NameCensus.

UK surname

Rainer

A habitational surname referring to someone living near the Rhine River or a person from the Rhineland region.

In the 1881 census there were 285 people recorded with the Rainer surname, ranking it #10,070 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 409, ranked #11,694, down from #10,070 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Shoebury, South, London parishes and Halstow, Lower. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Windsor and Maidenhead, Vale of White Horse and West Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rainer is 484 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.5%.

1881 census count

285

Ranked #10,070

Modern count

409

2016, ranked #11,694

Peak year

1911

484 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rainer had 285 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,070 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 409 in 2016, ranked #11,694.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 484 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Rainer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rainer surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rainer 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 329 #7,079
1861 historical 276 #9,052
1881 historical 285 #10,070
1891 historical 300 #11,119
1901 historical 386 #9,708
1911 historical 484 #8,026
1997 modern 413 #10,743
1998 modern 426 #10,843
1999 modern 438 #10,695
2000 modern 437 #10,684
2001 modern 431 #10,606
2002 modern 430 #10,840
2003 modern 406 #11,150
2004 modern 406 #11,155
2005 modern 388 #11,437
2006 modern 397 #11,317
2007 modern 392 #11,550
2008 modern 397 #11,556
2009 modern 412 #11,461
2010 modern 436 #11,189
2011 modern 429 #11,197
2012 modern 418 #11,318
2013 modern 412 #11,647
2014 modern 425 #11,432
2015 modern 417 #11,532
2016 modern 409 #11,694

Geography

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Where Rainers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Shoebury, South, London parishes, Halstow, Lower, Lambeth and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Windsor and Maidenhead, Vale of White Horse, West Devon and Swale. 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 Shoebury, South Essex
2 London parishes London 3
3 Halstow, Lower Kent
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Windsor and Maidenhead 013 Windsor and Maidenhead
2 Vale of White Horse 016 Vale of White Horse
3 West Devon 005 West Devon
4 Swale 010 Swale
5 Windsor and Maidenhead 014 Windsor and Maidenhead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rainer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rainer

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rainer, 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 Rainer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Rainer 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rainer is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rainer 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

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

Meaning and origin of Rainer

The surname Rainer originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Germanic personal name Raginhari, which means "counsel" or "advice." This name was later Latinized to Rainerus or Raynerus during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rainer can be found in the Codex Traditionum Monasterii Rastedensis, a cartulary from the 12th century that records the transactions and property holdings of the Rastede Monastery in northern Germany. This document mentions individuals with the surname Rainer, indicating its use in that region during that time period.

The name Rainer is also believed to have been associated with certain place names in Germany, such as Rainersbach and Rainertshausen. These place names likely originated from individuals bearing the surname Rainer who lived in or owned land in those areas.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named Rainer of Viterbo (c. 1185-1244) was an Italian priest and hagiographer who wrote extensively about the lives of saints. His work, Legenda Sanctorum, was an influential collection of saint biographies during the Middle Ages.

Another historical figure with the surname Rainer was Johann Rainer (1532-1594), a German astronomer and mathematician who worked on improving the accuracy of astronomical calculations and published various works on the subject.

In the 16th century, Caspar Rainer (c. 1565-1624) was a German engraver and printmaker known for his intricate and detailed copperplate engravings, many of which depicted religious and allegorical scenes.

Moving into the 18th century, Johann Baptist Rainer (1741-1810) was an Austrian botanist and priest who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy and classification, particularly in the field of bryology (the study of mosses).

In the 19th century, Georg Rainer (1805-1865) was an Austrian painter and lithographer known for his landscape paintings and lithographs depicting scenes from the Austrian Alps and other picturesque locations.

