NameCensus.

UK surname

Litster

An occupational surname referring to a dyer of cloth or fabric.

In the 1881 census there were 277 people recorded with the Litster surname, ranking it #10,283 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 321, ranked #14,065, down from #10,283 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Melrose, Carham and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St Andrews South East, Northumberland and Greater Lochgilphead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Litster is 336 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.9%.

1881 census count

277

Ranked #10,283

Modern count

321

2016, ranked #14,065

Peak year

1901

336 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Litster had 277 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,283 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 321 in 2016, ranked #14,065.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 336 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Litster surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Litster surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Litster 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 219 #9,712
1861 historical 232 #10,535
1881 historical 277 #10,283
1891 historical 317 #10,611
1901 historical 336 #10,762
1911 historical 117 #20,757
1997 modern 269 #14,543
1998 modern 288 #14,249
1999 modern 289 #14,320
2000 modern 290 #14,237
2001 modern 280 #14,364
2002 modern 298 #14,048
2003 modern 285 #14,295
2004 modern 290 #14,178
2005 modern 301 #13,812
2006 modern 313 #13,517
2007 modern 303 #13,965
2008 modern 300 #14,135
2009 modern 307 #14,192
2010 modern 311 #14,345
2011 modern 311 #14,260
2012 modern 321 #13,836
2013 modern 311 #14,368
2014 modern 310 #14,499
2015 modern 315 #14,247
2016 modern 321 #14,065

Geography

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Where Litsters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Melrose, Carham, London parishes, Newcastle All Saints and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St Andrews South East, Northumberland, Greater Lochgilphead, Mid Devon and Rochdale. 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 Melrose Roxburgh
2 Carham Northumberland
3 London parishes London 3
4 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St Andrews South East Fife
2 Northumberland 001 Northumberland
3 Greater Lochgilphead Argyll and Bute
4 Mid Devon 011 Mid Devon
5 Rochdale 022 Rochdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Litster

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Litster

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Litster surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Litster household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Litster 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

Litster is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Litster falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Litster

The surname Litster originated in England during the medieval period. It was an occupational name derived from the Old English word 'litster', meaning a dyer or litster. This occupation involved dyeing fabrics and clothes, particularly wool, using plant-based dyes.

The name was most prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire, where the wool trade was a significant industry. It first appeared in records as early as the 13th century, with one of the earliest known references being in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1279, where it was spelled 'le Littestere'.

In the 14th century, the name was recorded in various forms, such as 'Lytster', 'Litester', and 'Lytestere', reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. One notable example is found in the Cheshire Pipe Rolls of 1349, which mention a Thomas le Litster.

The Litster surname is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, the oldest surviving public record in England. Although the surname itself is not recorded, there are references to individuals with the occupation of 'tinctor', which is the Latin equivalent of a dyer or litster.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Litster was John Litster, who was born in Yorkshire in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was William Litster, a merchant and alderman in the city of York, who lived in the 15th century.

In the 16th century, the surname gained prominence with the birth of Thomas Litster (1525-1589), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.

During the 17th century, the name appeared in various parish records across England. One noteworthy individual was John Litster (1609-1657), a English soldier and landowner from Cambridgeshire.

The 18th century saw the birth of Robert Litster (1740-1808), a Scottish merchant and banker who played a significant role in the economic development of Aberdeen.

Throughout its history, the Litster surname has been linked to various place names, such as Litster's Green in Leicestershire and Litster's Farm in Derbyshire, reflecting the geographical spread of those bearing this occupational name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Litster families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Litster 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. Fife leads with 75 Litsters recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.28x.

County Total Index
Fife 75 48.28x
Selkirkshire 42 176.92x
Midlothian 35 9.96x
Cumberland 22 9.74x
East Lothian 18 51.78x
Northumberland 17 4.35x
Kinross-shire 11 165.91x
Lanarkshire 11 1.30x
Middlesex 10 0.38x
Argyllshire 8 10.95x
Roxburghshire 7 14.73x
Kirkcudbrightshire 5 13.16x
Aberdeenshire 3 1.23x
Berwickshire 2 6.29x
Cheshire 1 0.17x
Derbyshire 1 0.24x
Durham 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dunfermline in Fife leads with 22 Litsters recorded in 1881 and an index of 92.13x.

Place Total Index
Dunfermline 22 92.13x
Galashiels 21 239.18x
Melrose 21 351.76x
Workington 15 116.01x
St Andrews 14 198.02x
Beath 11 224.03x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 11 7.78x
Colinton 10 255.10x
St George Hanover Square 10 21.63x
Dunoon Kilmun 8 140.35x
Kinross 8 352.42x
Ednam 7 1250.00x
Ceres 6 320.86x
Cornhill 6 1016.95x
Dunbar 6 123.20x
Whitekirk Tynninghame 6 631.58x
Barony 5 2.33x
Buittle 5 561.80x
Carham 5 495.05x
Cleator 5 53.19x
Fala Soutra 5 1785.71x
Govan 5 2.38x
West Calder 5 72.15x
Ballingry 4 416.67x
Forgan 4 134.23x
Kinglassie 4 338.98x
Leslie 4 101.78x
Tweedmouth 4 82.14x
Aberdeen Old Machar 3 5.91x
Kinghorn 3 90.91x
Portmoak 3 319.15x
Auchterderran 2 51.15x
Bridekirk 2 111.11x
Coldstream 2 86.96x
Edinburgh St Georges 2 27.40x
Oldhamstocks 2 392.16x
Wallsend 2 16.16x
Castle Eden 1 126.58x
Dirleton 1 73.53x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 14.64x
Glasgow 1 0.66x
Haddington 1 19.49x
Innerwick 1 142.86x
Logie 1 285.71x
Ludworth 1 51.81x
Newton In Ashton Under 1 17.48x
Ratho 1 60.98x
Tranent 1 21.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 5
Mary 4
Elizabeth 3
Hannah 2
Margaret 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Eleanor 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Polly 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
Alexander 4
James 4
John 4
George 2
Robert 2
David 1
Peter 1

FAQ

Litster surname: questions and answers

How common was the Litster surname in 1881?

In 1881, 277 people were recorded with the Litster surname. That placed it at #10,283 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Litster surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 321 in 2016. That gives Litster a modern rank of #14,065.

What does the Litster surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a dyer of cloth or fabric.

What does the Litster map show?

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