NameCensus.

UK surname

Telfer

A Scottish surname derived from a placename meaning a piece of land cleared by burning.

In the 1881 census there were 1,826 people recorded with the Telfer surname, ranking it #2,383 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,006, ranked #2,235, up from #2,383 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Inveresk, Hawick and Wilton and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Copeland and Hawick Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Telfer is 3,070 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 64.6%.

1881 census count

1,826

Ranked #2,383

Modern count

3,006

2016, ranked #2,235

Peak year

2010

3,070 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Telfer had 1,826 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,383 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,006 in 2016, ranked #2,235.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,426 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Telfer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Telfer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Telfer 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 1,198 #2,374
1861 historical 1,268 #2,251
1881 historical 1,826 #2,383
1891 historical 1,969 #2,344
1901 historical 2,426 #2,239
1911 historical 987 #4,588
1997 modern 2,840 #2,277
1998 modern 2,929 #2,299
1999 modern 2,961 #2,289
2000 modern 2,951 #2,288
2001 modern 2,861 #2,301
2002 modern 2,943 #2,291
2003 modern 2,878 #2,283
2004 modern 2,922 #2,250
2005 modern 2,857 #2,270
2006 modern 2,883 #2,248
2007 modern 2,896 #2,265
2008 modern 2,919 #2,257
2009 modern 2,990 #2,254
2010 modern 3,070 #2,247
2011 modern 2,999 #2,280
2012 modern 2,948 #2,273
2013 modern 2,979 #2,289
2014 modern 3,012 #2,279
2015 modern 2,991 #2,263
2016 modern 3,006 #2,235

Geography

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Where Telfers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Inveresk, Hawick and Wilton, Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Greenock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Copeland, Hawick Central and Hawick West End. 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 Inveresk Edinburgh
2 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 007 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 019 Northumberland
3 Copeland 005 Copeland
4 Hawick Central Scottish Borders
5 Hawick West End Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Telfer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Telfer

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

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Telfer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Telfer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Telfer is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Telfer is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Telfer

The surname Telfer originated in the Scottish Borders region of Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "telufer," meaning "dweller by the brook," referring to someone who lived near a small stream or brook.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Telfer dates back to the mid-12th century, when it appeared in the Registrum Vetus de Aberbrothoc, an ancient manuscript from the Abbey of Arbroath. The name was spelled "Teluerus" in this early record.

In the 13th century, the name Telfer was documented in various Scottish charters and land records, often associated with locations like Tevidale and Teviotdale, regions in the Scottish Borders where the name was particularly prevalent.

One notable historical reference to the Telfer surname is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name "Johannes de Telfer" is listed among those who submitted to the English monarch.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Telfer was Sir William Telfer (c. 1270 - 1335), a Scottish knight and landowner from Roxburghshire. He is mentioned in several contemporary chronicles for his role in the Scottish Wars of Independence against England.

Another early bearer of the Telfer name was Robert Telfer (c. 1380 - 1452), a prominent merchant and burgess of Edinburgh in the 15th century. He served as a magistrate and was involved in the city's trade and governance.

The Telfer surname was also associated with the village of Telfer in Dumfriesshire, which likely took its name from the nearby Telfer Burn stream. This place name connection further reinforces the origin of the surname from a geographic location near a brook or stream.

In the 16th century, John Telfer (c. 1520 - 1585) was a notable Scottish clergyman and scholar. He was a professor of divinity at the University of St. Andrews and served as the Principal of St. Mary's College within the university.

Another prominent Telfer was Sir James Telfer (1618 - 1688), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland and a Senator of the College of Justice in the latter part of the 17th century.

While the Telfer surname is most closely associated with Scotland, it has also spread to other parts of the British Isles and beyond, carried by migration and the movement of people over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Telfer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Telfer 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. Lanarkshire leads with 335 Telfers recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.93x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 335 5.93x
Roxburghshire 207 65.41x
Northumberland 175 6.73x
Midlothian 146 6.24x
Dumfriesshire 127 32.91x
Renfrewshire 98 7.24x
Ayrshire 85 6.50x
Lancashire 81 0.39x
Middlesex 81 0.46x
Cumberland 64 4.25x
Kirkcudbrightshire 52 20.56x
Durham 45 0.87x
Surrey 35 0.41x
Yorkshire 27 0.16x
Peeblesshire 25 30.42x
Stirlingshire 23 3.57x
Berwickshire 19 8.98x
Fife 14 1.35x
Dunbartonshire 13 2.77x
Northamptonshire 13 0.79x
Angus 12 0.74x
Buteshire 12 11.34x
Devon 12 0.33x
Oxfordshire 10 0.93x
Cheshire 9 0.23x
Selkirkshire 9 5.69x
West Lothian 7 2.66x
East Lothian 6 2.59x
Argyllshire 5 1.03x
Berkshire 5 0.38x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.47x
Hertfordshire 5 0.42x
Kent 5 0.08x
Worcestershire 5 0.22x
Herefordshire 4 0.56x
Gloucestershire 3 0.09x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.18x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.08x
Perthshire 2 0.26x
Sussex 2 0.07x
Inverness-shire 1 0.19x
Lincolnshire 1 0.04x
Shetland 1 0.56x
Wigtownshire 1 0.43x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 87 Telfers recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.08x.

