NameCensus.

UK surname

Timbers

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a wooded area.

In the 1881 census there were 123 people recorded with the Timbers surname, ranking it #17,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 196, ranked #19,848, down from #17,506 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Witton, Reepham, Kerdiston and Kingston-on-Thames. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Cambridgeshire, South Norfolk and Norwich.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Timbers is 227 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.3%.

1881 census count

123

Ranked #17,506

Modern count

196

2016, ranked #19,848

Peak year

2002

227 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Timbers had 123 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,506 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016, ranked #19,848.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 179 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Timbers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Timbers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Timbers 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 70 #21,020
1861 historical 100 #21,103
1881 historical 123 #17,506
1891 historical 134 #19,777
1901 historical 149 #18,146
1911 historical 179 #16,023
1997 modern 209 #17,157
1998 modern 209 #17,650
1999 modern 221 #17,126
2000 modern 217 #17,296
2001 modern 210 #17,425
2002 modern 227 #16,877
2003 modern 214 #17,343
2004 modern 206 #17,883
2005 modern 212 #17,473
2006 modern 211 #17,662
2007 modern 213 #17,744
2008 modern 213 #17,903
2009 modern 203 #18,840
2010 modern 196 #19,698
2011 modern 193 #19,729
2012 modern 196 #19,463
2013 modern 201 #19,454
2014 modern 199 #19,775
2015 modern 195 #19,909
2016 modern 196 #19,848

Geography

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Where Timbers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Witton, Reepham, Kerdiston, Kingston-on-Thames, Sco-Ruston and Sall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Cambridgeshire, South Norfolk, Norwich and Broadland. 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 Witton Norfolk
2 Reepham, Kerdiston Norfolk
3 Kingston-on-Thames Surrey
4 Sco-Ruston Norfolk
5 Sall Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Cambridgeshire 001 East Cambridgeshire
2 South Norfolk 001 South Norfolk
3 Norwich 002 Norwich
4 Broadland 006 Broadland
5 Norwich 007 Norwich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Timbers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Timbers

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

Timbers 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

Timbers 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 Timbers 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Timbers

The surname Timbers is an English occupational surname derived from the Old English word "timbrian," meaning "to build with wood." It originated in the Middle Ages, likely in the 12th or 13th century, when surnames began to be adopted more widely in England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Timbers can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like record from 1273, which mentions a William le Tymbre. This spelling variation suggests that the name was initially associated with the trade of a carpenter or woodworker.

During the medieval period, the Timbers surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex in East Anglia. These areas were known for their thriving timber trade and shipbuilding industries, which likely contributed to the prevalence of the surname among local craftsmen.

In the 16th century, the surname appeared in several parish records, such as the christening of John Tymbers in 1564 in St. Mary's Church, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. The surname was also found in the Pipe Rolls of 1197, which recorded a Robert le Tymberere from Hertfordshire.

One notable bearer of the Timbers surname was Sir John Timbers (1601-1675), an English merchant and landowner from Norfolk. He served as a Member of Parliament for Great Yarmouth and was known for his involvement in the East Anglian wool trade.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Timbers (1735-1809), a British naval commander who participated in several battles during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He achieved the rank of Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy.

In the literary world, Emma Timbers (1868-1942) was a British novelist and playwright known for her works depicting rural life in East Anglia. Her novel "The Marsh King" (1905) was particularly well-received and helped establish her reputation as a regional writer.

The Timbers surname also has connections to place names. For instance, the village of Timbers in Gloucestershire may have derived its name from the presence of woodlands or timber resources in the area.

While the Timbers surname is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history rooted in the medieval craft of woodworking and the timber trade, with numerous notable bearers contributing to various fields over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Timbers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Timbers 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 81 Timbers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.91x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 81 43.91x
Surrey 19 3.25x
Middlesex 7 0.58x
Lancashire 5 0.35x
Essex 3 1.27x
Kent 3 0.73x
Suffolk 2 1.37x
Yorkshire 2 0.17x
Leicestershire 1 0.75x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Reepham With Kerdiston in Norfolk leads with 22 Timbers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 10000.00x.

Place Total Index
Reepham With Kerdiston 22 10000.00x
Sall 9 11250.00x
Tunstead 9 5294.12x
Burnham Overy 8 3200.00x
Witton In Smallburgh 8 8000.00x
Hackford In Aylsham 7 2121.21x
Kingston On Thames 7 49.86x
Barford 5 3846.15x
Lakenham 5 190.84x
Newchurch 5 42.92x
Lambeth 3 2.87x
Camberwell 2 2.61x
Deptford St Paul 2 6.34x
Great Yarmouth 2 13.09x
Heigham 2 20.20x
Leeds 2 2.98x
Newington 2 4.51x
Streatham 2 22.47x
West Ham 2 3.82x
Aylsham 1 90.91x
Belton 1 384.62x
Bulmer 1 344.83x
Croydon 1 3.08x
East Peckham 1 117.65x
Foulsham 1 256.41x
Gorleston 1 26.95x
Hammersmith London 1 3.38x
Hampstead London 1 5.35x
Marlingford 1 1000.00x
Putney 1 18.28x
Sheepshed 1 54.95x
St Pancras London 1 1.04x
Swanton Abbott 1 476.19x
Teddington London 1 36.76x
Thames Ditton 1 82.64x
Twickenham 1 19.46x
Westminster St 1 22.62x
Westminster St John 1 6.84x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Timbers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Timbers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 123 people were recorded with the Timbers surname. That placed it at #17,506 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Timbers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016. That gives Timbers a modern rank of #19,848.

What does the Timbers surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone living near a wooded area.

What does the Timbers map show?

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