NameCensus.

UK surname

Catterson

A surname derived from the word "cat" and the patronymic suffix "-son," possibly indicating an ancestor's occupation or association with cats.

In the 1881 census there were 142 people recorded with the Catterson surname, ranking it #16,012 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 344, ranked #13,347, up from #16,012 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Auckland St Andrew and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mayfield, Redcar and Cleveland and Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Catterson is 399 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 142.3%.

1881 census count

142

Ranked #16,012

Modern count

344

2016, ranked #13,347

Peak year

2000

399 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Catterson had 142 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,012 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 344 in 2016, ranked #13,347.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 238 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Catterson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Catterson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Catterson 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 70 #21,020
1861 historical 153 #15,032
1881 historical 142 #16,012
1891 historical 200 #14,913
1901 historical 238 #13,528
1911 historical 171 #16,461
1997 modern 378 #11,474
1998 modern 377 #11,894
1999 modern 381 #11,873
2000 modern 399 #11,422
2001 modern 386 #11,509
2002 modern 386 #11,740
2003 modern 384 #11,589
2004 modern 380 #11,717
2005 modern 380 #11,639
2006 modern 385 #11,556
2007 modern 378 #11,877
2008 modern 377 #12,014
2009 modern 375 #12,317
2010 modern 390 #12,233
2011 modern 371 #12,546
2012 modern 336 #13,376
2013 modern 346 #13,291
2014 modern 350 #13,263
2015 modern 347 #13,252
2016 modern 344 #13,347

Geography

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Where Cattersons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Auckland St Andrew, Glasgow, Stranton and Bishopton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mayfield, Redcar and Cleveland, Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall and County Durham. 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 3
2 Auckland St Andrew Durham
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Stranton Durham
5 Bishopton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mayfield Midlothian
2 Redcar and Cleveland 022 Redcar and Cleveland
3 Redcar and Cleveland 011 Redcar and Cleveland
4 Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall East Renfrewshire
5 County Durham 038 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Catterson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Catterson

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Catterson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Catterson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Catterson is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Catterson is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Catterson

The surname Catterson has its origins in Scotland and dates back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "cath" meaning battle and "tir" meaning land or territory, suggesting that the name's bearers were likely warriors or soldiers who fought over disputed lands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical record of Scottish noblemen who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. An entry for a "William Catterson" from Ayrshire is listed among the names.

The name Catterson also has ties to the village of Catherston in Kincardineshire, Scotland. This place name is thought to have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time. In 1512, a charter from King James IV of Scotland mentions a "John Cattersoun of Catherston" as a landowner in the area.

During the 16th century, the Catterson family gained prominence in the Scottish Borders region. Notable figures from this era include Robert Catterson (c.1520-1585), a respected clergyman and theologian who served as the Dean of Glasgow Cathedral, and Margaret Catterson (c.1550-1620), a skilled embroiderer whose work can still be found in several Scottish churches.

In the 17th century, the Cattersons played a role in the religious conflicts that swept across Scotland. James Catterson (1615-1688) was a staunch Presbyterian who was imprisoned for his opposition to the Episcopal policies of King Charles II. His son, William Catterson (1642-1704), became a renowned minister and author, publishing several works on theology and church governance.

As the centuries progressed, the Catterson name spread beyond Scotland, with families settling in various parts of England and Ireland. One notable figure was Sir William Catterson (1785-1860), an English naval officer who served with distinction during the Napoleonic Wars and later became an admiral in the Royal Navy.

Other individuals of note include John Catterson Smith (1766-1838), an English writer and lawyer who published several works on the legal system, and James Catterson (1819-1897), an Irish-born architect who designed numerous buildings in Melbourne, Australia during the city's rapid growth in the 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Catterson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Catterson 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. Durham leads with 36 Cattersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.74x.

County Total Index
Durham 36 8.74x
Renfrewshire 33 30.75x
Yorkshire 28 2.04x
Lanarkshire 15 3.35x
Surrey 11 1.63x
Glamorgan 8 3.32x
Buckinghamshire 4 4.78x
Lancashire 2 0.12x
Middlesex 2 0.14x
Ayrshire 1 0.96x
Suffolk 1 0.59x
Warwickshire 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Neilston in Renfrewshire leads with 20 Cattersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 371.06x.

Place Total Index
Neilston 20 371.06x
Coundon 12 718.56x
Barony 10 8.82x
Bishopton 9 5294.12x
Beverley St Mary 8 400.00x
Cardiff St Mary 8 60.24x
Middlesbrough 7 39.17x
Paisley Middle Church 7 112.00x
Beverley St Martin 6 262.01x
Newington 6 11.73x
Croydon 5 13.35x
Govan 5 4.51x
Melsonby 5 2000.00x
Bishop Auckland 4 72.33x
Norton 4 264.90x
Upton Cum Chalvey 4 119.76x
Abbey 3 18.32x
Seaton Carew 3 361.45x
West Greenock 3 15.57x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 7.66x
Darlington 2 12.57x
St Pancras London 2 1.79x
Billingham 1 140.85x
Dailly 1 94.34x
Edgbaston 1 9.23x
Linthorpe 1 12.21x
Shire Hall Yard 1 714.29x
South Cave 1 217.39x
Whitton 1 312.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Elizabeth 4
Jane 4
Sarah 4
Annie 3
Elizth. 3
Amelia 2
Clara 2
Emily 2
Hannah 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Beatrice 1
Betsey 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Magt.Eleanor 1
Minnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 11
William 9
Thomas 7
Robert 6
James 3
Francis 2
Joseph 2
Charles 1
Ernest 1
George 1
Samuel 1
Selby 1
Stephen 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Catterson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Catterson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 142 people were recorded with the Catterson surname. That placed it at #16,012 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Catterson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 344 in 2016. That gives Catterson a modern rank of #13,347.

What does the Catterson surname mean?

A surname derived from the word "cat" and the patronymic suffix "-son," possibly indicating an ancestor's occupation or association with cats.

What does the Catterson map show?

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