NameCensus.

UK surname

Edgar

A surname of Anglo-Saxon origin referring to a wealthy or fortunate spear-bearer.

In the 1881 census there were 4,608 people recorded with the Edgar surname, ranking it #970 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,932, ranked #975, down from #970 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Carlisle and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Edgar is 7,089 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.4%.

1881 census count

4,608

Ranked #970

Modern count

6,932

2016, ranked #975

Peak year

2010

7,089 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Edgar had 4,608 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #970 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,932 in 2016, ranked #975.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,074 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Edgar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Edgar surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Edgar 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 3,046 #954
1861 historical 3,106 #933
1881 historical 4,608 #970
1891 historical 5,211 #903
1901 historical 6,074 #917
1911 historical 3,687 #1,410
1997 modern 6,781 #957
1998 modern 6,996 #968
1999 modern 7,044 #971
2000 modern 6,942 #979
2001 modern 6,836 #973
2002 modern 6,917 #979
2003 modern 6,664 #992
2004 modern 6,654 #994
2005 modern 6,592 #997
2006 modern 6,635 #989
2007 modern 6,682 #989
2008 modern 6,725 #990
2009 modern 6,941 #975
2010 modern 7,089 #976
2011 modern 6,971 #978
2012 modern 6,822 #976
2013 modern 6,961 #978
2014 modern 7,022 #975
2015 modern 6,969 #977
2016 modern 6,932 #975

Geography

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Where Edgars are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Dumfries. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Carlisle and Barnsley. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dumfries Dumfries

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 009 Allerdale
2 Carlisle 013 Carlisle
3 Allerdale 001 Allerdale
4 Barnsley 029 Barnsley
5 Allerdale 005 Allerdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Edgar

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Edgar

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Edgar surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Edgar household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Edgar is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Edgar 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

Edgar falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Edgar

The surname Edgar is of English origin, derived from the Old English personal name Eadgar, which is composed of the elements "ead" meaning prosperity or fortune, and "gar" meaning spear. The name first appeared in historical records in the late 9th century.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was King Edgar the Peaceful, who ruled England from 959 to 975 AD. He was known for his efforts to consolidate the kingdom and promote monastic reform. The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England completed in 1086, includes several entries for individuals with the surname Edgar.

The name Edgar was relatively common in medieval England, particularly in the counties of Warwickshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire. Some early spellings included Edgare, Edegar, and Eggar. Place names associated with the surname include Edgbaston, a suburb of Birmingham, which derives its name from the Old English words "Edga" and "bostell," meaning "Edga's homestead."

Among the notable individuals with the surname Edgar throughout history are Thomas Edgar (1649-1737), a Scottish mathematician and writer on trade and commerce, and John Edgar (1768-1805), a British naval officer and explorer who circumnavigated the globe with Captain George Vancouver in the late 18th century.

In the 19th century, Sir John Edgar (1834-1864) was a British naval officer and hydrographer who surveyed the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. James David Edgar (1841-1899) was a Scottish-Canadian businessman and politician who served as Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons from 1896 to 1899.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Robert Edgar (1870-1938), a British colonial administrator who served as Governor of Madras Presidency in India from 1924 to 1930. He was knighted for his services to the British Empire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Edgar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Edgar 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. Lanarkshire leads with 521 Edgars recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.58x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 521 3.58x
Lancashire 457 0.86x
Cumberland 408 10.54x
Dumfriesshire 383 38.55x
Middlesex 263 0.58x
Durham 262 1.96x
Midlothian 251 4.17x
Yorkshire 211 0.47x
Northumberland 196 2.93x
Ayrshire 162 4.81x
Kirkcudbrightshire 157 24.11x
Renfrewshire 137 3.93x
Wigtownshire 115 19.25x
Surrey 96 0.44x
Berwickshire 87 15.97x
Angus 67 1.61x
Kent 66 0.43x
Somerset 60 0.83x
Roxburghshire 53 6.51x
Suffolk 47 0.86x
Cheshire 40 0.40x
Westmorland 35 3.54x
Gloucestershire 33 0.37x
Essex 31 0.35x
Dunbartonshire 30 2.48x
Fife 27 1.01x
Hampshire 24 0.26x
Selkirkshire 24 5.90x
Monmouthshire 23 0.71x
Dorset 22 0.75x
Stirlingshire 22 1.33x
West Lothian 21 3.10x
Staffordshire 20 0.13x
Aberdeenshire 18 0.43x
Warwickshire 16 0.14x
Morayshire 15 2.15x
Denbighshire 14 0.82x
Nottinghamshire 14 0.23x
Channel Islands 12 0.90x
Glamorgan 12 0.15x
Argyllshire 11 0.88x
Nairnshire 11 8.01x
Bedfordshire 10 0.43x
Berkshire 10 0.30x
Kincardineshire 10 1.83x
East Lothian 9 1.51x
Lincolnshire 9 0.13x
Cornwall 8 0.16x
Devon 8 0.09x
Perthshire 8 0.40x
Sussex 8 0.11x
Wiltshire 8 0.20x
Northamptonshire 5 0.12x
Pembrokeshire 5 0.35x
Ross-shire 5 0.40x
Buteshire 4 1.47x
Clackmannanshire 4 1.08x
Norfolk 4 0.06x
Derbyshire 3 0.04x
Royal Navy 3 0.56x
Worcestershire 3 0.05x
Inverness-shire 2 0.15x
Anglesey 1 0.13x
Brecknockshire 1 0.11x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.04x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.04x
Herefordshire 1 0.05x
Hertfordshire 1 0.03x
Leicestershire 1 0.02x
Oxfordshire 1 0.04x
Rutland 1 0.30x
Shetland 1 0.22x
Shropshire 1 0.03x

