NameCensus.

UK surname

Teer

An Anglicized word derived from the Arabic term "tayyir" meaning a wanderer or traveler.

In the 1881 census there were 77 people recorded with the Teer surname, ranking it #22,617 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 178, ranked #21,160, up from #22,617 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, Tideswell and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, Erewash and Isle of Anglesey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Teer is 192 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 131.2%.

1881 census count

77

Ranked #22,617

Modern count

178

2016, ranked #21,160

Peak year

1999

192 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Teer had 77 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,617 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 178 in 2016, ranked #21,160.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 144 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Teer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Teer surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Teer 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 75 #20,268
1861 historical 119 #18,393
1881 historical 77 #22,617
1891 historical 78 #27,035
1901 historical 131 #19,552
1911 historical 144 #18,325
1997 modern 176 #19,091
1998 modern 188 #18,796
1999 modern 192 #18,689
2000 modern 190 #18,806
2001 modern 184 #18,907
2002 modern 176 #19,829
2003 modern 165 #20,401
2004 modern 160 #20,926
2005 modern 161 #20,799
2006 modern 164 #20,715
2007 modern 165 #20,893
2008 modern 169 #20,745
2009 modern 175 #20,707
2010 modern 178 #20,965
2011 modern 176 #20,957
2012 modern 172 #21,219
2013 modern 173 #21,486
2014 modern 179 #21,186
2015 modern 179 #21,069
2016 modern 178 #21,160

Geography

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Where Teers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, Tideswell, Eccles, Manchester and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, Erewash, Isle of Anglesey and Nottingham. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 Tideswell Derbyshire
3 Eccles Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 018 Sunderland
2 Erewash 001 Erewash
3 Isle of Anglesey 003 Isle of Anglesey
4 Nottingham 009 Nottingham
5 Nottingham 029 Nottingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Teer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Teer

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Teer, 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 Teer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Teer 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Teer 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

Teer is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Teer 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 Teer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Teer

The surname TEER is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be an occupational name derived from the Old English word "tyr," which means resin or tar. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have been involved in the production or trade of these materials.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the TEER surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, where a Robert le Tyer is mentioned. The "le" prefix indicates a occupational surname, further supporting the theory of its origins.

In the 14th century, the TEER surname also appeared in the Hundredorum Rolls of Norfolk, where it was spelled as "Tyer." This variation in spelling was common during this time period, as standardized spelling had not yet been established.

The TEER surname may have also been influenced by place names. For instance, there is a village called Teer in Somerset, which could have contributed to the development of the surname in that region.

One notable bearer of the TEER surname was John Teer, born in 1622 in Somerset, England. He was a prominent merchant and landowner in the area.

Another individual of note was Sir William Teer, born in 1678 in Gloucestershire. He served as a member of parliament and was knighted for his service to the crown.

In the 18th century, the TEER surname also appeared in Scotland, with records showing a James Teer born in Aberdeenshire in 1732. He was a successful farmer and landowner.

The 19th century saw the TEER surname spread to other parts of the world, including the United States and Canada, likely due to immigration. One notable American bearer of the surname was James Teer, born in 1845 in Virginia. He was a respected lawyer and judge.

Another prominent individual was Sir John Teer, born in 1853 in Ireland. He was a successful businessman and philanthropist, known for his contributions to education and social welfare initiatives.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Teer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Teer 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 24 Teers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.66x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 24 2.66x
Lanarkshire 9 3.66x
Kent 7 2.70x
Lincolnshire 7 5.76x
Yorkshire 7 0.93x
Middlesex 6 0.79x
Surrey 6 1.62x
Hertfordshire 5 9.53x
Cumberland 2 3.05x
Glamorgan 2 1.51x
Dunbartonshire 1 4.89x
Hampshire 1 0.64x
Renfrewshire 1 1.70x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 8 Teers recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.81x.

Place Total Index
Everton 8 27.81x
Glasgow 8 18.31x
Kirkleatham 7 686.27x
Lambeth 6 9.05x
Salford 6 22.60x
East Barnet 5 480.77x
Manchester 5 12.32x
St Swithin Lincoln 5 261.78x
Greenwich 4 33.03x
Islington London 4 5.43x
Great Bolton 3 25.08x
Woolwich 3 31.28x
Bow London 2 20.66x
Burton Coggles 2 2857.14x
Roath 2 33.22x
Whitehaven 2 57.31x
Aldershot 1 19.16x
Govan 1 1.64x
Kirkintilloch 1 35.97x
Moss Side 1 21.05x
Paisley Middle Church 1 29.15x
Rusholme 1 41.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Annie 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Anne 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Harriet 2
Ann 1
Anna 1
Annabella 1
Bertha 1
Catherine 1
Charlott 1
Eliza 1
Janet 1
Lydia 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
William 4
Frederick 2
James 2
Richard 2
Charles 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
George 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Mark 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Patrick 1
Philip 1
Robert 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 Teer households.

FAQ

Teer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Teer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 77 people were recorded with the Teer surname. That placed it at #22,617 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Teer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 178 in 2016. That gives Teer a modern rank of #21,160.

What does the Teer surname mean?

An Anglicized word derived from the Arabic term "tayyir" meaning a wanderer or traveler.

What does the Teer map show?

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