NameCensus.

UK surname

Furner

A historical occupational surname referring to a worker at a furnace.

In the 1881 census there were 225 people recorded with the Furner surname, ranking it #11,931 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 297, ranked #14,839, down from #11,931 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lewes St John-under-the-Castle, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackpool, South Cambridgeshire and Melton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Furner is 1,067 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.0%.

1881 census count

225

Ranked #11,931

Modern count

297

2016, ranked #14,839

Peak year

1861

1,067 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Furner had 225 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,931 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 297 in 2016, ranked #14,839.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,067 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Furner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Furner surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Furner 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 420 #5,797
1861 historical 1,067 #2,637
1881 historical 225 #11,931
1891 historical 934 #4,431
1901 historical 422 #9,128
1911 historical 420 #8,969
1997 modern 278 #14,210
1998 modern 290 #14,179
1999 modern 293 #14,175
2000 modern 292 #14,165
2001 modern 291 #14,000
2002 modern 292 #14,236
2003 modern 299 #13,850
2004 modern 303 #13,812
2005 modern 305 #13,689
2006 modern 306 #13,724
2007 modern 298 #14,103
2008 modern 290 #14,466
2009 modern 314 #13,985
2010 modern 322 #14,034
2011 modern 325 #13,808
2012 modern 287 #14,978
2013 modern 311 #14,368
2014 modern 308 #14,571
2015 modern 300 #14,758
2016 modern 297 #14,839

Geography

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Where Furners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lewes St John-under-the-Castle, London parishes, Lambeth, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackpool, South Cambridgeshire, Melton, Mendip and Chelmsford. 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 Lewes St John-under-the-Castle Sussex
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackpool 013 Blackpool
2 South Cambridgeshire 016 South Cambridgeshire
3 Melton 004 Melton
4 Mendip 007 Mendip
5 Chelmsford 019 Chelmsford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Furner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Furner

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

Furner is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Furner falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Furner

The surname Furner originated in England during the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "furner" which referred to a furnace worker or someone who operated a furnace, particularly in the metal manufacturing or smelting industries. The name was most prevalent in areas of England with a strong metalworking tradition, such as the West Midlands and Yorkshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Furner surname comes from the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1198, where a Richard le Furner is mentioned. The use of the "le" prefix indicates the name was originally an occupational descriptor before becoming a hereditary surname. Similar spellings from this era include Fornour, Furneour, and Furnur.

The Furner name appears in various medieval records and manuscripts, including the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1301, which mentions a John Furner. The Furners were also present in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279, indicating their presence in multiple regions of England.

In the 14th century, the name was associated with certain place names, such as Furner's Green in Buckinghamshire and Furner's Field in Warwickshire. These locations likely took their names from local families or individuals bearing the Furner surname.

Notable individuals with the Furner surname throughout history include:

1. William Furner (c. 1590-1677), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Crayford in Kent. 2. John Furner (c. 1662-1714), an English mathematician and inventor from Hertfordshire, known for his contributions to the development of the slide rule. 3. Elizabeth Furner (1735-1806), a British author and poet from Oxfordshire, best known for her collection of poems entitled "The Rural Muse." 4. Thomas Furner (1789-1858), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including St. George's Church in Camberwell. 5. George Furner (1844-1912), a Scottish landscape painter and member of the Royal Scottish Academy, renowned for his depictions of Scottish Highland scenery.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Furner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Furner 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. Sussex leads with 72 Furners recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.55x.

County Total Index
Sussex 72 19.55x
Kent 54 7.24x
Middlesex 36 1.65x
Yorkshire 13 0.60x
Surrey 10 0.94x
Hampshire 7 1.56x
Lincolnshire 7 2.00x
Essex 5 1.16x
Somerset 5 1.42x
Staffordshire 4 0.54x
Lancashire 3 0.12x
Brecknockshire 2 4.58x
Devon 2 0.44x
Dorset 1 0.70x
Glamorgan 1 0.26x
Lanarkshire 1 0.14x
Midlothian 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sittingbourne in Kent leads with 13 Furners recorded in 1881 and an index of 220.71x.

Place Total Index
Sittingbourne 13 220.71x
Crayford 10 306.75x
Greenwich 10 28.75x
Lewes St Ann 10 800.00x
Fulham London 9 28.40x
Rye 9 257.14x
Buxted 8 555.56x
Canterbury All Sts 8 2962.96x
Sedlescombe 8 1666.67x
Udimore 8 2500.00x
Clee With Weelsby 7 91.50x
Westminster St James 6 26.71x
Canterbury St Alphage 5 625.00x
Hackney London 5 4.08x
Lewes St John 5 1219.51x
Middlesbrough 5 17.74x
Rotherfield 5 154.32x
South Shoebury 5 289.02x
Thornaby 5 61.80x
Brede 4 519.48x
Brewood 4 187.79x
Charlton Horethorne 4 1111.11x
Inner Temple London 4 3333.33x
Portsea 4 4.56x
Brighton 3 4.04x
Ealing 3 15.36x
Mile End Old Town London 3 6.45x
Preston 3 46.66x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 6.82x
Winchelsea St Thomas 3 652.17x
Bermondsey 2 3.07x
Bethnal Green London 2 2.11x
Bury 2 6.75x
Camberwell 2 1.43x
Ebony 2 1538.46x
Exeter St Stephen 2 833.33x
Folkestone 2 13.83x
Llangattock 2 56.18x
Southwark St Saviour 2 17.81x
Sutton Stoneferry 2 32.31x
Whitechapel London 2 9.29x
Canterbury Holy Cross 1 138.89x
Canterbury St Mary 1 20.00x
Christchurch 1 10.30x
East Lavant 1 333.33x
Govan 1 0.57x
Guestling 1 166.67x
Hastings All Sts 1 28.82x
Lamberhurstsussex 1 208.33x
Lindfield 1 64.10x
North Leith 1 7.38x
Otford 1 96.15x
Roath 1 5.79x
Southampton All Sts 1 13.02x
St George In East London 1 4.87x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 1 9.94x
Staplegate 1 526.32x
Sutton 1 12.99x
Teddington London 1 20.20x
Tonge With Haulgh 1 19.80x
Wareham Lady St Mary 1 90.09x
Weeke 1 73.53x
Westfield 1 126.58x
Weston Zoyland 1 200.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Thomas 15
William 12
George 11
James 11
Edward 7
John 7
Frederick 4
Henry 4
Albert 3
Charles 3
Edwin 3
Alfred 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Arthur 1
Chas.C. 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Hamnett 1
Isaac 1
Joseph 1
Lemuel 1
Nathaniel 1
Percy 1
Phineas 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Furner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Furner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 225 people were recorded with the Furner surname. That placed it at #11,931 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Furner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 297 in 2016. That gives Furner a modern rank of #14,839.

What does the Furner surname mean?

A historical occupational surname referring to a worker at a furnace.

What does the Furner map show?

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