NameCensus.

UK surname

Marner

A surname indicating someone who lives near a marsh or fen.

In the 1881 census there were 254 people recorded with the Marner surname, ranking it #10,949 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 355, ranked #13,020, down from #10,949 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes and South Bersted and Bognor. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bow Farm, Barrs Cottage, Cowdenknowes and Overton, Gourock Upper and West Central and Upper Larkfield and Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Marner is 395 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.8%.

1881 census count

254

Ranked #10,949

Modern count

355

2016, ranked #13,020

Peak year

1998

395 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Marner had 254 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,949 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 355 in 2016, ranked #13,020.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 304 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Marner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Marner surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Marner 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 147 #13,084
1861 historical 187 #12,690
1881 historical 254 #10,949
1891 historical 304 #11,005
1901 historical 256 #12,934
1911 historical 267 #12,360
1997 modern 382 #11,377
1998 modern 395 #11,452
1999 modern 388 #11,696
2000 modern 381 #11,814
2001 modern 363 #12,057
2002 modern 391 #11,627
2003 modern 385 #11,570
2004 modern 384 #11,625
2005 modern 383 #11,565
2006 modern 384 #11,579
2007 modern 375 #11,955
2008 modern 375 #12,059
2009 modern 375 #12,317
2010 modern 367 #12,775
2011 modern 361 #12,800
2012 modern 360 #12,673
2013 modern 363 #12,815
2014 modern 373 #12,633
2015 modern 358 #12,942
2016 modern 355 #13,020

Geography

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Where Marners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst, London parishes, South Bersted and Bognor, St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford and Findon. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bow Farm, Barrs Cottage, Cowdenknowes and Overton, Gourock Upper and West Central and Upper Larkfield, Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl, West Berkshire and Swindon. 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 Broadwater (incl. Worthing), Nuthurst Sussex
2 London parishes London 3
3 South Bersted and Bognor Sussex
4 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)
5 Findon Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bow Farm, Barrs Cottage, Cowdenknowes and Overton Inverclyde
2 Gourock Upper and West Central and Upper Larkfield Inverclyde
3 Lower Bow and Larkfield, Fancy Farm, Mallard Bowl Inverclyde
4 West Berkshire 018 West Berkshire
5 Swindon 024 Swindon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Marner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Marner

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Marner surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Marner household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Marner is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Marner 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

Marner falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Marner

The surname Marner originated in the German regions during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Middle High German word "marner," meaning "mariner" or "sailor." This suggests that the name was initially an occupational surname given to those who worked on ships or in maritime trades.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records from the coastal regions of northern Germany, particularly in areas like Hamburg and Bremen, which had thriving port cities and a strong maritime culture. Some early spellings included Marnere, Marner, and Marener.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Lübeck City Records from 1295, where a certain "Hinricus Marner" is mentioned. This suggests that the name had already been established in the region by that time.

During the late 15th century, the surname Marner appeared in the Bremisches Urkundenbuch, a collection of historical documents from the city of Bremen. This record mentions a "Johan Marner" who was a prominent merchant and ship owner in the area.

As the name spread throughout Germany and other parts of Europe, it also took on various regional variations. For instance, in the Netherlands, the name was sometimes spelled as "Marner" or "Marnaer."

One notable historical figure with this surname was Johann Andreas Marner, a German poet and playwright born in 1663 in Nuremberg. He is best known for his satirical works and plays that commented on the social and political issues of his time.

Another individual of note was Gottfried Marner, a German theologian and author who lived from 1650 to 1712. He wrote extensively on religious subjects and was a respected figure in the Lutheran church.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure named Carl Friedrich Marner (1733-1809) was a German jurist and legal scholar. He served as a judge and made significant contributions to the development of German law.

The name also found its way to England, where it was sometimes anglicized to "Mariner." One example is John Mariner, an English merchant and explorer who was born in 1556 and is known for his travels to the East Indies and the Ottoman Empire.

Although the surname Marner originated from an occupational term related to maritime professions, over time, it became a hereditary surname passed down through generations, regardless of the bearer's actual occupation.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Marner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Marner 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. Sussex leads with 88 Marners recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.98x.

