NameCensus.

UK surname

Court

An occupational surname referring to one who resided at or worked at a manorial court or royal court.

In the 1881 census there were 3,820 people recorded with the Court surname, ranking it #1,194 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,347, ranked #1,259, down from #1,194 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carmarthenshire, Blaenau Gwent and Shropshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Court is 5,557 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.0%.

1881 census count

3,820

Ranked #1,194

Modern count

5,347

2016, ranked #1,259

Peak year

2000

5,557 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Court had 3,820 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,194 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,347 in 2016, ranked #1,259.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,096 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Court surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Court surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Court 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 2,466 #1,207
1861 historical 2,754 #1,065
1881 historical 3,820 #1,194
1891 historical 4,250 #1,127
1901 historical 4,756 #1,189
1911 historical 5,096 #1,032
1997 modern 5,321 #1,225
1998 modern 5,522 #1,228
1999 modern 5,553 #1,233
2000 modern 5,557 #1,228
2001 modern 5,444 #1,221
2002 modern 5,517 #1,237
2003 modern 5,374 #1,236
2004 modern 5,319 #1,245
2005 modern 5,205 #1,256
2006 modern 5,242 #1,243
2007 modern 5,228 #1,258
2008 modern 5,235 #1,271
2009 modern 5,392 #1,259
2010 modern 5,493 #1,262
2011 modern 5,405 #1,270
2012 modern 5,341 #1,252
2013 modern 5,463 #1,247
2014 modern 5,496 #1,241
2015 modern 5,399 #1,253
2016 modern 5,347 #1,259

Geography

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Where Courts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Lambeth and Hawkinge, Folkestone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carmarthenshire, Blaenau Gwent, Shropshire, Mendip and Hambleton. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Hawkinge, Folkestone Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carmarthenshire 027 Carmarthenshire
2 Blaenau Gwent 007 Blaenau Gwent
3 Shropshire 037 Shropshire
4 Mendip 006 Mendip
5 Hambleton 006 Hambleton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Court

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Court

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Court 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

Court is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Court falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Court

The surname Court is of Anglo-Norman French origin, derived from the Old French word "curt" or "cort", meaning a courtyard or an enclosed area. It emerged as a surname in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066, when many Norman settlers established themselves in various regions of the country.

The name was initially used as a topographic surname, given to individuals who lived near or worked at a courtyard or a manor house. It was also used as an occupational surname for those who held positions within the royal or noble households, such as courtiers or servants.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Court can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conquer. The name is mentioned in various counties, including Essex, Suffolk, and Kent.

In the 12th century, the name Court appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, where it was recorded as "de la Curt". This early spelling suggests that the name was initially used as a locational surname, referring to a specific place or settlement.

Notable individuals with the surname Court throughout history include:

1. Richard Court (c. 1573-1662), an English politician and member of the Long Parliament during the English Civil War. 2. John Court (1628-1688), an English politician and member of the Parliament of England during the reign of Charles II. 3. Marie Court (1703-1777), a French artist and painter known for her portraits and religious works. 4. Joseph Desir Court (1798-1865), a Belgian lawyer and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Belgium from 1857 to 1858. 5. Robert Court (1837-1905), an English cricketer who played for the Marylebone Cricket Club and represented Kent County Cricket Club.

The surname Court has also been associated with various place names, such as Courtmacsherry in County Cork, Ireland, and Courthill in Pembrokeshire, Wales. These place names likely originated from the Old French word "curt" or its variations, reflecting the presence of courtyards or manorial estates in those locations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Court families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Court 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. Kent leads with 663 Courts recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.23x.

