NameCensus.

UK surname

Majer

A surname of Eastern European origin, possibly derived from a word meaning "farmer" or "landowner".

In the 1881 census there were 50 people recorded with the Majer surname, ranking it #26,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 258, ranked #16,449, up from #26,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tamworth, Bristol and Staffordshire Moorlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Majer is 259 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 416.0%.

1881 census count

50

Ranked #26,587

Modern count

258

2016, ranked #16,449

Peak year

2014

259 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Majer had 50 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 258 in 2016, ranked #16,449.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 90 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Majer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Majer surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Majer 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 36 #26,838
1861 historical 44 #28,433
1881 historical 50 #26,587
1891 historical 90 #25,399
1901 historical 28 #30,951
1911 historical 33 #29,703
1997 modern 137 #22,301
1998 modern 155 #21,227
1999 modern 162 #20,781
2000 modern 165 #20,501
2001 modern 163 #20,372
2002 modern 166 #20,532
2003 modern 166 #20,320
2004 modern 154 #21,432
2005 modern 166 #20,379
2006 modern 176 #19,787
2007 modern 179 #19,811
2008 modern 184 #19,666
2009 modern 195 #19,329
2010 modern 213 #18,660
2011 modern 211 #18,630
2012 modern 239 #17,027
2013 modern 250 #16,778
2014 modern 259 #16,509
2015 modern 254 #16,608
2016 modern 258 #16,449

Geography

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Where Majers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tamworth, Bristol, Staffordshire Moorlands, Rotherham and Stafford. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tamworth 007 Tamworth
2 Bristol 042 Bristol, City of
3 Staffordshire Moorlands 009 Staffordshire Moorlands
4 Rotherham 015 Rotherham
5 Stafford 014 Stafford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Majer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Majer

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Majer, 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 Majer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Majer 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Majer is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Majer 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

Majer falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Majer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Majer

The surname Majer originates from Poland and the Czech Republic, emerging in the 13th century. It likely derives from the Old Polish word "majera," meaning a small estate or landholding. This suggests the name may have initially referred to someone who owned or worked on such a property.

In historical records from medieval Poland, variants like "Mayera" and "Maiera" appear, reflecting the name's evolution over time. One of the earliest known references is found in a 1389 charter from the town of Bydgoszcz, which mentions a certain "Johannes Mayera."

The Majer surname can also be traced back to Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. A 1412 manuscript from Prague lists a "Wenceslaus Mayer," using the German spelling variation common in that region. This highlights the name's presence among different Slavic populations.

During the 15th century, the name crops up in various Polish and Czech records. Notable examples include Jakub Majer, a merchant from Krakow born around 1430, and Jan Majer, a prominent landowner in Moravia (now part of the Czech Republic) who lived from 1475 to 1542.

As the centuries progressed, the Majer name spread further across Central and Eastern Europe, with several individuals of note bearing it. These include Józef Majer, a Polish military officer and revolutionary who fought against Russian rule (1808-1899), and Karel Majer, a Czech painter and art teacher active in the late 19th century (1835-1920).

Other historical figures with this surname include Tadeusz Majer, a Polish writer and journalist (1856-1938), Václav Majer, a Czech composer and conductor (1904-1959), and Bronisław Majer, a Polish actor and theater director who lived from 1876 to 1954.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Majer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Majer 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 13 Majers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.90x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 13 2.90x
Durham 7 5.24x
Lancashire 4 0.75x
Cornwall 3 5.91x
Glamorgan 3 3.84x
Hertfordshire 3 9.70x
Monmouthshire 3 9.25x
Leicestershire 2 4.02x
Devon 1 1.07x
Hampshire 1 1.09x
Kent 1 0.65x
Lanarkshire 1 0.69x
Lincolnshire 1 1.39x
Somerset 1 1.38x
Surrey 1 0.46x
Warwickshire 1 0.88x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hutton Henry in Durham leads with 7 Majers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2500.00x.

Place Total Index
Hutton Henry 7 2500.00x
Ratcliffe London 4 161.29x
St Luke London 4 55.56x
Bedwellty 3 52.36x
Berkhampstead 3 428.57x
Llangynwyd Lower 3 4285.71x
Chelsea London 2 14.79x
Fowey 2 869.57x
Leicester St Margaret 2 16.49x
Preston 2 14.04x
Toxteth Park 2 11.09x
Aston 1 3.21x
Barony 1 2.72x
Gillingham 1 31.65x
Lambeth 1 2.56x
Louth 1 60.98x
Madron Penzance 1 54.05x
Shoreditch London 1 5.14x
St George Hanover 1 17.06x
St Pancras London 1 2.77x
Stratfield Turgis 1 3333.33x
Westonsuper Mare 1 666.67x
Wolborough 1 84.75x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 4
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Edward 2
Alfred 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Emil 1
Felix 1
George 1
Infant 1
John 1
Richard 1
Soloman 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Majer households.

FAQ

Majer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Majer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 50 people were recorded with the Majer surname. That placed it at #26,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Majer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 258 in 2016. That gives Majer a modern rank of #16,449.

What does the Majer surname mean?

A surname of Eastern European origin, possibly derived from a word meaning "farmer" or "landowner".

What does the Majer map show?

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