NameCensus.

UK surname

Tarver

An English occupational surname for someone who paves roads with tar or works with tar.

In the 1881 census there were 226 people recorded with the Tarver surname, ranking it #11,889 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 261, ranked #16,309, down from #11,889 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Newbold Pacey and Ashorn and Compton Wynyates. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Warwick, Wychavon and Redditch.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tarver is 305 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.5%.

1881 census count

226

Ranked #11,889

Modern count

261

2016, ranked #16,309

Peak year

1911

305 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tarver had 226 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,889 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 261 in 2016, ranked #16,309.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 305 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tarver surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tarver surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tarver 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 168 #11,873
1861 historical 133 #16,835
1881 historical 226 #11,889
1891 historical 223 #13,800
1901 historical 258 #12,875
1911 historical 305 #11,307
1997 modern 242 #15,597
1998 modern 255 #15,470
1999 modern 253 #15,667
2000 modern 255 #15,538
2001 modern 255 #15,319
2002 modern 248 #15,896
2003 modern 236 #16,236
2004 modern 241 #16,086
2005 modern 228 #16,683
2006 modern 226 #16,891
2007 modern 222 #17,288
2008 modern 225 #17,282
2009 modern 241 #16,848
2010 modern 250 #16,791
2011 modern 246 #16,833
2012 modern 247 #16,661
2013 modern 260 #16,350
2014 modern 267 #16,161
2015 modern 263 #16,224
2016 modern 261 #16,309

Geography

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Where Tarvers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Newbold Pacey and Ashorn, Compton Wynyates, Swalcliffe and Leamington Priors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Warwick, Wychavon, Redditch, Herefordshire and Tamworth. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Newbold Pacey and Ashorn Warwickshire
3 Compton Wynyates Warwickshire
4 Swalcliffe Oxfordshire
5 Leamington Priors Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Warwick 013 Warwick
2 Wychavon 010 Wychavon
3 Redditch 011 Redditch
4 Herefordshire 018 Herefordshire, County of
5 Tamworth 010 Tamworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tarver

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tarver

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Tarver surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tarver 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Tarver is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tarver is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Tarver

The surname Tarver is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged in the 11th century during the Norman Conquest of England. The name is thought to be derived from the Old French word "tervour," which means "a digger" or "a worker of the soil." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name were likely involved in agricultural pursuits or worked as laborers on the land.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, one of the earliest comprehensive records of landowners and tenants in England, there are several entries that may be related to the Tarver surname, such as "Tervere" and "Tervour." These entries indicate that individuals with similar names were present in various parts of the country, including Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, and Oxfordshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Tarver surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1195, where a certain "Roger Tarvour" is mentioned. This entry provides evidence of the surname's existence in the late 12th century.

Over time, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Tarvour, Tarver, Tarvar, and Tarvere. These variations were likely influenced by local dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping practices during the Middle Ages.

In the 14th century, the Tarver surname appeared in several historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which listed a "John Tarvere." Additionally, the Hearth Tax Rolls of Warwickshire from 1674 recorded a "William Tarver" residing in the town of Coventry.

Among the notable individuals bearing the Tarver surname throughout history are:

1. Sir John Tarver (c. 1540-1615), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

2. Thomas Tarver (1638-1701), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious texts, including "The Creed of an Honest Man."

3. Edward Tarver (1768-1845), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the Navalorder for his distinguished service.

4. William Tarver (1809-1887), an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Representative from Georgia in the 34th Congress.

5. Janie Tarver (1886-1978), an American singer and actress who performed on Broadway and in various vaudeville shows in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tarver families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tarver 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. Warwickshire leads with 74 Tarvers recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.31x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 74 13.31x
Surrey 28 2.61x
Buckinghamshire 24 18.01x
Middlesex 22 1.00x
Lancashire 18 0.69x
Hampshire 8 1.77x
Lincolnshire 8 2.27x
Oxfordshire 8 5.88x
Gloucestershire 6 1.39x
Staffordshire 6 0.81x
Glamorgan 5 1.30x
Devon 4 0.87x
Northamptonshire 3 1.45x
Pembrokeshire 3 4.28x
Worcestershire 3 1.04x
Westmorland 2 4.13x
Cheshire 1 0.21x
Derbyshire 1 0.29x
Kent 1 0.13x
Wiltshire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Croydon in Surrey leads with 19 Tarvers recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.86x.

Place Total Index
Croydon 19 31.86x
Aston 18 11.76x
Filgrave 9 45000.00x
Newbold Pacey 9 3103.45x
Upton Cum Chalvey 9 169.49x
Wigan 8 21.88x
Battersea 7 8.63x
Bidford 7 588.24x
Compton Wyniates 7 35000.00x
Hampstead London 7 20.39x
Swalcliffe Sibford Gower 7 2121.21x
Eton 6 198.68x
Lancaster 6 38.56x
Spalding 6 85.71x
Ashow 5 3571.43x
Chelsea London 5 7.53x
Clase 5 35.04x
Pebworth 5 961.54x
St Pancras London 5 2.82x
Burton Upon Trent 4 22.98x
Filleigh 4 1538.46x
Leek Wootten 4 1333.33x
Solihull 4 100.00x
Whichford 4 1290.32x
Combrook 3 1875.00x
Kensington London 3 2.45x
Leamington Priors 3 21.93x
Pembroke St Mary 3 33.26x
Bilton 2 156.25x
Broughton 2 303.03x
Handsworth 2 10.91x
Kendal 2 22.55x
Kings Norton 2 7.75x
Monks Kirby 2 163.93x
Thorley 2 1428.57x
Warwick St Mary 2 41.41x
Alcester 1 54.64x
Beaulieu 1 142.86x
Birmingham 1 0.54x
Blackburn 1 1.44x
Canterbury Christchurch 1 588.24x
Caterham 1 21.05x
Charlbury 1 65.36x
Cheltenham 1 3.00x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 2.41x
Christchurch 1 10.20x
Clitheroe 1 12.99x
Downham 1 357.14x
Farthinghoe 1 370.37x
Fawley 1 69.93x
Hackney London 1 0.81x
Kenilworth 1 31.95x
Milford 1 75.76x
Millbrook 1 8.79x
Quarndon 1 238.10x
Raithby In Spilsby 1 833.33x
Shipston On Stour 1 76.34x
South Stoneham 1 10.20x
St George Hanover 1 3.48x
St Margaret Lincoln 1 312.50x
Stockport 1 3.99x
Stoneleigh 1 108.70x
Streatham 1 6.11x
Warminster 1 23.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 15
Thomas 11
John 10
George 9
Edward 7
Henry 6
James 6
Arthur 5
Joseph 5
Francis 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Alexander 2
David 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Jacob 2
Edwd.J.G.G. 1
Esau 1
Fredk. 1
Hubert 1
Jesse 1
Jonathon 1
Josep 1
Jothan 1
Norman 1
Percival 1
Percy 1
Reekes 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Tom 1
Valentine 1
Wladimer 1
Wyatt 1

FAQ

Tarver surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tarver surname in 1881?

In 1881, 226 people were recorded with the Tarver surname. That placed it at #11,889 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tarver surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 261 in 2016. That gives Tarver a modern rank of #16,309.

What does the Tarver surname mean?

An English occupational surname for someone who paves roads with tar or works with tar.

What does the Tarver map show?

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