NameCensus.

UK surname

Nestor

A surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a place name or from the Greek name Nestor.

In the 1881 census there were 50 people recorded with the Nestor surname, ranking it #26,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 470, ranked #10,475, up from #26,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Acton, Wakefield and Chesterfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Hampshire, Hammersmith and Fulham and Leicester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nestor is 485 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 840.0%.

1881 census count

50

Ranked #26,587

Modern count

470

2016, ranked #10,475

Peak year

1999

485 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nestor had 50 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 470 in 2016, ranked #10,475.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 126 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Nestor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nestor surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nestor 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 27 #28,467
1861 historical 43 #28,562
1881 historical 50 #26,587
1891 historical 93 #24,965
1901 historical 100 #22,863
1911 historical 126 #19,831
1997 modern 458 #9,939
1998 modern 477 #9,955
1999 modern 485 #9,900
2000 modern 460 #10,245
2001 modern 447 #10,294
2002 modern 460 #10,248
2003 modern 437 #10,539
2004 modern 430 #10,697
2005 modern 426 #10,649
2006 modern 429 #10,645
2007 modern 434 #10,639
2008 modern 429 #10,850
2009 modern 449 #10,690
2010 modern 461 #10,701
2011 modern 463 #10,551
2012 modern 461 #10,482
2013 modern 475 #10,401
2014 modern 475 #10,472
2015 modern 469 #10,500
2016 modern 470 #10,475

Geography

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Where Nestors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Acton, Wakefield, Chesterfield, Liverpool and Leigh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Hampshire, Hammersmith and Fulham, Leicester, Wakefield and Blackburn with Darwen. 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 Acton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Chesterfield Derbyshire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Leigh Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Hampshire 007 East Hampshire
2 Hammersmith and Fulham 005 Hammersmith and Fulham
3 Leicester 035 Leicester
4 Wakefield 030 Wakefield
5 Blackburn with Darwen 001 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nestor

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nestor

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Nestor surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Nestor household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Nestor 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

Nestor 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

Nestor 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 Nestor 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Nestor

The surname Nestor originated in Greece during ancient times. It is derived from the Greek name Nestor, which was derived from the Greek word "nestoros" meaning "homecoming" or "returning home". The name likely originated in reference to men who had returned home from war or travel.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Nestor is in Homer's Iliad, where the character Nestor was a wise and revered elder king of Pylos. His name has since been associated with wisdom, experience and counsel. The name was also found in ancient Greek inscriptions and manuscripts dating back to the 5th century BC.

In the Middle Ages, the surname Nestor was found in various regions of Greece, particularly in the Peloponnese region. It was also present in areas of Southern Italy and Sicily, which had strong Greek cultural influences during the Byzantine Empire.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Nestor was a Greek scholar and philosopher named Nestor of Laranda, who lived in the 2nd century AD. He was known for his works on Platonic philosophy and his teachings at the academy in Athens.

Another notable figure was Nestor the Chronicler, a Russian monk and chronicler who lived in the 12th century. He is known for writing one of the earliest and most important chronicles of Kievan Rus', the Primary Chronicle, which documented the history of the Slavic peoples.

In the 14th century, a Greek nobleman named Nestor Isidore was a prominent figure in the court of the Byzantine Empire. He served as a diplomat and ambassador, and played a role in the negotiations between the Byzantine and Latin churches during the Council of Ferrara-Florence.

During the Renaissance, a Greek scholar and humanist named Nestor Dionysios was known for his contributions to the study of ancient Greek literature. He lived in the 15th century and was part of the intellectual circles in Italy during the Renaissance period.

In more recent times, a Greek politician and diplomat named Nestor Kavvadias, who lived from 1904 to 1979, served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Greece and played a significant role in the country's international relations during the post-World War II era.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nestor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nestor 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. Lancashire leads with 19 Nestors recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.28x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 19 3.28x
Yorkshire 10 2.07x
Derbyshire 9 11.79x
Middlesex 6 1.23x
Dunbartonshire 2 15.27x
Hampshire 2 2.00x
Cornwall 1 1.81x
Staffordshire 1 0.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wakefield in Yorkshire leads with 9 Nestors recorded in 1881 and an index of 242.59x.

Place Total Index
Wakefield 9 242.59x
Warrington 7 102.04x
Widnes 7 167.87x
Chesterfield 6 209.79x
Heston 3 185.19x
Ilkeston 3 140.19x
Oldham 3 16.07x
Cardross 2 127.39x
Acton 1 34.97x
Aldershot 1 29.85x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 1 57.14x
Farnborough 1 95.24x
Gulval 1 277.78x
Hayes 1 200.00x
Norwood 1 90.09x
Pendlebury 1 81.97x
Walsall Foreign 1 11.76x
Whittingham 1 400.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Ann 2
Annie 2
Hannah 2
Margaret 2
Sarah 2
Anne 1
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Jane 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
James 4
Thomas 3
Martin 2
Patrick 2
Edward 1
Fergus 1
Harry 1
Lawrence 1
Michael 1
Oney 1
William 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 Nestor households.

FAQ

Nestor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nestor surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Nestor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 470 in 2016. That gives Nestor a modern rank of #10,475.

What does the Nestor surname mean?

A surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a place name or from the Greek name Nestor.

What does the Nestor map show?

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