NameCensus.

UK surname

Usher

An occupational surname referring to a doorkeeper or attendant in a court of law.

In the 1881 census there were 3,297 people recorded with the Usher surname, ranking it #1,376 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,835, ranked #1,400, down from #1,376 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Trowbridge and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Huntingdonshire, Dalry West and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Usher is 5,023 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.6%.

1881 census count

3,297

Ranked #1,376

Modern count

4,835

2016, ranked #1,400

Peak year

1998

5,023 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Usher had 3,297 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,376 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,835 in 2016, ranked #1,400.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,466 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Usher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Usher surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Usher 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 2,050 #1,416
1861 historical 1,900 #1,527
1881 historical 3,297 #1,376
1891 historical 3,414 #1,394
1901 historical 4,196 #1,341
1911 historical 4,466 #1,156
1997 modern 4,842 #1,354
1998 modern 5,023 #1,361
1999 modern 4,966 #1,384
2000 modern 4,978 #1,370
2001 modern 4,835 #1,381
2002 modern 4,922 #1,381
2003 modern 4,793 #1,384
2004 modern 4,822 #1,369
2005 modern 4,767 #1,368
2006 modern 4,736 #1,383
2007 modern 4,763 #1,387
2008 modern 4,800 #1,386
2009 modern 4,888 #1,392
2010 modern 4,961 #1,403
2011 modern 4,900 #1,401
2012 modern 4,812 #1,397
2013 modern 4,918 #1,391
2014 modern 4,920 #1,398
2015 modern 4,854 #1,401
2016 modern 4,835 #1,400

Geography

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Where Ushers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Trowbridge, London parishes, Gateshead and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Huntingdonshire, Dalry West and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Trowbridge Wiltshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Huntingdonshire 021 Huntingdonshire
2 Huntingdonshire 022 Huntingdonshire
3 Dalry West North Ayrshire
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 010 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Huntingdonshire 020 Huntingdonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Usher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Usher

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

Usher is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Usher falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Usher

The surname Usher is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'usser' or 'ussher', which referred to an officer or attendant in a court or household. The name first emerged in the 11th century and was initially an occupational surname for someone who performed the duties of an usher or doorkeeper.

Usher is believed to have roots in the Anglo-Norman French word 'huissier', which also means a doorkeeper or attendant. This French word, in turn, is derived from the Latin word 'ostiarius', meaning a doorkeeper or porter. The earliest recorded spelling of the name in England is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Osser' and 'Ussher'.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Hamo le Usser, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1176. Another early record is Robertus le Ussher, found in the Assize Court Rolls of Staffordshire in 1292.

The Usher surname is also associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most prominent figures was James Usher (1580-1656), an Anglican Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, who was a renowned scholar and theologian.

Another notable bearer of the name was John Usher (1594-1626), an English explorer and navigator who was involved in the early colonization efforts in North America. He is credited with surveying and mapping the New England coast and played a role in the founding of the colony of Massachusetts Bay.

In the literary world, James Usher (1720-1772) was an Irish dramatist and playwright known for his comedies and satires, while Clarence Usher (1878-1941) was an American historian and author who wrote extensively on the history of the American frontier.

The name Usher has also been associated with several places, such as Usher's Island in Dublin, Ireland, and the town of Ushers Ferry, Virginia, named after a ferry operated by members of the Usher family in the 18th century.

Over the centuries, the Usher surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Usher, Ussher, Uscher, and Ushers, among others. Despite these variations, the name has maintained its connection to its occupational origins and has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Usher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Usher 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. Durham leads with 495 Ushers recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.16x.

