NameCensus.

UK surname

Chitty

A nickname derived from a medieval pet form of the name Christian.

In the 1881 census there were 1,147 people recorded with the Chitty surname, ranking it #3,487 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,203, ranked #4,944, down from #3,487 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dorking, London parishes and Richmond. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mole Valley, Thurrock and Waverley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chitty is 1,592 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.9%.

1881 census count

1,147

Ranked #3,487

Modern count

1,203

2016, ranked #4,944

Peak year

1911

1,592 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chitty had 1,147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,487 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,203 in 2016, ranked #4,944.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,592 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Chitty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chitty surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Chitty 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 798 #3,348
1861 historical 652 #4,116
1881 historical 1,147 #3,487
1891 historical 1,198 #3,578
1901 historical 1,435 #3,539
1911 historical 1,592 #3,054
1997 modern 1,311 #4,372
1998 modern 1,344 #4,427
1999 modern 1,350 #4,441
2000 modern 1,365 #4,387
2001 modern 1,308 #4,459
2002 modern 1,316 #4,527
2003 modern 1,288 #4,520
2004 modern 1,269 #4,583
2005 modern 1,203 #4,748
2006 modern 1,190 #4,810
2007 modern 1,204 #4,804
2008 modern 1,190 #4,869
2009 modern 1,235 #4,824
2010 modern 1,260 #4,844
2011 modern 1,262 #4,780
2012 modern 1,235 #4,798
2013 modern 1,235 #4,875
2014 modern 1,235 #4,891
2015 modern 1,206 #4,948
2016 modern 1,203 #4,944

Geography

Back to top

Where Chittys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dorking, London parishes, Richmond and Ashtead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mole Valley, Thurrock, Waverley and Arun. 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 Dorking Surrey
2 London parishes London 1
3 Richmond Surrey
4 Ashtead Surrey
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mole Valley 008 Mole Valley
2 Thurrock 013 Thurrock
3 Mole Valley 003 Mole Valley
4 Waverley 011 Waverley
5 Arun 011 Arun

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Chitty

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Chitty

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

Chitty 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

Chitty falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Chitty

The surname Chitty originated in England, likely in the medieval period. It is derived from the Middle English word "chite," meaning a shoot or sprout. This suggests that the name was initially an occupational surname for a gardener, forester, or someone who worked with plants and vegetation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Chitty surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "Chittey." This reference indicates that the name was present in the region during the 13th century.

The Chitty surname is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, suggesting its presence in that county during the early 14th century. Additionally, the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1379, further solidifying its historical roots in the west of England.

One notable individual bearing the Chitty surname was Sir Edward Chitty (1654-1736), an English lawyer and legal writer. He was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, and became a prominent figure in the legal profession, serving as a Justice of the King's Bench.

Another significant figure was Joseph Chitty (1776-1841), an English legal writer and barrister. He was born in Billericay, Essex, and authored several influential works on legal practice and procedure, including "A Treatise on the Parties to Actions, and on Practice in Actions in the Courts of Law at Westminster" (1809).

Thomas Chitty (1807-1888), born in Billericay, Essex, was a prominent English architect and surveyor. He designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Surgeons and the St. Pancras Railway Station.

In the realm of literature, Joseph Phillimore Chitty (1808-1892), born in Arundel, Sussex, was a notable English poet and writer. He published several works, including "Poems" (1834) and "The Deserted Village Revisited" (1853).

Lastly, Edward Lambert Chitty (1824-1895), born in London, was a British naval officer and explorer. He served in the Royal Navy and participated in several Arctic expeditions, including the Franklin Search Expedition of 1848-1849, where he explored the coastline of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Chitty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chitty 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. Surrey leads with 464 Chittys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.53x.

