NameCensus.

UK surname

Thatcher

An occupational surname referring to a person who thatched roofs with straw, reeds, or palm leaves.

In the 1881 census there were 2,746 people recorded with the Thatcher surname, ranking it #1,624 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,158, ranked #2,146, down from #1,624 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dover, Bath and North East Somerset and West Berkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thatcher is 3,642 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.0%.

1881 census count

2,746

Ranked #1,624

Modern count

3,158

2016, ranked #2,146

Peak year

1911

3,642 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thatcher had 2,746 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,624 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,158 in 2016, ranked #2,146.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,642 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Thatcher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thatcher surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thatcher 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 1,752 #1,645
1861 historical 1,597 #1,782
1881 historical 2,746 #1,624
1891 historical 2,719 #1,741
1901 historical 3,328 #1,682
1911 historical 3,642 #1,434
1997 modern 3,240 #1,986
1998 modern 3,268 #2,053
1999 modern 3,379 #2,001
2000 modern 3,350 #2,012
2001 modern 3,261 #2,022
2002 modern 3,372 #2,010
2003 modern 3,277 #2,020
2004 modern 3,280 #2,011
2005 modern 3,225 #2,018
2006 modern 3,194 #2,040
2007 modern 3,224 #2,045
2008 modern 3,207 #2,068
2009 modern 3,253 #2,087
2010 modern 3,330 #2,086
2011 modern 3,275 #2,089
2012 modern 3,189 #2,111
2013 modern 3,238 #2,118
2014 modern 3,226 #2,140
2015 modern 3,182 #2,145
2016 modern 3,158 #2,146

Geography

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Where Thatchers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Lambeth and Kidderminster. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dover, Bath and North East Somerset, West Berkshire and South Oxfordshire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Kidderminster Worcestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dover 006 Dover
2 Bath and North East Somerset 027 Bath and North East Somerset
3 Bath and North East Somerset 024 Bath and North East Somerset
4 West Berkshire 010 West Berkshire
5 South Oxfordshire 016 South Oxfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thatcher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thatcher

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Thatcher, 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 Thatcher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Thatcher 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Thatcher 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

Thatcher 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

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

Meaning and origin of Thatcher

The surname Thatcher originated in England during the medieval period. It derived from the Old English word 'thaeccere', meaning a roofer or thatcher, referring to someone who thatched roofs with straw or reed. The name was especially common in the southern counties of England, particularly in rural areas where thatched roofs were prevalent.

The earliest known record of the surname Thatcher dates back to the late 12th century, appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, providing valuable insights into the names and occupations of individuals during that time.

In the 13th century, the surname Thatcher was found in various spellings, such as 'le Thaccher', 'Thaccher', and 'Thachare', reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling. The name also appeared in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners and their properties.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Thatcher was Thomas Thatcher, a member of the Worshipful Company of Brewers in London, who lived around 1400. Another notable figure was Richard Thatcher, a merchant from Bristol who served as the city's mayor in 1507.

During the Tudor period, the Thatcher surname gained prominence with the birth of Thomas Thatcher in 1512. He was a renowned Protestant minister and one of the first Puritans in England. His son, Thomas Thatcher Jr., born in 1620, was a key figure in the early settlement of New England, serving as the first pastor of the Old South Church in Boston.

In the 17th century, the name Thatcher appeared in various historical records, including the Hearth Tax returns of 1665 and the Protestation Returns of 1642. These documents provide valuable insights into the distribution and occupations of Thatcher families across England.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Thatcher was Margaret Thatcher, born in 1925. She served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and was the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century. Her tenure was marked by significant economic reforms and her unwavering leadership during the Falklands War.

Other notable individuals with the Thatcher surname include Benjamin Thatcher, an American poet and journalist born in 1809, and Oliver Thatcher, an American architect and engineer born in 1857, who designed several notable buildings in Chicago.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thatcher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thatcher 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. Middlesex leads with 468 Thatchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.74x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 468 1.74x
Surrey 409 3.13x
Berkshire 330 16.38x
Somerset 239 5.53x
Gloucestershire 171 3.25x
Worcestershire 116 3.31x
Kent 112 1.22x
Staffordshire 90 0.99x
Oxfordshire 88 5.31x
Hampshire 82 1.49x
Wiltshire 81 3.41x
Lancashire 72 0.23x
Shropshire 64 2.76x
Sussex 64 1.41x
Cheshire 58 0.98x
Yorkshire 50 0.19x
Glamorgan 35 0.75x
Monmouthshire 35 1.80x
Durham 32 0.40x
Buckinghamshire 23 1.42x
Essex 21 0.40x
Devon 19 0.34x
Lincolnshire 18 0.42x
Channel Islands 13 1.63x
Dorset 13 0.74x
Derbyshire 9 0.21x
Warwickshire 9 0.13x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.19x
Midlothian 5 0.14x
Hertfordshire 4 0.22x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.27x
Suffolk 3 0.09x
Bedfordshire 2 0.14x
Brecknockshire 2 0.37x
Herefordshire 2 0.18x
Leicestershire 2 0.07x
Royal Navy 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kidderminster Borough in Worcestershire leads with 59 Thatchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.76x.

