NameCensus.

UK surname

Dewitt

A Dutch toponymic surname indicating an origin near a white field, meadow, or pasture.

In the 1881 census there were 114 people recorded with the Dewitt surname, ranking it #18,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 265, ranked #16,130, up from #18,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edington, London parishes and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Coventry, Birmingham and Swansea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dewitt is 279 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 132.5%.

1881 census count

114

Ranked #18,324

Modern count

265

2016, ranked #16,130

Peak year

2013

279 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dewitt had 114 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 265 in 2016, ranked #16,130.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 149 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dewitt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dewitt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dewitt 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 46 #24,985
1861 historical 103 #20,650
1881 historical 114 #18,324
1891 historical 149 #18,420
1901 historical 106 #22,076
1911 historical 145 #18,255
1997 modern 212 #16,996
1998 modern 220 #17,074
1999 modern 216 #17,364
2000 modern 206 #17,880
2001 modern 211 #17,376
2002 modern 228 #16,828
2003 modern 234 #16,343
2004 modern 251 #15,655
2005 modern 243 #15,943
2006 modern 231 #16,636
2007 modern 237 #16,571
2008 modern 244 #16,346
2009 modern 259 #16,013
2010 modern 266 #16,067
2011 modern 267 #15,892
2012 modern 268 #15,745
2013 modern 279 #15,574
2014 modern 278 #15,692
2015 modern 264 #16,186
2016 modern 265 #16,130

Geography

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Where Dewitts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edington, London parishes, Eccles, Llangafelach and Potterspury, Cosgrove. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Coventry, Birmingham, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. 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 Edington Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Eccles Lancashire
4 Llangafelach Glamorganshire
5 Potterspury, Cosgrove Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Coventry 020 Coventry
2 Birmingham 047 Birmingham
3 Swansea 019 Swansea
4 Neath Port Talbot 004 Neath Port Talbot
5 Swansea 002 Swansea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dewitt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dewitt

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

Dewitt 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

Dewitt falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Dewitt is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Dewitt, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Dewitt

The surname DEWITT originated in the Netherlands during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Dutch words "de" meaning "the" and "Witt" meaning "white". The name likely referred to someone with white or fair hair or complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DEWITT surname dates back to the 13th century in Amsterdam. It appeared in municipal records and property deeds of the time, sometimes spelled as "de Witte" or "de Wit". Many of the earliest bearers of this name were from the provinces of North and South Holland.

In the 16th century, the DEWITT name gained prominence with Cornelis de Witt (1623-1672), a renowned Dutch statesman and Grand Pensionary of Holland. He played a crucial role in the Dutch Golden Age and the Anglo-Dutch Wars against England.

Another notable historical figure was Johan de Witt (1625-1692), the younger brother of Cornelis. He was a highly influential Dutch politician who served as the Grand Pensionary of Holland from 1653 to 1672. Both brothers were tragically lynched by an angry mob in The Hague in 1672.

In the 17th century, the DEWITT surname also appeared in English records, likely due to Dutch immigration and trade connections with Britain. One early bearer was Emanuel de Witt (1617-1692), a Dutch-born merchant and landowner who settled in London.

During the American Colonial era, several individuals with the DEWITT surname made their mark. Simeon DeWitt (1756-1834) was a prominent surveyor and cartographer who served as the Surveyor General of the Continental Army under George Washington.

Another notable figure was Jacob DeWitt (1784-1843), a lawyer and politician from New York who served as a U.S. Senator and Mayor of New York City. He was also a member of the influential DeWitt family of New York, which included several prominent politicians and landowners.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dewitt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dewitt 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. Warwickshire leads with 13 Dewitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.34x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 13 7.34x
Essex 11 7.93x
Staffordshire 10 4.22x
Kent 8 3.34x
Northamptonshire 8 12.11x
Lanarkshire 4 1.76x
Yorkshire 4 0.57x
Buckinghamshire 3 7.07x
Lancashire 3 0.36x
Shropshire 2 3.30x
Surrey 2 0.58x
Devon 1 0.68x
Middlesex 1 0.14x
Norfolk 1 0.93x
Northumberland 1 0.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gravesend in Kent leads with 8 Dewitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 394.09x.

Place Total Index
Gravesend 8 394.09x
West Mersea 8 2962.96x
Yardley Gobion 8 5714.29x
Harbury 7 2413.79x
West Bromwich 6 44.22x
Aston 5 10.25x
Bushbury 4 930.23x
Glasgow 4 9.92x
West Ham 3 9.80x
Whaddon 3 3000.00x
Leeds 2 5.09x
Manchester 2 5.34x
Whitchurch 2 169.49x
Barnstaple 1 43.67x
Camberwell 1 2.23x
Drypool 1 93.46x
Liverpool 1 1.98x
Morpeth 1 81.30x
Norwich St Paul 1 153.85x
Rugby 1 41.67x
Sutton Stoneferry 1 50.25x
Towerof London London 1 454.55x
Wimbledon 1 26.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Elizabeth 3
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Axnath 1
Blanche 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Hepzjibah 1
Leah 1
Mahala 1
Martha 1
Rosa 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Dewitt households.

FAQ

Dewitt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dewitt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 114 people were recorded with the Dewitt surname. That placed it at #18,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dewitt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 265 in 2016. That gives Dewitt a modern rank of #16,130.

What does the Dewitt surname mean?

A Dutch toponymic surname indicating an origin near a white field, meadow, or pasture.

What does the Dewitt map show?

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