County Total Index
Surrey 464 8.53x
Middlesex 260 2.33x
Sussex 127 6.74x
Kent 90 2.36x
Hampshire 67 2.93x
Berkshire 27 3.22x
Essex 24 1.09x
Staffordshire 14 0.37x
Buckinghamshire 13 1.93x
Durham 10 0.30x
Gloucestershire 10 0.46x
Yorkshire 10 0.09x
Dorset 9 1.23x
Worcestershire 5 0.34x
Somerset 3 0.17x
Norfolk 2 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.14x
Cornwall 1 0.08x
Devon 1 0.04x
Hertfordshire 1 0.13x
Lancashire 1 0.01x
Leicestershire 1 0.08x
Oxfordshire 1 0.15x
Royal Navy 1 0.75x
Warwickshire 1 0.04x
Wiltshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 47 Chittys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.59x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 47 6.59x
St Pancras London 34 3.78x
Newington 32 7.76x
Ashtead 31 875.71x
Dorking 28 76.63x
Lambeth 28 2.88x
Islington London 23 2.12x
Bexley 22 65.30x
Enfield 22 30.02x
Richmond 22 28.85x
Croydon 19 6.29x
Chertsey 16 45.49x
Eastbourne 16 18.46x
Bromley 15 25.83x
Deal 15 46.14x
Tottenham 15 8.43x
Cookham 14 53.56x
Walthamstow 14 17.64x
Guildford St Mary 12 179.37x
Harting 12 245.40x
Hornsey 12 8.50x
Langley Marish 12 144.75x
Sheet 12 483.87x
Shoreditch London 12 2.48x
Westminster St John 12 8.82x
Andover 11 50.86x
Limpsfield 11 211.54x
Mile End Old Town London 11 4.63x
Aldershot 10 13.04x
Battersea 10 2.43x
Chobham 10 104.06x
Clifton 10 9.03x
Hampstead London 10 5.75x
Kingston On Thames 10 7.65x
Lurgashall 10 357.14x
Woking 10 30.49x
Wonersh 10 147.28x
Hackney London 9 1.44x
Iping 9 447.76x
Bermondsey 8 2.41x
Bethnal Green London 8 1.65x
Buriton 8 181.41x
Farnham 8 18.90x
Hartlepool 8 16.94x
Paddington London 8 1.95x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 3.56x
St Marylebone London 8 1.34x
Yateley 8 184.76x
Betchworth 7 104.32x
Bisley 7 281.12x
Frimley 7 45.16x
Kensington London 7 1.13x
Littlehampton 7 46.57x
Reigate Borough 7 55.78x
Seale 7 200.57x
Shere 7 106.38x
Streatham 7 8.45x
Twickenham 7 14.62x
Uttoxeter 7 36.27x
Wolverhampton 7 2.41x
East Horsley 6 540.54x
Great Bookham 6 143.54x
Horsham 6 16.40x
Lewisham 6 2.95x
Petworth 6 53.33x
Stoke 6 23.36x
Teddington London 6 23.71x
Worplesdon 6 91.46x
Bromley London 5 2.03x
Cann 5 233.64x
Chiswick 5 8.19x
Cudham 5 128.21x
Ealing 5 5.01x
East Grinstead 5 18.75x
Holy Trinity 5 1.88x
Margate St John Baptist 5 7.17x
Northfield 5 18.07x
Stanwell 5 60.46x
Tonbridge 5 3.64x
Walton On Thames 5 20.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 67
George 55
John 51
James 40
Charles 38
Thomas 36
Henry 29
Frederick 24
Arthur 19
Alfred 18
Edward 18
Albert 17
Harry 13
Walter 12
Richard 10
Francis 7
Joseph 7
Benjamin 4
Ernest 4
Frank 4
Earnest 3
Robert 3
Archibald 2
Chas.H. 2
Edwd. 2
Edwin 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Leonard 2
Percival 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Alfd. 1
Caleb 1
Carlton 1
Charlie 1
Chas. 1
Edd.R. 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Edwd.Herbert 1
Elijah 1
Ethelbert 1
Jessie 1
Lawarance 1
Lawrence 1
Wm.Edwin 1

FAQ

Chitty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chitty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,147 people were recorded with the Chitty surname. That placed it at #3,487 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chitty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,203 in 2016. That gives Chitty a modern rank of #4,944.

What does the Chitty surname mean?

A nickname derived from a medieval pet form of the name Christian.

What does the Chitty map show?

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