NameCensus.

UK surname

Cutter

An occupational surname referring to someone who makes or sells knives or other cutting implements.

In the 1881 census there were 845 people recorded with the Cutter surname, ranking it #4,463 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,249, ranked #4,785, down from #4,463 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Woodlands and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, Rugby and Ceredigion.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cutter is 1,939 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.8%.

1881 census count

845

Ranked #4,463

Modern count

1,249

2016, ranked #4,785

Peak year

1911

1,939 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cutter had 845 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,463 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,249 in 2016, ranked #4,785.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,939 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Cutter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cutter surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cutter 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 772 #3,459
1861 historical 1,315 #2,171
1881 historical 845 #4,463
1891 historical 1,623 #2,757
1901 historical 1,384 #3,637
1911 historical 1,939 #2,564
1997 modern 1,185 #4,759
1998 modern 1,209 #4,852
1999 modern 1,192 #4,961
2000 modern 1,206 #4,885
2001 modern 1,194 #4,814
2002 modern 1,205 #4,886
2003 modern 1,189 #4,845
2004 modern 1,185 #4,863
2005 modern 1,164 #4,887
2006 modern 1,171 #4,874
2007 modern 1,178 #4,891
2008 modern 1,169 #4,941
2009 modern 1,196 #4,952
2010 modern 1,236 #4,916
2011 modern 1,246 #4,832
2012 modern 1,254 #4,727
2013 modern 1,270 #4,758
2014 modern 1,274 #4,764
2015 modern 1,248 #4,813
2016 modern 1,249 #4,785

Geography

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Where Cutters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Woodlands, Gateshead and Monkwearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, Rugby, Ceredigion and Braintree. 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 1
2 Woodlands Dorset
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Monkwearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 012 Sunderland
2 Rugby 007 Rugby
3 Ceredigion 011 Ceredigion
4 Sunderland 016 Sunderland
5 Braintree 002 Braintree

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cutter

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cutter

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cutter, 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 Cutter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Cutter 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, Cutter 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

Cutter is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Cutter

The surname Cutter originated in England in the late 12th century. It derived from the Old English word "cuttere," which referred to a cutter or tailor of cloth. The name was first recorded in the county of Somerset, where many early bearers of the name were employed as skilled cloth workers.

One of the earliest known references to the Cutter surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mentions a Ralph le Cuttere. In the 13th century, the name was also found in various other records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a Walter le Cuttere.

The Cutter surname is closely associated with the textile industry that flourished in medieval England, particularly in the West Country and East Anglia. As skilled craftsmen, Cutters were responsible for cutting and shaping fabric for clothing and other garments.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname began to spread beyond its original regional boundaries. In the 1381 Poll Tax records of Yorkshire, a John Cuttere is listed, while the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1327 mention a Robert Cuttere.

Notable historical figures bearing the Cutter surname include:

1. William Cutter (c. 1590-1659), an English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Ely Cathedral. 2. John Cutter (1628-1718), an early American settler who arrived in New England in the 17th century and founded a prominent family in Massachusetts. 3. Benjamin Cutter (1719-1793), an American physician and soldier who served as a surgeon during the Revolutionary War. 4. Sarah Cutter (1772-1857), an American educator and pioneer in the field of early childhood education. 5. George Washington Cutter (1801-1865), an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Ohio.

While the Cutter surname has its roots in the textile trade, over time, it has become associated with various other occupations and professions as bearers of the name diversified their livelihoods.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cutter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cutter 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 118 Cutters recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.83x.

County Total Index
Durham 118 4.83x
Northumberland 111 9.08x
Middlesex 107 1.30x
Cambridgeshire 61 11.73x
Surrey 55 1.37x
Essex 48 2.96x
Gloucestershire 36 2.23x
Herefordshire 36 10.69x
Yorkshire 33 0.41x
Norfolk 30 2.38x
Suffolk 29 2.90x
Kent 28 1.00x
Leicestershire 18 1.98x
Hampshire 16 0.95x
Monmouthshire 15 2.53x
Lancashire 13 0.13x
Warwickshire 13 0.63x
Brecknockshire 12 7.31x
Cheshire 11 0.61x
Midlothian 8 0.73x
Northamptonshire 7 0.91x
Worcestershire 6 0.56x
Staffordshire 5 0.18x
Berkshire 4 0.65x
Hertfordshire 4 0.71x
Cornwall 3 0.32x
Derbyshire 3 0.23x
Dorset 3 0.56x
Somerset 3 0.23x
Glamorgan 2 0.14x
Lanarkshire 1 0.04x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.09x
Shropshire 1 0.14x
Sussex 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. Little Abington in Cambridgeshire leads with 30 Cutters recorded in 1881 and an index of 4054.05x.

