NameCensus.

UK surname

Horner

One who made horn products, such as spoons or combs, or a player of the horn instrument.

In the 1881 census there were 5,726 people recorded with the Horner surname, ranking it #770 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,769, ranked #996, down from #770 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, London parishes and Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Harrogate and Calderdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Horner is 7,208 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.2%.

1881 census count

5,726

Ranked #770

Modern count

6,769

2016, ranked #996

Peak year

1999

7,208 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Horner had 5,726 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #770 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,769 in 2016, ranked #996.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,258 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Horner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Horner surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Horner 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 3,157 #917
1861 historical 2,740 #1,071
1881 historical 5,726 #770
1891 historical 5,239 #893
1901 historical 6,204 #895
1911 historical 6,258 #824
1997 modern 6,988 #931
1998 modern 7,149 #948
1999 modern 7,208 #949
2000 modern 7,113 #954
2001 modern 6,970 #950
2002 modern 7,055 #955
2003 modern 6,875 #955
2004 modern 6,816 #971
2005 modern 6,692 #980
2006 modern 6,649 #987
2007 modern 6,705 #985
2008 modern 6,788 #974
2009 modern 6,938 #977
2010 modern 7,048 #985
2011 modern 6,988 #975
2012 modern 6,853 #972
2013 modern 6,899 #988
2014 modern 6,912 #993
2015 modern 6,796 #997
2016 modern 6,769 #996

Geography

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Where Horners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, London parishes, Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Harrogate and Calderdale. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 059 County Durham
2 Harrogate 005 Harrogate
3 Harrogate 016 Harrogate
4 Calderdale 003 Calderdale
5 Calderdale 019 Calderdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Horner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Horner

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Horner is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Horner is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Horner falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Horner

The surname Horner has its origins in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It derives from the Old English word "horn" or "hyrne," which referred to a horn or a hornblower. The name likely originated as an occupational name for someone who played the horn or made horns.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Horner can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a person named "Horner" living in Hertfordshire. Another early record is from the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195, which include a reference to a "Horner" family.

In the 13th century, the surname Horner appeared in various forms, such as "Hornere" and "Hornor." These variations reflect the different spellings and pronunciations used in different regions of England at the time.

One notable individual with the surname Horner was Thomas Horner, a 15th-century English theologian and cleric who served as the Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1480 to 1494.

In the 16th century, the surname Horner was associated with a place name in Somerset, England, called "Horner." This connection suggests that some individuals with the surname may have derived their name from the location rather than the occupational origin.

In the 17th century, John Horner (1622-1683) was a prominent English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Wells, Somerset.

Another notable figure was Francis Horner (1778-1817), a Scottish lawyer, politician, and co-founder of the Edinburgh Review. He was a prominent Whig politician and played a significant role in the abolition of the slave trade.

In the 19th century, Leonard Horner (1785-1864) was a Scottish geologist and factory inspector who made significant contributions to the field of geology and advocated for improved working conditions in factories.