Place Total Index
Kidderminster Borough 59 28.76x
Lambeth 55 2.35x
Bristol St George 51 20.94x
Battersea 46 4.66x
St Pancras London 46 2.13x
Chelsea London 44 5.44x
St Marylebone London 41 2.86x
Bermondsey 38 4.75x
Kingswinford 38 11.55x
Hackney London 35 2.33x
Islington London 30 1.15x
Mortlake 29 49.74x
Chertsey 27 31.95x
Abingdon St Helen 26 44.14x
Hammersmith London 25 3.78x
Henley On Thames 24 70.67x
Newington 24 2.42x
Speen 24 72.79x
Wandsworth 24 9.29x
Bishopwearmouth 23 3.36x
Kensington London 23 1.54x
Bethnal Green London 22 1.89x
Brighton 22 2.41x
Clapham 22 6.56x
Shoreditch London 21 1.80x
Greenwich 20 4.68x
Southwark St George Martyr 20 3.70x
Reading St Giles 19 9.61x
West Ham 19 1.62x
Camberwell 18 1.05x
Longcot 18 500.00x
Paddington London 18 1.82x
Stourbridge 18 19.96x
Thorpe 18 314.14x
Reading St Mary 17 10.53x
Swindon 17 9.23x
West Swallowfield 17 177.82x
Bristol St James St Paul 16 9.11x
Wrington 16 110.34x
Bradford 15 352.94x
Caversham 15 45.24x
Enville 15 210.97x
Lambourn 15 75.11x
Lower Llanvrechva 15 78.74x
Normanton 15 18.76x
Walcot 15 6.52x
Bosden 14 76.97x
Draycot Moor 14 673.08x
Richmond 14 7.64x
St George Hanover 14 4.00x
Taunton St James 14 22.22x
Basingstoke 13 20.54x
Midsomer Norton 13 31.93x
Nailsea 13 76.16x
Othery 13 244.82x
Shrewsbury St Chad 13 15.97x
St Helier 13 5.02x
Taunton St Mary 13 16.39x
Uffington 13 249.04x
Wellington 13 22.19x
Hampstead London 12 2.87x
Milton In Gravesend 12 8.74x
Mitcham 12 14.51x
West Drayton 12 129.45x
Westbury On Trym 12 6.73x
Axminster 11 41.98x
Chipstead 11 185.81x
Churchill 11 159.65x
Enborne 11 291.01x
Fulham London 11 2.83x
Gillingham 11 5.83x
Overbury 11 178.86x
Blagdon 10 109.89x
Bristol St Augustine 10 11.77x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 10 2.02x
Deptford St Paul 10 1.42x
Goring 10 105.60x
Mile End Old Town 10 2.36x
Reading St Lawrence 10 23.20x
Worfield 10 62.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 141
Elizabeth 107
Sarah 98
Ann 60
Ellen 48
Alice 45
Jane 42
Emily 40
Eliza 39
Emma 36
Annie 30
Louisa 27
Charlotte 24
Kate 24
Florence 23
Martha 23
Maria 22
Harriet 21
Caroline 17
Hannah 17
Edith 15
Fanny 15
Margaret 15
Clara 14
Lucy 14
Harriett 12
Rose 12
Catherine 11
Susan 11
Ada 10
Agnes 10
Amelia 10
Anne 10
Rebecca 10
Frances 9
Jessie 9
Matilda 9
Minnie 9
Selina 8
Sophia 8
Esther 7
Isabella 7
Ethel 6
Rosa 6
Elizth. 5
Lydia 5
Betsy 4
Mabel 4
Rachael 4
Rachel 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 173
John 121
Thomas 112
George 108
James 92
Henry 80
Charles 70
Alfred 49
Joseph 30
Frederick 29
Richard 28
Edward 27
Samuel 26
Robert 25
Albert 23
Walter 22
Arthur 20
Francis 16
Harry 16
Frank 15
Ernest 14
Sidney 12
Benjamin 11
Edwin 11
Wm. 11
Herbert 7
Mark 7
Fredk. 6
Chas. 5
Christopher 5
Daniel 5
Geo. 5
Thos. 5
Tom 5
Ambrose 4
Fred 4
Fred. 4
Fredrick 4
Edgar 3
Harold 3
Jesse 3
Lewis 3
Percy 3
Stephen 3
Willie 3
Anthony 2
Charley 2
Norton 2
Oliver 2
Robt. 2

FAQ

Thatcher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thatcher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,746 people were recorded with the Thatcher surname. That placed it at #1,624 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thatcher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,158 in 2016. That gives Thatcher a modern rank of #2,146.

What does the Thatcher surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who thatched roofs with straw, reeds, or palm leaves.

What does the Thatcher map show?

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