NameCensus.

UK surname

Batts

An English occupational surname referring to a boat builder or someone who operated a ferry.

In the 1881 census there were 496 people recorded with the Batts surname, ranking it #6,816 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 431, ranked #11,170, down from #6,816 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ensham, Milford with Keyhaven (incl. Efford) and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wellingborough, West Somerset and Guildford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Batts is 673 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 13.1%.

1881 census count

496

Ranked #6,816

Modern count

431

2016, ranked #11,170

Peak year

1861

673 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Batts had 496 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,816 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016, ranked #11,170.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 673 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Batts surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Batts surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Batts 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 412 #5,889
1861 historical 673 #3,989
1881 historical 496 #6,816
1891 historical 670 #5,814
1901 historical 637 #6,748
1911 historical 595 #6,883
1997 modern 393 #11,144
1998 modern 445 #10,491
1999 modern 443 #10,577
2000 modern 436 #10,701
2001 modern 421 #10,789
2002 modern 423 #10,975
2003 modern 432 #10,635
2004 modern 424 #10,802
2005 modern 393 #11,335
2006 modern 401 #11,237
2007 modern 404 #11,290
2008 modern 414 #11,160
2009 modern 442 #10,844
2010 modern 466 #10,595
2011 modern 447 #10,847
2012 modern 427 #11,120
2013 modern 439 #11,052
2014 modern 431 #11,308
2015 modern 436 #11,099
2016 modern 431 #11,170

Geography

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Where Batts' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ensham, Milford with Keyhaven (incl. Efford), London parishes and St Leonard Shoreditch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wellingborough, West Somerset, Guildford and West Oxfordshire. 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 Ensham Oxfordshire
2 Milford with Keyhaven (incl. Efford) Hampshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wellingborough 010 Wellingborough
2 West Somerset 004 West Somerset
3 Guildford 007 Guildford
4 Wellingborough 008 Wellingborough
5 West Oxfordshire 009 West Oxfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Batts

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Batts

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Batts 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

Batts 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

Batts falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Batts

The surname Batts is of English origin, arising during the medieval period in Britain. It is derived from the Old English word "bat," which referred to a type of club or staff carried by travelers and workers. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who habitually carried such a staff or perhaps worked with bats or clubs in their trade.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname Batts can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, which mentions a Roger le Batt. The "le" prefix indicates the name was initially a descriptive byname before becoming a hereditary surname over time.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings such as Batte, Batt, and Bate in historical records across different regions of England, including Essex, Sussex, and Somerset. The variation in spelling was common during this period before standardized spellings emerged.

A notable early bearer of the name was John Batt, a 14th-century English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset in 1379. Another early example is Richard Batt, a 15th-century English landowner and member of the gentry from Wiltshire, who was born around 1420.

In the 16th century, the surname Batts appeared in the parish records of Dorset, where a William Batts was recorded as a resident of Sherborne in 1567. Around the same time, a John Batts was listed as a landowner in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1572.

One of the earliest known instances of the surname in North America dates back to the 17th century, when Thomas Batts, an English settler, arrived in Virginia in 1635. He later became a prominent landowner and served as a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses.

Other notable historical figures with the surname Batts include Reverend Thomas Batts (1689-1768), an English clergyman and antiquarian who served as the rector of Bremhill in Wiltshire, and John Batts (1758-1832), an English engraver and artist known for his landscapes and architectural prints.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Batts families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Batts 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. Oxfordshire leads with 155 Batts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.77x.

County Total Index
Oxfordshire 155 51.77x
Middlesex 109 2.25x
Hampshire 43 4.33x
Staffordshire 37 2.26x
Berkshire 24 6.60x
Surrey 21 0.89x
Lancashire 14 0.24x
Northamptonshire 13 2.85x
Warwickshire 13 1.06x
Buckinghamshire 7 2.39x
Herefordshire 6 3.02x
Kent 6 0.36x
Sussex 6 0.73x
Glamorgan 5 0.59x
Norfolk 5 0.67x
Brecknockshire 4 4.13x
Gloucestershire 4 0.42x
Wiltshire 3 0.70x
Worcestershire 3 0.47x
Derbyshire 2 0.26x
Durham 2 0.14x
Essex 2 0.21x
Rutland 2 5.62x
Shropshire 2 0.48x
Somerset 2 0.26x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.49x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Cornwall 1 0.18x
Dorset 1 0.31x
Leicestershire 1 0.19x
Royal Navy 1 1.73x
Yorkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stanton Harcourt in Oxfordshire leads with 50 Batts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5494.51x.

