NameCensus.

UK surname

Attoe

A surname possibly derived from a place name or an anglicized version of a foreign name.

In the 1881 census there were 80 people recorded with the Attoe surname, ranking it #22,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 163, ranked #22,407, down from #22,225 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Blythburgh, London parishes and Battersea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Huntingdonshire, South Norfolk and Great Yarmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Attoe is 218 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 103.8%.

1881 census count

80

Ranked #22,225

Modern count

163

2016, ranked #22,407

Peak year

1911

218 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Attoe had 80 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,225 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016, ranked #22,407.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 218 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Attoe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Attoe surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Attoe 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 46 #24,985
1861 historical 37 #29,339
1881 historical 80 #22,225
1891 historical 130 #20,173
1901 historical 199 #15,173
1911 historical 218 #14,177
1997 modern 164 #19,944
1998 modern 162 #20,673
1999 modern 167 #20,374
2000 modern 165 #20,501
2001 modern 164 #20,279
2002 modern 163 #20,767
2003 modern 163 #20,554
2004 modern 153 #21,528
2005 modern 150 #21,786
2006 modern 139 #23,044
2007 modern 138 #23,478
2008 modern 139 #23,635
2009 modern 149 #23,031
2010 modern 152 #23,282
2011 modern 149 #23,408
2012 modern 150 #23,264
2013 modern 157 #22,904
2014 modern 166 #22,277
2015 modern 159 #22,796
2016 modern 163 #22,407

Geography

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Where Attoes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Blythburgh, London parishes, Battersea, Wrentham and Briston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Huntingdonshire, South Norfolk, Great Yarmouth, Maidstone and Norwich. 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 Blythburgh Suffolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Battersea London (South Districts)
4 Wrentham Suffolk
5 Briston Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Huntingdonshire 008 Huntingdonshire
2 South Norfolk 001 South Norfolk
3 Great Yarmouth 002 Great Yarmouth
4 Maidstone 005 Maidstone
5 Norwich 001 Norwich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Attoe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Attoe

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Attoe, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Attoe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Attoe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Attoe is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Attoe 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

Attoe falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Attoe is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Attoe

The surname Attoe has its origins in the northern English county of Yorkshire, where it emerged during the late medieval period. The name is believed to derive from an Old English phrase meaning "at the hoe," referring to a person who lived near a heel-shaped ridge or hill.

Historical records indicate that the Attoe family was well-established in the Yorkshire Dales region by the 14th century. One of the earliest documented instances of the name appears in the 1379 Poll Tax Returns for the village of Kettlewell, which lists a Thomas Attoe among the local taxpayers.

Over the centuries, the spelling of the name underwent various modifications, with variants such as Atto, Attoe, and Attogh appearing in parish registers and legal documents across Yorkshire and neighboring counties.

A notable early bearer of the name was Sir William Attoe (c. 1420-1492), a respected landowner and minor nobleman from Skipton, whose family held estates in the region for generations. Another prominent figure was Richard Attoe (1566-1637), a scholar and clergyman who served as the Vicar of Ripon Cathedral in the early 17th century.

As the Attoe family spread across northern England, they left their mark on various place names. For instance, the hamlet of Attoe Houses near Richmond is believed to have been named after an early Attoe settler in the area.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, several members of the Attoe family achieved distinction in various fields. John Attoe (1578-1644) was a successful merchant and alderman in the city of York, while his contemporary, Thomas Attoe (1585-1659), was a respected lawyer and landowner in Wakefield.

By the 18th century, the Attoe surname had spread beyond Yorkshire, with notable bearers such as William Attoe (1712-1786), a renowned architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London.

Throughout its long history, the Attoe surname has maintained a strong presence in northern England, particularly in Yorkshire and the surrounding counties. While not among the most common surnames, it has a rich heritage and has contributed to the cultural tapestry of the region over many centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Attoe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Attoe 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. Norfolk leads with 49 Attoes recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.84x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 49 40.84x
Suffolk 15 15.78x
Surrey 12 3.16x
Middlesex 3 0.38x
Essex 1 0.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Catton in Norfolk leads with 19 Attoes recorded in 1881 and an index of 9500.00x.

Place Total Index
Catton 19 9500.00x
Norwich St Clement 13 935.25x
Battersea 12 41.80x
Wrentham 8 3076.92x
Hellesdon 7 3181.82x
Halesworth 5 746.27x
Postwick 3 3750.00x
Blythburgh 2 909.09x
Briston 2 869.57x
Fundenhall 2 2500.00x
Hampstead London 2 16.46x
East Dereham 1 65.79x
North Elmham 1 344.83x
Norwich St James 1 106.38x
St George Hanover Square 1 7.27x
Walthamstow 1 18.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 6
Arthur 4
John 4
William 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Albert 1
Amos 1
C. 1
Carnaby 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Jonathan 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Attoe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Attoe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 80 people were recorded with the Attoe surname. That placed it at #22,225 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Attoe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016. That gives Attoe a modern rank of #22,407.

What does the Attoe surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from a place name or an anglicized version of a foreign name.

What does the Attoe map show?

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