NameCensus.

UK surname

Battye

A locational surname derived from the village of Battye in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,078 people recorded with the Battye surname, ranking it #3,678 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 979, ranked #5,896, down from #3,678 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Batley, Almondbury and Huddersfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Battye is 1,504 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.2%.

1881 census count

1,078

Ranked #3,678

Modern count

979

2016, ranked #5,896

Peak year

1901

1,504 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Battye had 1,078 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,678 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 979 in 2016, ranked #5,896.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,504 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Battye surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Battye surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Battye 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 525 #4,777
1861 historical 561 #4,697
1881 historical 1,078 #3,678
1891 historical 1,354 #3,213
1901 historical 1,504 #3,409
1911 historical 1,480 #3,252
1997 modern 1,014 #5,436
1998 modern 1,047 #5,456
1999 modern 1,022 #5,614
2000 modern 1,044 #5,495
2001 modern 1,015 #5,515
2002 modern 1,000 #5,684
2003 modern 979 #5,689
2004 modern 1,001 #5,592
2005 modern 991 #5,597
2006 modern 984 #5,626
2007 modern 979 #5,707
2008 modern 1,004 #5,635
2009 modern 1,002 #5,754
2010 modern 1,013 #5,828
2011 modern 1,025 #5,706
2012 modern 992 #5,773
2013 modern 1,000 #5,822
2014 modern 1,003 #5,846
2015 modern 989 #5,861
2016 modern 979 #5,896

Geography

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Where Battyes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Batley, Almondbury, Huddersfield, Kirkburton and Ashton-under-Lyne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees and Barnsley. 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 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Almondbury Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Huddersfield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Kirkburton Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 059 Kirklees
2 Kirklees 012 Kirklees
3 Kirklees 053 Kirklees
4 Kirklees 058 Kirklees
5 Barnsley 027 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Battye

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Battye

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Battye surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Battye household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Battye 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

Battye 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

Battye falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Battye

The surname BATTYE originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English word "batt," meaning a flat area or broad valley. This suggests that the name likely originated from a place where early bearers of the name resided, such as a village or town situated in a broad valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BATTYE surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, where a John de Batty is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already established in the Yorkshire region by the late 13th century.

In the 16th century, the BATTYE name appeared in various records across Yorkshire and Lancashire. Notable examples include William Battye, who was listed in the Wills at Richmond, Yorkshire, in 1551, and John Battye, recorded in the Yorkshire Parish Registers in 1587.

The BATTYE surname has also been associated with various place names throughout its history. For instance, the village of Batty in the West Riding of Yorkshire likely derived its name from the same Old English root as the surname. Additionally, the spelling variation "Battie" was commonly found in records from Lancashire during the 16th and 17th centuries.

One of the earliest notable bearers of the BATTYE name was Humphrey Battie (c. 1650-1723), an English physician and author who published works on medical topics and was a fellow of the Royal Society.

Another prominent figure was William Battye (1704-1776), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Cleveland and published several theological works.

In the 19th century, Charles Battye (1818-1896) was a prominent English architect who designed numerous buildings, including the Church of St. Michael and All Angels in Huddersfield.

Sir Anthony Battishill (1845-1922) was a British diplomat and civil servant who held various influential positions, including Governor of the Windward Islands and British Resident in Nepal.

More recently, John Battye (1914-1989) was an Australian historian and archivist who made significant contributions to the preservation of historical records in Western Australia.

Overall, the BATTYE surname has a rich history spanning several centuries, with its origins firmly rooted in the English countryside and its bearers leaving their mark across various fields, from medicine and literature to architecture and public service.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Battye families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Battye 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. Yorkshire leads with 988 Battyes recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.49x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 988 9.49x
Lancashire 25 0.20x
Middlesex 23 0.22x
Surrey 12 0.23x
Stirlingshire 7 1.81x
Cheshire 6 0.26x
Durham 4 0.13x
Derbyshire 3 0.18x
Hampshire 2 0.09x
Berkshire 1 0.13x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.16x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.24x
Gloucestershire 1 0.05x
Kent 1 0.03x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x
Sussex 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cartworth in Yorkshire leads with 100 Battyes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1161.44x.

