UK surname
A German occupational surname for someone who makes or sells beer.
In the 1881 census there were 124 people recorded with the Lager surname, ranking it #17,429 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 80, ranked #33,030, down from #17,429 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Packington, Ravenstone, Ibstock and Thornton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lager is 162 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 35.5%.
1881 census count
124
Ranked #17,429
Modern count
80
2016, ranked #33,030
Peak year
1911
162 bearers
Map years
5
1861 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Lager surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Lager surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 55 | #23,413 |
| 1861 | historical | 103 | #20,650 |
| 1881 | historical | 124 | #17,429 |
| 1891 | historical | 125 | #20,713 |
| 1901 | historical | 151 | #17,988 |
| 1911 | historical | 162 | #17,003 |
| 1997 | modern | 80 | #29,554 |
| 1998 | modern | 81 | #29,849 |
| 1999 | modern | 77 | #30,427 |
| 2000 | modern | 77 | #30,486 |
| 2001 | modern | 78 | #30,168 |
| 2002 | modern | 83 | #30,070 |
| 2003 | modern | 77 | #30,762 |
| 2004 | modern | 78 | #30,919 |
| 2005 | modern | 79 | #30,950 |
| 2006 | modern | 78 | #31,385 |
| 2007 | modern | 72 | #32,397 |
| 2008 | modern | 75 | #32,373 |
| 2009 | modern | 80 | #32,277 |
| 2010 | modern | 78 | #32,848 |
| 2011 | modern | 73 | #33,230 |
| 2012 | modern | 82 | #32,701 |
| 2013 | modern | 80 | #33,058 |
| 2014 | modern | 82 | #32,992 |
| 2015 | modern | 81 | #32,975 |
| 2016 | modern | 80 | #33,030 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Packington, Ravenstone, Ibstock, Thornton, St Werburgh and Whitwick. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Packington, Ravenstone | Leicestershire |
| 2 | Ibstock | Leicestershire |
| 3 | Thornton | Leicestershire |
| 4 | St Werburgh | Derbyshire |
| 5 | Whitwick | Leicestershire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Lager surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lager, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Lager surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Lager household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Lager is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lager is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Lager, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Lager originates from German-speaking areas of Europe, most likely from the southern regions of Germany and Austria. It derives from the German word "Lager," which means a storehouse, warehouse, or depot. The name likely arose as an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked in a storehouse or was responsible for managing or overseeing such a facility.
During the Middle Ages, occupational surnames were commonly adopted to identify individuals based on their trades or professions. The earliest recorded instances of the surname Lager can be traced back to the 14th and 15th centuries in various German regions. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Hans Lager, a merchant from Nuremberg, who lived in the late 15th century.
In the 16th century, the name Lager appeared in various German records and documents, such as the Kirchenbücher (church registers) of several towns and villages. For example, a record from 1562 mentions a Johann Lager from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria.
As people migrated and settled in different areas, the surname Lager spread across various regions of Europe and eventually to other parts of the world. In the 17th century, bearers of the name can be found in areas such as Austria, Switzerland, and parts of present-day Poland and Czech Republic.
One notable individual with the surname Lager was Johann Baptist Lager, a German composer and violinist born in 1754 in Würzburg, Bavaria. He composed several operas and instrumental works and served as the court music director in Würzburg.
Another prominent figure was Karl Lager, a German engineer and industrialist born in 1819 in Nuremberg. He founded the Lager & Witzleben Company, which manufactured industrial machinery and equipment, and played a significant role in the industrialization of Germany in the 19th century.
In the 20th century, Kurt Lager, a German-American physicist born in 1903 in Berlin, made important contributions to the development of nuclear energy and was part of the Manhattan Project during World War II.
Other notable individuals with the surname Lager include Hans Lager, a German painter and graphic artist active in the early 20th century, and Wilhelm Lager, a German writer and poet born in 1875 in Düsseldorf, known for his works exploring themes of nature and spirituality.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lager surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Leicestershire leads with 40 Lagers recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.83x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Leicestershire | 40 | 29.83x |
| Derbyshire | 34 | 17.96x |
| Middlesex | 19 | 1.57x |
| Nottinghamshire | 12 | 7.36x |
| Staffordshire | 6 | 1.47x |
| Cheshire | 4 | 1.50x |
| Surrey | 3 | 0.51x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.14x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.17x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 0.56x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 0.33x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Melbourne in Derbyshire leads with 22 Lagers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1705.43x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | 22 | 1705.43x |
| Hugglescote | 16 | 812.18x |
| Whitwick | 13 | 764.71x |
| Mansfield | 12 | 212.77x |
| Packington | 7 | 1458.33x |
| Spondon | 7 | 958.90x |
| St George In East London | 5 | 43.94x |
| Altrincham | 4 | 85.84x |
| Mile End Old Town London | 4 | 15.54x |
| St Giles In Fields London | 4 | 67.45x |
| Breedon On The Hill | 3 | 750.00x |
| Burton Upon Trent | 3 | 31.41x |
| Islington London | 3 | 2.56x |
| Lambeth | 3 | 2.84x |
| Wolstanton | 3 | 24.19x |
| Derby St Werburgh | 2 | 18.30x |
| Ticknall | 2 | 512.82x |
| West Derby | 2 | 4.76x |
| Ashby De La Zouch | 1 | 32.15x |
| Aston | 1 | 1.19x |
| Bradford | 1 | 3.45x |
| Ealing | 1 | 9.25x |
| Horton In Bradford | 1 | 5.34x |
| St Botolph Aldersgate | 1 | 71.94x |
| Stanton By Bridge | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Tottenham | 1 | 5.19x |
| Westgate | 1 | 8.98x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Lager surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Lager surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 124 people were recorded with the Lager surname. That placed it at #17,429 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 80 in 2016. That gives Lager a modern rank of #33,030.
A German occupational surname for someone who makes or sells beer.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Lager bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.