NameCensus.

UK surname

Hostler

A surname derived from an occupation hosting or caring for horses.

In the 1881 census there were 197 people recorded with the Hostler surname, ranking it #12,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 160, ranked #22,694, down from #12,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, London parishes and Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Suffolk Coastal, Shepway and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hostler is 250 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.8%.

1881 census count

197

Ranked #12,955

Modern count

160

2016, ranked #22,694

Peak year

1901

250 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hostler had 197 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 160 in 2016, ranked #22,694.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 250 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hostler surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hostler surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hostler 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 198 #10,483
1861 historical 137 #16,465
1881 historical 197 #12,955
1891 historical 176 #16,404
1901 historical 250 #13,136
1911 historical 225 #13,874
1997 modern 187 #18,398
1998 modern 195 #18,397
1999 modern 187 #18,999
2000 modern 180 #19,425
2001 modern 178 #19,288
2002 modern 180 #19,533
2003 modern 177 #19,549
2004 modern 175 #19,805
2005 modern 166 #20,379
2006 modern 171 #20,131
2007 modern 171 #20,387
2008 modern 175 #20,311
2009 modern 173 #20,869
2010 modern 173 #21,327
2011 modern 170 #21,407
2012 modern 158 #22,460
2013 modern 170 #21,726
2014 modern 163 #22,547
2015 modern 159 #22,796
2016 modern 160 #22,694

Geography

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Where Hostlers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, London parishes, Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew, Haddenham and Bedlington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Suffolk Coastal, Shepway, Northumberland and Rotherham. 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 St George in the East London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 Sudbury All Saints, Sudbury St Gregory, Sudbury St Peter, Sudbury St Bartholomew Suffolk
4 Haddenham Cambridgeshire
5 Bedlington Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Suffolk Coastal 002 Suffolk Coastal
2 Suffolk Coastal 004 Suffolk Coastal
3 Shepway 011 Shepway
4 Northumberland 021 Northumberland
5 Rotherham 006 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hostler

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hostler

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Hostler surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hostler household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

London Fringe

Within London, Hostler is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Hostler 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

Hostler 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 Hostler 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 Hostler, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hostler

The surname Hostler is an occupational name that originated in England, derived from the Old French word "hostelier" or "hosteller," which meant an innkeeper or the keeper of a hostel or inn. This name dates back to the medieval period when inns and hostels were common places for travelers to find lodging and refreshments.

Hostlers were responsible for tending to the horses and stables of these establishments, ensuring the animals were properly fed, watered, and groomed. As the profession of hostler became more specialized, the name evolved to refer specifically to those who cared for horses at inns and taverns.

The earliest known record of the surname Hostler can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from the year 1273, where a person named Robert le Hostiler is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Hosteler, Hostiler, and Hostelere, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that time. One notable example is John Hosteler, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1379.

During the 16th century, the surname Hostler became more standardized in its spelling, and it began to appear in parish records and other historical documents across England. One individual of note is Thomas Hostler, a merchant from London, who was mentioned in the records of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in 1567.

As the name spread across different regions of England, it also became associated with certain place names. For instance, there is a village called Hostle Hurst in Cheshire, which may have influenced the surname's development in that area.

Notable individuals with the surname Hostler include John Hostler (1609-1673), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge from 1660 to 1673. Another prominent figure was Robert Hostler (1765-1834), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.

In the 19th century, the surname Hostler was carried by individuals such as William Hostler (1801-1877), an English businessman and philanthropist who founded the Hostler Charity in Nottinghamshire, and James Hostler (1827-1899), a British engineer and inventor known for his contributions to the development of steam engines.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hostler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hostler 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 40 Hostlers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.08x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 40 2.08x
Norfolk 26 8.80x
Suffolk 20 8.54x
Yorkshire 17 0.89x
Essex 12 3.16x
Lanarkshire 11 1.77x
Hertfordshire 10 7.55x
Lancashire 9 0.39x
Bedfordshire 8 8.04x
Cambridgeshire 6 4.93x
Kent 6 0.92x
Northumberland 6 2.10x
Surrey 6 0.64x
Devon 5 1.25x
Herefordshire 4 5.08x
Hampshire 3 0.76x
Northamptonshire 3 1.66x
Dorset 2 1.59x
Lincolnshire 2 0.65x
Perthshire 1 1.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Costessey in Norfolk leads with 13 Hostlers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2031.25x.

Place Total Index
Costessey 13 2031.25x
St George In East London 13 71.90x
Halstead 11 248.31x
Sudbury St Peter 11 859.38x
St George Hanover Square 9 26.58x
Bedford St Peter 8 310.08x
Kensington London 8 7.49x
Butley 7 2800.00x
Bothwell 6 35.61x
Ince In Makerfield 6 56.55x
Cramlington 5 132.28x
Danby Wiske 5 2631.58x
Hemel Hempstead 5 83.75x
Malborough 5 314.47x
Mile End Old Town London 5 12.22x
Norwich St Michael At 5 292.40x
Bishops Frome 4 833.33x
Clifton In York 4 100.50x
Norwich St Margaret 4 869.57x
Pembury 4 430.11x
Abbots Langley 3 152.28x
Haddenham 3 263.16x
Helpstone 3 638.30x
Lambeth 3 1.79x
Landbeach 3 882.35x
Leeds 3 2.79x
Preston 3 4.92x
Govan 2 1.30x
Great Yarmouth 2 8.17x
Howden 2 155.04x
Ryde 2 23.64x
Shotts 2 26.88x
Sudbury St Gregory 2 106.38x
Watford 2 19.47x
Bedlington 1 10.47x
Farnborough 1 104.17x
Finchley 1 13.57x
Foulness 1 212.77x
Hunmanby 1 112.36x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 11.27x
Lanark 1 20.00x
Ludford Magna 1 384.62x
Lyme Regis 1 66.23x
Newton St Faith 1 454.55x
Perth East Church 1 12.30x
Putney 1 11.42x
Ramsgate 1 9.35x
Rotherhithe 1 4.21x
Sinderby 1 1250.00x
St Giles In Fields London 1 10.60x
St Marylebone London 1 0.97x
Stainton Dale 1 625.00x
Swaby 1 370.37x
Tottenham 1 3.27x
Wandsworth 1 5.41x
Westminster St James 1 5.06x
Woodsford 1 833.33x
Wymering 1 153.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 11
Alice 7
Hannah 7
Maria 6
Sarah 6
Emma 5
Mary 5
Jane 4
Annie 3
Caroline 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Lilian 2
Louisa 2
Susannah 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Albeanar 1
Bella 1
Edith 1
Emly 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Evelyn 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Jimima 1
Kate 1
Keziah 1
Leah 1
Louise 1
Mahalah 1
Margaret 1
Phoebe 1
Sophia 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
John 10
James 8
Alfred 6
George 6
Thomas 6
Charles 5
Henry 5
Arthur 4
Joseph 4
Daniel 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Jas. 2
Richard 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
David 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Jonathan 1
Mark 1
Reuben 1
Rewben 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Hostler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hostler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 197 people were recorded with the Hostler surname. That placed it at #12,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hostler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 160 in 2016. That gives Hostler a modern rank of #22,694.

What does the Hostler surname mean?

A surname derived from an occupation hosting or caring for horses.

What does the Hostler map show?

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