NameCensus.

UK surname

Cattle

English surname derived from an ancestor's occupational link to cattle farming or herding.

In the 1881 census there were 743 people recorded with the Cattle surname, ranking it #4,937 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 677, ranked #7,926, down from #4,937 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, Hill Farrance, Oake, Nynehead and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, The Vale of Glamorgan and Purbeck.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cattle is 967 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 8.9%.

1881 census count

743

Ranked #4,937

Modern count

677

2016, ranked #7,926

Peak year

1901

967 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cattle had 743 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,937 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 677 in 2016, ranked #7,926.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 967 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Cattle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cattle surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Cattle 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 694 #3,762
1861 historical 734 #3,717
1881 historical 743 #4,937
1891 historical 915 #4,514
1901 historical 967 #4,870
1911 historical 967 #4,676
1997 modern 757 #6,829
1998 modern 762 #7,016
1999 modern 755 #7,116
2000 modern 737 #7,207
2001 modern 714 #7,250
2002 modern 711 #7,419
2003 modern 698 #7,397
2004 modern 697 #7,426
2005 modern 678 #7,534
2006 modern 665 #7,678
2007 modern 667 #7,718
2008 modern 680 #7,655
2009 modern 706 #7,595
2010 modern 723 #7,590
2011 modern 719 #7,537
2012 modern 692 #7,670
2013 modern 702 #7,705
2014 modern 695 #7,813
2015 modern 679 #7,904
2016 modern 677 #7,926

Geography

Back to top

Where Cattles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, Hill Farrance, Oake, Nynehead, London parishes, Corfe Castle and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, The Vale of Glamorgan, Purbeck and Kettering. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Hill Farrance, Oake, Nynehead Somerset
3 London parishes London 3
4 Corfe Castle Dorset
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 017 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 019 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 007 Vale of Glamorgan
4 Purbeck 006 Purbeck
5 Kettering 002 Kettering

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Cattle

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Cattle

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Cattle 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

Cattle is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cattle falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cattle

The surname "Cattle" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "catel," which referred to property or possessions, particularly livestock or cattle. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who were cattle herders, farmers, or landowners with significant livestock holdings.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Cattle" can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the 13th century, where a person named William Cattle is mentioned. The name also appears in various tax records and manorial rolls from the same era, indicating its prevalence in various regions of England.

During the 14th century, the surname "Cattle" is documented in the Wiltshire Subsidy Rolls, where a John Cattle is listed as a taxpayer. Additionally, the name is found in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, suggesting a presence in both southern and northern England.

In the 15th century, the surname "Cattle" appeared in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence between members of the influential Paston family. This provides evidence of the name's association with the gentry class during that period.

Notable individuals with the surname "Cattle" include:

1. John Cattle (c. 1550 - c. 1615), an English composer and musician who served as a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I.

2. William Cattle (1609 - 1679), an English clergyman and poet who served as the Rector of Bawdrip in Somerset.

3. Thomas Cattle (1737 - 1813), a British engraver and painter known for his landscapes and portraits.

4. Harriet Cattle (1809 - 1876), a British writer and poet who published several works, including "The Queen of Connaught" and "The Soldier's Widow."

5. Sir Evelyn Cattle (1886 - 1962), a British civil servant who served as the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries from 1936 to 1946.

While the surname "Cattle" is not among the most common in England, it has been documented for several centuries and has been associated with various professions and social classes throughout its history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Cattle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cattle 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 199 Cattles recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.77x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 199 2.77x
Somerset 107 9.16x
Middlesex 81 1.12x
Dorset 72 15.12x
Warwickshire 43 2.35x
Surrey 30 0.85x
Oxfordshire 28 6.25x
Lincolnshire 27 2.33x
Gloucestershire 26 1.83x
Staffordshire 21 0.86x
Northamptonshire 18 2.64x
Lancashire 13 0.15x
Buckinghamshire 11 2.51x
Hampshire 11 0.74x
Kent 7 0.28x
Durham 6 0.28x
Huntingdonshire 6 4.16x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.61x
Sussex 6 0.49x
Glamorgan 5 0.40x
Worcestershire 5 0.53x
Devon 4 0.26x
Leicestershire 4 0.50x
Wiltshire 2 0.31x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.15x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.22x
Cheshire 1 0.06x
Cornwall 1 0.12x
Derbyshire 1 0.09x
Essex 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Corfe Castle in Dorset leads with 36 Cattles recorded in 1881 and an index of 816.33x.

