NameCensus.

UK surname

Bates

Derived from a nickname meaning "son of Bate," referring to a person who argued or debated.

In the 1881 census there were 19,015 people recorded with the Bates surname, ranking it #199 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 28,033, ranked #198, up from #199 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Halifax and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hartlepool, Fenland and Hinckley and Bosworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bates is 29,374 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.4%.

1881 census count

19,015

Ranked #199

Modern count

28,033

2016, ranked #198

Peak year

1999

29,374 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bates had 19,015 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #199 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 28,033 in 2016, ranked #198.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 27,065 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bates surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bates surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bates 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 11,378 #219
1861 historical 11,056 #223
1881 historical 19,015 #199
1891 historical 20,003 #194
1901 historical 24,287 #189
1911 historical 27,065 #151
1997 modern 27,830 #192
1998 modern 29,149 #190
1999 modern 29,374 #190
2000 modern 29,126 #191
2001 modern 28,405 #191
2002 modern 29,157 #190
2003 modern 28,420 #190
2004 modern 28,279 #191
2005 modern 27,708 #191
2006 modern 27,644 #191
2007 modern 27,751 #192
2008 modern 27,774 #196
2009 modern 28,472 #193
2010 modern 29,066 #192
2011 modern 28,506 #194
2012 modern 27,842 #195
2013 modern 28,459 #195
2014 modern 28,547 #197
2015 modern 28,187 #198
2016 modern 28,033 #198

Geography

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Where Bates' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Halifax and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hartlepool, Fenland and Hinckley and Bosworth. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 London parishes London 2
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hartlepool 012 Hartlepool
2 Fenland 004 Fenland
3 Hinckley and Bosworth 007 Hinckley and Bosworth
4 Hinckley and Bosworth 006 Hinckley and Bosworth
5 Hartlepool 002 Hartlepool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bates

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bates

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bates is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Bates is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bates falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bates

The surname Bates has its origins in medieval England, where it was derived from the Old English word "bat," meaning a stick or staff. This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who carried a bat or staff, perhaps as a walking aid or weapon.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be traced back to the 13th century, with records showing individuals named Bate and Bat in various parts of England, such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Over time, the name evolved into its modern form, Bates.

In the Domesday Book, a remarkable survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there are several entries related to the name Bates or its earlier variations. For example, a landowner named Bate is listed in Suffolk, suggesting that the name was already in use during the Norman conquest.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Bates was Robert Bate, a prominent clergyman who lived in the 13th century and served as the Bishop of St. Asaph in Wales from 1242 to 1248.

Another notable figure with the surname Bates was John Bates, a 16th-century English composer and organist who lived from around 1550 to 1615. He was renowned for his contributions to the development of English church music during the Renaissance period.

In the literary world, Katharine Lee Bates (1859-1929) gained fame as an American writer and educator, best known for her patriotic poem "America the Beautiful," which became a popular and enduring hymn.

Daisy Bates (1859-1951), an Irish-born Australian woman, made significant contributions to the study of Aboriginal Australians and their culture. She lived among the indigenous communities for many years, documenting their traditions and languages.

Lastly, Marston Bates (1906-1974) was an American zoologist and ecologist who played a vital role in the development of the field of ecology. He authored several influential books, including "The Nature of Natural History" and "The Forest and the Sea."

