NameCensus.

UK surname

Walster

A locational surname deriving from a place name referring to a walled town or city.

In the 1881 census there were 146 people recorded with the Walster surname, ranking it #15,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 269, ranked #15,956, down from #15,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Manchester, South Derbyshire and North West Leicestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Walster is 308 in 2003. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 84.2%.

1881 census count

146

Ranked #15,752

Modern count

269

2016, ranked #15,956

Peak year

2003

308 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Walster had 146 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 269 in 2016, ranked #15,956.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 304 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Walster surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Walster surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Walster 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 108 #16,308
1861 historical 304 #8,340
1881 historical 146 #15,752
1891 historical 304 #11,005
1901 historical 214 #14,517
1911 historical 239 #13,321
1997 modern 285 #13,981
1998 modern 303 #13,809
1999 modern 300 #13,958
2000 modern 303 #13,829
2001 modern 299 #13,758
2002 modern 306 #13,835
2003 modern 308 #13,587
2004 modern 306 #13,720
2005 modern 292 #14,072
2006 modern 284 #14,396
2007 modern 284 #14,548
2008 modern 287 #14,580
2009 modern 293 #14,669
2010 modern 293 #14,974
2011 modern 290 #14,933
2012 modern 290 #14,838
2013 modern 281 #15,487
2014 modern 278 #15,692
2015 modern 276 #15,673
2016 modern 269 #15,956

Geography

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Where Walsters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Manchester, South Derbyshire, North West Leicestershire and North East Lincolnshire. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Manchester 020 Manchester
2 South Derbyshire 009 South Derbyshire
3 North West Leicestershire 008 North West Leicestershire
4 North West Leicestershire 007 North West Leicestershire
5 North East Lincolnshire 011 North East Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Walster

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Walster

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Walster surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Walster household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Walster is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Walster is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Walster falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Walster is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Walster

The surname Walster has its origins in England, tracing back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle English words 'wal' and 'stere', which collectively meant 'a steerer or guide of the wall'. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a profession or occupation related to fortifications or construction.

One of the earliest records of the name Walster appears in the Pipe Rolls of Hertfordshire in 1195, where a person named Roger Walster is mentioned. This indicates that the surname was already in use during the late 12th century in the county of Hertfordshire.

In the 13th century, the name is found in various historical documents, including the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which lists a William Walster. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of England by that time.

The Walster surname is also mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a John Walster is recorded. This indicates the presence of the name in the West Midlands region during the 14th century.

One notable individual bearing the Walster surname was Robert Walster, who was born in Oxfordshire in 1512. He served as a member of the English Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and was known for his involvement in local affairs.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Walster, born in Warwickshire in 1647. He was a respected scholar and author, publishing several works on theology and philosophy during the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, the name Walster is associated with the village of Walston in Derbyshire, which may have been derived from the surname itself or vice versa. A local family bearing the Walster name is recorded as residing in the area during this period.

The 19th century saw the emergence of William Walster, born in Lincolnshire in 1823. He was a successful businessman and philanthropist, known for his contributions to various charitable organizations in his local community.

Finally, one of the more recent notable individuals with the Walster surname was Alice Walster, born in Yorkshire in 1899. She was a renowned botanist and author, publishing several books on the flora of the Yorkshire Dales and contributing significantly to the field of plant taxonomy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Walster families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Walster 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 69 Walsters recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.94x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 69 35.94x
Lincolnshire 40 17.57x
Yorkshire 16 1.13x
Derbyshire 6 2.69x
Surrey 5 0.72x
Leicestershire 4 2.53x
Kent 3 0.62x
Lancashire 3 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edingley in Nottinghamshire leads with 13 Walsters recorded in 1881 and an index of 9285.71x.

Place Total Index
Edingley 13 9285.71x
Epworth 12 1132.08x
Gainsborough 11 204.84x
Newark Upon Trent 10 144.93x
Louth 8 153.26x
Sutton On Trent 8 1702.13x
Greasley 6 138.57x
Holy Trinity 6 17.67x
Coddington 5 2000.00x
Hucknall Torkard 5 102.67x
Nether Hallam 5 26.19x
Southwark Christchurch 5 74.96x
Ashby De La Zouch 4 109.29x
Blidworth Haywood 4 1904.76x
Long Eaton 4 136.05x
North Muskham 4 1538.46x
Barrow In Furness 3 13.05x
Greenwich 3 13.23x
Nottingham St Mary 3 6.04x
St Nicholas Lincoln 3 137.61x
Brant Broughton 2 606.06x
Farndon 2 588.24x
Mansfield 2 30.12x
North Collingham 2 444.44x
Sheffield 2 4.45x
St Maryle Wigford 2 112.99x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 1 19.49x
Batley 1 7.46x
Brimington 1 59.17x
Bulwell 1 23.98x
Fulbeck 1 322.58x
Girton 1 1428.57x
Manthorpe Cum Little 1 57.47x
Normanton On Trent 1 625.00x
Ragnall 1 1111.11x
South Collingham 1 263.16x
South Normanton 1 63.69x
Wakefield 1 9.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Sarah 7
Ann 5
Elizabeth 5
Harriet 5
Alice 4
Eliza 3
Elizth. 3
Hannah 3
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Martha 2
Rebecca 2
Bridget 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Julia 1
Lilian 1
Maria 1
Milly 1
My.Ann 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
George 11
Joseph 7
William 6
Samuel 5
Thomas 5
James 4
Arthur 3
Henry 2
Job 2
Martin 2
Richard 2
Tom 2
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Jeremiah 1
Louisa 1
Marshall 1
Robert 1
Rushby 1
Saml. 1
Wm.Green 1

FAQ

Walster surname: questions and answers

How common was the Walster surname in 1881?

In 1881, 146 people were recorded with the Walster surname. That placed it at #15,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Walster surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 269 in 2016. That gives Walster a modern rank of #15,956.

What does the Walster surname mean?

A locational surname deriving from a place name referring to a walled town or city.

What does the Walster map show?

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