NameCensus.

UK surname

Thaxter

A surname of English origin referring to a thatcher or roofer.

In the 1881 census there were 135 people recorded with the Thaxter surname, ranking it #16,515 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 205, ranked #19,250, down from #16,515 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Pancras, Great Yarmouth and Haddenham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thaxter is 274 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.9%.

1881 census count

135

Ranked #16,515

Modern count

205

2016, ranked #19,250

Peak year

1911

274 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thaxter had 135 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,515 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 205 in 2016, ranked #19,250.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 274 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Thaxter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thaxter surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thaxter 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 97 #17,484
1861 historical 109 #19,693
1881 historical 135 #16,515
1891 historical 230 #13,494
1901 historical 227 #13,970
1911 historical 274 #12,150
1997 modern 250 #15,281
1998 modern 247 #15,813
1999 modern 242 #16,146
2000 modern 239 #16,239
2001 modern 230 #16,415
2002 modern 236 #16,455
2003 modern 232 #16,447
2004 modern 237 #16,283
2005 modern 230 #16,583
2006 modern 220 #17,204
2007 modern 214 #17,688
2008 modern 217 #17,693
2009 modern 221 #17,848
2010 modern 213 #18,660
2011 modern 211 #18,630
2012 modern 201 #19,147
2013 modern 203 #19,327
2014 modern 207 #19,259
2015 modern 209 #19,018
2016 modern 205 #19,250

Geography

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Where Thaxters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Pancras, Great Yarmouth, Haddenham, Reedham and Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Doncaster and Brighton and Hove. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
2 Great Yarmouth Norfolk
3 Haddenham Cambridgeshire
4 Reedham Norfolk
5 Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 004 North Norfolk
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 004 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Doncaster 015 Doncaster
4 Brighton and Hove 006 Brighton and Hove
5 North Norfolk 001 North Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thaxter

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thaxter

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Thaxter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Thaxter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Thaxter is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Thaxter is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Thaxter falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Thaxter 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 Thaxter, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Thaxter

The surname Thaxter is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from an occupational surname, derived from the Old English word 'þæccere,' which means a thatcher or one who constructs roofs with thatch materials like straw or reeds.

In its earliest forms, the name was often spelled as 'Thakker' or 'Thacker,' reflecting the local dialects and variations in pronunciation. The surname is thought to have emerged in various regions of England, particularly in areas where thatching was a common trade or occupation.

Historical records show instances of the name Thaxter appearing in various medieval manuscripts and documents. One notable example is the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where the name 'Robertus le Thakker' is listed, suggesting the presence of this surname during the 13th century.

The earliest recorded bearers of the name Thaxter include John Thacker, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1348. Another early record is that of William Thacker, who was listed in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

Over the centuries, the name Thaxter has been associated with several notable individuals. One such person was Thomas Thaxter (1521-1612), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of Bampton in Oxfordshire during the late 16th century.

Another prominent figure was Celia Thaxter (1835-1894), an American writer and poet born on the Isles of Shoals off the coast of New Hampshire. She gained recognition for her literary works, which often drew inspiration from the natural beauty of the islands.

In the realm of science, John Thaxter (1859-1932) was a distinguished American botanist and mycologist who made significant contributions to the study of fungi. He served as a professor at Harvard University and conducted extensive research on various fungal species.

The name Thaxter has also been linked to places and locations. For instance, Thaxton, a small village in Staffordshire, England, is believed to have derived its name from the surname Thaxter, reflecting the presence of individuals bearing this surname in the area.

Additionally, the Thaxter surname has been found in various historical records, including parish registers, court rolls, and tax records, further attesting to its long-standing presence within English society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Thaxter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thaxter 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. Norfolk leads with 55 Thaxters recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.17x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 55 27.17x
Yorkshire 22 1.69x
Cambridgeshire 16 19.18x
Middlesex 15 1.14x
Hertfordshire 6 6.61x
Northumberland 6 3.06x
Suffolk 6 3.74x
Huntingdonshire 4 15.30x
Staffordshire 3 0.68x
Kent 1 0.22x
Surrey 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Reedham in Norfolk leads with 16 Thaxters recorded in 1881 and an index of 4102.56x.

Place Total Index
Reedham 16 4102.56x
Gresham 8 4705.88x
Guestwick 8 10000.00x
Thirkleby In Thirsk 8 6666.67x
Haddenham 7 897.44x
Hunslet 7 34.40x
St Andrewthe Less 7 73.45x
Bedlington 6 91.74x
Blickling 6 4285.71x
St Pancras London 6 5.66x
Watford 6 85.23x
Fritton 5 4545.45x
Leeds 5 6.79x
Cantley 3 2500.00x
Ealing 3 25.49x
Huntingdon St Benedict 3 909.09x
Islington London 3 2.35x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 6.37x
Blofield 2 384.62x
Fakenham 2 200.00x
Great Yarmouth 2 11.93x
Langley 2 1428.57x
Letheringsett 2 1538.46x
Littleport 2 125.79x
Bradford 1 3.17x
Bramham Cum Oglethorpe 1 192.31x
Cheam 1 144.93x
Chiswick 1 13.91x
Gorleston 1 24.57x
Greenwich 1 4.77x
Halvergate 1 454.55x
Holt 1 144.93x
Norwich St James 1 62.89x
Norwood 1 33.22x
South Walsham St Lawrence 1 1000.00x
St Marylebone London 1 1.42x
Warboys 1 131.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 6
Ann 4
Jane 4
Hannah 3
Sophia 3
Alice 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Harriet 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Susan 2
Alberta 1
Alouiza 1
Amelia 1
Annarpih 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Blanche 1
Carline 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Dorcas 1
Edith 1
Elizh. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Harriett 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Rhoda 1
Rosa 1
Selinda 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Thaxter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thaxter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 135 people were recorded with the Thaxter surname. That placed it at #16,515 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thaxter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 205 in 2016. That gives Thaxter a modern rank of #19,250.

What does the Thaxter surname mean?

A surname of English origin referring to a thatcher or roofer.

What does the Thaxter map show?

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