Place Total Index
Barony 87 6.08x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 46 4.89x
Govan 46 3.29x
Hawick 46 64.94x
Jedburgh 35 112.87x
Abbey 30 14.52x
Glasgow 30 2.99x
Inveresk 30 47.34x
Cambusnethan 26 20.72x
Lochmaben 26 153.76x
Southdean 25 574.71x
West Greenock 24 9.88x
Muirkirk 23 74.92x
St Pancras London 21 1.49x
Carluke 20 38.98x
Everton 18 2.72x
Falkirk 18 11.93x
Castleton 16 117.73x
St Cuthbert Within 15 86.06x
Canonbie 14 85.37x
Douglas 14 85.94x
Lasswade 14 26.16x
Auckinleck 13 32.11x
Bradford 13 3.10x
Crawford 13 123.34x
Kelton 13 62.56x
Whitehaven 13 16.22x
Carnwath 12 34.34x
Otterburn 12 603.02x
South Leith 12 4.56x
Langholm 11 39.65x
Wandell Lamington 11 582.01x
West Derby 11 1.81x
Ewes 10 495.05x
Greenlaw 10 133.51x
Islington London 10 0.59x
Liverpool 10 0.79x
Rothesay 10 19.51x
St Mungo 10 251.89x
St Quivox 10 22.62x
Thorneyburn 10 1388.89x
Wandsworth 10 5.95x
Warksburn 10 925.93x
Yetholm 10 160.00x
Borgue 9 132.55x
Clerkenwell London 9 2.18x
Culter 9 262.39x
Duddingston 9 19.16x
Eskdalemuir 9 271.90x
Hownam 9 573.25x
Lesbury 9 156.79x
Northampton St Sepulchre 9 10.77x
Old Monkland 9 4.01x
Sandwith 9 405.41x
Troughend 9 588.24x
Westminster St John 9 4.23x
Clapham 8 3.66x
East Greenock 8 6.26x
East Kilbride 8 33.06x
Kirkton 8 400.00x
Maryhill 8 7.23x
Maxton 8 291.97x
Paisley Middle Church 8 10.15x
Penrith 8 14.40x
Pettinain 8 372.09x
Preston Quarter 8 18.98x
Stobo 8 279.72x
Bathgate 7 12.25x
Bellingham 7 160.92x
Blackburn 7 1.27x
Chatton 7 87.72x
Corsenside 7 171.99x
Dundonald 7 14.52x
Kirkwhelpington 7 514.71x
Lauder 7 59.88x
Plashetts Tynehead 7 266.16x
Stow 7 58.19x
Kensington London 6 0.62x
Minto 6 231.66x
Troqueer 6 18.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 52
Jane 29
Margaret 21
Elizabeth 20
Isabella 12
Sarah 12
Janet 10
Annie 8
Catherine 8
Eliza 8
Jessie 6
Ann 5
Agnes 4
Alice 4
Christina 4
Dorothy 4
Emma 4
Frances 4
Ada 3
Ellen 3
Fanny 3
Louisa 3
Blanche 2
Charlotte 2
Eleanor 2
Elspeth 2
Emily 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Helen 2
Jemima 2
Maggie 2
Marian 2
Maud 2
Susan 2
Amy 1
Anne 1
Barbara 1
Caroline 1
Christian 1
Constance 1
Eliz.C. 1
Harriett 1
Heneritta 1
Henrietta 1
Heriah 1
Isab. 1
Isobel 1
Jan 1
Walter 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 52
William 45
James 28
Thomas 26
Robert 18
Henry 10
Adam 9
Andrew 7
Charles 7
Walter 6
Alexander 5
Edward 5
Frederick 5
George 5
Gilbert 5
Robinson 5
Jas. 4
Joseph 4
Richard 4
Alfred 2
Creighton 2
David 2
Edmund 2
Albert 1
Charlie 1
Chas 1
Edmond 1
Edwd. 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Gideon 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
J.S. 1
Jno. 1
Lachlan 1
Marshall 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Nicholas 1
Norman 1
R.L. 1
Reginald 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Thos.H. 1
Tobias 1
Wallace 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Telfer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Telfer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,826 people were recorded with the Telfer surname. That placed it at #2,383 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Telfer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,006 in 2016. That gives Telfer a modern rank of #2,235.

What does the Telfer surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a placename meaning a piece of land cleared by burning.

What does the Telfer map show?

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