UK surname
An English occupational surname referring to someone who hunted whales.
In the 1881 census there were 111 people recorded with the Whaler surname, ranking it #18,597 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 58, ranked #34,457, down from #18,597 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Willesden and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Whaler is 293 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 47.7%.
1881 census count
111
Ranked #18,597
Modern count
58
2016, ranked #34,457
Peak year
1861
293 bearers
Map years
4
1851 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Whaler surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Whaler surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 121 | #15,049 |
| 1861 | historical | 293 | #8,589 |
| 1881 | historical | 111 | #18,597 |
| 1891 | historical | 150 | #18,328 |
| 1901 | historical | 88 | #24,270 |
| 1911 | historical | 70 | #25,853 |
| 1997 | modern | 51 | #32,545 |
| 1998 | modern | 55 | #32,399 |
| 1999 | modern | 50 | #33,041 |
| 2000 | modern | 53 | #32,805 |
| 2001 | modern | 52 | #32,764 |
| 2002 | modern | 58 | #32,564 |
| 2003 | modern | 56 | #32,797 |
| 2004 | modern | 55 | #33,154 |
| 2005 | modern | 60 | #32,917 |
| 2006 | modern | 59 | #33,330 |
| 2007 | modern | 59 | #33,634 |
| 2008 | modern | 60 | #33,743 |
| 2009 | modern | 59 | #34,072 |
| 2010 | modern | 59 | #34,273 |
| 2011 | modern | 61 | #34,121 |
| 2012 | modern | 56 | #34,510 |
| 2013 | modern | 62 | #34,260 |
| 2014 | modern | 59 | #34,459 |
| 2015 | modern | 58 | #34,470 |
| 2016 | modern | 58 | #34,457 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Willesden, St Marylebone, Orby, Ingoldmells, Addlethorpe and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside | Durham |
| 2 | Willesden | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 3 | St Marylebone | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | Orby, Ingoldmells, Addlethorpe | Lincolnshire |
| 5 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Whaler surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Whaler, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Whaler surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Whaler household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Whaler is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Whaler is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Whaler, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Whaler has its origins in England, primarily emerging during the medieval period between the 12th and 15th centuries. The name likely originated in coastal regions where whaling was practiced, such as in the counties of Devon, Cornwall, and Yorkshire. It is derived from the Old English word "hwaelere," which pertains to a person associated with or working in the whaling industry. This occupational surname would have been given to those involved in the hunting, processing, or selling of whale products.
Historical references to the surname Whaler can be found in various medieval records. Notably, an early spelling variant, Walour, appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, though the name evolved over the centuries into its modern form. In 1296, a record from the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex lists a Thomas Whalere, highlighting the early use of the surname in association with those engaged in whaling.
One of the first recorded individuals with the surname was John Whaler, who appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. Another prominent early bearer of the name was Richard Whaler, documented in the feet of fines for the county of Suffolk in 1381. These records affirm the presence and social standing of individuals named Whaler in medieval England.
A significant historical figure with this surname is William Whaler, born in 1570, who was an early English settler in the New England colonies of America. His arrival in America exemplified the spread of the Whaler name outside its English origins and its establishment in the New World.
In the later centuries, Captain Thomas Whaler, born in 1654, gained some renown for his seafaring exploits in the 17th century. He was known for his voyages to the American colonies and his involvement in early whaling ventures that were foundational to the economic development of the colonies.
The surname Whaler also appears in the annals of British military history. Lieutenant James Whaler, born in 1789, served with distinction during the Napoleonic Wars. He is remembered for his bravery in several key naval battles, contributing to the British dominance of the seas during that period.
From its medieval English roots in coastal whaling communities to its appearances in historical records and migration to the Americas, the surname Whaler tells a story of occupational heritage and maritime enterprise. Each bearer of the surname has carried a part of this legacy through the centuries, reflecting the enduring connection between a name and its historical context.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Whaler surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lincolnshire leads with 31 Whalers recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.68x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lincolnshire | 31 | 19.68x |
| Middlesex | 20 | 2.03x |
| Warwickshire | 11 | 4.43x |
| Kent | 8 | 2.38x |
| Surrey | 8 | 1.67x |
| Hampshire | 7 | 3.47x |
| Essex | 3 | 1.54x |
| Hertfordshire | 3 | 4.42x |
| Northumberland | 2 | 1.36x |
| Shropshire | 2 | 2.35x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.31x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.09x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.60x |
| Wiltshire | 1 | 1.15x |
| Worcestershire | 1 | 0.78x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.10x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 10 Whalers recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.62x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Aston | 10 | 14.62x |
| Mumby | 10 | 4545.45x |
| Anderby | 8 | 8888.89x |
| Wimbledon | 6 | 111.32x |
| Hundleby | 5 | 2380.95x |
| Whippingham | 5 | 326.80x |
| Bethnal Green London | 4 | 9.35x |
| Boston | 4 | 83.68x |
| Deptford St Paul | 4 | 15.43x |
| Mile End Old Town | 3 | 19.29x |
| St Luke London | 3 | 18.99x |
| Widford | 3 | 3000.00x |
| Eltham | 2 | 101.52x |
| Lewisham | 2 | 11.16x |
| Paddington London | 2 | 5.52x |
| Posenhall | 2 | 20000.00x |
| Shoreditch London | 2 | 4.68x |
| Tynemouth | 2 | 25.48x |
| Watford | 2 | 38.02x |
| Addlethorpe | 1 | 1250.00x |
| Andover | 1 | 52.36x |
| Brighton | 1 | 2.98x |
| Bromley London | 1 | 4.61x |
| Clapham | 1 | 8.12x |
| Clerkenwell London | 1 | 4.30x |
| Ecclesall Bierlow | 1 | 5.04x |
| Feltham | 1 | 102.04x |
| Glasgow | 1 | 1.77x |
| Halesowen | 1 | 88.50x |
| Hogsthorpe | 1 | 416.67x |
| Horncastle | 1 | 61.35x |
| Kirkdale | 1 | 5.09x |
| Salisbury St Thomas | 1 | 144.93x |
| Shorwell | 1 | 476.19x |
| St Albans | 1 | 71.94x |
| St George Hanover | 1 | 7.78x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 1.90x |
| Streatham | 1 | 13.68x |
| Sutton Coldfield | 1 | 38.31x |
| West Keal | 1 | 833.33x |
| Westminster St John | 1 | 8.33x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Whaler surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Sarah | 6 |
| Elizabeth | 4 |
| Mary | 3 |
| Annie | 2 |
| Charlotte | 2 |
| Eliza | 2 |
| Lizzie | 2 |
| Maryann | 2 |
| Maud | 2 |
| Phoebe | 2 |
| Ada | 1 |
| Alma | 1 |
| Amelia | 1 |
| Angelina | 1 |
| Bertha | 1 |
| C. | 1 |
| Caroline | 1 |
| Charlott | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Ellen | 1 |
| Emily | 1 |
| Hariet | 1 |
| Jane | 1 |
| Jenomina | 1 |
| Kate | 1 |
| Kesia | 1 |
| Lucy | 1 |
| Matilda | 1 |
| Mehtbell | 1 |
| Rathler | 1 |
| Rose | 1 |
| Susann | 1 |
| Susannah | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Whaler surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Whaler households.
FAQ
In 1881, 111 people were recorded with the Whaler surname. That placed it at #18,597 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 58 in 2016. That gives Whaler a modern rank of #34,457.
An English occupational surname referring to someone who hunted whales.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Whaler bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.