UK surname
A surname derived from an Old English word meaning "keeper of horses" or "groom".
In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Fosler surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4, ranked #38,419, down from #33,721 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Sunderland, St Pancras and Earsdon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fosler is 232 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 100.0%.
1881 census count
2
Ranked #33,721
Modern count
4
2016, ranked #38,419
Peak year
1861
232 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Fosler surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Fosler surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 80 | #19,558 |
| 1861 | historical | 232 | #10,535 |
| 1881 | historical | 2 | #33,721 |
| 1891 | historical | 124 | #20,818 |
| 1901 | historical | 24 | #31,365 |
| 1911 | historical | 40 | #28,913 |
| 1997 | modern | 9 | #37,214 |
| 1998 | modern | 9 | #37,189 |
| 1999 | modern | 8 | #37,367 |
| 2000 | modern | 9 | #37,119 |
| 2001 | modern | 8 | #37,124 |
| 2002 | modern | 7 | #37,379 |
| 2003 | modern | 7 | #37,397 |
| 2004 | modern | 9 | #37,213 |
| 2005 | modern | 8 | #37,422 |
| 2006 | modern | 9 | #37,345 |
| 2007 | modern | 10 | #37,335 |
| 2008 | modern | 9 | #37,473 |
| 2009 | modern | 9 | #37,573 |
| 2010 | modern | 7 | #37,904 |
| 2011 | modern | 9 | #37,598 |
| 2012 | modern | 5 | #38,167 |
| 2013 | modern | 5 | #38,195 |
| 2014 | modern | 4 | #38,376 |
| 2015 | modern | 4 | #38,392 |
| 2016 | modern | 4 | #38,419 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Sunderland, St Pancras, Earsdon, Portsmouth, Portsea and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunderland | Durham |
| 2 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | Earsdon | Northumberland |
| 4 | Portsmouth, Portsea | Hampshire |
| 5 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Fosler surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fosler, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Fosler surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Fosler household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Fosler is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fosler is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Fosler, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Fosler is believed to have originated from the Germanic occupational name for a forester or forest ranger. It is derived from the Middle English word "foster," which means "forester" or "keeper of the woods." The name is thought to have first appeared in England during the 12th century.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Fosler can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1194, where a person named Hugo Forester is mentioned. This suggests that the name may have been initially spelled as "Forester" before evolving into its modern form.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name Fosler began to spread across various regions of England, including Lancashire, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a person named William le Forester is recorded in Derbyshire, while the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 mention a John le Fostre in Nottinghamshire.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Fosler was Robert Fosler, who was born in 1428 in Lincolnshire, England. He served as a forester in the royal forests of King Henry VI and is mentioned in several historical records from that period.
Another prominent figure was Sir John Fosler, born in 1532 in Gloucestershire. He was a wealthy landowner and held various positions in the local government during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
In the 17th century, the name Fosler appeared in various parish records across England. For instance, the baptismal records of St. Mary's Church in Basingstoke, Hampshire, include entries for Thomas Fosler (born 1612) and Elizabeth Fosler (born 1628).
During the 18th century, the surname Fosler began to spread beyond England to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies. Notable individuals from this period include William Fosler (1724-1787), a merchant and landowner in Virginia, and James Fosler (1749-1821), a soldier in the American Revolutionary War.
Throughout the 19th century, the Fosler surname continued to be found in various historical records and documents across England, Scotland, Ireland, and the United States. One notable individual from this era was Charles Fosler (1818-1896), a renowned author and journalist who wrote extensively about the American Civil War.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fosler surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 1 Foslers recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.94x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Braintree in Essex leads with 1 Foslers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3333.33x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Braintree | 1 | 3333.33x |
| West Teignmouth | 1 | 3333.33x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Fosler surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Fosler households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Domestic | 1 |
| General Serv (Nurse) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Fosler surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 4 in 2016. That gives Fosler a modern rank of #38,419.
A surname derived from an Old English word meaning "keeper of horses" or "groom".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Fosler bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.