NameCensus.

UK surname

Jager

A German occupational surname referring to a hunter or gamekeeper.

In the 1881 census there were 129 people recorded with the Jager surname, ranking it #17,013 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 173, ranked #21,561, down from #17,013 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney and Battersea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Herefordshire, Pendle and Hertsmere.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jager is 193 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.1%.

1881 census count

129

Ranked #17,013

Modern count

173

2016, ranked #21,561

Peak year

2010

193 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jager had 129 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,013 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 173 in 2016, ranked #21,561.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 168 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Jager surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jager surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jager 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 74 #20,443
1861 historical 98 #21,388
1881 historical 129 #17,013
1891 historical 109 #22,701
1901 historical 148 #18,212
1911 historical 168 #16,620
1997 modern 160 #20,259
1998 modern 163 #20,582
1999 modern 173 #19,935
2000 modern 166 #20,426
2001 modern 163 #20,372
2002 modern 164 #20,687
2003 modern 161 #20,697
2004 modern 171 #20,079
2005 modern 164 #20,552
2006 modern 170 #20,214
2007 modern 166 #20,811
2008 modern 175 #20,311
2009 modern 184 #20,079
2010 modern 193 #19,880
2011 modern 184 #20,363
2012 modern 173 #21,135
2013 modern 171 #21,654
2014 modern 177 #21,340
2015 modern 170 #21,800
2016 modern 173 #21,561

Geography

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Where Jagers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney, Battersea and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Herefordshire, Pendle, Hertsmere, North West Leicestershire and Cornwall. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
4 Battersea London (South Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Herefordshire 011 Herefordshire, County of
2 Pendle 002 Pendle
3 Hertsmere 013 Hertsmere
4 North West Leicestershire 003 North West Leicestershire
5 Cornwall 065 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jager

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jager

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Jager surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Jager 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Jager is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Jager 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

Jager falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Jager

The surname Jager has its origins in Germany and is derived from the German word "Jäger," which means "hunter" or "huntsman." The name likely originated in the Middle Ages when hunting was a common occupation or pastime among the nobility and those who lived in rural areas.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Jager can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries in various regions of Germany. One notable example is found in the Codex Manesse, a medieval German manuscript dating back to around 1300, which mentions a Ritter Jäger (Knight Jäger).

In the 15th and 16th centuries, the name Jager became more widespread across German-speaking regions, with variations in spelling such as Jäger, Jaeger, and Jeger appearing in historical records and documents. During this time, the name was often associated with individuals who worked as professional hunters, gamekeepers, or foresters.

The name Jager has also been connected to various place names in Germany, such as Jägersburg (a town in Rhineland-Palatinate), Jägerndorf (a former town in Silesia, now part of Poland), and Jägerbrünnlein (a locality in Bavaria). These place names may have influenced the adoption or spread of the surname in certain regions.

Notable individuals with the surname Jager throughout history include:

1. Johann Jäger (1592-1629), a German Lutheran theologian and philosopher. 2. Georg Jäger (1624-1692), a German Baroque painter and engraver. 3. Johann Wolfgang Jäger (1647-1720), a German Lutheran theologian and philosopher. 4. Georg Friedrich Jäger (1785-1866), a German anatomist and zoologist. 5. Gustav Jäger (1808-1871), a German philosopher and naturalist.

While the surname Jager has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and has been adopted by various cultural groups and communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jager families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jager 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 42 Jagers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.29x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 42 3.29x
Surrey 21 3.37x
Lancashire 19 1.25x
Yorkshire 13 1.03x
Kent 7 1.61x
Lanarkshire 5 1.21x
Hampshire 4 1.53x
Sussex 4 1.86x
Essex 3 1.19x
Stirlingshire 3 6.37x
Midlothian 2 1.17x
Wiltshire 2 1.77x
Channel Islands 1 2.64x
Clackmannanshire 1 9.48x
Cornwall 1 0.69x
Glamorgan 1 0.45x
Hertfordshire 1 1.14x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 9 Jagers recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.03x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 9 11.03x
Hackney London 8 11.17x
Hipperholme Cum 8 143.88x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 29.06x
Battersea 6 12.76x
Limehouse London 6 42.77x
Mile End Old Town London 6 22.06x
West Derby 6 13.53x
Govan 5 4.89x
Islington London 5 4.04x
Newington 5 10.59x
Whitechapel London 5 39.68x
Brighton 4 9.20x
Broughton In Salford 4 28.86x
Tottenham 4 19.66x
Elland Cum Greetland 3 52.63x
Grangemouth 3 5000.00x
Kensington London 3 4.22x
Portsea 3 5.84x
Dewsbury 2 15.40x
Edinburgh Greenside 2 88.50x
Gillingham 2 22.25x
Greenwich 2 9.83x
Swindon 2 22.81x
West Ham 2 3.59x
Bovingdon 1 217.39x
Bromley London 1 3.56x
Chatham 1 8.34x
Chigwell 1 42.02x
Guildford St Mary 1 129.87x
Lee 1 15.80x
Margate St John Baptist 1 12.53x
Moss Side 1 12.53x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.24x
Portsmouth 1 16.58x
Shoreditch London 1 1.81x
St Anne Soho London 1 13.70x
St Blazey 1 78.74x
St Helier 1 8.11x
St Pancras London 1 0.97x
Stoke Newington London 1 10.05x
Tillicoultry 1 42.55x
Tottington Lower End 1 13.87x
Ystradyfodwg 1 5.12x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Jager 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
Maria 4
Elizabeth 3
Florence 3
Emily 2
Louisa 2
Alice 1
Augusta 1
Caroline 1
Diana 1
Dora 1
Elizh.Mary 1
Elizh.S. 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Henrietta 1
Jane 1
Juana 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lucy 1
Margaretta 1
Marion 1
Marjamin 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Rebecca 1
Rike 1
Rysina 1
Sarah 1
Sophia 1
Sophie 1
Teakch 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 8
Henry 5
John 4
Fred 3
Edward 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Rudolph 2
William 2
Albert 1
Arnold 1
Arth. 1
Bocone 1
Cha. 1
Christian 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
George 1
Gustav 1
Hanson 1
Harry 1
Herman 1
Horold 1
Jacob 1
Jakobus 1
Jhon 1
Jno.H. 1
Joe 1
Julius 1
Karst 1
Lawrence 1
Otto 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Pieter 1
Richard 1
Runed 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1
Will. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Jager surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jager surname in 1881?

In 1881, 129 people were recorded with the Jager surname. That placed it at #17,013 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jager surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 173 in 2016. That gives Jager a modern rank of #21,561.

What does the Jager surname mean?

A German occupational surname referring to a hunter or gamekeeper.

What does the Jager map show?

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