NameCensus.

UK surname

Hosler

An occupational surname for someone who manufactured leg coverings or gaiters, derived from the Middle English "hosier."

In the 1881 census there were 82 people recorded with the Hosler surname, ranking it #21,957 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 130, ranked #26,152, down from #21,957 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Houghton Conquest, Binfield and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud, County Durham and Enfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hosler is 171 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.5%.

1881 census count

82

Ranked #21,957

Modern count

130

2016, ranked #26,152

Peak year

1911

171 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hosler had 82 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,957 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016, ranked #26,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 171 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Hosler surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hosler surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hosler 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 61 #22,412
1861 historical 82 #23,321
1881 historical 82 #21,957
1891 historical 118 #21,540
1901 historical 139 #18,876
1911 historical 171 #16,461
1997 modern 103 #26,498
1998 modern 113 #25,731
1999 modern 120 #24,960
2000 modern 118 #25,197
2001 modern 115 #25,222
2002 modern 120 #25,110
2003 modern 121 #24,776
2004 modern 126 #24,335
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 131 #23,942
2007 modern 126 #24,860
2008 modern 127 #25,020
2009 modern 131 #25,056
2010 modern 137 #24,907
2011 modern 138 #24,615
2012 modern 136 #24,830
2013 modern 142 #24,547
2014 modern 146 #24,274
2015 modern 142 #24,617
2016 modern 130 #26,152

Geography

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Where Hoslers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Houghton Conquest, Binfield, Wigan, Landbeach and Wokingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud, County Durham, Enfield, Stockport and Exeter. 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 Houghton Conquest Bedfordshire
2 Binfield Berkshire
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Landbeach Cambridgeshire
5 Wokingham Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 002 Stroud
2 County Durham 031 County Durham
3 Enfield 003 Enfield
4 Stockport 007 Stockport
5 Exeter 014 Exeter

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hosler

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hosler

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Hosler surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Hosler household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Hosler is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hosler is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hosler falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hosler is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hosler

The surname Hosler has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old High German word "hos," which means "legging" or "hose," and was likely an occupational name for a maker or seller of hose or leggings.

One of the earliest known records of the name Hosler can be found in the Stadtbücher (city books) of Nuremberg, which date back to the 15th century. The name appeared with various spellings, such as Hoseler, Hossler, and Hosseler, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.

In the 16th century, the Hosler name spread to other regions of Germany, including the Palatinate and Saxony. During this period, the name also began to appear in church records and other official documents, indicating its growing prevalence among the population.

One notable individual bearing the Hosler surname was Hans Hosler, a German painter who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. His works can be found in several museums and galleries across Europe.

As the centuries passed, the Hosler name continued to spread throughout Germany and eventually made its way to other parts of Europe and beyond. In the 18th century, Johann Michael Hosler (1720-1785) was a prominent German composer and organist who served at the court of the Prince-Bishop of Bamberg.

Another notable figure was Karl Hosler (1811-1888), a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Reichstag (the German parliament) in the late 19th century.

In the 20th century, Alfred Hosler (1891-1967) was a Swiss architect and designer who made significant contributions to the Modernist movement in Switzerland.

While the name Hosler originated in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and immigration. Today, individuals bearing this surname can be found in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and others.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hosler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hosler 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. Berkshire leads with 14 Hoslers recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.61x.

County Total Index
Berkshire 14 23.61x
Middlesex 14 1.77x
Essex 11 7.05x
Bedfordshire 8 19.56x
Hampshire 8 4.94x
Yorkshire 7 0.89x
Durham 6 2.55x
Hertfordshire 4 7.35x
Warwickshire 4 2.01x
Cambridgeshire 3 6.00x
Royal Navy 1 10.63x
Staffordshire 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wokingham in Berkshire leads with 12 Hoslers recorded in 1881 and an index of 888.89x.

Place Total Index
Wokingham 12 888.89x
Halstead 10 549.45x
Sherfield Upon Loddon 8 4705.88x
Houghton Conquest 7 4117.65x
Brandon Byshottles 5 170.07x
Ormesby 5 238.10x
Bromley London 4 23.02x
Edgbaston 4 64.72x
Mile End New Town London 4 256.41x
St Albans St Stephen 4 833.33x
St Luke London 3 23.68x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 2 91.74x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 1 13.72x
Burton Upon Trent 1 16.03x
Caddington 1 166.67x
East Ham 1 34.60x
Fordon 1 5000.00x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 9.82x
Reading St Giles 1 17.18x
Reading St Lawrence 1 78.74x
Royal Navy 1 12.42x
Shoreditch London 1 2.92x
St George Hanover Square 1 7.18x
St Marylebone London 1 2.37x
Waterbeach 1 243.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 7
John 3
Joseph 3
Alfred 2
David 2
George 2
Joshua 2
Richard 2
Albert 1
Charles 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Eli 1
Hemmence 1
Henry 1
Infant 1
James 1
Noah 1
Reuben 1
Shadrack 1
Stephen 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1
Wilson 1

FAQ

Hosler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hosler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 82 people were recorded with the Hosler surname. That placed it at #21,957 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hosler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016. That gives Hosler a modern rank of #26,152.

What does the Hosler surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who manufactured leg coverings or gaiters, derived from the Middle English "hosier."

What does the Hosler map show?

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