NameCensus.

UK surname

Tickner

An English occupational surname derived from "tiker" meaning a maker of ticking fabric.

In the 1881 census there were 1,303 people recorded with the Tickner surname, ranking it #3,142 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,507, ranked #4,104, down from #3,142 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough and Reigate. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Richmondshire, Mid Devon and Waverley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tickner is 1,889 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.7%.

1881 census count

1,303

Ranked #3,142

Modern count

1,507

2016, ranked #4,104

Peak year

1911

1,889 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tickner had 1,303 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,142 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,507 in 2016, ranked #4,104.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,889 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tickner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tickner surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tickner 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 832 #3,254
1861 historical 773 #3,560
1881 historical 1,303 #3,142
1891 historical 1,484 #2,965
1901 historical 1,751 #2,965
1911 historical 1,889 #2,615
1997 modern 1,748 #3,416
1998 modern 1,749 #3,550
1999 modern 1,743 #3,580
2000 modern 1,711 #3,621
2001 modern 1,688 #3,602
2002 modern 1,702 #3,646
2003 modern 1,636 #3,692
2004 modern 1,620 #3,731
2005 modern 1,542 #3,863
2006 modern 1,511 #3,944
2007 modern 1,499 #3,999
2008 modern 1,488 #4,064
2009 modern 1,521 #4,070
2010 modern 1,549 #4,081
2011 modern 1,536 #4,068
2012 modern 1,515 #4,048
2013 modern 1,548 #4,032
2014 modern 1,544 #4,075
2015 modern 1,519 #4,093
2016 modern 1,507 #4,104

Geography

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Where Tickners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough, Reigate and Walton-on-Thames. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Richmondshire, Mid Devon, Waverley, Mole Valley and Carlisle. 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 1
2 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 Reigate Surrey
5 Walton-on-Thames Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Richmondshire 003 Richmondshire
2 Mid Devon 011 Mid Devon
3 Waverley 013 Waverley
4 Mole Valley 008 Mole Valley
5 Carlisle 010 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tickner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tickner

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Tickner is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Tickner is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Tickner

The surname Tickner originated in England during the late medieval period. The name is derived from the Old English word "tyccan," which means "to pluck" or "to pull." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname for someone who worked with textiles or fabrics, plucking or pulling fibers or threads.

The earliest known record of the Tickner surname dates back to the 13th century in the county of Sussex, England. A document from 1296 mentions a John Tykener, which is likely an early spelling variation of the name. The surname also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, which lists a William Tykener.

During the medieval period, surnames often evolved from their original spellings due to regional dialects and inconsistencies in record-keeping. As a result, the Tickner surname has had several spelling variations throughout history, including Tykener, Tykner, Ticknor, and Tickner.

One notable historical figure with the Tickner surname was Richard Tickner (c. 1530-1596), an English composer and organist who served as a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal during the reigns of Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. Another individual of note was John Tickner (c. 1635-1699), an English Puritan minister and author who published several religious works.

In the 17th century, the Tickner surname is recorded in various parts of England, including Sussex, Kent, and Hampshire. A prominent individual from this period was William Tickner (1634-1689), a merchant and landowner from Sussex who was involved in local politics and held influential positions in the county.

Moving into the 18th century, the Tickner surname can be found in parish records and census documents across England, with concentrations in the southern counties. One notable person from this era was Thomas Tickner (1739-1811), a successful businessman and landowner from Kent, who served as a Justice of the Peace and was active in local affairs.

Throughout the 19th century, the Tickner surname continued to be present in various regions of England, with some individuals emigrating to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia. A notable figure from this period was Edward Tickner (1812-1890), a British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early printing technologies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tickner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tickner 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. Surrey leads with 568 Tickners recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.22x.

County Total Index
Surrey 568 9.22x
Kent 223 5.17x
Middlesex 183 1.45x
Sussex 161 7.55x
Hampshire 50 1.93x
Cambridgeshire 24 3.00x
Essex 12 0.48x
Suffolk 11 0.71x
Devon 10 0.38x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.53x
Cheshire 8 0.29x
Leicestershire 7 0.50x
Yorkshire 6 0.05x
Berkshire 4 0.42x
Warwickshire 4 0.13x
Royal Navy 3 1.99x
Durham 2 0.05x
Hertfordshire 2 0.23x
Morayshire 2 1.02x
Norfolk 2 0.10x
Somerset 2 0.10x
Bedfordshire 1 0.15x
Dorset 1 0.12x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shere in Surrey leads with 43 Tickners recorded in 1881 and an index of 577.96x.