County Total Index
Kent 663 5.23x
Somerset 414 6.92x
Surrey 379 2.09x
Middlesex 363 0.98x
Warwickshire 330 3.52x
Worcestershire 273 5.63x
Gloucestershire 190 2.61x
Lancashire 151 0.34x
Sussex 118 1.88x
Yorkshire 110 0.30x
Staffordshire 81 0.65x
Glamorgan 79 1.22x
Hampshire 73 0.96x
Devon 72 0.93x
Cheshire 65 0.79x
Leicestershire 44 1.07x
Monmouthshire 43 1.60x
Dorset 31 1.27x
Oxfordshire 30 1.31x
Durham 25 0.23x
Essex 24 0.33x
Herefordshire 21 1.38x
Morayshire 21 3.64x
Nottinghamshire 21 0.42x
Cumberland 19 0.59x
Lanarkshire 19 0.16x
Suffolk 17 0.38x
Northamptonshire 16 0.46x
Westmorland 12 1.47x
Derbyshire 11 0.19x
Wigtownshire 10 2.03x
Perthshire 8 0.48x
Berkshire 7 0.25x
Renfrewshire 7 0.24x
Bedfordshire 6 0.31x
Kirkcudbrightshire 5 0.93x
Royal Navy 5 1.13x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.18x
Cornwall 4 0.10x
Fife 4 0.18x
Midlothian 4 0.08x
Shropshire 4 0.12x
Wiltshire 4 0.12x
Ayrshire 3 0.11x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.19x
Hertfordshire 3 0.12x
Norfolk 3 0.05x
Angus 1 0.03x
Brecknockshire 1 0.13x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.04x
Channel Islands 1 0.09x
Denbighshire 1 0.07x
Inverness-shire 1 0.09x
Northumberland 1 0.02x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.08x
West Lothian 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 87 Courts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.79x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 87 2.79x
Lambeth 73 2.25x
Redditch 73 74.22x
Aston 62 2.40x
St Pancras London 44 1.47x
Folkestone 42 17.08x
Newington 37 2.70x
Dunster 36 251.40x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 34 4.96x
Camberwell 34 1.43x
Kings Norton 34 7.82x
Kensington London 33 1.60x
Stratford On Avon 33 63.51x
Godalming 30 26.33x
Bromsgrove 29 17.76x
Deptford St Paul 28 2.86x
Minehead 28 124.00x
Croydon 26 2.59x
Everton 25 1.78x
Swansea Town 25 4.71x
Taunton St Mary 25 22.78x
Winsford 25 404.53x
Buckland In Dover 24 57.14x
Faversham 24 19.86x
Whitstable 24 38.60x
Monks Coppenhall 22 7.11x
Canterbury St Dunstan 21 96.02x
Feckenham 21 37.82x
Leicester St Margaret 21 2.09x
Maidstone 20 5.30x
Mile End Old Town London 20 2.53x
Southwark St Saviour 20 10.48x
St Marylebone London 20 1.01x
Ash Next Sandwich 19 67.76x
Bermondsey 19 1.72x
Blean 18 205.95x
Edgbaston 18 6.20x
Old Stratford 18 33.94x
Poplar London 17 2.42x
Clerkenwell London 16 1.82x
Fulham London 16 2.97x
Kingswinford 16 3.51x
St George Hanover Square 16 2.44x
Stockton On Tees 16 3.00x
Toxteth Park 16 1.07x
Woolwich 16 3.42x
Bedminster 15 2.67x
Newnham 15 377.83x
Northfleet 15 13.43x
Paddington London 15 1.10x
Portsea 15 1.01x
Walmer 15 27.22x
Wednesbury 15 4.79x
Wootton Courtney 15 358.85x
Bristol St Paul In 14 7.21x
Canterbury Holy Cross 14 114.57x
Govan 14 0.47x
St Andrew Holborn London 14 8.70x
Thursley 14 107.69x
Nottingham St Mary 13 1.00x
Putney 13 7.68x
Burnham 12 26.32x
Huntspill 12 49.02x
Kendal 12 8.03x
Midhurst 12 58.42x
Studley 12 29.96x
Aberdare 11 2.48x
Bellie 11 42.18x
Broadhempston 11 152.78x
Dudley 11 1.87x
Leamington Priors 11 4.77x
Llanwarne 11 231.09x
Oxford St Thomas 11 10.28x
Winchcomb 11 30.43x
Witley 11 86.34x
Woodnesborough 11 94.83x
Yardley 11 8.86x
Bethnal Green London 10 0.62x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 1.34x
Widdington 10 207.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 236
Elizabeth 151
Sarah 112
Jane 79
Ann 75
Eliza 64
Alice 60
Ellen 59
Annie 57
Emily 55
Emma 46
Edith 33
Florence 33
Fanny 31
Caroline 29
Charlotte 29
Harriet 28
Hannah 25
Louisa 25
Lucy 23
Maria 23
Martha 22
Ada 19
Margaret 19
Clara 18
Agnes 17
Catherine 17
Kate 17
Rose 14
Amelia 13
Elizth. 12
Amy 11
Anne 11
Frances 11
Matilda 11
Minnie 11
Harriett 10
Susan 10
Julia 9
Nellie 8
Phoebe 8
Anna 7
Eva 7
Laura 7
Rosa 7
Beatrice 6
Eleanor 6
Lydia 6
Mabel 6
Lizzie 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 253
John 198
George 140
Thomas 113
Charles 96
Henry 96
James 95
Alfred 52
Joseph 49
Edward 48
Frederick 48
Robert 42
Richard 41
Arthur 39
Albert 36
Walter 33
Harry 32
Frank 21
Ernest 16
Herbert 16
Edwin 14
Stephen 14
Benjamin 11
Leonard 10
Samuel 10
Francis 9
Isaac 9
Thos. 9
Geo. 8
Percy 8
Daniel 7
Sidney 7
David 6
Fredk. 6
Sydney 6
Earnest 5
Fredrick 5
Harold 5
Jesse 5
Chas. 4
Fred 4
Frederic 4
Matthew 4
Wm. 4
Edgar 3
Infant 3
Noah 3
Philip 3
Sampson 3
W. 3

FAQ

Court surname: questions and answers

How common was the Court surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,820 people were recorded with the Court surname. That placed it at #1,194 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Court surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,347 in 2016. That gives Court a modern rank of #1,259.

What does the Court surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to one who resided at or worked at a manorial court or royal court.

What does the Court map show?

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