Place Total Index
Corfe Castle 36 816.33x
Islington London 23 3.27x
Scarborough 23 35.20x
Birmingham 17 2.79x
Holy Trinity 16 9.25x
Aston 15 2.98x
Clerkenwell London 15 8.76x
Hillfarrance 14 1320.75x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 13 9.70x
Pocklington 13 191.46x
St Marylebone London 13 3.35x
Oxford St Ebbe 12 90.98x
St Swithin Lincoln 12 65.79x
Brightside Bierlow 11 7.80x
Carshalton 11 81.30x
Gainsborough 11 40.20x
South Holme 11 5238.10x
Beverley St Mary 10 95.24x
Parkstone 10 179.86x
Sheriff Hutton W 10 490.20x
Staplegrove 10 704.23x
Wednesbury 10 16.33x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 10 106.27x
York St Mary 10 33.57x
Ash Priors 9 1836.73x
Bradford 9 782.61x
Great Driffield 9 60.98x
St Luke London 9 7.73x
Wolverhampton 9 4.78x
Rotherham 8 19.73x
York St Margaret 8 179.37x
Ashendon 7 1166.67x
Bermondsey 7 3.24x
Clifton 7 9.73x
Kingsthorpe 7 92.23x
Langport Eastover 7 414.20x
Langton Matravers 7 315.32x
Oxford St Peter In East 7 406.98x
Rothwell 7 102.04x
York St Cuthbert 7 106.38x
Accrington 6 7.66x
Church Knowle 6 428.57x
Lambeth 6 0.95x
Oake 6 2222.22x
Owermoigne 6 571.43x
South Mimms 6 60.30x
Thirsk 6 72.29x
Cheltenham 5 4.55x
Clarborough 5 68.31x
Deptford St Paul 5 2.62x
Holdenhurst 5 12.81x
Hove 5 9.31x
Keinton Mandeville 5 375.94x
Stockton On Tees 5 4.80x
Wigton 5 793.65x
Wombwell 5 23.84x
Corfe Mullen 4 231.21x
Holy Trinity Less London 4 217.39x
Leeds 4 0.99x
Milverton 4 92.81x
Norton Fitzwarren 4 243.90x
Oxford St Thomas 4 19.12x
Rhyndwyclydach 4 45.61x
Sowerby In Thirsk 4 92.38x
St George Hanover Square 4 3.13x
York St Michael 4 384.62x
Battersea 3 1.12x
Bridgewater 3 9.46x
Coleshill 3 51.11x
Foleshill 3 15.58x
Ilmington 3 152.28x
New Malton 3 34.88x
Olney 3 49.42x
Sawtry St Andrew 3 329.67x
Southampton St Mary 3 3.21x
Sparkford 3 476.19x
Taunton St James 3 17.61x
Thorpe Bassett 3 625.00x
Westminster St James 3 4.02x
Wookey 3 116.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 36
Elizabeth 33
Sarah 25
Annie 19
Ann 15
Jane 15
Emma 14
Eliza 12
Ellen 9
Hannah 8
Louisa 8
Margaret 8
Emily 7
Harriet 7
Maria 7
Ada 5
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Martha 5
Alice 4
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Susan 4
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Dinah 3
Kate 3
Priscilla 3
Rose 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
E. 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Elizebeth 2
Gertrude 2
Henrietta 2
Isabella 2
Rachel 2
Rebecca 2
A.S. 1
Anna 1
Annah 1
Charlott 1
Drusilla 1
Elisabeth 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Wm. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 43
John 38
James 33
George 28
Charles 27
Thomas 25
Henry 17
Samuel 15
Robert 14
Joseph 12
Edward 10
Arthur 9
Alfred 8
Frederick 7
Richard 7
Walter 5
Albert 4
Frank 4
Fred 4
Harry 4
Ernest 3
Wm. 3
Alexander 2
Augustus 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Frederic 2
Herbert 2
Jonathan 2
Timothy 2
Christopher 1
Clement 1
Colin 1
David 1
Eli 1
Emanuel 1
Enoch 1
Eustace 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Isaac 1
Isacc 1
Issac 1
J.J. 1
Jas. 1
Jos. 1
Leslie 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1

FAQ

Cattle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cattle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 743 people were recorded with the Cattle surname. That placed it at #4,937 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cattle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 677 in 2016. That gives Cattle a modern rank of #7,926.

What does the Cattle surname mean?

English surname derived from an ancestor's occupational link to cattle farming or herding.

What does the Cattle map show?

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