NameCensus.

UK surname

Quilter

A surname derived from the occupation of making quilts or bedcovers.

In the 1881 census there were 477 people recorded with the Quilter surname, ranking it #7,014 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 760, ranked #7,210, down from #7,014 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Braintree, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chelmsford, Maldon and Hinckley and Bosworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Quilter is 847 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.3%.

1881 census count

477

Ranked #7,014

Modern count

760

2016, ranked #7,210

Peak year

1998

847 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Quilter had 477 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,014 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 760 in 2016, ranked #7,210.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 692 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Quilter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Quilter surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Quilter 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 314 #7,361
1861 historical 239 #10,273
1881 historical 477 #7,014
1891 historical 555 #6,831
1901 historical 636 #6,754
1911 historical 692 #6,137
1997 modern 803 #6,522
1998 modern 847 #6,459
1999 modern 831 #6,599
2000 modern 805 #6,734
2001 modern 789 #6,715
2002 modern 819 #6,644
2003 modern 813 #6,568
2004 modern 799 #6,680
2005 modern 775 #6,773
2006 modern 771 #6,835
2007 modern 782 #6,815
2008 modern 780 #6,893
2009 modern 821 #6,733
2010 modern 828 #6,833
2011 modern 815 #6,832
2012 modern 764 #7,126
2013 modern 798 #6,973
2014 modern 785 #7,115
2015 modern 768 #7,166
2016 modern 760 #7,210

Geography

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Where Quilters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Braintree, London parishes, St Pancras and Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chelmsford, Maldon, Hinckley and Bosworth and Horsham. 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 Braintree Essex
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chelmsford 001 Chelmsford
2 Maldon 001 Maldon
3 Chelmsford 006 Chelmsford
4 Hinckley and Bosworth 002 Hinckley and Bosworth
5 Horsham 005 Horsham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Quilter

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Quilter

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Quilter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Quilter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Quilter 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

Quilter 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

Quilter falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Quilter

The surname Quilter originated in England, specifically in the counties of Yorkshire and Northumberland, during the 13th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "quilte," meaning a quilt or mattress stuffed with wool or other soft materials.

In medieval times, quilters were skilled artisans who crafted quilted garments and bedding for the nobility and wealthy merchants. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in tax rolls and parish records from the 14th century, with variations in spelling such as "Quylter" and "Quiltere."

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Quilter, a quilter from York who is mentioned in the city's Freemen Rolls in 1349. Another notable Quilter was William Quilter, a prosperous quilter and merchant from Newcastle upon Tyne, whose will was recorded in 1487.

The Quilter surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Quilter's Village in Northumberland and Quilter's Booth in Yorkshire. These names suggest that certain Quilter families may have established workshops or settlements in these areas.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the Quilter surname, including:

1. Sir William Quilter (1808-1888), a British businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Quilter Baxter & Co. investment firm.

