmouth 23 15.32x
Hackney London 23 3.48x
Chelsea London 22 6.20x
Lambeth 22 2.14x
Bircham Tofts 21 3818.18x
Great Canfield 21 1510.79x
Maldon St Peter 21 177.22x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 19 34.93x
Blofield 17 368.76x
Willesden 17 15.30x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 16 37.73x
Lakenham 16 62.16x
Wormegay 16 837.70x
Norton Subcourse 15 1027.40x
West Bromwich 15 6.59x
Battersea 14 3.23x
Kegworth 14 161.29x
Aldeburgh 13 153.12x
East Carleton 13 1056.91x
Harwich St Nicholas 13 72.34x
Billingborough 12 250.00x
Framlingham 12 117.76x
Poplar London 12 5.40x
Shouldham Thorpe 12 1071.43x
Eastbourne 11 12.03x
Hales 11 1028.04x
Hendon 11 25.94x
Deptford St Paul 10 3.22x
Plymouth Charles The 10 9.25x
Rotherhithe 10 6.87x
St Marylebone London 10 1.59x
Stonham Aspall 10 341.30x
Burgh St Peter 9 612.24x
Halesworth 9 88.41x
High Roothing 9 500.00x
Sandwich St Peter 9 212.77x
St Pancras London 9 0.95x
Tunstall 9 51.58x
Beauchamp Roothing 8 860.22x
Eynesbury 8 147.60x
Gorleston 8 21.94x
Great Dunmow 8 66.01x
Heigham 8 8.23x
Huddersfield 8 4.70x
Rudry 8 512.82x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 3.37x
Swindon 8 9.90x
Aythorpe Roothing 7 721.65x
Blandford Forum 7 45.87x
Clapham 7 4.75x
Faulkbourn 7 972.22x
Gainsborough 7 15.76x
Great Bircham 7 376.34x
Hammersmith London 7 2.41x
Heckingham 7 526.32x
Heybridge 7 103.55x
Holton 7 380.43x
Kelsale 7 175.44x
Lowestoft 7 10.32x
Stranton 7 5.93x
Strood 7 30.51x
Tynemouth 7 7.45x
White Notley 7 376.34x
White Roothing 7 409.36x
Bermondsey 6 1.71x
Camberwell 6 0.80x
Clerkenwell London 6 2.16x
Greenwich 6 3.20x
Grimston 6 131.00x
Islington London 6 0.53x
Ramsgate 6 9.14x
Runham 6 165.75x
Sawbridgeworth 6 48.78x
Chilton 5 45.70x
Gateshead 5 1.90x
Great Grimsby 5 4.18x
Hinton Martel 5 324.68x
Paddington London 5 1.15x
Shouldham 5 196.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 74
John 52
George 49
James 36
Thomas 32
Robert 31
Henry 29
Charles 25
Samuel 21
Walter 20
Edward 19
Frederick 14
Alfred 12
Arthur 10
Harry 10
Joseph 9
Albert 7
Herbert 7
Ernest 5
Isaac 5
Richard 5
Daniel 4
David 4
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Wm. 4
Amos 3
Edd. 3
Elijah 3
Moses 3
Abraham 2
Archibald 2
Benjamin 2
Fred 2
Fred. 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Jacob 2
Jesse 2
Jno. 2
Jonathan 2
Percy 2
Robart 2
Simon 2
Chas. 1
Ellis 1
Emily 1
Ezekiel 1
Florace 1
Wm.George 1

FAQ

Easter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Easter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,215 people were recorded with the Easter surname. That placed it at #3,328 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Easter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,534 in 2016. That gives Easter a modern rank of #4,032.

What does the Easter surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English word "ēastre," referring to the goddess or the spring festival.

What does the Easter map show?

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