NameCensus.

UK surname

Qualter

Of English surname origin, potentially meaning one who holds the lands of others.

In the 1881 census there were 55 people recorded with the Qualter surname, ranking it #25,862 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 134, ranked #25,636, up from #25,862 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Selby and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Qualter is 142 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 143.6%.

1881 census count

55

Ranked #25,862

Modern count

134

2016, ranked #25,636

Peak year

2010

142 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Qualter had 55 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,862 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016, ranked #25,636.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 70 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Qualter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Qualter surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Qualter 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 10 #31,497
1861 historical 40 #28,970
1881 historical 55 #25,862
1891 historical 53 #29,946
1901 historical 70 #26,383
1911 historical 66 #26,249
1997 modern 111 #25,394
1998 modern 115 #25,466
1999 modern 123 #24,643
2000 modern 116 #25,452
2001 modern 112 #25,644
2002 modern 126 #24,393
2003 modern 120 #24,909
2004 modern 124 #24,559
2005 modern 120 #25,066
2006 modern 121 #25,133
2007 modern 126 #24,860
2008 modern 123 #25,505
2009 modern 130 #25,176
2010 modern 142 #24,352
2011 modern 133 #25,177
2012 modern 133 #25,187
2013 modern 132 #25,789
2014 modern 129 #26,352
2015 modern 131 #25,979
2016 modern 134 #25,636

Geography

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Where Qualters 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 Doncaster, Selby, Kingston upon Hull, North Lincolnshire and Bassetlaw. 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 Doncaster 028 Doncaster
2 Selby 004 Selby
3 Kingston upon Hull 021 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 North Lincolnshire 016 North Lincolnshire
5 Bassetlaw 001 Bassetlaw

Forenames

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First names often paired with Qualter

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Qualter

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Qualter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Qualter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Qualter 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

Qualter is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Qualter 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 Qualter 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 Qualter, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Qualter

The surname Qualter is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest known references dating back to the 13th century. Derived from the Middle English word "qualiter," which means "one who sells cheap goods," the name was likely an occupational surname given to peddlers or hawkers of inexpensive wares.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where a Richard le Qualter is listed among the taxpayers. This suggests that the name had already become an established surname by that time.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various spellings, such as "Qualter," "Qualtere," and "Qualitere," reflecting the variations in spelling common during that era. The Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379 mention a John Qualtere, further solidifying the presence of the name in different regions of England.

The Qualter surname can also be traced back to certain place names, such as Qualters in Gloucestershire and Qualter's Hill in Hampshire. These locations may have influenced the development of the surname, as it was common for people to adopt surnames based on the places they lived or originated from.

Notable individuals bearing the Qualter surname throughout history include:

1. John Qualter (c. 1450-1515), an English politician and member of Parliament for Bridgnorth in 1491. 2. William Qualter (1570-1632), an English clergyman and author of religious works. 3. Thomas Qualter (1655-1718), an English architect known for his work on various churches and estates in Staffordshire. 4. Samuel Qualter (1735-1801), a British merchant and philanthropist who funded the construction of several schools and almshouses in his hometown of Birmingham. 5. Elizabeth Qualter (1810-1892), a prominent figure in the early women's suffrage movement in England and a co-founder of the Manchester Society for Women's Suffrage.

While the Qualter surname may not be as widely known as some others, its origins and historical references provide a glimpse into the lives and occupations of those who bore this name throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Qualter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Qualter 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 30 Qualters recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.99x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 30 4.99x
Lincolnshire 11 13.57x
Staffordshire 8 4.67x
Yorkshire 2 0.40x
Warwickshire 1 0.78x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 11 Qualters recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.65x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 11 40.65x
Owston 11 4782.61x
Walsall Foreign 8 90.50x
Kirkdale 7 69.17x
Much Woolton 7 853.66x
Toxteth Park 4 19.63x
Barnsley 2 38.61x
Birmingham 1 2.35x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 20.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Winifred 2
Catherine 1
Cecillia 1
Elizabeth 1
Esther 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
Thomas 5
James 4
Patrick 2
William 2
Alfd. 1
Chas. 1
Edmund 1
Henry 1
Joseph 1
Michael 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Robt. 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 Qualter households.

FAQ

Qualter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Qualter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 55 people were recorded with the Qualter surname. That placed it at #25,862 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Qualter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016. That gives Qualter a modern rank of #25,636.

What does the Qualter surname mean?

Of English surname origin, potentially meaning one who holds the lands of others.

What does the Qualter map show?

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