NameCensus.

UK surname

Jenner

An English occupational surname referring to a designer or engineer, derived from the Middle English word "ingener."

In the 1881 census there were 3,556 people recorded with the Jenner surname, ranking it #1,269 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,767, ranked #1,426, down from #1,269 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes and Tunbridge, Bidborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tonbridge and Malling, Sevenoaks and Ashford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jenner is 5,138 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.1%.

1881 census count

3,556

Ranked #1,269

Modern count

4,767

2016, ranked #1,426

Peak year

1911

5,138 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jenner had 3,556 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,269 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,767 in 2016, ranked #1,426.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,138 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Jenner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jenner surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jenner 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 2,013 #1,442
1861 historical 1,563 #1,823
1881 historical 3,556 #1,269
1891 historical 3,575 #1,342
1901 historical 4,568 #1,247
1911 historical 5,138 #1,018
1997 modern 4,869 #1,348
1998 modern 5,110 #1,331
1999 modern 5,122 #1,335
2000 modern 5,010 #1,360
2001 modern 4,911 #1,356
2002 modern 5,014 #1,352
2003 modern 4,845 #1,366
2004 modern 4,857 #1,361
2005 modern 4,625 #1,412
2006 modern 4,558 #1,438
2007 modern 4,585 #1,442
2008 modern 4,624 #1,433
2009 modern 4,726 #1,442
2010 modern 4,844 #1,440
2011 modern 4,773 #1,446
2012 modern 4,699 #1,429
2013 modern 4,797 #1,425
2014 modern 4,847 #1,423
2015 modern 4,805 #1,418
2016 modern 4,767 #1,426

Geography

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Where Jenners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tonbridge and Malling, Sevenoaks and Ashford. 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 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
2 London parishes London 1
3 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tonbridge and Malling 013 Tonbridge and Malling
2 Tonbridge and Malling 009 Tonbridge and Malling
3 Sevenoaks 014 Sevenoaks
4 Ashford 013 Ashford
5 Tonbridge and Malling 002 Tonbridge and Malling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jenner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jenner

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

Jenner is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Jenner

The surname Jenner is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "geonra", meaning "the younger". It first emerged in the 12th century as a descriptive surname to distinguish between two bearers of the same name.

The earliest known record of the surname Jenner appears in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1230, where it was spelled as "Geonre". Over time, the spelling evolved to include variations such as Jenour, Jennor, and Jennar before settling on the modern form of Jenner.

In the 13th century, the name Jenner was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Worcestershire. Several place names in these areas, such as Jenner's Green and Jenner's Lane, likely derived from the presence of Jenner families.

The Jenner surname gained historical significance with the life of Edward Jenner (1749-1823), the pioneer of the smallpox vaccine. His groundbreaking work in developing the first successful vaccine against this deadly disease has saved countless lives and earned him a place in medical history.

Another notable bearer of the Jenner name was Sir Herbert Jenner (1794-1871), a prominent English judge who served as Dean of the Arches and Judge of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury during the 19th century.

In the realm of literature, Charles Jenner (1737-1819) was an English clergyman and author known for his work "The Placid Man, or Memoirs of Sir Charles Beville", published in 1770.

During the Victorian era, Walter Jenner (1836-1909) was a respected English artist and etcher, who specialized in depicting landscapes and architectural scenes of London and the surrounding areas.

The Jenner family tree also includes Walter Jenner Fust (1865-1949), a British lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party in the early 20th century.

Throughout history, the surname Jenner has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including physicians, judges, authors, artists, and politicians, leaving an indelible mark on various fields of human endeavor.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jenner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jenner 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. Kent leads with 1,068 Jenners recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.02x.

County Total Index
Kent 1,068 9.02x
Sussex 1,026 17.54x
Middlesex 450 1.30x
Surrey 419 2.48x
Gloucestershire 131 1.93x
Suffolk 71 1.68x
Wiltshire 47 1.53x
Somerset 45 0.81x
Lancashire 41 0.10x
Essex 38 0.55x
Berkshire 24 0.92x
Hampshire 24 0.34x
Durham 22 0.21x
Hertfordshire 17 0.71x
Yorkshire 17 0.05x
Norfolk 12 0.23x
Cheshire 11 0.14x
Dorset 11 0.48x
Glamorgan 9 0.15x
Staffordshire 9 0.08x
Warwickshire 9 0.10x
Oxfordshire 8 0.37x
Devon 6 0.08x
Lincolnshire 6 0.11x
Worcestershire 5 0.11x
Bedfordshire 4 0.22x
Herefordshire 4 0.28x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.36x
Midlothian 3 0.06x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.09x
Cornwall 2 0.05x
Derbyshire 2 0.04x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.05x
Channel Islands 1 0.10x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Leicestershire 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tonbridge in Kent leads with 152 Jenners recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.61x.

