NameCensus.

UK surname

Filmer

An occupational surname derived from the Old French word "filmier" meaning one who made felt hats or fabrics.

In the 1881 census there were 667 people recorded with the Filmer surname, ranking it #5,405 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 681, ranked #7,872, down from #5,405 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Minster, Cliffe and Witchling, Otterden, Lenham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swale, Medway and Mid Sussex.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Filmer is 922 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.1%.

1881 census count

667

Ranked #5,405

Modern count

681

2016, ranked #7,872

Peak year

1911

922 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Filmer had 667 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,405 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 681 in 2016, ranked #7,872.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 922 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Filmer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Filmer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Filmer 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 475 #5,239
1861 historical 409 #6,283
1881 historical 667 #5,405
1891 historical 724 #5,456
1901 historical 907 #5,120
1911 historical 922 #4,858
1997 modern 647 #7,677
1998 modern 681 #7,638
1999 modern 672 #7,748
2000 modern 708 #7,428
2001 modern 685 #7,485
2002 modern 694 #7,564
2003 modern 665 #7,693
2004 modern 667 #7,699
2005 modern 655 #7,730
2006 modern 675 #7,585
2007 modern 668 #7,708
2008 modern 672 #7,711
2009 modern 687 #7,750
2010 modern 698 #7,797
2011 modern 704 #7,667
2012 modern 710 #7,527
2013 modern 712 #7,632
2014 modern 701 #7,761
2015 modern 689 #7,817
2016 modern 681 #7,872

Geography

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Where Filmers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Minster, Cliffe, Witchling, Otterden, Lenham, London parishes and St Mary Northgate, St John's Hospital. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swale, Medway, Mid Sussex and Maidstone. 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 Minster Kent
2 Cliffe Kent
3 Witchling, Otterden, Lenham Kent
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Mary Northgate, St John's Hospital Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swale 015 Swale
2 Medway 002 Medway
3 Mid Sussex 008 Mid Sussex
4 Maidstone 001 Maidstone
5 Maidstone 011 Maidstone

Forenames

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First names often paired with Filmer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Filmer

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Filmer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Filmer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Filmer 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

Filmer 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

Filmer falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Filmer

The surname FILMER is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period in England. It is derived from the Old English word "fylmere," which means "one who makes felt or fulled cloth." This occupation-based surname was initially given to those involved in the wool and textile trade, specifically those responsible for the process of felting or fulling cloth.

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the FILMER name was primarily found in the counties of Wiltshire, Dorset, and Somerset in the southwest of England. These areas were renowned for their thriving wool and cloth industries, which likely contributed to the emergence of this surname among local textile workers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the FILMER surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Surrey from the year 1195, where a person named William Filmer is mentioned. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332 contain the name John Fylmere, showcasing an early spelling variation.

In the 14th century, the FILMER family established themselves in the village of Paxhill, near Lindfield in West Sussex. This connection is evident in the appearance of the name Filmer de Paxhill in various historical documents from that period.

A notable figure bearing the FILMER surname was Sir Robert Filmer (1588-1653), an English political theorist and writer who advocated for the divine right of kings and absolute monarchy. His work, "Patriarcha," published posthumously in 1680, had a significant impact on political discourse during that era.

Another prominent individual was Sir Edmund Filmer (1610-1647), an English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for New Windsor in the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, John Filmer (1701-1783) was a respected English clergyman and author, known for his writings on theological subjects.

The FILMER name also has connections to the arts, with Samuel Filmer (1755-1826), an English engraver and printmaker, and Edward Filmer (1835-1911), a British painter and illustrator, leaving their mark in their respective fields.

Throughout its history, the FILMER surname has been subject to various spelling variations, including Fyllmer, Fylmer, Fillmore, and Phillimore, reflecting the fluidity of English surnames in earlier times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Filmer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Filmer 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 408 Filmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.38x.

County Total Index
Kent 408 18.38x
Middlesex 95 1.46x
Surrey 69 2.18x
Sussex 25 2.28x
Hampshire 16 1.20x
Essex 15 1.17x
Devon 12 0.89x
Lancashire 8 0.10x
Northumberland 7 0.72x
Berkshire 4 0.82x
Gloucestershire 3 0.24x
Denbighshire 1 0.41x
Dorset 1 0.23x
Hertfordshire 1 0.22x
Norfolk 1 0.10x
Somerset 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lenham in Kent leads with 34 Filmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 767.49x.

