NameCensus.

UK surname

Billett

A surname derived from the French term "billette" meaning a small log or stick of wood.

In the 1881 census there were 640 people recorded with the Billett surname, ranking it #5,564 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 718, ranked #7,566, down from #5,564 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wraxhall, North, Trowbridge and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hambleton, Taunton Deane and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Billett is 881 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.2%.

1881 census count

640

Ranked #5,564

Modern count

718

2016, ranked #7,566

Peak year

1911

881 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Billett had 640 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,564 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 718 in 2016, ranked #7,566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 881 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Billett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Billett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Billett 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 425 #5,746
1861 historical 450 #5,752
1881 historical 640 #5,564
1891 historical 655 #5,925
1901 historical 813 #5,549
1911 historical 881 #5,051
1997 modern 816 #6,435
1998 modern 849 #6,443
1999 modern 860 #6,423
2000 modern 840 #6,519
2001 modern 810 #6,585
2002 modern 817 #6,652
2003 modern 793 #6,697
2004 modern 787 #6,763
2005 modern 780 #6,737
2006 modern 741 #7,052
2007 modern 748 #7,071
2008 modern 738 #7,192
2009 modern 754 #7,217
2010 modern 765 #7,279
2011 modern 763 #7,209
2012 modern 711 #7,517
2013 modern 721 #7,570
2014 modern 722 #7,590
2015 modern 716 #7,591
2016 modern 718 #7,566

Geography

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Where Billetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wraxhall, North, Trowbridge, London parishes and Piddletrenthide. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hambleton, Taunton Deane, Wiltshire and Bath and North East Somerset. 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 Wraxhall, North Wiltshire
2 Trowbridge Wiltshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Piddletrenthide Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hambleton 009 Hambleton
2 Taunton Deane 007 Taunton Deane
3 Wiltshire 010 Wiltshire
4 Taunton Deane 004 Taunton Deane
5 Bath and North East Somerset 018 Bath and North East Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Billett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Billett

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

Billett 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

Billett 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 Billett 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 Billett, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Billett

The surname Billett is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "billette," which referred to a small billet or log of wood. This occupation-based surname was likely given to someone who worked with firewood or as a woodcutter.

One of the earliest known records of the surname Billett can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dated 1273. This historical document mentions a person named Walter Bilet, indicating the presence of the name in 13th-century England.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Bylet, Billett, and Billet, as evidenced by various records from different counties across England. For instance, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 list a Robert Bylet, while the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327 mention a John Bylet.

Notably, the surname Billett is associated with the village of Billett in Hertfordshire, which was recorded as "Bilet" in the Domesday Book of 1086. This suggests that the surname may have originated from this location and subsequently spread across England.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Billett. One of the earliest recorded figures was John Billett (c. 1465 - 1538), an English clergyman and bishop of Winchester. Another prominent figure was Roger Billett (c. 1619 - 1670), an English royalist and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, Thomas Billett (1722 - 1798) was a notable English engraver and portrait painter. William Billett (1759 - 1847), born in Gloucestershire, was a notable English cricketer who played for the Marylebone Cricket Club and is considered one of the earliest known professionals in the sport.

In the 19th century, Sir John Rigby Billett (1815 - 1885) was a British civil engineer and architect who designed several notable structures in London, including the Royal Albert Hall. Additionally, Sir Charles Billett (1873 - 1943) was a British businessman and Conservative politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Salford.

Across various historical periods, the surname Billett has maintained its presence and connection to its English roots, reflecting the rich tapestry of surnames derived from occupations and place names.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Billett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Billett 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 100 Billetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.59x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 100 1.59x
Wiltshire 83 14.92x
Somerset 80 7.90x
Dorset 72 17.44x
Hampshire 52 4.03x
Surrey 47 1.53x
Gloucestershire 45 3.65x
Lancashire 35 0.47x
Sussex 20 1.89x
Cambridgeshire 16 4.01x
Kent 15 0.70x
Northamptonshire 10 1.69x
Lincolnshire 9 0.89x
Devon 8 0.61x
Cornwall 7 0.98x
Hertfordshire 7 1.61x
Monmouthshire 6 1.32x
Staffordshire 6 0.28x
Royal Navy 5 6.67x
Essex 4 0.32x
Stirlingshire 4 1.72x
Yorkshire 4 0.06x
Glamorgan 3 0.27x
Worcestershire 2 0.24x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.26x
Durham 1 0.05x
Norfolk 1 0.10x
Oxfordshire 1 0.26x
Warwickshire 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. North Wraxall in Wiltshire leads with 32 Billetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 3265.31x.

