NameCensus.

UK surname

Kramer

A German occupational surname referring to a shopkeeper or merchant, derived from the Middle High German word "kram".

In the 1881 census there were 126 people recorded with the Kramer surname, ranking it #17,245 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 807, ranked #6,859, up from #17,245 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Enfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Salford, Bury and Swale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kramer is 807 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 540.5%.

1881 census count

126

Ranked #17,245

Modern count

807

2016, ranked #6,859

Peak year

2016

807 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kramer had 126 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,245 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 807 in 2016, ranked #6,859.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 454 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Kramer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kramer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kramer 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 42 #25,706
1861 historical 38 #29,216
1881 historical 126 #17,245
1891 historical 197 #15,101
1901 historical 297 #11,721
1911 historical 454 #8,445
1997 modern 658 #7,596
1998 modern 697 #7,498
1999 modern 718 #7,380
2000 modern 675 #7,706
2001 modern 665 #7,662
2002 modern 695 #7,556
2003 modern 697 #7,403
2004 modern 709 #7,320
2005 modern 693 #7,406
2006 modern 693 #7,413
2007 modern 718 #7,283
2008 modern 727 #7,274
2009 modern 731 #7,387
2010 modern 742 #7,435
2011 modern 724 #7,506
2012 modern 755 #7,185
2013 modern 784 #7,085
2014 modern 803 #6,983
2015 modern 805 #6,907
2016 modern 807 #6,859

Geography

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Where Kramers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Enfield and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Salford, Bury, Swale, Barnet and Hertsmere. 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 Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Enfield Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Salford 010 Salford
2 Bury 026 Bury
3 Swale 002 Swale
4 Barnet 037 Barnet
5 Hertsmere 013 Hertsmere

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kramer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kramer

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kramer, 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 Kramer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Kramer 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Kramer is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Kramer 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

Kramer falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kramer 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Kramer

The surname Kramer has its origins in the German language and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Middle High German word "kram," which means a merchant or trader, particularly one who dealt in small goods or wares. The name likely originated in the regions of present-day Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kramer can be found in the Codex Traditionum Monasterii Sancti Petri Salisburgensis, a 9th-century manuscript from the Monastery of St. Peter in Salzburg, Austria. This suggests that the name was already in use during the Carolingian period.

In the 11th century, the name Kramer appeared in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This indicates that individuals bearing the name had already migrated to England by that time.

Notable individuals with the surname Kramer throughout history include Hendrik Kramer (c. 1430-1505), a Dutch Renaissance painter known for his religious works; Matthias Kramer (1640-1718), a German Catholic theologian and professor at the University of Ingolstadt; and Johann Kramer (1676-1737), a German composer and organist active in the late Baroque period.

In the 19th century, Joseph Kramer (1806-1875) was an Austrian Catholic priest and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Vienna. Adolf Kramer (1832-1911) was a German industrialist and engineer who founded the Kramer Machine Factory, a leading manufacturer of agricultural machinery.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Kramer was the American actor and comedian, Henny Kramer (1911-1973), known for his roles in films such as "The Apartment" and "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World."

While the surname Kramer has its roots in the German-speaking regions of Europe, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, as a result of migration and immigration.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kramer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kramer 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 66 Kramers recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 66 5.37x
Yorkshire 26 2.13x
Surrey 16 2.67x
Durham 5 1.37x
Lancashire 4 0.27x
Glamorgan 3 1.40x
Kent 2 0.48x
Cheshire 1 0.37x
Essex 1 0.41x
Suffolk 1 0.67x
Westmorland 1 3.70x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Poplar London in Middlesex leads with 10 Kramers recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.10x.

Place Total Index
Poplar London 10 43.10x
Bethnal Green London 9 16.86x
Sheffield 9 23.21x
Clapham 7 45.57x
Rotherhithe 7 46.08x
Brightside Bierlow 6 25.12x
Clerkenwell London 6 20.68x
Mile End Old Town London 6 22.94x
St George In East London 6 51.90x
Shoreditch London 5 9.38x
St Katherine Creechurch 5 2380.95x
Bromley London 4 14.79x
Monkwearmouth Shore 4 56.02x
St Marylebone London 4 6.10x
Wakefield 4 42.78x
Cardiff St Mary 3 25.45x
Hornsey 3 19.31x
Kimberworth 3 44.38x
St Luke London 3 15.22x
Nether Hallam 2 12.14x
Toxteth Park 2 4.05x
Birkenhead 1 4.62x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 4.04x
Ecclesfield 1 11.20x
Erwarton 1 1428.57x
Everton 1 2.15x
Fyfield 1 500.00x
Islington London 1 0.84x
Kendal 1 20.24x
Lambeth 1 0.93x
Liverpool 1 1.13x
Paddington London 1 2.21x
Richmond 1 11.92x
St Botolph Aldgate London 1 39.53x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.62x
St Lawrence 1 34.72x
St Pancras London 1 1.01x
Stone In Dartford 1 92.59x
Stranton 1 8.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Emma 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Anne 2
Annie 2
Blanche 2
Catherine 2
Eleanor 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Fredericka 2
Sarah 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Carliner 1
Catharine 1
Cecilia 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.M. 1
Emelie 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Julia 1
Katharine 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Mary.A. 1
Matilda 1
Menca 1
Racheal 1
Rose 1
Rosina 1
Salomea 1
Selina 1
Sophie 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
George 6
Charles 4
William 4
Frederick 3
Joseph 3
Henry 2
James 2
Robert 2
A.A. 1
Albert 1
Chas. 1
Chls. 1
Criss 1
Edward 1
Eugine 1
Francis 1
Franz 1
Fredy 1
Geo.Fredk. 1
Gottfreid 1
Hans 1
Harry 1
Jacob 1
Jerrold 1
Johann 1
Juliues 1
Lewis 1
M. 1
Otto 1
Philip 1
Radolfo 1
Reuben 1
Simon 1
Solomon 1
T.Frederick 1

FAQ

Kramer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kramer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 126 people were recorded with the Kramer surname. That placed it at #17,245 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kramer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 807 in 2016. That gives Kramer a modern rank of #6,859.

What does the Kramer surname mean?

A German occupational surname referring to a shopkeeper or merchant, derived from the Middle High German word "kram".

What does the Kramer map show?

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