NameCensus.

UK surname

Ablett

Derived from a place name meaning "apple tree" in Old English, likely referring to someone who lived near apple trees.

In the 1881 census there were 631 people recorded with the Ablett surname, ranking it #5,619 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,135, ranked #5,189, up from #5,619 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St Leonard Shoreditch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fenland, Cambridge and Suffolk Coastal.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ablett is 1,211 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 79.9%.

1881 census count

631

Ranked #5,619

Modern count

1,135

2016, ranked #5,189

Peak year

2000

1,211 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ablett had 631 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,619 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,135 in 2016, ranked #5,189.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,130 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ablett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ablett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ablett 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 410 #5,916
1861 historical 322 #7,911
1881 historical 631 #5,619
1891 historical 688 #5,693
1901 historical 946 #4,949
1911 historical 1,130 #4,120
1997 modern 1,198 #4,717
1998 modern 1,195 #4,899
1999 modern 1,209 #4,901
2000 modern 1,211 #4,863
2001 modern 1,180 #4,873
2002 modern 1,197 #4,912
2003 modern 1,189 #4,845
2004 modern 1,164 #4,943
2005 modern 1,126 #5,039
2006 modern 1,117 #5,074
2007 modern 1,126 #5,080
2008 modern 1,144 #5,044
2009 modern 1,164 #5,075
2010 modern 1,181 #5,109
2011 modern 1,152 #5,174
2012 modern 1,126 #5,185
2013 modern 1,163 #5,124
2014 modern 1,148 #5,210
2015 modern 1,139 #5,200
2016 modern 1,135 #5,189

Geography

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Where Abletts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and Doddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fenland, Cambridge, Suffolk Coastal and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Doddington Cambridgeshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fenland 002 Fenland
2 Fenland 003 Fenland
3 Cambridge 002 Cambridge
4 Suffolk Coastal 002 Suffolk Coastal
5 Kingston upon Hull 002 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ablett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ablett

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Ablett is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Ablett 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

Ablett falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Ablett

The surname Ablett has its origins in England and dates back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "aeble" meaning apple, and "geat" meaning gate or road, which together form "Aeblegeat," a place name referring to an apple orchard or a road lined with apple trees.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Ablett can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from the year 1199, where it appears as "Abbelot." This suggests that the name had already been in use for some time by the late 12th century.

The Ablett family is thought to have originated in the counties of Staffordshire and Derbyshire, where the name was particularly prevalent in medieval times. Some of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname include John Ablett, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327, and William Ablett, who was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire in 1332.

As the centuries passed, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Abbelot, Abelot, Abblott, and Ablott, before settling on the modern form of Ablett.

One notable bearer of the Ablett surname was Sir Thomas Ablett (1616-1670), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Derby during the reign of Charles II. Another was John Ablett (1767-1846), a renowned English engraver and artist who is best known for his engravings of landscapes and architectural subjects.

Other historical figures with the Ablett surname include William Ablett (1798-1849), an English businessman and philanthropist who established several schools and charitable institutions in his hometown of Sheffield, and Sir James Ablett (1834-1917), a British military officer who served in the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny.

More recently, the name Ablett has been associated with Sir Norman Ablett (1892-1961), a British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Governor of Queensland, Australia, from 1946 to 1957.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ablett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ablett 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. Suffolk leads with 108 Abletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.41x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 108 14.41x
Middlesex 94 1.53x
Lancashire 77 1.05x
Cambridgeshire 71 18.21x
Yorkshire 66 1.08x
Essex 34 2.80x
Surrey 26 0.87x
Norfolk 23 2.43x
Kent 22 1.05x
Northamptonshire 19 3.28x
Glamorgan 16 1.49x
Gloucestershire 16 1.33x
Somerset 10 1.01x
Huntingdonshire 8 6.55x
Durham 7 0.38x
Warwickshire 7 0.45x
Lincolnshire 5 0.51x
Cheshire 4 0.29x
Sussex 3 0.29x
Angus 2 0.35x
Berkshire 2 0.43x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.54x
Channel Islands 2 1.10x
Hertfordshire 2 0.47x
Cumberland 1 0.19x
Derbyshire 1 0.10x
Devon 1 0.08x
Hampshire 1 0.08x
Leicestershire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shoreditch London in Middlesex leads with 26 Abletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.74x.

