NameCensus.

UK surname

Exeter

In the 1881 census there were 65 people recorded with the Exeter surname, ranking it #24,420 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 103, ranked #30,515, down from #24,420 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dartford, Tewkesbury and Maddiston and Rumford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Exeter is 111 in 2001. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.5%.

1881 census count

65

Ranked #24,420

Modern count

103

2016, ranked #30,515

Peak year

2001

111 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Exeter had 65 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,420 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016, ranked #30,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 92 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Exeter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Exeter surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Exeter 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 47 #24,810
1861 historical 70 #24,911
1881 historical 65 #24,420
1891 historical 80 #26,785
1901 historical 87 #24,386
1911 historical 92 #23,580
1997 modern 110 #25,529
1998 modern 106 #26,689
1999 modern 107 #26,754
2000 modern 110 #26,248
2001 modern 111 #25,767
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 108 #26,486
2004 modern 108 #26,741
2005 modern 103 #27,531
2006 modern 103 #27,785
2007 modern 103 #28,187
2008 modern 99 #29,181
2009 modern 105 #28,815
2010 modern 106 #29,305
2011 modern 108 #28,811
2012 modern 100 #30,258
2013 modern 99 #30,934
2014 modern 98 #31,370
2015 modern 99 #31,168
2016 modern 103 #30,515

Geography

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Where Exeters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dartford, Tewkesbury, Maddiston and Rumford and Eden. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dartford 011 Dartford
2 Tewkesbury 001 Tewkesbury
3 Dartford 007 Dartford
4 Maddiston and Rumford Falkirk
5 Eden 006 Eden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Exeter

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Exeter

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Exeter is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Exeter 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

Exeter falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Exeter is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Exeter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Exeter 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 30 Exeters recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.66x.

County Total Index
Kent 30 13.66x
Middlesex 29 4.51x
Surrey 2 0.64x
Cornwall 1 1.37x
Hampshire 1 0.76x
Northamptonshire 1 1.65x
Royal Navy 1 13.04x
Yorkshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dartford in Kent leads with 15 Exeters recorded in 1881 and an index of 666.67x.

Place Total Index
Dartford 15 666.67x
Seal 6 1714.29x
Clerkenwell London 5 32.92x
St George In East London 5 82.64x
Bethnal Green London 4 14.31x
Bromley London 4 28.25x
Ealing 4 69.57x
Ightham 4 1428.57x
Mile End Old Town London 4 29.20x
Northfleet 2 103.63x
Rotherhithe 2 25.16x
Sutton At Hone 2 434.78x
Alverstoke 1 20.96x
Islington London 1 1.60x
Middlesbrough 1 12.05x
Ratcliffe London 1 28.17x
Royal Navy 1 15.24x
St Erme 1 909.09x
Stamford Baron St Martin 1 312.50x
Strood 1 80.00x
Whitechapel London 1 15.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Eliza 3
Alice 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Kate 2
Martha 2
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Georgeanna 1
Lydia 1
Sally 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1
Susanha 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
Edmund 3
George 3
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Chas. 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
James 1
Jno. 1
John 1
Joseph 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
M.T. 1
Michael 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Exeter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Exeter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 65 people were recorded with the Exeter surname. That placed it at #24,420 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Exeter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 103 in 2016. That gives Exeter a modern rank of #30,515.

What does the Exeter map show?

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