Place Total Index
Tonbridge 152 35.61x
Brighton 108 9.15x
Camberwell 76 3.43x
St Pancras London 70 2.51x
Lambeth 64 2.12x
East Grinstead 54 65.23x
Battle 52 131.75x
Lowestoft 49 24.55x
Cranbrook 47 93.76x
Islington London 45 1.34x
Chiddingstone 40 258.57x
Chiddingly 38 360.87x
Brenenden 37 243.10x
Cuckfield 37 62.64x
Edenbridge 37 159.41x
Maidstone 37 10.50x
Penshurst 36 180.90x
Kensington London 33 1.71x
Lewisham 30 4.75x
St Marylebone London 30 1.62x
Hawkhurst 28 76.11x
Eastbourne 27 10.03x
Hastings St Mary In The 27 21.64x
Plumstead 27 6.84x
West Ham 27 1.79x
Burwash 26 95.83x
Hammersmith London 26 3.04x
Ticehurst 26 72.65x
Deptford St Paul 25 2.74x
Lewes St Michael 25 215.33x
Hastings St Andrew 24 114.50x
Erith 23 19.73x
Croydon 22 2.34x
Folkestone 22 9.58x
Horsley 22 72.99x
Shipbourne 22 365.45x
Bromley 21 11.64x
Hove 21 8.18x
Bermondsey 20 1.94x
Clerkenwell London 20 2.44x
Hartfield 20 108.11x
Hastings Holy Trinity 20 46.40x
Bexley 19 18.16x
Carshalton 19 29.38x
Waldron 19 119.27x
Wadhurst 18 46.88x
Wrotham 18 45.91x
Chelsea London 17 1.63x
Lewes St John 17 261.54x
Lewes St John Southover 17 43.28x
Minster In Sheppey 17 8.67x
Monkwearmouth Shore 17 8.44x
Westminster St James 17 4.77x
Cranleigh 16 64.70x
Framfield 16 88.25x
Harescombe 16 903.95x
Hastings St Mary 16 10.99x
Oxted 16 78.62x
Paddington London 16 1.25x
Sutton 16 13.08x
Aylesford 15 45.73x
Gillingham 15 6.15x
Hadlow 15 51.11x
Lindfield 15 60.68x
Maresfield 15 60.85x
Rotherfield 15 29.13x
St Andrew Holborn London 15 9.99x
Chailey 14 77.26x
Cheriton 14 29.02x
Cowden 14 181.11x
Cudham 14 115.51x
Dorking 14 12.34x
Hastings St Leonards 14 16.28x
Frant 13 31.37x
Greenwich 13 2.35x
Horsham 13 11.44x
Linton 13 125.24x
Shoreditch London 13 0.86x
Willesden 13 3.98x
Yeovil 13 11.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 181
Elizabeth 124
Sarah 116
Ellen 72
Emily 60
Alice 58
Eliza 56
Jane 51
Emma 49
Annie 48
Ann 44
Caroline 42
Fanny 39
Edith 36
Harriet 36
Martha 36
Harriett 35
Kate 35
Louisa 32
Hannah 26
Anne 25
Maria 25
Charlotte 23
Frances 22
Margaret 22
Florence 17
Susan 17
Esther 14
Lucy 13
Rose 13
Ada 12
Matilda 12
Sophia 12
Agnes 11
Amelia 11
Amy 11
Clara 11
Catherine 10
Minnie 10
Rebecca 10
Eleanor 9
Gertrude 9
Julia 8
Laura 8
Ethel 7
Henrietta 7
Maud 7
Nellie 7
Beatrice 6
Flora 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 215
George 150
John 133
James 97
Henry 94
Thomas 88
Charles 86
Edward 70
Alfred 58
Albert 46
Arthur 38
Frederick 38
Richard 34
Walter 34
Harry 30
Ernest 25
Herbert 25
Stephen 24
Robert 23
Samuel 23
Edwin 20
Frank 19
Joseph 18
Benjamin 13
David 13
Horace 10
Percy 10
Fredk. 8
Wm. 8
Martin 7
Daniel 6
Edgar 6
Jesse 6
Philip 6
Sidney 6
Amos 5
Chas. 5
Francis 5
Fredrick 5
Alexander 4
Elias 4
Gilbert 4
Mark 4
Tom 4
Hugh 3
Isaac 3
Jas. 3
Louis 3
Peter 3
Saml. 3

FAQ

Jenner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jenner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,556 people were recorded with the Jenner surname. That placed it at #1,269 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jenner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,767 in 2016. That gives Jenner a modern rank of #1,426.

What does the Jenner surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a designer or engineer, derived from the Middle English word "ingener."

What does the Jenner map show?

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