County Total Index
Durham 495 5.16x
Middlesex 418 1.30x
Yorkshire 411 1.29x
Kent 227 2.06x
Lancashire 220 0.58x
Northumberland 202 4.21x
Surrey 163 1.04x
Wiltshire 143 5.02x
Essex 122 1.92x
Warwickshire 103 1.27x
Hampshire 102 1.54x
Bedfordshire 97 5.81x
Lincolnshire 74 1.44x
Gloucestershire 73 1.15x
Cumberland 39 1.41x
Oxfordshire 31 1.56x
Somerset 30 0.58x
Berkshire 29 1.20x
Glamorgan 26 0.46x
Leicestershire 26 0.73x
Northamptonshire 25 0.82x
Midlothian 22 0.51x
Lanarkshire 21 0.20x
Cheshire 19 0.27x
Staffordshire 16 0.15x
Westmorland 16 2.26x
Huntingdonshire 14 2.19x
Roxburghshire 13 2.23x
Sussex 12 0.22x
Shropshire 10 0.36x
Pembrokeshire 9 0.88x
Devon 8 0.12x
Flintshire 8 0.92x
Monmouthshire 8 0.34x
Dorset 7 0.33x
Norfolk 7 0.14x
Worcestershire 7 0.17x
Isle of Man 6 1.00x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.14x
Denbighshire 5 0.41x
East Lothian 5 1.17x
Fife 5 0.26x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.29x
Dunbartonshire 4 0.46x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.15x
Hertfordshire 3 0.14x
Channel Islands 2 0.21x
Herefordshire 2 0.15x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.03x
Angus 1 0.03x
Ayrshire 1 0.04x
Caithness 1 0.23x
Derbyshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 64 Ushers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.05x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 64 2.05x
Gateshead 59 8.22x
St Pancras London 58 2.24x
Trowbridge 53 42.07x
Bishopwearmouth 52 6.32x
Hornsea 52 256.66x
Dedham 38 196.89x
Manchester 37 2.15x
Bocking 36 94.09x
Bradford On Avon 36 39.45x
St Marylebone London 34 1.98x
Lambeth 33 1.17x
Birmingham 32 1.18x
Stranton 30 9.29x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 29 6.98x
Holy Trinity 29 3.78x
Sandy 29 98.57x
Sunderland 26 15.35x
Clerkenwell London 25 3.29x
West Derby 25 2.23x
West Ham 25 1.78x
Elswick 24 6.27x
Westgate 24 8.08x
Byker 23 9.70x
Pittington 23 85.31x
Binsted 22 87.34x
Eaton Socon 21 80.18x
Minster In Sheppey 21 11.53x
Newington 21 23.88x
Bethnal Green London 20 1.43x
Camberwell 20 0.97x
Cobham 20 197.04x
Great Crosby 20 19.18x
Monkwearmouth Shore 20 10.69x
Preston 20 1.95x
Bermondsey 19 1.98x
Paddington London 19 1.60x
Elvet 18 26.00x
Hawkshead Monk Coniston 18 135.03x
Liverpool 18 0.77x
Croydon 17 1.95x
Mile End Old Town 17 3.34x
Salisbury St Edmund 17 37.16x
Battersea 16 1.35x
Clifton 16 5.01x
Leeds 16 0.89x
Ridley 16 672.27x
Shoreditch London 16 1.15x
Stockton On Tees 16 3.46x
Chester Le Street 15 20.37x
Harraton 15 80.26x
Maidstone 15 4.58x
St Luke London 15 2.90x
Leicester St Margaret 14 1.61x
Ormesby 14 16.31x
Rudston 14 210.21x
St George Hanover 14 3.33x
Tempsford 14 237.29x
Toxteth Park 14 1.08x
Barton St Mary 13 50.29x
Beverley St Mary 13 27.87x
Bodicote 13 171.50x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 13 0.75x
Keswick 13 36.65x
Greenwich 12 2.34x
Hammersmith London 12 1.51x
Longbenton 12 5.91x
Sculcoates 12 2.37x
St Giles In Fields 12 10.80x
Weston 12 30.08x
Bristol St Paul In 11 6.53x
Buckden 11 95.49x
Chirton 11 10.14x
Everton 11 0.90x
Ford 11 38.29x
Heworth 11 5.82x
Lamesley 11 21.31x
Pulloxhill 11 187.71x
Swindon 10 4.52x
York All Sts North 10 63.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 197
Elizabeth 161
Sarah 109
Jane 75
Ann 61
Annie 58
Alice 51
Margaret 51
Emily 43
Eliza 40
Hannah 36
Emma 33
Ellen 30
Edith 29
Charlotte 23
Louisa 23
Martha 23
Isabella 21
Florence 20
Maria 20
Caroline 19
Catherine 19
Kate 19
Frances 17
Ada 13
Fanny 13
Harriet 13
Elizth. 12
Eleanor 11
Rose 11
Agnes 10
Clara 10
Minnie 10
Anne 9
Harriett 9
Maud 8
Ruth 8
Amelia 7
Gertrude 7
Rebecca 7
Sophia 7
Bridget 6
Esther 6
Jessie 6
Julia 6
Lucy 6
Margt. 6
Matilda 6
Susan 6
Georgina 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 203
John 182
George 139
Thomas 129
James 94
Henry 76
Charles 67
Robert 67
Joseph 41
Alfred 37
Edward 35
Richard 34
Arthur 28
Frederick 27
Frank 24
Samuel 20
Walter 17
Albert 16
Francis 16
Harry 14
Michael 12
Isaac 9
Thos. 9
Edwin 8
Ernest 8
Fredk. 8
Herbert 8
Wm. 8
David 6
Philip 6
Willm. 6
Anthony 5
Benjamin 5
Fredrick 5
Geo. 5
Ralph 5
Chas. 4
Daniel 4
Fred 4
Henery 4
Jacob 4
Lewis 4
Matthew 4
Aaron 3
Elijah 3
Harold 3
J. 3
Jonathan 3
Leonard 3
Titus 3

FAQ

Usher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Usher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,297 people were recorded with the Usher surname. That placed it at #1,376 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Usher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,835 in 2016. That gives Usher a modern rank of #1,400.

What does the Usher surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a doorkeeper or attendant in a court of law.

What does the Usher map show?

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