UK surname
Derived from the Middle English personal name "Abbod," meaning "abbot" or "priest," likely referring to a descendant of one.
In the 1881 census there were 49 people recorded with the Abbett surname, ranking it #26,735 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 33, ranked #35,829, down from #26,735 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Abbett is 182 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 32.7%.
1881 census count
49
Ranked #26,735
Modern count
33
2016, ranked #35,829
Peak year
1861
182 bearers
Map years
3
1861 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Abbett surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Abbett surname density by area, 1911 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 | 97 | #17,484 |
| 1861 | historical | 182 | #12,949 |
| 1881 | historical | 49 | #26,735 |
| 1891 | historical | 163 | #17,300 |
| 1901 | historical | 79 | #25,363 |
| 1911 | historical | 155 | #17,485 |
| 1997 | modern | 32 | #34,472 |
| 1998 | modern | 32 | #34,633 |
| 1999 | modern | 33 | #34,610 |
| 2000 | modern | 36 | #34,317 |
| 2001 | modern | 36 | #34,171 |
| 2002 | modern | 37 | #34,390 |
| 2003 | modern | 39 | #34,296 |
| 2004 | modern | 39 | #34,477 |
| 2005 | modern | 36 | #34,894 |
| 2006 | modern | 36 | #35,131 |
| 2007 | modern | 37 | #35,215 |
| 2008 | modern | 37 | #35,327 |
| 2009 | modern | 34 | #35,608 |
| 2010 | modern | 36 | #35,620 |
| 2011 | modern | 40 | #35,395 |
| 2012 | modern | 31 | #35,876 |
| 2013 | modern | 31 | #35,927 |
| 2014 | modern | 34 | #35,784 |
| 2015 | modern | 35 | #35,702 |
| 2016 | modern | 33 | #35,829 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, London parishes, Worplesdon , Ash and Lambeth. 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 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth | Cambridgeshire |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Worplesdon , Ash | Surrey |
| 5 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Abbett 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 Abbett, 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 Abbett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Abbett 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, Abbett 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 Abbett is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Abbett, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Abbett is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a variant of the more common surname Abbott, which stems from the Old French word "abbot", meaning the head of a monastery or convent.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Abbett surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1209, where a person named Willelmus Abbett was listed. This suggests that the name was already in use by the early 13th century.
The name Abbett may have also been derived from place names such as Abbot's Langley in Hertfordshire or Abbot's Bromley in Staffordshire, both of which were named after abbeys or monastic settlements in those areas.
In the 14th century, a John Abbett was recorded as a resident of the village of Halesowen in Shropshire, according to the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. This provides evidence of the surname's presence in the West Midlands region of England during the medieval period.
One notable historical figure with the Abbett surname was Sir Maurice Abbett, a Member of Parliament for the borough of Southwark in the late 16th century. He was born around 1545 and served as an MP from 1597 until his death in 1605.
Another individual of note was Thomas Abbett, a Puritan minister who lived in the 17th century. He was born in Hertfordshire in 1613 and served as the vicar of St. Mary's Church in Bramshott, Hampshire, from 1647 until his death in 1670.
In the 18th century, there was a William Abbett who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Barnstaple, Devon. He was born in 1715 and served as the Mayor of Barnstaple in 1762.
Moving into the 19th century, a notable figure was John Abbett, a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in 1789 and rose to the rank of Captain in the Royal Navy, commanding several ships during his career until his retirement in 1845.
Finally, in the early 20th century, there was a Charles Abbett who was a renowned architect and builder in the city of Bristol. He was born in 1876 and was responsible for designing and constructing many notable buildings in the city, including several churches and schools, until his death in 1944.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Abbett 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. Middlesex leads with 22 Abbetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.60x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Twickenham in Middlesex leads with 9 Abbetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 439.02x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Twickenham | 9 | 439.02x |
| Denham | 6 | 8571.43x |
| St Luke London | 6 | 78.23x |
| Richmond | 5 | 153.37x |
| Walton On Thames | 5 | 467.29x |
| Hampton London | 4 | 506.33x |
| Runwell | 4 | 8000.00x |
| St Pancras London | 2 | 5.20x |
| Chilton | 1 | 227.27x |
| Cliffe | 1 | 270.27x |
| Horton In Bradford | 1 | 13.51x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 3.76x |
| Rochester St Nicholas | 1 | 196.08x |
| Thorngumbald | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Walsham Le Willows | 1 | 526.32x |
| Wigan | 1 | 12.61x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Abbett surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Abbett 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 Abbett households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 10 |
| Bootmaker | 2 |
| Needlewoman | 2 |
| A B | 1 |
| Baker | 1 |
| Baker Master Employ 4 Men & 2 Boys | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Confectionary | 1 |
| Farm Laborer | 1 |
| Fruiterer | 1 |
| General Servant Dom | 1 |
| General Servant Domestic | 1 |
| Greengrocer Employing 3 Boys | 1 |
| Grocers & Drapers Apptce | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Laborers Daur | 1 |
| Labourer (Ag) | 1 |
| Labourers Wife | 1 |
| Master Baker | 1 |
| Master Tailor (2 Men) | 1 |
| Railway Porter | 1 |
| Tailoress | 1 |
| Visitor | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 49 people were recorded with the Abbett surname. That placed it at #26,735 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 33 in 2016. That gives Abbett a modern rank of #35,829.
Derived from the Middle English personal name "Abbod," meaning "abbot" or "priest," likely referring to a descendant of one.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Abbett 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.