NameCensus.

UK surname

Filler

An occupational surname for one who packs or fills things, such as casks or mattresses.

In the 1881 census there were 78 people recorded with the Filler surname, ranking it #22,500 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 154, ranked #23,293, down from #22,500 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Codicote, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Milton Keynes, New Forest and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Filler is 321 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 97.4%.

1881 census count

78

Ranked #22,500

Modern count

154

2016, ranked #23,293

Peak year

1891

321 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Filler had 78 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,500 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 154 in 2016, ranked #23,293.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 321 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Filler surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Filler surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Filler 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 73 #20,581
1861 historical 310 #8,175
1881 historical 78 #22,500
1891 historical 321 #10,520
1901 historical 167 #16,943
1911 historical 158 #17,277
1997 modern 141 #21,941
1998 modern 146 #22,031
1999 modern 141 #22,702
2000 modern 132 #23,562
2001 modern 133 #23,132
2002 modern 145 #22,392
2003 modern 136 #23,045
2004 modern 137 #23,098
2005 modern 142 #22,577
2006 modern 136 #23,378
2007 modern 135 #23,824
2008 modern 129 #24,790
2009 modern 134 #24,711
2010 modern 142 #24,352
2011 modern 141 #24,294
2012 modern 148 #23,457
2013 modern 149 #23,765
2014 modern 162 #22,624
2015 modern 162 #22,509
2016 modern 154 #23,293

Geography

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Where Fillers are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Milton Keynes, New Forest, South Somerset, St Albans and Welwyn Hatfield. 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 Codicote Hertfordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Milton Keynes 002 Milton Keynes
2 New Forest 018 New Forest
3 South Somerset 019 South Somerset
4 St Albans 007 St Albans
5 Welwyn Hatfield 003 Welwyn Hatfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Filler

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Filler

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

Filler 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

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

Meaning and origin of Filler

The surname FILLER is of German origin, deriving from the Middle High German word "vuller" or "fuller", meaning "one who fulls cloth". The name can be traced back to the medieval period in Germany, where it was likely an occupational name for a cloth fuller, someone who pounded and thickened woolen cloth as part of the textile trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name FILLER can be found in the Bürgermatrikel (citizen registry) of the city of Frankfurt am Main, dated 1387, which lists a certain Hans Filler as a resident. The name also appears in various other historical records from German-speaking regions, such as the Kirchenbücher (church records) of Saxony and Bavaria.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name FILLER began to spread beyond Germany, particularly to other parts of Europe and the Americas, as German immigrants and settlers carried the name with them. Notable individuals bearing the surname FILLER during this period include Johann Filler (1572-1629), a German theologian and author, and Hans Filler (1598-1673), a skilled clockmaker from Augsburg.

In the 18th century, the FILLER name gained prominence in various parts of Europe and the New World. One notable figure was Johann Caspar Filler (1703-1788), a German-born engraver and mapmaker who worked in London and is known for his intricate city maps and views. Another was Johann Georg Filler (1737-1806), a German-born painter and etcher who worked primarily in Italy.

As the 19th century dawned, the FILLER name continued to be found across Europe and the Americas. One significant figure was Friedrich August von Filler (1801-1885), a German poet, dramatist, and author who wrote under the pen name "Ernst Ritter". In the United States, Jacob Filler (1831-1904) was a prominent businessman and philanthropist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Throughout the 20th century, the FILLER surname continued to be found worldwide, with individuals such as Artur Filler (1887-1959), a Polish-born sculptor and artist known for his works in Warsaw, and Rudolf Filler (1910-1995), a renowned Austrian-born architect and urban planner who worked extensively in the United States and Mexico.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Filler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Filler 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. Middlesex leads with 25 Fillers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.29x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 25 3.29x
Hertfordshire 24 45.77x
Surrey 21 5.67x
Norfolk 4 3.42x
Somerset 3 2.45x
Lincolnshire 1 0.82x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Codicote in Hertfordshire leads with 9 Fillers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2903.23x.

Place Total Index
Codicote 9 2903.23x
St Pancras London 8 13.07x
Camberwell 7 14.41x
Abbots Langley 6 769.23x
Croydon 6 29.15x
Islington London 5 6.78x
Mile End New Town London 5 333.33x
Norwich St Paul 4 571.43x
St Albans St Stephen 4 869.57x
Clerkenwell London 3 16.70x
Hemel Hempstead 3 127.12x
St Marylebone London 3 7.39x
Wellow 3 833.33x
Battersea 2 7.15x
Clapham 2 21.03x
Dorking 2 80.32x
Hatfield 2 188.68x
Clee With Weelsby 1 37.59x
Newington 1 3.56x
Paddington London 1 3.58x
Southwark St Saviour 1 25.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 3
Emily 3
Mary 3
Sarah 3
Agnes 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Amy 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Edotj 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Frances 1
Georgiana 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Marian 1
Phoebe 1
Rhoda 1
Sharlet 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
George 4
Albert 2
David 2
James 2
Jesse 2
Alf. 1
Alfred 1
Daniel 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
H. 1
Henry 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Thomas 1
Wlm. 1
Wm.Hen. 1

FAQ

Filler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Filler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 78 people were recorded with the Filler surname. That placed it at #22,500 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Filler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 154 in 2016. That gives Filler a modern rank of #23,293.

What does the Filler surname mean?

An occupational surname for one who packs or fills things, such as casks or mattresses.

What does the Filler map show?

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