2. Harry Quilter (1851-1907), an English artist and illustrator known for his paintings of rural scenes and landscapes.

3. Roger Quilter (1877-1953), an English composer known for his art songs and light orchestral works.

4. Amos Quilter (1779-1857), an English Baptist minister and author who published several religious works.

5. Sir Cuthbert Quilter (1841-1911), a British lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Suffolk.

The Quilter surname has a rich history rooted in the traditional craft of quilting, and its bearers have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Quilter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Quilter 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 180 Quilters recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.77x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 180 3.77x
Essex 150 15.90x
Kent 26 1.59x
Surrey 17 0.73x
Leicestershire 13 2.45x
Royal Navy 12 21.07x
Yorkshire 10 0.21x
Sussex 9 1.12x
Suffolk 8 1.37x
Worcestershire 8 1.28x
Hertfordshire 6 1.82x
Durham 5 0.35x
Midlothian 5 0.78x
Northumberland 5 0.70x
Pembrokeshire 5 3.29x
Lancashire 4 0.07x
Norfolk 4 0.54x
Staffordshire 4 0.25x
Berkshire 3 0.84x
Gloucestershire 3 0.32x
Lanarkshire 3 0.19x
Warwickshire 3 0.25x
Hampshire 2 0.20x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.23x
Devon 1 0.10x
Dorset 1 0.32x
Lincolnshire 1 0.13x
Oxfordshire 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 49 Quilters recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.74x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 49 12.74x
Bethnal Green London 27 13.00x
Islington London 27 5.83x
Braintree 18 212.51x
Shoreditch London 18 8.69x
West Ham 17 8.16x
Hammersmith London 14 11.89x
Royal Navy 12 24.65x
Chelmsford 9 55.59x
Clerkenwell London 9 7.98x
Great Burstead 9 262.39x
Hove 9 25.45x
Kelvedon Hatch 9 1475.41x
Pleshey 9 1836.73x
Colchester St Giles 8 85.84x
Layer Breton 8 1666.67x
Norton 8 655.74x
Worcester St Peter 8 67.74x
Deptford St Paul 7 5.57x
Leicester St Margaret 7 5.42x
Leigh 7 213.41x
Paddington London 7 3.98x
St George Hanover 7 11.22x
Stow Maries 7 2000.00x
Cottered 6 967.74x
Croydon 6 4.64x
Greenwich 6 7.89x
Little Waltham 6 631.58x
Navestock 6 441.18x
Chelsea London 5 3.47x
Colchester St Runwald 5 1000.00x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 1.94x
Great Leighs 5 406.50x
Hugglescote 5 64.10x
Stockton On Tees 5 7.30x
Clapham 4 6.69x
Dartford 4 23.98x
Farnham 4 22.09x
Felstead 4 123.84x
Great Yarmouth 4 6.57x
Handsworth 4 10.06x
Middlesbrough 4 6.49x
Mile End Old Town 4 5.30x
Tenby St Mary In 4 51.75x
Aston 3 0.90x
Bedlington 3 12.63x
Colchester Holy Trinity 3 143.54x
Gloucester St Michael 3 139.53x
Grays Thurrock 3 34.21x
Shotts 3 16.22x
St Andrew Holborn 3 18.52x
St Marylebone London 3 1.18x
Witham 3 61.73x
Acton 2 7.14x
Beverley St Mary 2 28.90x
Earls Colne 2 76.92x
Failsworth 2 15.41x
Great Bolton 2 2.66x
Lambeth 2 0.48x
Layer De La Hay 2 178.57x
Milton In Gravesend 2 8.18x
Old Windsor 2 48.19x
Otley 2 17.39x
Rettendon 2 169.49x
Woolwich 2 3.32x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 1.21x
Byker 1 2.85x
Catwick 1 222.22x
Erith 1 6.22x
Fulham London 1 1.44x
Hampstead London 1 1.34x
Kelvedon 1 39.84x
Kensington London 1 0.38x
Leyton Low 1 5.21x
Newcastle On Tyne 1 131.58x
Portsea 1 0.52x
Purleigh 1 70.92x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.04x
Springfield 1 24.21x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 1 9.30x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 21
Sarah 17
Eliza 11
Ellen 9
Emma 9
Annie 8
Emily 8
Harriet 6
Jane 6
Alice 5
Charlotte 5
Edith 5
Martha 5
Ada 4
Ann 3
Clara 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Rose 3
Amelia 2
Augusta 2
Caroline 2
Elsie 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Grace 2
Hannah 2
Julia 2
Lydia 2
Marion 2
Matilda 2
Susanna 2
Ana 1
Angelina 1
Beatrice 1
Catherine 1
Catherne 1
Daisy 1
Eleanor 1
Emmiline 1
Henrietta 1
Hilda 1
Infant 1
Jemina 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Leah 1
Lilian 1
Lillian 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 25
John 24
George 22
James 16
Thomas 14
Henry 11
Charles 8
Albert 6
Arthur 6
Edward 6
Ernest 6
Frederick 5
Harry 5
Richard 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Abraham 3
Alfred 3
Fred. 3
Fredrick 3
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
Joseph 3
Philip 3
Andrew 2
Cecil 2
David 2
Eldred 2
Fred 2
Jabez 2
Robert 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Clifford 1
E...stace 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.R. 1
Fredk.W. 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
J.H. 1
Jules 1
Leonard 1
Nathan 1
Percival 1
Percy 1
Robt. 1
Young 1

FAQ

Quilter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Quilter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 477 people were recorded with the Quilter surname. That placed it at #7,014 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Quilter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 760 in 2016. That gives Quilter a modern rank of #7,210.

What does the Quilter surname mean?

A surname derived from the occupation of making quilts or bedcovers.

What does the Quilter map show?

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