NameCensus.

UK surname

Duffett

A surname derived from a diminutive form of the given name David.

In the 1881 census there were 299 people recorded with the Duffett surname, ranking it #9,740 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 351, ranked #13,127, down from #9,740 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Fareham, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Stalbridge. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Colchester, Adur and Telford and Wrekin.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Duffett is 431 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.4%.

1881 census count

299

Ranked #9,740

Modern count

351

2016, ranked #13,127

Peak year

1911

431 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Duffett had 299 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,740 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 351 in 2016, ranked #13,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 431 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Duffett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Duffett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Duffett 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 228 #9,418
1861 historical 200 #12,005
1881 historical 299 #9,740
1891 historical 304 #11,005
1901 historical 415 #9,236
1911 historical 431 #8,789
1997 modern 361 #11,892
1998 modern 380 #11,827
1999 modern 378 #11,935
2000 modern 366 #12,167
2001 modern 355 #12,253
2002 modern 367 #12,198
2003 modern 347 #12,479
2004 modern 346 #12,544
2005 modern 337 #12,738
2006 modern 341 #12,684
2007 modern 323 #13,351
2008 modern 323 #13,462
2009 modern 335 #13,381
2010 modern 341 #13,477
2011 modern 349 #13,108
2012 modern 343 #13,158
2013 modern 357 #12,984
2014 modern 357 #13,068
2015 modern 349 #13,189
2016 modern 351 #13,127

Geography

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Where Duffetts are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Colchester, Adur and Telford and Wrekin. 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 Fareham Hampshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Stalbridge Dorset
4 Bedminster Somerset
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Colchester 008 Colchester
2 Adur 006 Adur
3 Telford and Wrekin 010 Telford and Wrekin
4 Colchester 022 Colchester
5 Colchester 007 Colchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Duffett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Duffett

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Duffett is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Duffett is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Duffett 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 Duffett 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Duffett

The surname Duffett is of English origin, first recorded in the 14th century. It is a locational surname derived from the Old English words "duf" meaning dove and "hytt" meaning a small dwelling or shelter, likely referring to someone who lived in a small cottage or hut near a dovecote.

Early records show variations in the spelling, including Duffet, Duffett, Duffitt, and Duffitt. The name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1332, with the entry of William Duffett. Some of the earliest known bearers of the name hailed from the counties of Sussex and Kent in the southeast of England.

In the 16th century, the Duffett surname is found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Rye, Sussex. John Duffett, a prominent merchant and landowner, was recorded as living in Rye in the 1570s. His son, Thomas Duffett, was a well-known playwright and poet, born in Rye in 1633 and died in London in 1678.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir William Duffett, a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from London, who lived from 1682 to 1763. He donated substantial funds to establish schools and almshouses for the poor in his community.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Duffett family spread across various parts of England, with branches settling in counties such as Dorset, Somerset, and Devon. Records from this period include the marriage of Robert Duffett and Jane Wilkins in Sutton Montis, Somerset, in 1678, and the baptism of John Duffett in Beaminster, Dorset, in 1721.

Another notable figure was Sir George Duffett, a renowned naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. Born in 1768 in Portsmouth, he distinguished himself in several battles and was knighted for his bravery in 1805.

While the Duffett surname has its roots in southeast England, it eventually spread to other parts of the country and even overseas as families migrated and established new branches. However, the name remains relatively uncommon, with its origins firmly rooted in the English countryside of centuries past.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Duffett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Duffett 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. Dorset leads with 64 Duffetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.46x.

County Total Index
Dorset 64 32.46x
Hampshire 53 8.61x
Gloucestershire 43 7.30x
Surrey 27 1.84x
Kent 23 2.24x
Worcestershire 19 4.84x
Somerset 17 3.52x
Middlesex 16 0.53x
Devon 14 2.24x
Channel Islands 9 10.11x
Lancashire 8 0.22x
Yorkshire 5 0.17x
Essex 4 0.67x
Berkshire 3 1.33x
Durham 1 0.11x
Hertfordshire 1 0.48x
Midlothian 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stalbridge in Dorset leads with 29 Duffetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1550.80x.

Place Total Index
Stalbridge 29 1550.80x
Sturminster 27 1413.61x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 24 43.26x
Claines 19 176.42x
Fareham 19 256.76x
Bedminster 16 35.21x
St Peter Port 9 54.64x
Westbury On Trym 9 45.09x
Bishops Waltham 7 273.44x
Clerkenwell London 7 9.87x
Deptford St Nicholas 7 86.10x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 11.58x
Camberwell 6 3.13x
Deptford St Paul 6 7.59x
Newington 6 5.41x
Portsea 6 4.97x
Ryde 6 45.35x
St Mary Extra 6 120.97x
Bristol St Peter 5 236.97x
St Budeaux 5 256.41x
St Pancras London 5 2.07x
Topsham 5 169.49x
Greenwich 4 8.36x
Herne 4 88.11x
Lambeth 4 1.53x
Modbury 4 250.00x
Pendlebury 4 53.12x
Cookham 3 42.67x
Gillingham 3 88.50x
Rufford 3 322.58x
Saddleworth 3 13.07x
Southampton St Mary 3 7.75x
Carisbrooke 2 23.39x
Ringwood 2 50.76x
Sherborne 2 34.42x
Stapleton 2 17.89x
West Bergholt 2 180.18x
Acomb 1 64.10x
Beaminster 1 45.66x
Bermondsey 1 1.12x
Betchworth 1 55.25x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 5.09x
Burnham 1 27.10x
Clifton 1 3.36x
Croydon 1 1.23x
East Horndon 1 192.31x
Gillingham 1 4.73x
Great Hadham 1 74.63x
Leeds 1 0.59x
Manchester 1 0.62x
Margate St John Baptist 1 5.33x
Paddington London 1 0.91x
Portland 1 9.43x
Queensferry 1 243.90x
Southampton 1 204.08x
Southwark Christchurch 1 7.10x
St Luke London 1 2.08x
St Martin In Fields 1 5.56x
Twickenham 1 7.76x
Upham 1 149.25x
Walthamstow 1 4.68x
Westoe 1 1.97x
Wimborne Minster 1 31.35x
Wotton Under Edge 1 28.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 15
Eliza 12
Elizabeth 12
Mary 12
Alice 7
Emma 6
Ann 5
Caroline 5
Ellen 5
Florence 5
Jane 5
Louisa 4
Annie 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Lucy 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Bessie 2
Edith 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Agness 1
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Beatrice 1
Cornelia 1
Edward 1
Eleanor 1
Ella 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Honor 1
L. 1
Lavina 1
Maltida 1
Marion 1
Miriaina 1
Miriam 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
Thomas 11
Henry 10
William 9
Charles 8
James 8
Samuel 7
Walter 7
Edward 6
George 6
Edwin 5
Harry 5
Alfred 3
Arthur 2
Clement 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Jas.G. 2
Philip 2
Robert 2
Rueben 2
Tom 2
Albert 1
Beatrice 1
Chas.B. 1
E.W. 1
Earl 1
Earnest 1
Elias 1
Ellas 1
Ellis 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Jehu 1
Job 1
Mark 1
Phillip 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
Thos.S. 1
Thos.W. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Duffett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Duffett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 299 people were recorded with the Duffett surname. That placed it at #9,740 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Duffett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 351 in 2016. That gives Duffett a modern rank of #13,127.

What does the Duffett surname mean?

A surname derived from a diminutive form of the given name David.

What does the Duffett map show?

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