UK surname
Derived from the Middle French word "lamer" meaning "longshoreman" or "seafarer".
In the 1881 census there were 20 people recorded with the Lamer surname, ranking it #30,738 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 20, ranked #36,679, down from #30,738 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, Bursledon and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lamer is 156 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.0%.
1881 census count
20
Ranked #30,738
Modern count
20
2016, ranked #36,679
Peak year
1861
156 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Lamer surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Lamer surname density by area, 1891 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 | 76 | #20,127 |
| 1861 | historical | 156 | #14,813 |
| 1881 | historical | 20 | #30,738 |
| 1891 | historical | 129 | #20,285 |
| 1901 | historical | 54 | #28,178 |
| 1911 | historical | 25 | #30,654 |
| 1997 | modern | 14 | #36,528 |
| 1998 | modern | 13 | #36,679 |
| 1999 | modern | 17 | #36,261 |
| 2000 | modern | 12 | #36,749 |
| 2001 | modern | 10 | #36,852 |
| 2002 | modern | 9 | #37,051 |
| 2003 | modern | 9 | #37,101 |
| 2004 | modern | 9 | #37,213 |
| 2005 | modern | 7 | #37,581 |
| 2006 | modern | 8 | #37,481 |
| 2007 | modern | 8 | #37,572 |
| 2008 | modern | 8 | #37,597 |
| 2009 | modern | 12 | #37,230 |
| 2010 | modern | 14 | #37,124 |
| 2011 | modern | 13 | #37,191 |
| 2012 | modern | 13 | #37,169 |
| 2013 | modern | 17 | #36,857 |
| 2014 | modern | 21 | #36,577 |
| 2015 | modern | 21 | #36,574 |
| 2016 | modern | 20 | #36,679 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, Bursledon, St Leonard Shoreditch, Barnsley and London parishes. 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 | St George in the East | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | Bursledon | Hampshire |
| 3 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 4 | Barnsley | Gloucestershire |
| 5 | London parishes | London 3 |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Lamer 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 Lamer, 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 Lamer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Lamer 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, Lamer 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 Lamer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Lamer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Lamer originated in France during the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "l'amer," meaning "the bitter one." This name was likely given as a nickname to someone with a bitter or sour temperament.
The earliest recorded instance of the Lamer surname can be found in the archives of the Abbey of Saint-Denis in Paris, dated around 1180. This document mentions a knight named Geoffroi Lamer, who was granted land near the village of Montlhéry, south of Paris.
In the 13th century, the name Lamer appeared in several medieval manuscripts and records from the Normandy region of France. One notable example is a charter from 1265, which bears the signature of a nobleman called Robert Lamer, Lord of Bricqueville.
During the 14th century, the Lamer family had established themselves in the Picardy region of northern France. The name can be found in the records of the town of Amiens, where a merchant named Jacques Lamer was a prominent citizen in the 1380s.
In the 15th century, the Lamer surname spread to other parts of Europe. A notable figure from this era was Konrad Lamer, a German scholar and humanist born in Nuremberg in 1439. He is known for his contributions to the study of classical literature and his translations of ancient Greek texts.
Another significant figure bearing the Lamer surname was Pierre Lamer, a French explorer who accompanied Jacques Cartier on his voyages to the Americas in the 16th century. Born in Saint-Malo in 1510, Pierre Lamer played a crucial role in mapping the Gulf of St. Lawrence and establishing trade relations with the indigenous peoples of Canada.
In the 17th century, the Lamer family had branches in various regions of France, including Normandy, Picardy, and Brittany. One notable individual from this period was Jean-Baptiste Lamer, a renowned architect born in Rouen in 1654. He designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the Church of Saint-Sulpice and the Palais du Luxembourg.
As the Lamer name spread across Europe, it also appeared in various spellings, such as Lamer, Lammer, and Lamers. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and linguistic traditions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lamer 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. Devon leads with 6 Lamers recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.79x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Damerel in Devon leads with 6 Lamers recorded in 1881 and an index of 211.27x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Stoke Damerel | 6 | 211.27x |
| Bledlow | 5 | 7142.86x |
| Brightside Bierlow | 3 | 79.16x |
| Bradpole | 1 | 1000.00x |
| Camberwell | 1 | 8.03x |
| Dundee | 1 | 14.84x |
| Enfield | 1 | 78.13x |
| Friern Barnet | 1 | 232.56x |
| Islington London | 1 | 5.29x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Lamer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 20 people were recorded with the Lamer surname. That placed it at #30,738 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 20 in 2016. That gives Lamer a modern rank of #36,679.
Derived from the Middle French word "lamer" meaning "longshoreman" or "seafarer".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Lamer 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.