Throughout its history, the surname Rainer has been associated with individuals from various professions and backgrounds, including religious figures, scientists, artists, and scholars, reflecting its enduring presence across different regions and time periods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rainer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rainer 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. Norfolk leads with 52 Rainers recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.12x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 52 12.12x
Surrey 40 2.94x
Kent 39 4.10x
Middlesex 25 0.90x
Berkshire 24 11.46x
Suffolk 18 5.30x
Leicestershire 16 5.17x
Yorkshire 13 0.47x
Essex 11 2.00x
Hertfordshire 8 4.16x
Hampshire 7 1.22x
Lincolnshire 6 1.35x
Buckinghamshire 5 2.96x
Gloucestershire 5 0.91x
Lancashire 3 0.09x
Warwickshire 3 0.43x
Glamorgan 2 0.41x
Northumberland 2 0.48x
Sussex 2 0.43x
Cheshire 1 0.16x
Derbyshire 1 0.23x
Dorset 1 0.55x
Somerset 1 0.22x
Stirlingshire 1 0.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 38 Rainers recorded in 1881 and an index of 106.95x.

Place Total Index
Great Yarmouth 38 106.95x
Lambeth 30 12.33x
Lower Halstow 13 1884.06x
Clewer 12 139.86x
New Windsor 12 170.45x
Brickendon 8 898.88x
Plumstead 8 25.21x
Ipswich St Lawrence 7 1521.74x
Leicester St Mary 7 28.01x
St Luke London 7 15.65x
Chigwell 6 115.38x
Clee With Weelsby 6 61.48x
Haveringland 6 5454.55x
Ipswich St Peter 6 131.29x
Croydon 5 6.63x
Spitalfields London 5 23.83x
Aldershot 4 20.89x
Broughton Astley 4 588.24x
Horsley 4 165.29x
Lee 4 28.94x
Preston Next Faversham 4 178.57x
Aston 3 1.55x
Ipswich St Mathew 3 31.51x
Leicester Newarke 3 186.34x
Lynsted 3 243.90x
Rayleigh 3 236.22x
Sutton 3 30.52x
Upton Cum Chalvey 3 44.64x
Cowpen 2 20.92x
Islington London 2 0.74x
Leyton 2 21.07x
Portsea 2 1.78x
Queenborough 2 212.77x
Rhydgwern 2 833.33x
Ruckinge 2 526.32x
Scarborough 2 7.96x
St Martin In Fields 2 11.98x
St Pancras London 2 0.89x
Swaffham 2 57.31x
Whalley 2 41.49x
Aylestone 1 40.98x
Barnsley 1 3.51x
Battersea 1 0.97x
Bishops Cleeve 1 71.94x
Crayford 1 24.04x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.78x
Farnborough 1 16.64x
Gorleston 1 11.59x
Haddiscoe 1 263.16x
Hale 1 47.17x
Handsworth 1 13.68x
Hastings St Mary 1 8.54x
Heigham 1 4.34x
Hunslet 1 2.32x
Ipswich St Clement 1 11.57x
Kensington London 1 0.64x
Kirby Grindalyth 1 400.00x
Leicester St Martin 1 48.08x
Morley 1 6.96x
Moss Side 1 5.74x
Norwich St Michael At 1 40.16x
South Lynn 1 20.66x
Southwark St Thomas 1 133.33x
St Anne Soho London 1 6.28x
St George Hanover 1 2.75x
St George In East 1 5.27x
St Giles In Fields 1 10.40x
St Marylebone London 1 0.67x
Stanmer 1 833.33x
Stirling 1 7.71x
Stoke Poges 1 48.54x
Strood 1 18.42x
Taverham 1 500.00x
Tharston 1 277.78x
Thornaby 1 9.68x
Tottenham 1 2.25x
Warehorne 1 196.08x
Wells St Cuthbert In 1 144.93x
Wimborne 1 45.05x
Yeadon 1 16.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 17
William 17
George 13
Thomas 11
Charles 7
Frederick 7
Henry 5
Edward 4
Joseph 4
Arthur 3
Benjamin 3
Francis 3
Fredk. 3
James 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Ernest 2
Geo. 2
Herbert 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Aaron 1
Albt. 1
Andrew 1
Charley 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Harman 1
Harry 1
Isaiah 1
Jas.Fred. 1
Jno.Ashby 1
Leftmus 1
Oscar 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Wilton 1

FAQ

Rainer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rainer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 285 people were recorded with the Rainer surname. That placed it at #10,070 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rainer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 409 in 2016. That gives Rainer a modern rank of #11,694.

What does the Rainer surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to someone living near the Rhine River or a person from the Rhineland region.

What does the Rainer map show?

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