NameCensus.

UK surname

Plaster

An occupational surname referring to a tradesperson who applies plaster to walls, ceilings, or other surfaces.

In the 1881 census there were 198 people recorded with the Plaster surname, ranking it #12,922 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 175, ranked #21,383, down from #12,922 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bristol, Tewkesbury and Blaenau Gwent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Plaster is 270 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.6%.

1881 census count

198

Ranked #12,922

Modern count

175

2016, ranked #21,383

Peak year

1891

270 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Plaster had 198 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,922 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 175 in 2016, ranked #21,383.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 270 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Plaster surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Plaster surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Plaster 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 142 #13,428
1861 historical 178 #13,202
1881 historical 198 #12,922
1891 historical 270 #12,027
1901 historical 246 #13,269
1911 historical 263 #12,473
1997 modern 194 #17,978
1998 modern 203 #17,949
1999 modern 208 #17,808
2000 modern 202 #18,094
2001 modern 200 #17,948
2002 modern 203 #18,115
2003 modern 198 #18,252
2004 modern 203 #18,061
2005 modern 191 #18,707
2006 modern 186 #19,140
2007 modern 180 #19,745
2008 modern 172 #20,523
2009 modern 181 #20,277
2010 modern 181 #20,738
2011 modern 164 #21,900
2012 modern 160 #22,260
2013 modern 168 #21,914
2014 modern 171 #21,812
2015 modern 177 #21,220
2016 modern 175 #21,383

Geography

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Where Plasters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, London parishes and Bampton (Brighthamton, Shifford, Aston and Cote, Bampton, Weald, Chimney), Witney (Lew), Blackbourto. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bristol, Tewkesbury, Blaenau Gwent and Aylesbury Vale. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Bedminster Somerset
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Bampton (Brighthamton, Shifford, Aston and Cote, Bampton, Weald, Chimney), Witney (Lew), Blackbourto Oxfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bristol 046 Bristol, City of
2 Tewkesbury 005 Tewkesbury
3 Blaenau Gwent 005 Blaenau Gwent
4 Aylesbury Vale 007 Aylesbury Vale
5 Bristol 048 Bristol, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Plaster

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Plaster

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

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Plaster surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Plaster 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Plaster is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Plaster is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Plaster falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Plaster

The surname Plaster has its origins in the English language and is believed to have first emerged in the 13th century. It is an occupational name, derived from the Old English word "plastrere," referring to someone who worked as a plasterer or applied plaster to walls and ceilings.

This surname was commonly found in areas of England where the plastering trade was prevalent, particularly in the counties of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the late 13th century, with mentions in various tax rolls and parish records.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Robert le Plastrer, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279 mention a certain William le Plastrere.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Plasterer, Playstere, and Playster, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time period. The Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379 include an entry for a John Plastrer.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the surname continued to be found in various English records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1524, which listed a Thomas Playster, and the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1570, which mentioned a Richard Plaster.

Notable individuals with the surname Plaster throughout history include:

1. John Plaster (c. 1600-1670), an English landowner and member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. 2. Thomas Plaster (1689-1753), a British architect and surveyor best known for his work on St. Paul's Church in Shadwell, London. 3. Elizabeth Plaster (1760-1835), a British author and poet who published several works, including "The Poetical Miscellany" in 1802. 4. William Plaster (1805-1876), an English inventor and engineer who patented several improvements to the steam engine. 5. Henry Plaster (1836-1919), an American Civil War soldier who served in the Union Army and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery at the Battle of Gettysburg.

While the surname Plaster has its roots in the English occupation of plastering, it has since spread to various parts of the world and continues to be a recognizable surname in many countries today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Plaster families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Plaster 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. Middlesex leads with 63 Plasters recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.26x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 63 3.26x
Somerset 25 8.04x
Oxfordshire 20 16.77x
Monmouthshire 19 13.61x
Warwickshire 14 2.87x
Essex 13 3.41x
Gloucestershire 11 2.90x
Buckinghamshire 7 6.00x
Derbyshire 5 1.65x
Hampshire 5 1.26x
Herefordshire 4 5.05x
Surrey 4 0.43x
Berkshire 2 1.38x
Glamorgan 2 0.59x
Sussex 2 0.61x
Northamptonshire 1 0.55x
Yorkshire 1 0.05x

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 21 Plasters recorded in 1881 and an index of 68.88x.

Place Total Index
Mile End Old Town 21 68.88x
Bampton 15 1630.43x
Bedminster 9 30.81x
Bethnal Green London 9 10.73x
Twickenham 9 108.70x
Fenny Compton 8 2051.28x
Aylesbury 7 135.40x
Mangotsfield 7 185.19x
St Woollos 7 44.93x
Chard 6 159.15x
Leyton 6 91.32x
Tottenham 6 19.51x
West Ham 6 7.13x
Aberystruth 5 40.62x
Bedwellty 5 20.28x
Birmingham 5 3.08x
Oxford St Clement 5 166.11x
Staveley 5 93.11x
Rowberrow 4 3636.36x
St Pancras London 4 2.57x
Stoke Lane 4 909.09x
Walford 4 506.33x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 8.41x
Hackney London 3 2.77x
Lambeth 3 1.78x
Southampton All Sts 3 44.18x
Draycot Moor 2 1333.33x
Ealing 2 11.59x
Hampstead London 2 6.65x
Kensington London 2 1.86x
Llanover 2 41.93x
Southampton St Mary 2 8.04x
Asselby 1 555.56x
Brackley St James 1 238.10x
Bristol St George 1 5.71x
Hurstpierpoint 1 55.25x
Islington London 1 0.53x
Leamington Priors 1 8.35x
Lindfield 1 72.46x
Llanmaes 1 1000.00x
Llansamlet Higher 1 39.84x
Paddington London 1 1.41x
Saffron Walden 1 24.81x
Shoreditch London 1 1.19x
St George Hanover 1 3.97x
St Giles In Fields 1 15.02x
Streatham 1 6.98x
Wedmore 1 49.51x
Winscombe 1 119.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 11
Louisa 8
Elizabeth 7
Eliza 6
Mary 6
Emily 5
Annie 4
Alice 3
Clara 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Jane 3
Amelia 2
Caroline 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Allice 1
Ann 1
Bessie 1
Christina 1
Emmy 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Mabel 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Minnie 1
Nancy 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Plaster surname: questions and answers

How common was the Plaster surname in 1881?

In 1881, 198 people were recorded with the Plaster surname. That placed it at #12,922 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Plaster surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 175 in 2016. That gives Plaster a modern rank of #21,383.

What does the Plaster surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a tradesperson who applies plaster to walls, ceilings, or other surfaces.

What does the Plaster map show?

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