NameCensus.

UK surname

Atter

A surname derived from an obsolete word meaning "poison" or "venom."

In the 1881 census there were 159 people recorded with the Atter surname, ranking it #14,935 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 458, ranked #10,679, up from #14,935 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Colsterworth (incl. Twyford). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Kesteven and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Atter is 479 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 188.1%.

1881 census count

159

Ranked #14,935

Modern count

458

2016, ranked #10,679

Peak year

2013

479 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Atter had 159 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,935 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 458 in 2016, ranked #10,679.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 384 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Atter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Atter surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Atter 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 146 #13,157
1861 historical 139 #16,263
1881 historical 159 #14,935
1891 historical 274 #11,880
1901 historical 342 #10,608
1911 historical 384 #9,571
1997 modern 444 #10,172
1998 modern 448 #10,442
1999 modern 465 #10,202
2000 modern 459 #10,261
2001 modern 443 #10,371
2002 modern 459 #10,264
2003 modern 439 #10,487
2004 modern 445 #10,418
2005 modern 442 #10,346
2006 modern 457 #10,127
2007 modern 464 #10,113
2008 modern 469 #10,119
2009 modern 476 #10,227
2010 modern 477 #10,410
2011 modern 463 #10,551
2012 modern 461 #10,482
2013 modern 479 #10,343
2014 modern 477 #10,444
2015 modern 471 #10,467
2016 modern 458 #10,679

Geography

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Where Atters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Colsterworth (incl. Twyford), Alfreton and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Kesteven and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Colsterworth (incl. Twyford) Lincolnshire
4 Alfreton Derbyshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Kesteven 003 South Kesteven
2 South Kesteven 007 South Kesteven
3 South Kesteven 005 South Kesteven
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 008 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 South Kesteven 009 South Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Atter

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Atter

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Atter 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

Atter is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Atter falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Atter

The surname ATTER has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the medieval period. It derives from the Old English word "atter," which means "poison" or "venom." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname for someone who worked with poisonous substances, such as a poisoner or a maker of poisonous substances.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name ATTER can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is recorded as "Atur" in the Domesday Book, which is likely an early spelling variation of ATTER.

In the 13th century, the name ATTER appeared in various records, including the Curia Regis Rolls of 1219, where a Richard Atter is mentioned. Another early record of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279, where a John Atter is listed.

During the late medieval and early modern periods, the name ATTER was primarily concentrated in the counties of Devon and Somerset in southwestern England. This suggests that the name may have originated in this region and then spread to other parts of the country.

One notable person with the surname ATTER was John Atter (c. 1500-1550), who was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol during the reign of Henry VIII. Another individual of note was Thomas Atter (1655-1720), who was a Church of England clergyman and author of several religious works.

In the 18th century, the surname ATTER appeared in various records across England, including parish registers and tax records. One example is William Atter (1721-1790), who was a farmer and landowner in the village of Westbury-on-Trym, near Bristol.

Another noteworthy person with the surname ATTER was Henry Atter (1783-1856), who was a successful businessman and philanthropist in the city of Exeter. He made significant contributions to various charitable organizations and was influential in the development of Exeter's infrastructure.

Throughout history, the surname ATTER has also been found in various spellings, such as Atter, Atter, Atre, and Attur, reflecting the evolution of English language and regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Atter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Atter 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. Lincolnshire leads with 100 Atters recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.33x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 100 40.33x
Yorkshire 11 0.72x
Middlesex 10 0.64x
Nottinghamshire 9 4.31x
Leicestershire 6 3.49x
Derbyshire 5 2.06x
Essex 4 1.31x
Northamptonshire 4 2.74x
Berkshire 3 2.58x
Surrey 3 0.40x
Cumberland 1 0.75x
Hampshire 1 0.31x
Lancashire 1 0.05x
Sussex 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Colsterworth in Lincolnshire leads with 18 Atters recorded in 1881 and an index of 3461.54x.

Place Total Index
Colsterworth 18 3461.54x
Islington London 9 5.99x
Stamford All Sts 8 575.54x
Brightside Bierlow 7 23.23x
Caythorpe 6 1250.00x
Ropsley 6 1764.71x
South Kyme 6 2142.86x
South Stoke 6 8571.43x
Crowland 5 320.51x
Eckington 5 84.75x
Langtoft 5 1612.90x
Manthorpe Cum Little 5 263.16x
Skirbeck Quarter 5 1111.11x
Wellingore 5 1190.48x
Balderton 4 701.75x
Marston 4 2500.00x
Osbournby 4 1538.46x
West Ham 4 5.92x
Lambeth 3 2.22x
Leicester Newarke 3 333.33x
New Sealford 3 588.24x
Newark Upon Trent 3 39.95x
Peterborough 3 28.41x
Ripon 3 84.03x
Bassingthorpe 2 2857.14x
Reading St Giles 2 17.51x
Walcott 2 512.82x
Barkestone 1 625.00x
Barrowby 1 232.56x
Folkingham 1 322.58x
Frisby On The Wreake 1 476.19x
Gorton 1 5.78x
Grantham 1 30.96x
Great Gonerby 1 156.25x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 17.92x
Hornsey 1 5.10x
Lavington 1 1111.11x
Lowdham 1 256.41x
Misson 1 277.78x
Normanton 1 1250.00x
Preston Quarter 1 26.74x
Sandhurst 1 44.44x
Sewstern 1 909.09x
Somerby In Grantham 1 158.73x
Southampton St Mary 1 5.00x
St Peterat Arches 1 357.14x
Stallingborough 1 384.62x
Stamford Baron St Martin 1 128.21x
Styrrup 1 322.58x
Toft Lound Manthorpe 1 714.29x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 18
William 13
Thomas 8
Amos 4
Charles 4
Edward 4
Robert 4
George 3
Henry 3
James 3
Walter 3
Joseph 2
Aquilla 1
Aquille 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Frances 1
Frederic 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Tobiah 1

FAQ

Atter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Atter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 159 people were recorded with the Atter surname. That placed it at #14,935 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Atter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 458 in 2016. That gives Atter a modern rank of #10,679.

What does the Atter surname mean?

A surname derived from an obsolete word meaning "poison" or "venom."

What does the Atter map show?

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