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the surname Bates throughout history, illustrating the rich heritage and widespread presence of this name across various fields and regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bates families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bates 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. Middlesex leads with 2,047 Bates' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.10x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 2,047 1.10x
Yorkshire 2,038 1.11x
Lancashire 1,866 0.85x
Staffordshire 1,714 2.73x
Warwickshire 1,275 2.72x
Derbyshire 838 2.88x
Surrey 809 0.89x
Kent 736 1.16x
Leicestershire 727 3.53x
Buckinghamshire 580 5.16x
Northamptonshire 524 3.00x
Durham 516 0.93x
Lincolnshire 495 1.67x
Nottinghamshire 429 1.71x
Cheshire 419 1.02x
Northumberland 374 1.35x
Sussex 358 1.14x
Norfolk 343 1.20x
Bedfordshire 318 3.30x
Essex 305 0.83x
Hertfordshire 300 2.34x
Shropshire 240 1.49x
Cambridgeshire 223 1.89x
Oxfordshire 199 1.73x
Worcestershire 199 0.82x
Hampshire 163 0.43x
Berkshire 111 0.80x
Devon 100 0.26x
Lanarkshire 84 0.14x
Suffolk 78 0.34x
Gloucestershire 73 0.20x
Cumberland 62 0.39x
Wiltshire 62 0.38x
Huntingdonshire 55 1.49x
Glamorgan 46 0.14x
Somerset 46 0.15x
Channel Islands 38 0.69x
Angus 23 0.13x
Renfrewshire 22 0.15x
Flintshire 21 0.42x
Westmorland 20 0.49x
Ayrshire 19 0.14x
Denbighshire 19 0.27x
Monmouthshire 19 0.14x
Dorset 17 0.14x
Royal Navy 15 0.68x
Herefordshire 13 0.17x
Aberdeenshire 11 0.06x
Rutland 11 0.81x
Cornwall 9 0.04x
Isle of Man 8 0.23x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.08x
Clackmannanshire 6 0.39x
Montgomeryshire 6 0.14x
Anglesey 4 0.12x
Stirlingshire 4 0.06x
Brecknockshire 3 0.08x
Midlothian 3 0.01x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.03x
Roxburghshire 2 0.06x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.02x
East Lothian 1 0.04x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.02x
Perthshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 352 Bates' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.25x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 352 2.25x
Aston 312 2.42x
West Bromwich 234 6.51x
Stoke Upon Trent 229 3.44x
Bethnal Green London 182 2.25x
St Pancras London 173 1.16x
Lambeth 138 0.85x
Leicester St Margaret 137 2.73x
Nottingham St Mary 135 2.08x
Salford 133 2.05x
Islington London 131 0.73x
Halifax 129 4.77x
Camberwell 124 1.04x
Walsall Foreign 124 3.83x
Ashton Under Lyne 117 2.43x
Burton Upon Trent 110 7.49x
Chelsea London 104 1.86x
Kensington London 102 0.99x
Ovenden 97 11.83x
Coventry St Michael 93 6.18x
Hackney London 92 0.88x
Hulme 90 1.95x
Oldham 89 1.25x
St Marylebone London 86 0.87x
Leicester St Mary 85 5.10x
Manchester 83 0.84x
Harborne 82 4.08x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 80 17.22x
Croydon 78 1.55x
Luton 78 4.68x
Wolverhampton 78 1.62x
Coventry Holy Trinity 75 5.36x
Toxteth Park 75 1.00x
Newton 74 4.35x
Liverpool 72 0.54x
Northowram 72 5.57x
Ecclesall Bierlow 71 1.89x
Leeds 70 0.67x
Shoreditch London 68 0.84x
Monks Coppenhall 67 4.33x
Blackburn 66 1.12x
Newington 65 0.95x
West Ham 65 0.80x
Cannock 61 5.57x
Warley 60 11.27x
Wednesbury 60 3.83x
Battersea 59 0.86x
Brightside Bierlow 59 1.63x
Paddington London 57 0.83x
Clerkenwell London 55 1.25x
West Derby 54 0.84x
Dewsbury 53 2.81x
Litchurch 53 4.53x
Elswick 52 2.36x
Huddersfield 52 1.94x
Stafford St Mary 52 5.85x
Willesden 52 2.97x
Elland Cum Greetland 51 6.15x
Church Gresley 50 10.80x
Portsea 50 0.67x
Derby St Werburgh 49 2.92x
Chesham 48 11.59x
Derby St Alkmund 48 5.50x
Holy Trinity 48 1.08x
Whittlesey St Mary St 48 11.67x
Southwark St George Martyr 47 1.26x
St George Hanover Square 47 1.43x
Toddington 47 34.05x
Dartford 46 7.09x
Deptford St Paul 46 0.94x
Ealing 45 2.71x
Newcastle Under Lyme 44 3.96x
Dukinfield 43 2.27x
Edgbaston 43 2.96x
Bishopwearmouth 41 0.86x
Brighton 41 0.65x
Great Grimsby 41 2.17x
South Crosland 41 21.14x
Stockton On Tees 41 1.54x
St George In East London 40 2.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,279
Sarah 787
Elizabeth 736
Ann 368
Jane 356
Eliza 337
Emma 312
Annie 282
Alice 277
Ellen 257
Hannah 235
Emily 194
Martha 166
Harriet 156
Margaret 137
Louisa 129
Charlotte 125
Florence 119
Fanny 117
Ada 113
Clara 113
Edith 99
Maria 95
Caroline 86
Catherine 86
Lucy 84
Agnes 72
Frances 66
Kate 64
Anne 62
Susan 59
Isabella 56
Rebecca 55
Harriett 53
Rose 50
Ruth 49
Lydia 46
Susannah 46
Esther 45
Amy 43
Matilda 42
Minnie 41
Sophia 38
Amelia 37
Betsy 35
Elizth. 35
Julia 33
Lizzie 32
Selina 31
Eleanor 30

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 1,140
John 1,132
Thomas 732
George 672
James 560
Joseph 434
Henry 384
Charles 338
Arthur 238
Edward 219
Alfred 212
Samuel 185
Robert 173
Walter 158
Frederick 145
Richard 134
Albert 119
Harry 104
Edwin 83
Frank 75
Herbert 70
David 66
Benjamin 65
Ernest 64
Thos. 56
Francis 51
Fred 50
Wm. 36
Peter 34
Matthew 32
Tom 31
Daniel 30
Isaac 27
Stephen 27
Geo. 26
Fredrick 22
Percy 22
Andrew 20
Abraham 19
Chas. 19
Edmund 19
Edgar 18
Mark 17
Eli 16
Joshua 16
Jesse 15
Job 15
Joe 15
Sam 15
Willm. 15

FAQ

Bates surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bates surname in 1881?

In 1881, 19,015 people were recorded with the Bates surname. That placed it at #199 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bates surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 28,033 in 2016. That gives Bates a modern rank of #198.

What does the Bates surname mean?

Derived from a nickname meaning "son of Bate," referring to a person who argued or debated.

What does the Bates map show?

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