NameCensus.

UK surname

Niner

A numerical surname suggesting an ancestor born as the ninth child.

In the 1881 census there were 32 people recorded with the Niner surname, ranking it #29,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 129, ranked #26,270, up from #29,082 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rugby, Sandwell and Waltham Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Niner is 129 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 303.1%.

1881 census count

32

Ranked #29,082

Modern count

129

2016, ranked #26,270

Peak year

2016

129 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Niner had 32 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,082 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 129 in 2016, ranked #26,270.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 74 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Niner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Niner surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Niner 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 41 #25,926
1861 historical 55 #27,007
1881 historical 32 #29,082
1891 historical 54 #29,849
1901 historical 56 #27,952
1911 historical 74 #25,423
1997 modern 78 #29,785
1998 modern 91 #28,806
1999 modern 96 #28,326
2000 modern 96 #28,299
2001 modern 94 #28,246
2002 modern 93 #28,920
2003 modern 96 #28,381
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 102 #27,689
2006 modern 104 #27,646
2007 modern 111 #26,954
2008 modern 112 #27,061
2009 modern 118 #26,766
2010 modern 124 #26,582
2011 modern 126 #26,060
2012 modern 116 #27,550
2013 modern 114 #28,347
2014 modern 120 #27,646
2015 modern 127 #26,494
2016 modern 129 #26,270

Geography

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Where Niners 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 Rugby, Sandwell, Waltham Forest and Maldon. 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 Rugby 007 Rugby
2 Sandwell 037 Sandwell
3 Rugby 006 Rugby
4 Waltham Forest 020 Waltham Forest
5 Maldon 007 Maldon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Niner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Niner

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Niner, 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 Niner surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Niner 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Niner is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Niner is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Niner falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Niner

The surname NINER has its origins in England, with records of the name dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "niner," which referred to someone who worked as a farm laborer or a tenant farmer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name NINER can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were census records compiled during the reign of King Edward I. In these records, a certain John Niner is listed as a resident of the village of Stoke, in the county of Gloucestershire.

During the medieval period, the NINER surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset, suggesting that the name may have originated in the West Country region of England. Some variations in spelling included Nyner, Nynour, and Nynor.

In the 16th century, the NINER name appears in the parish records of several villages in Somerset, such as Batcombe and Bruton. One notable figure from this time was William Niner, a wealthy landowner and yeoman farmer who lived in the village of Batcombe in the late 1500s.

The NINER surname also has a connection to place names in the West Country. For example, there is a hamlet called Nynor near the village of Croscombe in Somerset, which may have derived its name from the NINER family.

Another notable individual bearing the NINER surname was Robert Niner, a member of the British East India Company who served as a factor (a merchant agent) in the city of Surat, India, in the mid-17th century.

In the 18th century, the NINER name can be found in the records of the Society of Friends (Quakers) in Gloucestershire and Somerset. One such individual was John Niner, a Quaker merchant and businessman who lived in the city of Bristol in the late 1700s.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, members of the NINER family began to migrate from rural areas to cities and towns in search of employment. One noteworthy figure from this period was Samuel Niner, a skilled engineer who worked on the construction of railways and bridges in the West Midlands region of England.

Throughout its history, the NINER surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, merchants, engineers, and members of the clergy, among others. While the name may have humble origins, it has left an indelible mark on the history and culture of the West Country region of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Niner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Niner 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. Surrey leads with 14 Niners recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.21x.

County Total Index
Surrey 14 9.21x
Middlesex 7 2.24x
Devon 3 4.62x
Hampshire 3 4.69x
Essex 2 3.25x
Kent 2 1.88x
Sussex 1 1.90x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mile End Old Town in Middlesex leads with 7 Niners recorded in 1881 and an index of 142.28x.

Place Total Index
Mile End Old Town 7 142.28x
Lambeth 5 18.38x
Newington 4 34.69x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 63.69x
Portsea 3 23.94x
East Ham 2 175.44x
Dartington 1 1428.57x
Deptford St Nicholas 1 119.05x
Plympton St Mary 1 263.16x
Preston 1 108.70x
Ramsgate 1 57.47x
Totnes 1 263.16x
Wonersh 1 526.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Caroline 2
Fanny 2
Elizabeth 1
Emelia 1
Emma 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Lousea 1
Manor 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Rosa 1

Top male names

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

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 Niner households.

FAQ

Niner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Niner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 32 people were recorded with the Niner surname. That placed it at #29,082 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Niner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 129 in 2016. That gives Niner a modern rank of #26,270.

What does the Niner surname mean?

A numerical surname suggesting an ancestor born as the ninth child.

What does the Niner map show?

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