NameCensus.

UK surname

Spinner

An occupational surname referring to someone who spins yarn or works with spinning wheels.

In the 1881 census there were 223 people recorded with the Spinner surname, ranking it #11,998 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 191, ranked #20,194, down from #11,998 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes and Dover St James, Dover St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Castle Point, Dover and Canterbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spinner is 669 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.3%.

1881 census count

223

Ranked #11,998

Modern count

191

2016, ranked #20,194

Peak year

1861

669 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spinner had 223 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,998 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016, ranked #20,194.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 669 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Spinner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Spinner surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Spinner 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 176 #11,489
1861 historical 669 #4,009
1881 historical 223 #11,998
1891 historical 445 #8,134
1901 historical 314 #11,285
1911 historical 388 #9,497
1997 modern 227 #16,267
1998 modern 214 #17,366
1999 modern 213 #17,550
2000 modern 227 #16,792
2001 modern 213 #17,267
2002 modern 218 #17,338
2003 modern 207 #17,746
2004 modern 202 #18,110
2005 modern 188 #18,866
2006 modern 194 #18,627
2007 modern 185 #19,402
2008 modern 185 #19,589
2009 modern 204 #18,779
2010 modern 208 #18,956
2011 modern 189 #19,997
2012 modern 188 #20,018
2013 modern 195 #19,857
2014 modern 194 #20,097
2015 modern 195 #19,909
2016 modern 191 #20,194

Geography

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Where Spinners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary, Portsmouth, Portsea and Staple. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Castle Point, Dover, Canterbury, Stroud and Watford. 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 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Staple Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Castle Point 011 Castle Point
2 Dover 007 Dover
3 Canterbury 008 Canterbury
4 Stroud 004 Stroud
5 Watford 001 Watford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Spinner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Spinner

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Spinner surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Spinner household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Spinner 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

Spinner 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

Spinner falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Spinner is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Spinner, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Spinner

The surname SPINNER has its origins in medieval Germany, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old High German word "spinnan," meaning "to spin," and originally referred to someone who spun yarn or thread for a living. The name was likely first adopted as an occupational surname, identifying individuals by their trade or profession.

In the Middle Ages, spinning was a crucial household task, and skilled spinners were highly valued members of the community. The SPINNER surname would have been given to those who excelled at this craft, either within their own homes or as professional spinners working for textile manufacturers or guilds.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname SPINNER can be found in the Stadtbuch (city book) of Nürnberg, Germany, which dates back to 1347. The entry mentions a certain "Hanns der Spinner," indicating the presence of the name in this region during the 14th century.

As the surname spread across German-speaking lands, it took on various spellings, such as Spinnler, Spynner, and Spinnar. These variations reflect regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling that were common before the standardization of modern German orthography.

Notable individuals bearing the SPINNER surname include Johann Gottlob Spinner (1738-1784), a German theologian and philosopher who wrote extensively on ethics and moral philosophy. Another notable figure was Karl Spinner (1833-1911), a German architect responsible for designing several prominent buildings in Stuttgart, including the Neues Schloss (New Palace).

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the SPINNER surname dates back to the 18th century. Johannes Spinner, born in 1720 in Germany, immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1749 and settled in the area now known as Berks County.

Another notable American with the SPINNER surname was Charles Peter Spinner (1826-1905), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War and later the Treasurer of the United States under President Ulysses S. Grant.

While the SPINNER surname is most commonly associated with its German origins, it has also been adopted by families in other parts of Europe, particularly in areas with strong textile traditions or German cultural influences.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Spinner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spinner 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. Kent leads with 111 Spinners recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.37x.

County Total Index
Kent 111 15.37x
Surrey 25 2.42x
Middlesex 16 0.76x
Hampshire 14 3.23x
Worcestershire 11 3.98x
Norfolk 7 2.15x
Lancashire 6 0.24x
Lincolnshire 6 1.77x
Sussex 4 1.12x
Devon 3 0.68x
Dorset 3 2.16x
Gloucestershire 2 0.48x
Royal Navy 2 7.93x
Cornwall 1 0.42x
Denbighshire 1 1.25x
Essex 1 0.24x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.35x
Somerset 1 0.29x
Staffordshire 1 0.14x
Warwickshire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Deal in Kent leads with 27 Spinners recorded in 1881 and an index of 438.31x.

Place Total Index
Deal 27 438.31x
Worth 16 4848.48x
Eastry 13 1300.00x
Portsea 13 15.29x
Claines 11 144.93x
Staple 11 2894.74x
Dover St Mary Virgin 8 114.45x
Camberwell 7 5.18x
Epsom 7 139.17x
Heigham 7 40.07x
Buckland In Dover 6 251.05x
Canterbury St George 6 689.66x
Clee With Weelsby 6 80.97x
Gillingham 6 40.30x
Gravesend 5 81.83x
Bethnal Green London 4 4.35x
Streatham 4 25.48x
Bermondsey 3 4.76x
Cattistock 3 789.47x
Hastings St Mary In The 3 39.42x
St Marylebone London 3 2.65x
Walmer 3 95.54x
Withington 3 37.08x
Ash Next Sandwich 2 125.00x
Cheltenham 2 6.24x
Margate St John Baptist 2 15.13x
Paddington London 2 2.57x
Royal Navy 2 9.28x
Southwark St John 2 30.91x
Tormoham 2 10.73x
Aldington 1 204.08x
Aston 1 0.68x
Barham 1 136.99x
Darlaston 1 10.13x
East Coker 1 133.33x
Fulham London 1 3.26x
Guston 1 344.83x
Hackney London 1 0.84x
Hastings St Leonards 1 19.05x
Islington London 1 0.49x
Kensington London 1 0.85x
Kingston On Thames 1 4.04x
Lambeth 1 0.54x
Liverpool 1 0.66x
Madron Penzance 1 11.48x
Manchester 1 0.89x
Minster In Sheppey 1 8.36x
Plympton St Mary 1 39.22x
Poplar London 1 2.50x
Portsmouth 1 10.01x
Rusholme 1 14.93x
Sandwich St Mary 1 153.85x
Selston 1 31.35x
St Andrew Holborn 1 13.93x
St Lawrence 1 20.16x
St Pancras London 1 0.59x
Wanstead 1 13.66x
Wrexham Abbot 1 49.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 9
Ellen 6
Emily 6
Fanny 6
Ann 4
Eliza 4
Annie 3
Harriet 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Alice 2
Celia 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Matilda 2
Minnie 2
Susannah 2
Ada 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Cecilia 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Flora 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Hester 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lilly 1
Lousia 1
M.A. 1
Martha 1
Maude 1
Nellie 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
William 10
George 8
James 8
Henry 6
Charles 5
Edward 5
Thomas 5
Albert 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Percy 2
Richard 2
Stephen 2
Aaron 1
Alfred 1
Archi 1
Arthur 1
Benj. 1
Benjam. 1
Benjamin 1
C. 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Ferdinand 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Percival 1
Samuel 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Wallace 1
Willm.W. 1
Wm. 1
Wm.W. 1

FAQ

Spinner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spinner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 223 people were recorded with the Spinner surname. That placed it at #11,998 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spinner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016. That gives Spinner a modern rank of #20,194.

What does the Spinner surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who spins yarn or works with spinning wheels.

What does the Spinner map show?

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