Place Total Index
Lenham 34 767.49x
Cliffe 26 518.96x
Faversham 23 108.64x
Canterbury St Mildred 22 417.46x
Minster In Sheppey 22 59.82x
Islington London 19 3.01x
Lynsted 19 659.72x
Ashford 18 83.26x
Canterbury St Mary 18 120.81x
Maidstone 14 21.17x
Bow London 13 15.69x
Sittingbourne 13 74.16x
Lambeth 12 2.12x
St Marylebone London 12 3.45x
Rye 11 105.47x
Sutton 11 47.95x
Chelsfield 10 471.70x
Doddington 10 775.19x
West Ham 10 3.53x
Beddington 9 73.41x
Bethersden 9 398.23x
Gillingham 9 19.66x
Kensington London 9 2.49x
Newington 9 3.74x
Camberwell 8 1.92x
Cheetham 8 13.89x
Halling 8 274.91x
Luddesdown 8 1311.48x
Shoreditch London 8 2.84x
Southwark St John 8 40.20x
St Pancras London 8 1.53x
Stoke Damerel 8 8.44x
Boughton Under Blean 7 188.17x
Canterbury St Augustine 7 864.20x
Chatham 7 11.46x
Eastling 7 654.21x
Northfleet 7 35.79x
Wallsend 7 22.80x
Birling 6 304.57x
East Sutton 6 697.67x
Queenborough 6 272.73x
Boughton Malherbe 5 505.05x
Boxley 5 146.63x
Fulham London 5 5.30x
Harrietsham 5 331.13x
Lewisham 5 4.22x
Mile End Old Town London 5 3.61x
Milstead 5 892.86x
Milton In Milton 5 52.97x
Southampton St Lawrence 5 714.29x
Stoke 5 33.42x
Wormshill 5 1041.67x
Yarmouth 5 284.09x
Charlton 4 27.14x
Kingston On Thames 4 5.25x
Loughton 4 62.99x
Peasmarsh 4 215.05x
Ramsgate 4 11.04x
Sandwich St Clement 4 212.77x
Southampton St Mary 4 4.77x
Acton 3 7.87x
Bromley London 3 2.10x
Preston Next Faversham 3 57.47x
St George Hanover Square 3 2.62x
Stone In Dartford 3 52.72x
Sutton At Hone 3 65.08x
Westbury On Trym 3 6.94x
Barham 2 88.50x
Canterbury St George 2 75.19x
Dover St Mary Virgin 2 9.31x
Goodnestone In Eastry 2 222.22x
Hampstead London 2 1.97x
Hastings St Leonards 2 12.41x
Hastings St Mary 2 7.33x
Hornsey 2 2.43x
Iden 2 161.29x
Margate St John Baptist 2 4.92x
Plymouth Charles The 2 3.35x
Strood 2 15.80x
Tonbridge 2 2.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 36
George 31
Thomas 25
John 24
Charles 23
James 21
Edward 19
Henry 11
Alfred 9
Frederick 9
Robert 8
Frank 7
Harry 6
Walter 6
Herbert 5
Albert 4
Arthur 4
Ernest 4
Benjamin 3
Edgar 3
Edwin 3
Frederic 3
Matthew 3
Percy 3
Reginald 3
Richard 3
Thos. 3
Harold 2
Hinton 2
Joseph 2
Josiah 2
Sydney 2
Drew 1
Edmund 1
Frederick. 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Guy 1
Horace 1
Howard 1
Hubert 1
Jefry 1
Jesse 1
Kenneth 1
Lewis 1
Oliver 1
Reginell 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Filmer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Filmer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 667 people were recorded with the Filmer surname. That placed it at #5,405 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Filmer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 681 in 2016. That gives Filmer a modern rank of #7,872.

What does the Filmer surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Old French word "filmier" meaning one who made felt hats or fabrics.

What does the Filmer map show?

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