Place Total Index
Shere 43 577.96x
Send Ripley 42 523.04x
Walton On Thames 38 134.37x
Godalming 37 95.41x
Tonbridge 35 22.50x
Chobham 28 257.35x
Woking 28 75.41x
Reigate Foreign 26 38.98x
Hawkhurst 25 186.43x
Portsea 25 4.92x
Sawston 23 297.93x
Maidstone 22 17.12x
Orpington 22 166.54x
Epsom 21 69.95x
Kingston On Thames 21 14.19x
St Marylebone London 20 2.96x
Chertsey 17 42.71x
Ewhurst 17 440.41x
Westminster St James 16 12.31x
Sunbury 15 98.75x
St Mary Cray 14 169.70x
Islington London 13 1.06x
Lambeth 13 1.18x
Bermondsey 12 3.19x
Egham 12 31.73x
Dorking 11 26.60x
Esher 11 127.61x
Kirdford 11 148.65x
Windlesham 11 94.99x
Wisborough Green 11 153.63x
Camberwell 10 1.24x
Chelsea London 10 2.62x
Cranleigh 10 110.99x
Hammersmith London 10 3.21x
Kensington London 10 1.42x
Wandsworth 10 8.22x
Eastbourne 9 9.18x
Ermington 9 94.04x
Hampton Wick London 9 97.19x
Slinfold 9 268.66x
St George In East 9 10.47x
St Mary Extra 9 43.17x
Teddington London 9 31.42x
Cliffe 8 111.11x
Fernhurst 8 169.49x
Greenwich 8 3.98x
Petworth 8 62.84x
Reigate Borough 8 56.30x
Stanford 8 629.92x
Albury 7 124.56x
Ashby De La Zouch 7 21.55x
Cobham 7 69.24x
Horsham 7 16.90x
Ipswich St Mary Key 7 175.44x
Preston 7 18.81x
Shoreditch London 7 1.28x
Snave 7 1428.57x
Willesborough 7 60.34x
Willesden 7 5.87x
Banstead 6 35.95x
Beckenham 6 10.64x
Broadwater 6 12.27x
Capel 6 103.45x
Croydon 6 1.75x
Frant 6 39.74x
Gedling 6 213.52x
Lympne 6 246.91x
Rudgwick 6 123.46x
Wonersh 6 78.02x
Battle 5 34.77x
Cheadle 5 9.38x
Guildford St Nicholas 5 45.96x
Hornsea 5 62.89x
Horsell 5 128.53x
Kew 5 139.66x
Little Bookham 5 602.41x
Mitcham 5 12.84x
Pulborough 5 63.94x
Southwark St Saviour 5 7.70x
Warehorne 5 217.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 93
George 56
James 55
John 54
Henry 40
Thomas 30
Alfred 22
Frederick 21
Arthur 19
Charles 18
Walter 16
Edward 15
Harry 13
Albert 11
Ernest 10
Richard 9
Stephen 9
Edwin 7
Peter 7
Herbert 6
Fredrick 5
Fredk. 4
Samuel 4
Wm. 4
Alexander 3
Edmund 3
Fred 3
Geo. 3
Joseph 3
Mark 3
Sidney 3
Abraham 2
Benjamin 2
Early 2
Ebenezer 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Horace 2
Louis 2
Oliver 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Aris 1
Clement 1
Cyrus 1
Daniel 1
Ethelbert 1
Jessie 1
Jim 1
Wm.C.T. 1

FAQ

Tickner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tickner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,303 people were recorded with the Tickner surname. That placed it at #3,142 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tickner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,507 in 2016. That gives Tickner a modern rank of #4,104.

What does the Tickner surname mean?

An English occupational surname derived from "tiker" meaning a maker of ticking fabric.

What does the Tickner map show?

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