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 160 Edgars recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.60x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 160 6.60x
Govan 159 4.42x
Barony 135 3.67x
Glasgow 88 3.41x
Annan 52 60.93x
Liverpool 51 1.57x
Troqueer 44 51.51x
Dumfries 42 42.85x
West Greenock 41 6.55x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 40 6.90x
Moffat 40 88.22x
Islington London 39 0.89x
Arthuret 38 94.08x
Carlaverock 36 222.09x
Kilmarnock 36 8.99x
Maybole 35 34.15x
Everton 33 1.94x
Stranraer 33 60.41x
Cummertrees 32 190.02x
Workington 27 12.18x
Barrow In Furness 26 3.58x
Warrington 26 4.11x
Hawick 25 13.71x
Medomsley 25 40.05x
Canonbie 24 56.85x
St Marylebone London 24 1.00x
Carluke 23 17.41x
Compton Dundon 23 260.18x
Gateshead 23 2.30x
Kirkmahoe 23 119.29x
Old Monkland 23 3.98x
West Derby 23 1.47x
Eyemouth 22 48.40x
Newington 22 1.32x
Sorbie 21 80.43x
Ayton 20 63.31x
Eastwood 20 9.32x
Hammersmith London 20 1.81x
Worsbrough 20 15.31x
Bristol St Paul In 19 8.08x
Deptford St Paul 19 1.61x
Kirkandrews On Esk 19 144.71x
Linlithgow 19 21.87x
Toxteth Park 19 1.05x
Rutherglen 18 8.43x
Berwick Upon Tweed 17 11.99x
Bishopwearmouth 17 1.48x
Kensington London 17 0.68x
Oldham 17 0.99x
St Vigeans 17 7.56x
Tankersley 17 51.16x
Urr 17 20.07x
Caldewgate 16 7.54x
Dundee 16 1.03x
Kirkintilloch 16 9.74x
Rerrick 16 57.29x
South Leith 16 2.36x
Westgate 16 3.86x
Manchester 15 0.62x
Neilston 15 8.57x
Port Glasgow 15 8.90x
Selkirk 15 13.08x
Whitehaven 15 7.27x
Wigan 15 2.01x
York St Mary 15 8.13x
Allendale 14 22.56x
Bothwell 14 3.55x
Cockermouth 14 17.17x
Edinburgh St Marys 14 11.95x
New Monkland 14 3.26x
Rockcliff 14 116.28x
Stanwix 14 44.66x
Wallsend 14 6.60x
West Newton Allonby 14 103.78x
Woolwich 14 2.47x
Cowpen 13 8.44x
Dearham 13 25.45x
Kirkpatrick Durham 13 64.17x
Kirkpatrick Fleming 13 57.29x
Sculcoates 13 1.84x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 184
Elizabeth 105
Sarah 95
Jane 75
Margaret 72
Ann 47
Annie 35
Alice 33
Eliza 29
Ellen 26
Isabella 26
Hannah 23
Agnes 18
Emily 18
Emma 17
Edith 16
Janet 16
Catherine 15
Florence 15
Charlotte 13
Eleanor 12
Frances 11
Louisa 11
Ada 10
Harriet 10
Martha 9
Anne 8
Caroline 8
Fanny 8
Jessie 8
Kate 8
Maria 8
Clara 7
Harriett 7
Lucy 7
Gertrude 6
Helen 6
Matilda 6
Barbara 5
Christina 5
Dorothy 5
Eliz. 5
Elizth. 5
Esther 5
Laura 5
Maud 5
Sophia 5
Amy 4
Ethel 4
Nancy 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 168
William 151
James 91
Thomas 89
Robert 69
George 67
Joseph 57
Henry 36
Edward 30
David 29
Charles 24
Albert 17
Frederick 17
Alfred 16
Samuel 14
Alexander 11
Arthur 11
Andrew 9
Edmund 9
Ernest 9
Harry 9
Herbert 9
Isaac 9
Edwin 8
Peter 8
Frank 7
Jonathan 7
Richard 7
Walter 6
Wm. 6
Benjamin 5
Francis 5
Fredk. 5
Mark 5
Percy 5
Robt. 5
Jacob 4
Jesse 4
Matthew 4
Adam 3
Harold 3
Tom 3
Abraham 2
Fergus 2
Jeremiah 2
Jno. 2
Nicholas 2
Robinson 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2

FAQ

Edgar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Edgar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,608 people were recorded with the Edgar surname. That placed it at #970 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Edgar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,932 in 2016. That gives Edgar a modern rank of #975.

What does the Edgar surname mean?

A surname of Anglo-Saxon origin referring to a wealthy or fortunate spear-bearer.

What does the Edgar map show?

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