Place Total Index
North Wraxall 32 3265.31x
Islington London 19 3.12x
Kingston 19 931.37x
Hinxton 16 2162.16x
Trowbridge 16 65.04x
Bow London 14 17.48x
Everton 13 5.46x
Puddletrenthide 13 807.45x
South Stoneham 13 46.48x
Holdenhurst 12 35.47x
Bethnal Green London 11 4.02x
Camberwell 11 2.74x
Kensington London 11 3.14x
Siston 11 497.74x
Northampton All Sts 10 49.80x
Taunton St Mary 10 53.79x
Chippenham 9 77.12x
Holy Rood 9 344.83x
Kington St Michael 9 909.09x
St George In East London 9 15.21x
West Derby 9 4.12x
Brighton 8 3.74x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 8 71.17x
Radipole 8 280.70x
Wareham Holy Trinity 8 444.44x
Bruton 7 175.88x
Great Grimsby 7 10.96x
Shoreditch London 7 2.57x
Buckland St Mary 6 458.02x
Corston 6 722.89x
Great Bolton 6 6.07x
Hilperton 6 338.98x
Marshfield 6 181.82x
Newington 6 2.58x
Richmond 6 13.97x
Rottingdean 6 165.75x
Tettenhall 6 46.23x
Winterborne Zelstone 6 1935.48x
Bristol St Peter 5 113.38x
Falmouth 5 19.83x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 5 108.70x
Hemel Hempstead 5 25.59x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 4.96x
Poole St James 5 32.22x
Royal Navy 5 7.80x
Southwark St Saviour 5 15.46x
Swanage 5 98.04x
Toxteth Park 5 1.98x
Trevethin 5 11.64x
Westminster St John 5 6.53x
Batheaston 4 115.27x
Battersea 4 1.73x
Bedminster 4 4.20x
Chislehurst 4 34.75x
Drymen 4 128.62x
Duntisbourne Abbotts 4 645.16x
Fordington 4 44.99x
Hastings St Mary In The 4 17.68x
Lambeth 4 0.73x
Melcombe Regis 4 23.38x
St Gregory By St Pauls 4 254.78x
Taunton St James 4 27.08x
Bermondsey 3 1.60x
Cerne Abbas 3 150.00x
Hawnby 3 600.00x
Hound 3 34.29x
Ilminster 3 42.43x
Lee 3 9.62x
Lewisham 3 2.62x
Limehouse London 3 4.34x
Moreton 3 447.76x
Paddington London 3 1.30x
Portsea 3 1.19x
Slaughterford 3 714.29x
South Petherton 3 57.36x
Southampton All Sts 3 13.56x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.37x
St Marylebone London 3 0.89x
Up Cerne 3 1875.00x
Walcot 3 5.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Elizabeth 26
Sarah 24
Jane 16
Ann 12
Alice 11
Ellen 10
Eliza 9
Emily 8
Kate 8
Lucy 8
Fanny 7
Hannah 7
Annie 6
Charlotte 6
Emma 6
Florence 6
Jessie 5
Rose 5
Ada 4
Martha 4
Rebecca 4
Amelia 3
Caroline 3
Harriet 3
Henrietta 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Matilda 3
Agnes 2
Bessie 2
Dora 2
Eleanor 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Louisa 2
Marian 2
Maud 2
May 2
Minnie 2
Amy 1
Carrie 1
Catherine 1
Charlott 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizeth. 1
Elizth.S. 1
Jeannette 1
Jesse 1
Zenohier 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 46
John 27
James 23
Charles 22
George 19
Alfred 17
Henry 16
Frederick 14
Thomas 14
Albert 9
Edward 9
Arthur 8
Richard 8
Samuel 7
Walter 7
Daniel 4
Edwin 4
Isaac 4
Robert 4
Abraham 3
Benjamin 3
Ernest 3
Herbert 3
Abel 2
Chas. 2
Earnest 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Louis 2
Simeon 2
Tom 2
Archibald 1
Dick 1
Enoch 1
Epharim 1
Fred 1
Frerick 1
Gerald 1
Jesse 1
Job 1
Joseph 1
Josiah 1
Lewin 1
Nahum 1
Nathaniel 1
Percy 1
Reuben 1
Worthy 1

FAQ

Billett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Billett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 640 people were recorded with the Billett surname. That placed it at #5,564 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Billett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 718 in 2016. That gives Billett a modern rank of #7,566.

What does the Billett surname mean?

A surname derived from the French term "billette" meaning a small log or stick of wood.

What does the Billett map show?

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