Place Total Index
Little Abington 30 4054.05x
Monkwearmouth Shore 24 50.31x
Walton Le Soken 18 467.53x
Bedlington 16 39.21x
Lambeth 16 2.23x
Tynemouth 15 22.92x
Bishopwearmouth 13 6.20x
Hackney London 13 2.82x
Hadstock 12 960.00x
Keighley 12 13.83x
Bromley 10 23.41x
Clerkenwell London 10 5.16x
Elswick 10 10.25x
Chelsworth 9 1304.35x
Great Bircham 9 692.31x
Kingsland 9 301.00x
Knutsford Nether 9 82.12x
Newcastle On Tyne St 9 14.21x
Newland 9 66.47x
North Seaton 9 175.44x
Penshaw 9 122.62x
Ashby De La Zouch 8 37.90x
Bedwellty 8 7.63x
Grantchester 8 246.91x
Kyo 8 69.57x
Monkseaton 8 583.94x
Murton 8 640.00x
Plumstead 8 8.56x
St Pancras London 8 1.21x
Tunstall 8 65.74x
Ulgham 8 394.09x
Wallsend 8 20.64x
Birmingham 7 1.01x
Bridgham 7 897.44x
Cantreff 7 1272.73x
Cobham 7 106.54x
Heworth 7 14.54x
Inveresk 7 23.50x
Llangarren 7 231.79x
Pampisford 7 714.29x
Portsea 7 2.12x
South Shields 7 32.15x
St George Hanover Square 7 4.84x
St Giles 7 45.90x
West Dean 7 26.75x
Witham 7 83.83x
Wrentham 7 252.71x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 3.96x
Chopwell 6 132.16x
Gasthorpe 6 2222.22x
Islington London 6 0.75x
Long Newton 6 731.71x
Mile End Old Town London 6 3.43x
Mortlake 6 33.63x
Narborough 6 240.96x
Southampton St Mary 6 5.67x
Thornaby 6 19.73x
Thornley 6 67.87x
Withington 6 19.11x
Aston 5 0.88x
Enfield 5 9.28x
Kingston On Thames 5 5.20x
Llanelly 5 25.45x
Pakenham 5 185.19x
St Andrew Holborn London 5 14.06x
St Margarets 5 625.00x
Babraham 4 533.33x
Bristol St George 4 5.37x
Bristol St James St Paul 4 7.45x
Jesmond 4 23.26x
North Shields 4 16.40x
Northfield 4 19.66x
Rotherhithe 4 3.94x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 2.42x
St George Bloomsbury 4 8.49x
St Luke London 4 3.04x
St Marylebone London 4 0.91x
Wellingborough 4 10.30x
Westoe 4 2.89x
Whittlesford 4 167.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 58
Elizabeth 33
Ellen 24
Sarah 24
Jane 21
Margaret 15
Emily 13
Alice 12
Eliza 11
Emma 11
Ann 10
Caroline 7
Catherine 7
Hannah 7
Maria 7
Susan 7
Edith 6
Harriet 5
Isabella 5
Agnes 4
Annie 4
Elizth. 4
Florence 4
Lucy 4
Rose 4
Sophia 4
Ada 3
Amelia 3
Amy 3
Eleanor 3
Harriett 3
Martha 3
Rosina 3
Abigail 2
Clara 2
Francis 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Miriam 2
Rebecca 2
Susannah 2
Almina 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Edward 1
Elinor 1
Elizebth.Jane 1
Hariet 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 51
John 38
James 37
George 29
Charles 24
Thomas 24
Henry 23
Joseph 17
Robert 14
Alfred 9
Arthur 9
Richard 8
Walter 7
Edward 6
Frank 5
Samuel 5
Wm. 5
Albert 4
David 4
Harry 4
Francis 3
Frederick 3
Jesse 3
Leonard 3
Bernard 2
Charlie 2
Ernest 2
Frederic 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Hy. 2
Robt. 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Wilfred 2
Amos 1
Bengn. 1
Cecil 1
Charley 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Enoch 1
Fred.W. 1
Hrry 1
Isaac 1
Ishmael 1
J.T.D. 1
Jasper 1
Jno. 1

FAQ

Cutter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cutter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 845 people were recorded with the Cutter surname. That placed it at #4,463 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cutter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,249 in 2016. That gives Cutter a modern rank of #4,785.

What does the Cutter surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who makes or sells knives or other cutting implements.

What does the Cutter map show?

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