County Total Index
Sussex 88 20.98x
Middlesex 38 1.53x
Hampshire 27 5.30x
Lancashire 27 0.91x
Kent 25 2.95x
Surrey 20 1.65x
Renfrewshire 9 4.67x
Devon 4 0.77x
Oxfordshire 3 1.95x
Warwickshire 3 0.48x
Norfolk 2 0.52x
Northamptonshire 2 0.85x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.67x
Cumberland 1 0.47x
Dorset 1 0.61x
Durham 1 0.14x
Essex 1 0.20x
Leicestershire 1 0.36x
Royal Navy 1 3.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Broadwater in Sussex leads with 19 Marners recorded in 1881 and an index of 197.51x.

Place Total Index
Broadwater 19 197.51x
Oldham 15 15.75x
Portsea 14 14.01x
Poplar London 12 25.56x
Deptford St Nicholas 10 148.59x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 13.95x
Deptford St Paul 9 13.75x
Middle Greenock 9 171.10x
Tangmere 9 5625.00x
Brighton 8 9.46x
Wymering 8 952.38x
Findon 7 1166.67x
Brightling 6 1052.63x
Kensington London 6 4.34x
South Bersted 6 168.07x
St Botolph Aldgate 6 176.47x
Littlehampton 5 149.25x
Oving 5 352.11x
Bedhampton 4 666.67x
Buckland Monachorum 4 360.36x
Dallington 4 888.89x
Hambledon 4 312.50x
Bermondsey 3 4.05x
Brenchley 3 98.68x
Eartham 3 2307.69x
Horsham 3 36.81x
St Pancras London 3 1.50x
Stoke Newington London 3 15.49x
Westhampnett 3 681.82x
Battersea 2 2.19x
Ferring 2 1000.00x
Guildford Holy Trinity 2 86.58x
Islington London 2 0.83x
Leamington 2 48.08x
Lydd 2 109.89x
Newington 2 2.18x
Poynings 2 740.74x
Reepham With Kerdiston 2 444.44x
Rotherfield Greys 2 122.70x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 4.00x
St Luke London 2 5.01x
Up Waltham 2 2857.14x
Barnwell St Andrew 1 454.55x
Barrow In Furness 1 2.49x
Birmingham 1 0.48x
Caversham 1 32.57x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.70x
Cornforth 1 45.87x
Gorton 1 3.60x
Hove 1 5.43x
Kingston On Thames 1 3.44x
Lambeth 1 0.46x
Leicester St Mary 1 4.49x
Liverpool 1 0.56x
Maiden Newton 1 147.06x
Northampton Priory St 1 7.12x
Penrith 1 12.64x
Rottingdean 1 69.93x
Royal Navy 1 3.95x
Sevenoaks 1 14.53x
Shalford 1 74.63x
Spitalfields London 1 5.34x
Springfield 1 46.51x
St Marylebone London 1 0.75x
St Stephen Coleman 1 151.52x
St Thomas Winchester 1 27.78x
Storrington 1 86.96x
Taplow 1 109.89x
Thames Ditton 1 39.68x
Tillington 1 133.33x
Wandsworth 1 4.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 13
Mary 13
Jane 10
Sarah 9
Emma 8
Eliza 6
Lucy 5
Margaret 5
Ann 4
Ellen 4
Harriet 4
Annie 3
Clara 3
Martha 3
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Marion 2
Priscilla 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Antionette 1
Beatrice 1
Charlotte 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Jemima 1
Kethleen 1
Lizzie 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Marianne 1
Philadelphia 1
Rosa 1
Rossia 1
Susan 1
Whilhmena 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
George 15
Henry 8
James 8
John 8
Charles 7
Harry 5
Robert 5
Frederick 3
Patrick 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Reuben 2
Walter 2
A.T. 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Benjamin 1
Benjn. 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Ellen 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Geo 1
Goodwin 1
Harvey 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Joseph 1
Leon 1
Me... 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Rueben 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Timothy 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Marner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Marner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 254 people were recorded with the Marner surname. That placed it at #10,949 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Marner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 355 in 2016. That gives Marner a modern rank of #13,020.

What does the Marner surname mean?

A surname indicating someone who lives near a marsh or fen.

What does the Marner map show?

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