NameCensus.

UK surname

Morter

A surname derived from the Old French word "mortier", meaning a miller or dealer in mortar.

In the 1881 census there were 209 people recorded with the Morter surname, ranking it #12,475 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 487, ranked #10,172, up from #12,475 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edmonton, Dilham and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breckland, Broadland and North Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Morter is 492 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 133.0%.

1881 census count

209

Ranked #12,475

Modern count

487

2016, ranked #10,172

Peak year

2014

492 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Morter had 209 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,475 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 487 in 2016, ranked #10,172.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 451 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Morter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Morter surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Morter 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 206 #10,183
1861 historical 186 #12,751
1881 historical 209 #12,475
1891 historical 321 #10,520
1901 historical 357 #10,280
1911 historical 451 #8,489
1997 modern 463 #9,850
1998 modern 467 #10,120
1999 modern 476 #10,026
2000 modern 474 #10,029
2001 modern 463 #10,009
2002 modern 485 #9,846
2003 modern 463 #10,026
2004 modern 455 #10,208
2005 modern 430 #10,575
2006 modern 437 #10,487
2007 modern 426 #10,809
2008 modern 452 #10,369
2009 modern 461 #10,462
2010 modern 479 #10,370
2011 modern 472 #10,400
2012 modern 465 #10,422
2013 modern 480 #10,331
2014 modern 492 #10,212
2015 modern 485 #10,233
2016 modern 487 #10,172

Geography

Back to top

Where Morters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edmonton, Dilham, London parishes, Neateshead and Hethersett. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breckland, Broadland, North Norfolk, South Norfolk and Norwich. 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 Edmonton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Dilham Norfolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 Neateshead Norfolk
5 Hethersett Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breckland 013 Breckland
2 Broadland 009 Broadland
3 North Norfolk 010 North Norfolk
4 South Norfolk 005 South Norfolk
5 Norwich 006 Norwich

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Morter

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Morter

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Morter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Morter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Morter is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Morter is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Morter falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Morter

The surname Morter has its origins in England, emerging in the late medieval period around the 14th century. It is derived from the Old English word "mortere," which means a vessel used for grinding and pounding materials. This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked with mortars, possibly in the preparation of food, medicines, or pigments.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1379, where a person named William Morter is mentioned. This provides evidence of the existence of the surname during the late 14th century in the northern regions of England.

The Morter surname can also be traced to various locations in England, such as the villages of Morter in Derbyshire and Morter's Ham in Worcestershire. These place names may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname, including Morter, Mortere, and Mortar.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the Morter surname include John Morter, who lived in Nottinghamshire in the late 16th century, and William Morter, a merchant from London born in 1612. Additionally, Thomas Morter, a clergyman born in 1675 in Worcestershire, held the position of Rector of Beddington in Surrey.

Another figure of historical significance was Captain James Morter, a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the 18th century. He was involved in several notable battles and expeditions, including the capture of Havana in 1762 during the Seven Years' War.

In the literary realm, Samuel Morter, born in 1758 in Yorkshire, was a renowned poet and author who published several works, including "The Poetical Remains" and "The Village Curate," which received critical acclaim during his lifetime.

These examples illustrate the longevity and prevalence of the Morter surname throughout various regions of England, spanning several centuries and encompassing individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Morter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Morter 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. Norfolk leads with 106 Morters recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.65x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 106 34.65x
Middlesex 45 2.26x
Suffolk 13 5.36x
Surrey 11 1.13x
Yorkshire 8 0.41x
Essex 7 1.78x
Durham 6 1.01x
Kent 6 0.88x
Hampshire 1 0.25x
Lanarkshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 20 Morters recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.14x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 20 23.14x
Heigham 14 85.26x
Norwich St Michael At 12 677.97x
Neatishead 9 2307.69x
Coltishall 8 1230.77x
Bowling 7 35.84x
Tottenham 7 22.09x
Bawburgh 6 2068.97x
Belton 6 1395.35x
Earlham 6 3750.00x
Islington London 6 3.11x
Shoreditch London 6 6.96x
Dilham 5 1724.14x
Great Ellingham 5 1111.11x
Great Yarmouth 5 19.73x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 19.50x
Lambeth 5 2.88x
Swardeston 5 2173.91x
Thorpe Market 5 3571.43x
Camberwell 4 3.15x
Marlingford 4 2500.00x
Woodford 4 89.89x
Hampstead London 3 9.68x
Hethersett 3 389.61x
Hoveton St John 3 1500.00x
Ipswich St Margaret 3 36.50x
West Ham 3 3.46x
Costessey 2 303.03x
Hackney London 2 1.79x
Honing 2 909.09x
Ipswich St Nicholas 2 150.38x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 2 21.79x
Tonbridge 2 8.17x
Woolwich 2 7.97x
Bacton 1 312.50x
Brisley 1 434.78x
Catton 1 196.08x
Colney 1 1666.67x
Croydon 1 1.86x
Darenth 1 95.24x
Field Dalling 1 454.55x
Folkestone 1 7.59x
Gorleston 1 16.23x
Govan 1 0.63x
Kyo 1 35.84x
Lowestoft 1 8.73x
Marton In Middlesbrough 1 138.89x
North Walsham 1 45.25x
Norwich St James 1 41.67x
Portsea 1 1.25x
Reigate Foreign 1 9.52x
Sidestrand 1 909.09x
Southrepps 1 169.49x
St Bartholomew By 1 714.29x
Witton In Smallburgh 1 588.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 10
Mary 7
Emma 6
Harriet 6
Eliza 5
Lucy 5
Sarah 5
Caroline 4
Ada 2
Alice 2
Anna 2
Edith 2
Hannah 2
Martha 2
Phoebe 2
Rosa 2
Agness 1
Betsy 1
Charlotte 1
Daisy 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Ester 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Harriett 1
Isabel 1
J. 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Leila 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Marina 1
Maryann 1
Matilda 1
Millicent 1
Phebe 1
Silina 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Thirza 1
William 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Morter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Morter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 209 people were recorded with the Morter surname. That placed it at #12,475 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Morter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 487 in 2016. That gives Morter a modern rank of #10,172.

What does the Morter surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "mortier", meaning a miller or dealer in mortar.

What does the Morter map show?

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