Throughout history, the surname Horner has been prevalent in various regions of England, particularly in Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Hertfordshire, where it is believed to have originated.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Horner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Horner 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. Yorkshire leads with 2,501 Horners recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.54x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 2,501 4.54x
Lancashire 504 0.76x
Durham 297 1.80x
Middlesex 276 0.50x
Surrey 143 0.53x
Essex 134 1.22x
Lincolnshire 133 1.50x
Norfolk 125 1.46x
Hampshire 122 1.07x
Staffordshire 118 0.63x
Sussex 117 1.25x
Leicestershire 109 1.77x
Nottinghamshire 108 1.44x
Derbyshire 89 1.02x
Kent 72 0.38x
Somerset 69 0.77x
Northamptonshire 64 1.22x
Huntingdonshire 58 5.25x
Gloucestershire 56 0.51x
Devon 54 0.47x
Wigtownshire 54 7.31x
Wiltshire 51 1.04x
Warwickshire 48 0.34x
Cheshire 40 0.33x
Northumberland 37 0.45x
Worcestershire 37 0.51x
Lanarkshire 36 0.20x
Bedfordshire 33 1.15x
Berkshire 24 0.58x
Dorset 23 0.63x
Ayrshire 21 0.50x
Renfrewshire 21 0.49x
Monmouthshire 17 0.42x
Glamorgan 16 0.17x
Cambridgeshire 14 0.40x
Hertfordshire 14 0.37x
Cumberland 13 0.27x
Cornwall 9 0.14x
Brecknockshire 8 0.72x
Channel Islands 8 0.49x
Suffolk 5 0.07x
Royal Navy 4 0.60x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.09x
Oxfordshire 3 0.09x
Flintshire 2 0.13x
Midlothian 2 0.03x
Westmorland 2 0.16x
Berwickshire 1 0.15x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.04x
Herefordshire 1 0.04x
Rutland 1 0.24x
Shropshire 1 0.02x
West Lothian 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. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 83 Horners recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.67x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 83 2.67x
Skipton 57 32.87x
Manningham 49 7.22x
High Low Bishopside 47 96.15x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 43 22.82x
Keighley 43 7.32x
Portsea 43 1.93x
Hunslet 41 4.77x
Hackney London 40 1.28x
Northallerton 38 54.03x
Manchester 37 1.25x
Ripon 34 26.60x
West Bromwich 34 3.16x
Bedale 32 159.52x
Halifax 32 3.96x
North Mundham 32 342.98x
Sheffield 32 1.82x
Horton In Bradford 31 3.60x
Islington London 31 0.58x
Warley 31 19.47x
Bradford 30 2.25x
Camberwell 30 0.84x
Eckington 29 13.71x
Great Staughton 29 135.45x
Irthlingborough 29 56.55x
Huddersfield 28 3.49x
Middlesbrough 28 3.90x
Barrow In Furness 27 3.01x
Belgrave 27 19.41x
Burnley 26 4.68x
Darlington 26 4.07x
Horbury 26 26.98x
Wortley In Bramley 25 5.73x
Brotton 24 33.38x
Toxteth Park 24 1.07x
Great Driffield 23 20.34x
Leicester St Mary 23 4.62x
Thirsk 23 36.18x
Beverley St Martin 22 23.92x
Broughton In Salford 22 3.65x
Clifton In York 22 19.09x
Holbeck 22 6.03x
Ardwick 21 3.53x
Birmingham 21 0.45x
Ilkley 21 23.32x
Otley 21 15.70x
South Bersted 21 26.34x
Stockton On Tees 21 2.63x
Wakefield 21 4.96x
Brightside Bierlow 20 1.85x
Salford 20 1.03x
Shoreditch London 20 0.83x
Lambeth 19 0.39x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 19 28.29x
Old Luce 19 40.78x
Staveley 19 12.30x
Chorlton On Medlock 18 1.72x
Eastwood 18 6.78x
Ecclesall Bierlow 18 1.61x
Hipperholme Cum 18 7.43x
Newington 18 0.88x
St Pancras London 18 0.40x
Huby 17 179.70x
Liversedge 17 6.93x
Nottingham St Mary 17 0.88x
Rowley Regis 17 3.25x
Settle 17 40.30x
Skircoat 17 7.82x
St Swithin Lincoln 17 12.16x
West Ham 17 0.70x
Wigston Magna 17 20.79x
Ashton Under Lyne 16 1.11x
Barony 16 0.35x
Everton 16 0.76x
Kensington London 16 0.52x
Newark Upon Trent 16 5.94x
St Marylebone London 16 0.54x
Strensall 16 188.46x
Willington 16 16.74x
Haslingden 15 5.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 422
Elizabeth 226
Sarah 220
Jane 148
Ann 109
Annie 89
Emma 82
Hannah 81
Eliza 80
Ellen 69
Alice 67
Emily 63
Margaret 52
Martha 47
Harriet 41
Charlotte 37
Edith 35
Louisa 34
Caroline 32
Ada 31
Maria 28
Anne 26
Florence 24
Kate 24
Clara 23
Agnes 22
Fanny 21
Rebecca 21
Catherine 17
Esther 17
Rachel 17
Minnie 16
Susan 16
Isabella 15
Sophia 15
Amelia 14
Frances 14
Harriett 14
Rose 14
Lucy 13
Matilda 13
Ruth 13
Amy 12
Ethel 12
Lily 12
Gertrude 11
Laura 11
Elizth. 9
Eleanor 8
Lydia 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 364
William 319
George 218
James 178
Thomas 172
Joseph 130
Charles 110
Henry 105
Robert 78
Edward 56
Alfred 51
Richard 51
Samuel 44
Arthur 43
Frederick 39
Albert 36
Harry 30
Walter 30
Francis 29
Herbert 24
Wm. 24
Christopher 22
Ernest 18
Frank 18
David 17
Fred 17
Isaac 16
Tom 14
Geo. 12
Anthony 11
Edwin 11
Benjamin 9
Edmund 9
Leonard 9
Thos. 9
Peter 8
Ralph 8
Chas. 7
Jonathan 7
Joshua 7
Mark 7
Mathew 7
Stephen 7
Matthew 6
Simon 6
Luke 5
Willie 5
Allen 4
Jabez 4
Moses 4

FAQ

Horner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Horner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,726 people were recorded with the Horner surname. That placed it at #770 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Horner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,769 in 2016. That gives Horner a modern rank of #996.

What does the Horner surname mean?

One who made horn products, such as spoons or combs, or a player of the horn instrument.

What does the Horner map show?

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