Place Total Index
Shoreditch London 26 9.74x
March 24 183.91x
Liverpool 18 4.06x
Doddington 16 559.44x
Llanwonno 16 41.55x
Weybread 16 1118.88x
Bury St Edmunds St James 14 69.93x
Margate St John Baptist 13 33.81x
Clayton 12 80.38x
Holy Trinity 12 8.18x
Irthlingborough 12 211.27x
Ipswich St Clement 11 57.71x
Wigan 11 10.78x
Congresbury 10 398.41x
Lambeth 10 1.86x
Sutton Stoneferry 10 57.31x
West Derby 10 4.68x
Bristol St James St Paul 9 22.36x
Ramsey 9 562.50x
St Pancras London 9 1.82x
Bowling 8 13.24x
Ipswich St Mathew 8 38.08x
Islington London 8 1.34x
Oswaldtwistle 8 31.00x
Preston 8 4.09x
Theberton 8 629.92x
Aston 7 1.64x
Bermondsey 7 3.82x
Clifton 7 11.47x
Elm 7 183.25x
Prittlewell 7 41.57x
St Giles In Fields London 7 23.18x
Wavertree 7 29.94x
Westoe 7 6.74x
Whaddon 7 958.90x
Mile End Old Town London 6 4.58x
Norwich St Lawrence 6 465.12x
Ormskirk 6 42.92x
Redenhall 6 163.04x
Southcoates 6 17.72x
Woodbridge 6 62.63x
Great Glemham 5 694.44x
Limehouse London 5 7.40x
Patrington 5 173.01x
Rushden 5 64.52x
Tottenham 5 5.10x
Walsoken 5 87.87x
West Ham 5 1.86x
Bow London 4 5.10x
Bromley London 4 2.95x
Chatham 4 6.92x
Colchester Holy Trinity 4 148.70x
Harwich St Nicholas 4 42.64x
Ilketshall St Andrew 4 404.04x
Impington 4 476.19x
Southwark St Thomas 4 242.42x
Sunk Island 4 454.55x
Withersdale 4 1212.12x
Aughton 3 41.49x
Birkenhead 3 2.77x
Chelsea London 3 1.62x
East Bergholt 3 119.52x
Erith 3 14.50x
Eye 3 61.98x
Great Yarmouth 3 3.83x
Hastings St Mary 3 11.61x
Histon 3 147.06x
Horncastle 3 29.53x
Huntingdon St John 3 84.75x
Lowestoft 3 8.47x
Northowram 3 7.01x
St Andrewthe Less 3 6.74x
Wortley In Bramley 3 6.21x
Barrow In Furness 2 2.01x
Barry 2 29.24x
Camberwell 2 0.51x
Grundisburgh 2 115.61x
Kensington London 2 0.58x
New Windsor 2 12.88x
Sculcoates 2 2.07x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 34
Sarah 22
Alice 14
Annie 11
Eliza 11
Ellen 10
Emma 10
Ann 8
Emily 8
Hannah 8
Jane 8
Louisa 6
Maria 5
Martha 5
Susan 5
Harriett 4
Rebecca 4
Anna 3
Clara 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Julia 3
Lucy 3
Agusta 2
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Betsy 2
Emmilien 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Lilly 2
Margaret 2
Priscilla 2
Susannah 2
Adilaide 1
Albina 1
Beatrice 1
Belinda 1
Dirnah 1
Eda 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Hellen 1
Isabella 1
Janette 1
Jessie 1
John 1
Zilpah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 41
William 38
Charles 26
George 24
Thomas 20
Arthur 17
James 16
Joseph 14
Alfred 13
Frederick 12
Henry 12
Robert 12
Samuel 10
Walter 10
Harry 7
Albert 6
Edward 6
Daniel 3
Ernest 3
Benjamin 2
Fred 2
Jabez 2
Percy 2
Richard 2
Thos. 2
Adolphus 1
Alfd. 1
Amthen 1
Charlie 1
Chas.H. 1
Christofer 1
D. 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Enny 1
Evan 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Hy.P. 1
Isac 1
Jess 1
Jim 1
Josiah 1
Oliver 1
Phillip 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Ablett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ablett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 631 people were recorded with the Ablett surname. That placed it at #5,619 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ablett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,135 in 2016. That gives Ablett a modern rank of #5,189.

What does the Ablett surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "apple tree" in Old English, likely referring to someone who lived near apple trees.

What does the Ablett map show?

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