Place Total Index
Cartworth 100 1161.44x
Wooldale 89 503.96x
Hepworth 88 2095.24x
Huddersfield 79 52.09x
Upperthong 66 745.76x
Batley 65 65.70x
Fulstone 62 813.65x
Almondbury 35 69.53x
Honley 34 186.61x
Austonley 32 543.29x
Meltham 23 142.06x
Leeds 22 3.74x
Saddleworth 22 27.40x
Headingley Cum Burley 16 23.87x
Bradford 15 5.95x
Lockwood 15 40.05x
Rastrick 14 48.41x
Bowling 10 9.70x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 10 38.08x
Shelley 10 164.20x
Halifax 9 5.89x
Skircoat 9 21.92x
Bramley In Bramley 8 20.08x
Featherstone 8 68.43x
Horbury 8 43.93x
Mirfield 8 14.00x
Shoreditch London 8 1.76x
Thurlstone 8 77.90x
Alva 7 37.88x
Holme In Huddersfield 7 286.89x
Marsden In Almondbury 7 73.92x
Potter Newton 7 38.11x
Dalton In Huddersfield 6 25.73x
Didsbury 6 36.25x
Longwood 6 35.76x
Manchester 6 1.07x
Camberwell 5 0.75x
Eccleshill 5 19.73x
Rothwell 5 23.78x
Salford 5 1.36x
Soothill 5 13.29x
St Marylebone London 5 0.89x
Tintwistle 5 40.36x
Weybridge 5 45.54x
Bickerton 4 800.00x
Dewsbury 4 3.75x
Hackney London 4 0.68x
Hunslet 4 2.46x
Kirkheaton 4 23.70x
Langfield 4 21.97x
Richmond 4 24.59x
Shepley 4 69.69x
Thornley 4 35.37x
Thurstonland 4 111.11x
Wigan 4 2.30x
Armley 3 6.53x
Elland Cum Greetland 3 6.40x
Glossop Dale 3 3.89x
Heckmondwike 3 8.96x
High Hoyland 3 361.45x
Ilkley 3 17.64x
Kexborough 3 134.53x
Northowram 3 4.11x
Scarborough 3 3.17x
Yeadon 3 12.76x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 2 5.29x
Brightside Bierlow 2 0.98x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 1.01x
Gomersal 2 4.12x
Hampstead London 2 1.22x
Islington London 2 0.20x
Little Ribston 2 307.69x
Scotton In 2 190.48x
South Crosland 2 18.25x
St Pancras London 2 0.24x
Streatham 2 2.57x
Alverstoke 1 1.28x
Clewer 1 3.10x
Clifton 1 0.96x
Eton 1 6.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 50
George 34
James 33
William 30
Joseph 23
Herbert 18
Harry 16
Joe 14
Arthur 13
Charles 13
Henry 13
Tom 11
Ben 10
Thomas 10
Sam 9
Edward 8
Fred 8
Richard 8
Albert 7
Rockley 7
Alfred 6
David 5
Jonas 5
Joshua 5
Uriah 5
Walter 5
Dick 4
Ernest 4
Frank 4
Geo. 4
Jonathan 4
Amos 3
Edgar 3
Eli 3
Frederick 3
Samuel 3
Andrew 2
Benjamin 2
Brook 2
Dan 2
Edwin 2
Firth 2
Hinchliffe 2
Hudson 2
Jesse 2
Lewis 2
Martin 2
Percy 2
Walker 2
Wilfred 2

FAQ

Battye surname: questions and answers

How common was the Battye surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,078 people were recorded with the Battye surname. That placed it at #3,678 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Battye surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 979 in 2016. That gives Battye a modern rank of #5,896.

What does the Battye surname mean?

A locational surname derived from the village of Battye in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Battye map show?

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