Place Total Index
Stanton Harcourt 50 5494.51x
Shoreditch London 20 9.52x
Hambledon 15 447.76x
Eynsham 14 736.84x
Hackney London 13 4.78x
Clitheroe 11 64.97x
Islington London 11 2.34x
St Marylebone London 10 3.86x
Hardingstone 9 206.90x
Kensington London 9 3.34x
Minster Lovell 9 1058.82x
Longworth 8 808.08x
Milford 8 275.86x
Paddington London 8 4.49x
Burntwood Edial 7 66.99x
Burton Upon Trent 7 18.28x
Chipping Norton 7 101.16x
Hammersmith London 7 5.86x
Brize Norton 6 472.44x
Coggs 6 521.74x
Dorking 6 37.83x
Lymington 6 82.19x
Northmoor 6 1200.00x
Portsea 6 3.08x
West Wycombe 6 150.75x
Aston 5 1.49x
Birmingham 5 1.23x
Clanfield 5 602.41x
Ducklington 5 694.44x
Eardisley 5 347.22x
Ensham 5 322.58x
Gayton 5 1282.05x
Harborne 5 9.53x
Hinton Waldrist 5 1041.67x
Oxford St Mary Magdalen 5 140.85x
Standlake 5 427.35x
Bampton 4 172.41x
Burford 4 153.85x
Chelsea London 4 2.74x
Croydon 4 3.05x
Curbridge 4 400.00x
Hay 4 111.11x
Milton 4 161.94x
Norwich St Mary At Coslany 4 187.79x
Reading St Mary 4 13.72x
St Botolph Aldgate London 4 40.08x
Wandsworth 4 8.57x
Wednesbury 4 9.78x
West Bromwich 4 4.27x
Abingdon St Helen 3 28.20x
Bedworth 3 33.63x
Hanbury 3 333.33x
Hove 3 8.36x
Liverpool 3 0.86x
Milton Under Wychwood 3 215.83x
Oxford St Giles 3 21.01x
South Mimms 3 45.11x
Southleigh 3 500.00x
St Anne Soho London 3 10.83x
St Pancras London 3 0.77x
Warkworth 3 73.17x
Charlbury 2 59.52x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.57x
Edmonton 2 5.12x
Highley 2 333.33x
Highworth 2 36.50x
Hornsey 2 3.26x
Hungerford 2 40.65x
Islip 2 200.00x
Kempsford 2 144.93x
Llandaff 2 7.12x
Monkwearmouth 2 14.48x
Oakham Lordshold 2 53.62x
Oxford St Ebbe 2 22.70x
Redditch 2 15.58x
Richmond 2 6.04x
Rotherhithe 2 3.34x
St Andrew Holborn London 2 9.53x
Witney 2 39.92x
Lewisham 1 1.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Elizabeth 25
Sarah 17
Eliza 16
Emma 13
Emily 12
Jane 11
Ann 10
Annie 8
Ellen 7
Alice 6
Agnes 5
Hannah 5
Martha 5
Charlotte 4
Edith 4
Louisa 4
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 3
Adelaide 2
Amy 2
Anne 2
Clara 2
Florence 2
Kate 2
Leah 2
Margaret 2
Matilda 2
Norah 2
Olive 2
Polley 2
Rachel 2
Rebecca 2
Susannah 2
Adeline 1
Amelia 1
Augusta 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Betsey 1
Elsie 1
Ethel 1
Eve 1
Isabel 1
Jessie 1
Kasia 1
Laura 1
Lillian 1
Unice 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 33
George 23
John 23
Thomas 15
Frederick 13
Charles 12
Henry 12
James 12
Alfred 10
Joseph 9
Walter 7
Albert 6
Robert 6
Richard 5
Arthur 4
Francis 4
Edward 3
Harry 3
Edwin 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Samuel 2
Sebastiano 2
Ambrose 1
Aurthur 1
Chas. 1
Cornelius 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fredk.G. 1
Fredrick 1
Herbt.Jno. 1
J. 1
Jno. 1
Jonothan 1
Louisa 1
Mark 1
Marten 1
Raymond 1
Richd. 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
W. 1
Witt 1
Wm.Thomas 1

FAQ

Batts surname: questions and answers

How common was the Batts surname in 1881?

In 1881, 496 people were recorded with the Batts surname. That placed it at #6,816 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Batts surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016. That gives Batts a modern rank of #11,170.

What does the Batts surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a boat builder or someone who operated a ferry.

What does the Batts map show?

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