NameCensus.

UK surname

Palser

An English surname derived from the Middle English word "palese", meaning a palace or manor house.

In the 1881 census there were 276 people recorded with the Palser surname, ranking it #10,305 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 240, ranked #17,278, down from #10,305 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kings Norton, London parishes and North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Powys, Stroud and Tower Hamlets.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Palser is 389 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 13.0%.

1881 census count

276

Ranked #10,305

Modern count

240

2016, ranked #17,278

Peak year

1911

389 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Palser had 276 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,305 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 240 in 2016, ranked #17,278.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 389 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Palser surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Palser surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Palser 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 172 #11,682
1861 historical 140 #16,169
1881 historical 276 #10,305
1891 historical 302 #11,058
1901 historical 345 #10,541
1911 historical 389 #9,470
1997 modern 265 #14,692
1998 modern 292 #14,120
1999 modern 294 #14,140
2000 modern 288 #14,312
2001 modern 279 #14,408
2002 modern 283 #14,559
2003 modern 281 #14,443
2004 modern 268 #14,995
2005 modern 257 #15,365
2006 modern 265 #15,126
2007 modern 257 #15,606
2008 modern 252 #15,984
2009 modern 256 #16,145
2010 modern 252 #16,701
2011 modern 252 #16,543
2012 modern 255 #16,296
2013 modern 252 #16,689
2014 modern 249 #16,954
2015 modern 244 #17,090
2016 modern 240 #17,278

Geography

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Where Palsers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kings Norton, London parishes, North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge, Bedwelty and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Powys, Stroud, Tower Hamlets, Solihull and Shropshire. 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 Kings Norton Worcestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 North Nibley, Wotton-under-Edge Gloucestershire
4 Bedwelty Monmouthshire
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Powys 021 Powys
2 Stroud 011 Stroud
3 Tower Hamlets 003 Tower Hamlets
4 Solihull 019 Solihull
5 Shropshire 005 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Palser

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Palser

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Palser surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Palser household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Palser 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

Palser is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Palser falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Palser

The surname Palser is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "palse" or "palcer," which referred to a maker of palls or rich embroidered cloths used to cover coffins or tombs. The name may also be linked to the term "pall-bearer," referring to those who carried the pall at funerals.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Palser can be traced back to the 13th century in various county records and tax rolls. One of the earliest known references is a mention of a Roger Palser in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1272. Other early spellings of the name include Palcer, Palsere, and Palsour.

Interestingly, the surname Palser appears in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landholdings and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. However, the exact context and location of this mention are not entirely clear.

One notable figure bearing the Palser surname was John Palser, a wealthy merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London during the 16th century. He is recorded as having served as the Master of the Company in 1572.

Another prominent individual was Sir William Palser (1580-1654), a British politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Steyning, Sussex, between 1624 and 1629. He was also known for his involvement in local affairs and held the position of High Sheriff of Sussex in 1632.

In the 18th century, there was a Robert Palser (1717-1794), a renowned clockmaker from London who was renowned for his intricate and highly accurate timepieces. His clocks were sought after by the nobility and his work is still highly valued by collectors today.

Moving into the 19th century, we find mentions of a Thomas Palser (1806-1882), who was a prominent architect and surveyor in the city of Bristol, England. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings and churches in the region, including St. John's Church in Bedminster.

Finally, in the early 20th century, there was a notable author and playwright named Arthur Palser (1887-1962) who was born in Nottinghamshire. He wrote several novels and plays that explored themes of rural life and social commentary during his time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Palser families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Palser 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. Warwickshire leads with 84 Palsers recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.37x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 84 12.37x
Gloucestershire 70 13.26x
Surrey 28 2.13x
Monmouthshire 23 11.82x
Middlesex 21 0.78x
Staffordshire 10 1.10x
Worcestershire 9 2.56x
Glamorgan 6 1.28x
Somerset 6 1.38x
Kent 5 0.54x
Wiltshire 5 2.10x
Yorkshire 4 0.15x
Suffolk 3 0.91x
Hampshire 1 0.18x
Lancashire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 37 Palsers recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.35x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 37 16.35x
Aston 34 18.19x
Wotton Under Edge 18 578.78x
Lambeth 16 6.82x
Edgbaston 13 61.76x
Southwark St George Martyr 12 22.15x
Llanfoist 11 814.81x
Chedworth 9 1184.21x
Kings Norton 9 28.54x
Harborne 7 24.03x
Bristol St Augustine 6 70.42x
Hackney London 6 3.97x
Llanover 6 90.23x
Tetbury 6 200.67x
Trevethin 6 32.64x
Dursley 5 230.41x
Gloucester Barton St 5 161.81x
Lewisham 5 10.21x
Sherston Magna 5 349.65x
Cardiff St Mary 4 15.49x
Frampton Cotterell 4 216.22x
Leeds 4 2.66x
Lydney 4 146.52x
Mile End Old Town 4 9.41x
Bow London 3 8.75x
Clerkenwell London 3 4.72x
Ipswich St Stephen 3 535.71x
Lyncombe Widcombe 3 26.43x
Stafford St Mary 3 23.33x
Stonehouse 3 100.00x
Bedminster 2 4.91x
Bristol St James In 2 25.74x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 11.36x
Islington London 2 0.77x
Llandaff 2 12.82x
Paddington London 2 2.02x
Aldershot 1 5.41x
Gloucester St Michael 1 82.64x
Hawkesbury 1 55.56x
Kingstanley 1 51.28x
Leigh 1 322.58x
Liverpool 1 0.52x
Marshfield 1 70.92x
Pilton 1 97.09x
St Katherine Coleman 1 384.62x
Stapleton 1 9.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 11
John 11
William 11
Thomas 9
James 8
Alfred 7
Henry 6
Albert 5
Charles 5
Edwin 5
Arthur 4
Daniel 4
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Walter 3
Clement 2
David 2
Fredk. 2
Samuel 2
Abel 1
Bernard 1
Chas. 1
Clay 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.John 1
Hugh 1
Joseph 1
Llewellyn 1
Maurice 1
Morton 1
O. 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Tom 1
W. 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Palser surname: questions and answers

How common was the Palser surname in 1881?

In 1881, 276 people were recorded with the Palser surname. That placed it at #10,305 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Palser surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 240 in 2016. That gives Palser a modern rank of #17,278.

What does the Palser surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Middle English word "palese", meaning a palace or manor house.

What does the Palser map show?

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