NameCensus.

UK surname

Worner

A German surname derived from a topographic name referring to someone who lived near a meadow or grassy area.

In the 1881 census there were 169 people recorded with the Worner surname, ranking it #14,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 226, ranked #18,044, down from #14,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Earl Soham and Martock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Somerset, Kingston upon Hull and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Worner is 264 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.7%.

1881 census count

169

Ranked #14,324

Modern count

226

2016, ranked #18,044

Peak year

1911

264 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Worner had 169 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 226 in 2016, ranked #18,044.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 264 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Worner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Worner surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Worner 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 240 #9,068
1861 historical 212 #11,466
1881 historical 169 #14,324
1891 historical 202 #14,808
1901 historical 224 #14,091
1911 historical 264 #12,449
1997 modern 252 #15,193
1998 modern 257 #15,401
1999 modern 260 #15,390
2000 modern 262 #15,272
2001 modern 253 #15,403
2002 modern 262 #15,327
2003 modern 255 #15,416
2004 modern 239 #16,193
2005 modern 229 #16,631
2006 modern 224 #16,990
2007 modern 219 #17,425
2008 modern 215 #17,809
2009 modern 220 #17,911
2010 modern 229 #17,805
2011 modern 219 #18,145
2012 modern 229 #17,537
2013 modern 227 #17,922
2014 modern 226 #18,088
2015 modern 227 #17,941
2016 modern 226 #18,044

Geography

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Where Worners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Earl Soham, Martock, Littleborough and Swansea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Somerset, Kingston upon Hull and Rhondda Cynon Taf. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Earl Soham Suffolk
3 Martock Somerset
4 Littleborough Nottinghamshire
5 Swansea Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Somerset 009 South Somerset
2 Kingston upon Hull 017 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Rhondda Cynon Taf 013 Rhondda Cynon Taf
4 Kingston upon Hull 004 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 South Somerset 003 South Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Worner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Worner

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Worner is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Worner 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

Worner falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Worner is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Worner

The surname Worner has its origins in medieval Germany, specifically from the regions of Baden, Württemberg, and Alsace. The name can be traced back to the High Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. It is derived from the Middle High German word "Warner," meaning "guardian" or "protector." This occupation-based surname likely referred to someone responsible for overseeing a particular area or property, much like a warden.

In terms of historical records, the name Worner appears in various medieval manuscripts and documents from the regions where it originated. One of the earliest mentions can be found in a 13th-century land grant in Baden, where a certain Heinrich Worner is listed as a witness. This indicates that the name had already established some local prominence by this period.

The name evolved linguistically and geographically over the centuries. Early spellings included Warner, Worner, and even Werener, depending on regional dialects and the phonetic interpretations of clerks recording the names. There is evidence of the surname appearing in church registers and local taxation records throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, particularly in southern Germany.

Famous individuals bearing the surname Worner include Johann Worner, a 16th-century merchant from Württemberg, known for his trade relations with Italian states. Another significant figure is Wilhelm Worner, born in 1763 and known for his contributions to early urban planning in Munich. The name also appears in the annals of American history, with Jacob Worner being one of the early German immigrants to Pennsylvania in the late 1700s. Born in 1734, Jacob Worner's descendants played crucial roles in the westward expansion of the United States.

Anna Worner, born in 1812, was a notable figure in European cultural history, renowned for her patronage of the arts in Vienna during the mid-19th century. Additionally, Heinrich Worner, born in 1890, made significant contributions to the field of physics, particularly in the study of electromagnetism, until his death in 1956. These individuals collectively illustrate the historical breadth and geographical spread of the surname.

The surname Worner offers a rich tapestry of historical context, grounded firmly in its Germanic roots and expanding globally over centuries. Each individual bearing the name has contributed uniquely to its enduring legacy, whether through commerce, science, or cultural influence.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Worner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Worner 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. Somerset leads with 88 Worners recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.17x.

County Total Index
Somerset 88 34.17x
Yorkshire 22 1.39x
Wiltshire 12 8.48x
Glamorgan 9 3.23x
Gloucestershire 7 2.23x
Nottinghamshire 6 2.78x
Surrey 4 0.51x
Worcestershire 4 1.91x
Dorset 3 2.86x
Middlesex 2 0.13x
Cornwall 1 0.55x
Derbyshire 1 0.40x
Essex 1 0.32x
Hampshire 1 0.31x
Lancashire 1 0.05x
Northamptonshire 1 0.66x
Warwickshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Martock in Somerset leads with 68 Worners recorded in 1881 and an index of 4071.86x.

Place Total Index
Martock 68 4071.86x
Swansea Higher 9 310.34x
Chew Stoke 8 2105.26x
Horbury 7 252.71x
Long Sutton 7 1458.33x
Sculcoates 7 27.86x
Downton 6 324.32x
South Leverton 6 2727.27x
West Wellow 6 1875.00x
Clifton 5 31.53x
Crewkerne 4 146.52x
Heckmondwike 4 78.43x
Upperswinford 4 225.99x
Radipole 3 416.67x
Lambeth 2 1.43x
Liversedge 2 28.33x
Ashford 1 79.37x
Beighton 1 88.50x
Birmingham 1 0.74x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 9.56x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 3.39x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.65x
Cottingham 1 29.24x
Dorking 1 19.12x
Holdenhurst 1 11.63x
Irchester 1 107.53x
Litherland 1 25.19x
Little Horkesley 1 909.09x
Lympsham 1 400.00x
Newington 1 22.88x
St Clement 1 52.91x
Wimbledon 1 11.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Alice 6
Ann 6
Sarah 6
Eliza 4
Jane 4
Ada 3
Annie 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Anna 2
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Elizabeth 2
Matilda 2
Agusta 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Charlotte 1
Clementina 1
Cordelia 1
Dorcas 1
Elizh. 1
Ella 1
Ellen 1
Eunice 1
Flora 1
Francis 1
Harriet 1
Ida 1
Jessie 1
Joanna 1
Kate 1
Lottie 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Minnie 1
Nora 1
Priscilla 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1
Rosina 1
Sophie 1
Susan 1
Tamson 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 8
Henry 7
William 5
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Emanuel 3
Frank 3
James 3
John 3
Joseph 3
Andrew 2
Earnest 2
Robert 2
Sidney 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Bertie 1
Charles 1
Edmond 1
Edred 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Herbert 1
Job 1
Lorenzo 1
Mark 1
Octavius 1
Oliver 1
Philip 1
Rueben 1
Tom 1
Vincent 1
Willm. 1
Wm.Indoe 1

FAQ

Worner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Worner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 169 people were recorded with the Worner surname. That placed it at #14,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Worner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 226 in 2016. That gives Worner a modern rank of #18,044.

What does the Worner surname mean?

A German surname derived from a topographic name referring to someone who lived near a meadow or grassy area.

What does the Worner map show?

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