NameCensus.

UK surname

Honer

A surname with German origins referring to a beekeper or honey farmer.

In the 1881 census there were 97 people recorded with the Honer surname, ranking it #20,127 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 138, ranked #25,127, down from #20,127 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dudley, Pirbright and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Birmingham and Cherwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Honer is 149 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.3%.

1881 census count

97

Ranked #20,127

Modern count

138

2016, ranked #25,127

Peak year

1861

149 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Honer had 97 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,127 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016, ranked #25,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 149 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Honer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Honer surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Honer 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 104 #16,746
1861 historical 149 #15,373
1881 historical 97 #20,127
1891 historical 124 #20,818
1901 historical 77 #25,627
1911 historical 107 #21,842
1997 modern 118 #24,423
1998 modern 129 #23,722
1999 modern 125 #24,366
2000 modern 136 #23,155
2001 modern 123 #24,242
2002 modern 120 #25,110
2003 modern 125 #24,265
2004 modern 128 #24,117
2005 modern 134 #23,406
2006 modern 128 #24,267
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 127 #25,020
2009 modern 137 #24,371
2010 modern 139 #24,688
2011 modern 132 #25,303
2012 modern 142 #24,148
2013 modern 131 #25,932
2014 modern 140 #24,977
2015 modern 137 #25,226
2016 modern 138 #25,127

Geography

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Where Honers are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Birmingham and Cherwell. 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 Dudley Staffordshire
2 Pirbright Surrey
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Birmingham 018 Birmingham
2 Birmingham 054 Birmingham
3 Birmingham 067 Birmingham
4 Cherwell 002 Cherwell
5 Birmingham 056 Birmingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Honer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Honer

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Honer is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Honer 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

Honer falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Honer

The surname HONER originated in Germany, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Middle High German word "honen," which means "to mock" or "to scoff." In its earliest form, the name was likely used as a descriptive nickname for someone who was known for their sarcastic or mocking behavior.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the HONER surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents from the former Kingdom of Saxony, which mentions a "Henricus Honer" in the year 1291. This suggests that the name was already established in the region at that time.

During the Middle Ages, the HONER surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Bavaria and Franconia, which were part of the Holy Roman Empire. In the 15th century, a notable figure named Hans Honer (1438-1512) was a prominent architect and sculptor from Nuremberg, known for his work on the Church of St. Lorenz.

As the name spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Honer, Hoenner, and Hoener. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in England can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham, which mention a marriage between William Honer and Elizabeth Browne in 1598.

Another notable figure with the HONER surname was Johann Honer (1659-1737), a German Lutheran theologian and academic who served as the rector of the University of Wittenberg. He was known for his work on the interpretation of the Bible and his contributions to Protestant theology.

In the 19th century, a prominent figure named Friedrich Honer (1815-1887) was a German landscape painter and etcher, known for his depictions of the Black Forest region. His works are held in various art museums and galleries throughout Germany.

While the HONER surname may not be as widely known as some other German surnames, it has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages and has been carried by notable figures in various fields, including architecture, theology, and art.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Honer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Honer 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 31 Honers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.24x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 31 3.24x
Surrey 20 4.29x
Shropshire 7 8.48x
Warwickshire 7 2.90x
Oxfordshire 6 10.16x
Gloucestershire 5 2.67x
Durham 4 1.41x
Essex 3 1.59x
Hampshire 3 1.53x
Yorkshire 3 0.32x
Lincolnshire 2 1.31x
Sussex 2 1.24x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.73x
Glamorgan 1 0.60x
Kent 1 0.31x
Royal Navy 1 8.78x
Somerset 1 0.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 11 Honers recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.20x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 11 13.20x
Battersea 7 19.90x
Aston 6 9.04x
Islington London 6 6.48x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 28.33x
Hackney London 5 9.33x
Mile End Old Town London 5 24.58x
Oxford St Clement 5 335.57x
Egglescliffe 4 1904.76x
Ratcliffe London 4 75.76x
Shadwell London 4 149.81x
Shrewsbury Holy Cross 4 439.56x
Alverstoke 3 42.31x
Nazeing 3 1250.00x
Shrewsbury St Mary 3 92.02x
St Marylebone London 3 5.88x
Paddington London 2 5.69x
Stoke 2 90.91x
West Itchenor 2 4000.00x
Amersham 1 121.95x
Barkstone 1 625.00x
Coyty Lower 1 92.59x
Gillingham 1 14.88x
Great Grimsby 1 10.31x
Great Habton Little 1 1428.57x
Hilderthorpe 1 208.33x
Royal Navy 1 10.27x
Sheldon 1 769.23x
St George Martyr London 1 51.55x
St Margaret Moses London 1 10000.00x
Stokenchurch 1 188.68x
Wembdon 1 217.39x
Yarm 1 204.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Eliza 4
Ellen 4
Ann 3
Alice 2
Anne 2
Annie 2
Charlotte 2
Elizabeth 2
Martha 2
Sarah 2
Catherine 1
Christian 1
Elemina 1
Elenor 1
Elizth 1
Em.M.A. 1
Ethel 1
Eunice 1
F.M. 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Ida 1
Jane 1
Janes 1
Kate 1
Lucretia 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Marie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
George 7
Joseph 4
William 4
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Charles 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
James 1
Percey 1
Robt.I. 1
Robt.M. 1
Walter 1
Wm.Charles 1

FAQ

Honer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Honer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 97 people were recorded with the Honer surname. That placed it at #20,127 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Honer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016. That gives Honer a modern rank of #25,127.

What does the Honer surname mean?

A surname with German origins referring to a beekeper or honey farmer.

What does the Honer map show?

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