NameCensus.

UK surname

Hamar

A surname signifying one who hailed from or lived near Hamar, Norway.

In the 1881 census there were 170 people recorded with the Hamar surname, ranking it #14,265 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 110, ranked #29,225, down from #14,265 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bishops Castle, Mainstone and Knill. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Isle of Wight and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hamar is 239 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 35.3%.

1881 census count

170

Ranked #14,265

Modern count

110

2016, ranked #29,225

Peak year

1901

239 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hamar had 170 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,265 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016, ranked #29,225.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 239 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Hamar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hamar surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hamar 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 115 #15,634
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 170 #14,265
1891 historical 225 #13,714
1901 historical 239 #13,489
1911 historical 217 #14,214
1997 modern 97 #27,342
1998 modern 110 #26,129
1999 modern 112 #26,044
2000 modern 109 #26,381
2001 modern 108 #26,184
2002 modern 102 #27,596
2003 modern 101 #27,561
2004 modern 102 #27,637
2005 modern 98 #28,325
2006 modern 101 #28,125
2007 modern 104 #28,020
2008 modern 100 #29,001
2009 modern 105 #28,815
2010 modern 106 #29,305
2011 modern 104 #29,424
2012 modern 105 #29,362
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 113 #28,779
2015 modern 112 #28,809
2016 modern 110 #29,225

Geography

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Where Hamars are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bishops Castle, Mainstone, Knill, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhayader. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Isle of Wight, Dudley and Monmouthshire. 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 Bishops Castle Shropshire
2 Mainstone Shropshire
3 Knill Radnorshire
4 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
5 Rhayader Radnorshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 037 Shropshire
2 Isle of Wight 002 Isle of Wight
3 Dudley 041 Dudley
4 Shropshire 030 Shropshire
5 Monmouthshire 006 Monmouthshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hamar

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hamar

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Hamar surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Hamar household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Hamar is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hamar is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hamar falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hamar is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hamar

The surname HAMAR has its origins in the Scandinavian countries of Norway and Sweden. It is believed to have derived from the Old Norse word "hamarr," which means "rock" or "crag." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near or worked with rocks or crags.

In Norway, the name HAMAR can be traced back to the 13th century, when it was recorded in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian diplomas and charters. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Hamar Ivarsson, who was mentioned in a document from 1275.

The city of Hamar in Norway, located near the largest lake in the country, Mjøsa, may have contributed to the spread and popularity of the surname. It is possible that some individuals adopted the name HAMAR after migrating from or being associated with this area.

In Sweden, the name HAMAR has been documented since the 16th century. One notable bearer of the name was Johan Hamar, a Swedish priest and historian who lived between 1589 and 1659. He is known for his work "Kort Beskrifning om Svea och Götha Land," which provided a description of the regions of Sweden.

Another notable figure with the surname HAMAR was Johan Peter Hamar, a Swedish architect who lived from 1754 to 1825. He was responsible for designing several churches and other buildings in the neoclassical style, including the Gustav Adolf Church in Gothenburg.

In the 17th century, the name HAMAR was recorded in the parish registers of Jämtland, a historical province in Sweden. One example is Olof Hamar, who was born in 1632 in the parish of Nätra.

The surname HAMAR has also been found in old records from other parts of Scandinavia, such as Denmark and Finland, suggesting that the name may have spread to these regions through migration or trade connections.

Overall, the surname HAMAR has a rich history rooted in the Scandinavian countries, with its origins likely stemming from Old Norse language and geographical features. Over the centuries, individuals with this surname have contributed to various fields, including religion, architecture, and historical documentation.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hamar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hamar 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. Shropshire leads with 76 Hamars recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.05x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 76 53.05x
Lancashire 26 1.32x
Herefordshire 20 29.42x
Yorkshire 14 0.85x
Radnorshire 12 89.69x
Middlesex 7 0.42x
Brecknockshire 5 15.08x
Kent 3 0.53x
Worcestershire 2 0.92x
Cheshire 1 0.27x
Derbyshire 1 0.39x
Gloucestershire 1 0.31x
Northumberland 1 0.41x
Surrey 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Clun in Shropshire leads with 43 Hamars recorded in 1881 and an index of 4215.69x.

Place Total Index
Clun 43 4215.69x
Castleton 11 55.98x
Witton 11 443.55x
Knill 9 18000.00x
Onibury 8 3076.92x
Clyro 6 1463.41x
Hayes 6 355.03x
Thornaby 6 97.72x
Brecknock St John 5 178.57x
Lower Harpton 5 12500.00x
Mainstone 5 4545.45x
Middlesbrough 5 23.36x
Norton 5 2941.18x
Clunbury 4 714.29x
Crompton 4 71.43x
N Lydbury 4 714.29x
Condover 3 297.03x
Culmington 3 937.50x
Woolwich 3 14.35x
Canon Pyon 2 500.00x
Great Malvern 2 44.25x
Hereford All Sts 2 64.31x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 2 48.31x
Bettws 1 322.58x
Bishops Castle In 1 119.05x
Blenkinsopp 1 243.90x
Cheltenham 1 3.99x
Edgmond 1 63.29x
Hackney London 1 1.08x
Hopesay 1 277.78x
Litchurch 1 9.57x
Ludlow St Lawrence 1 35.09x
Lugwardine 1 232.56x
Monks Coppenhall 1 7.24x
More 1 909.09x
Old Radnor Walton 1 909.09x
Rodd Nash Little 1 1000.00x
Southwark St Thomas 1 227.27x
York St Sampson 1 285.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 7
Mary 6
Annie 5
Jane 5
Sarah 5
Alice 3
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Martha 3
Anne 2
Betsy 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Emma 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Lilly 2
Minnie 2
Myra 2
Adelaide 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Anni 1
Christianna 1
Craia 1
Easter 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Eve 1
Evelyn 1
Florence 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marianne 1
Patty 1
Priscilia 1
Rosa 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 10
Thomas 7
Edward 6
Henry 6
James 5
George 4
Richard 4
Alfred 2
David 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Aaron 1
Abraham 1
Alexander 1
Alva 1
Arthur 1
Daniel 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Jessiah 1
Jessie 1
Joe 1
Jonathan 1
Timothy 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hamar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hamar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 170 people were recorded with the Hamar surname. That placed it at #14,265 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hamar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016. That gives Hamar a modern rank of #29,225.

What does the Hamar surname mean?

A surname signifying one who hailed from or lived near Hamar, Norway.

What does the Hamar map show?

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