UK surname
A surname derived from a diminutive form of the given name "Edmund".
In the 1881 census there were 186 people recorded with the Emmet surname, ranking it #13,448 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 62, ranked #34,227, down from #13,448 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Halifax and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Emmet is 274 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 66.7%.
1881 census count
186
Ranked #13,448
Modern count
62
2016, ranked #34,227
Peak year
1851
274 bearers
Map years
4
1851 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Emmet surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Emmet surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 274 | #8,176 |
| 1861 | historical | 225 | #10,843 |
| 1881 | historical | 186 | #13,448 |
| 1891 | historical | 95 | #24,694 |
| 1901 | historical | 102 | #22,596 |
| 1911 | historical | 98 | #22,959 |
| 1997 | modern | 72 | #30,415 |
| 1998 | modern | 65 | #31,477 |
| 1999 | modern | 63 | #31,798 |
| 2000 | modern | 61 | #32,039 |
| 2001 | modern | 55 | #32,482 |
| 2002 | modern | 54 | #32,927 |
| 2003 | modern | 54 | #32,990 |
| 2004 | modern | 59 | #32,787 |
| 2005 | modern | 60 | #32,917 |
| 2006 | modern | 55 | #33,688 |
| 2007 | modern | 59 | #33,634 |
| 2008 | modern | 63 | #33,498 |
| 2009 | modern | 62 | #33,832 |
| 2010 | modern | 62 | #34,069 |
| 2011 | modern | 60 | #34,202 |
| 2012 | modern | 65 | #33,964 |
| 2013 | modern | 64 | #34,127 |
| 2014 | modern | 64 | #34,141 |
| 2015 | modern | 63 | #34,178 |
| 2016 | modern | 62 | #34,227 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Halifax, St Pancras, Bradford and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 2 | Halifax | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 3 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | Bradford | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 5 | Blackburn | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Emmet surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Emmet, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Emmet surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Emmet household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Emmet is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Emmet is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Emmet, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Emmet originated in England in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "emet", meaning "ant". This nickname was likely given to someone who exhibited industriousness or a busy and hard-working nature, akin to the behavior of ants.
The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1196, where it is listed as "Emericus Emmet". This document provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the medieval period in England.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are references to several places with names that may have influenced the surname's development, such as Emmetville in Northamptonshire and Emmedeford in Bedfordshire. These place names could have been derived from the Old English words "emet" and "ford", meaning "ant" and "ford" or "river crossing".
One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was John Emmet, who was recorded as a landowner in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. Another notable figure was Thomas Emmet, a prominent merchant and landowner in Yorkshire, who lived between 1450 and 1520.
During the 16th century, the Emmet family was well-established in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Yorkshire. Sir William Emmet (1510-1572) was a renowned lawyer and Member of Parliament for Gloucester during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
In the 17th century, the Emmet surname gained prominence in Ireland due to the migration of English settlers. One of the most famous bearers of the name was Robert Emmet (1778-1803), an Irish nationalist and revolutionary leader who led an unsuccessful insurrection against British rule in 1803.
Other notable individuals with the surname Emmet include Joseph Emmet (1775-1851), an American jurist and legal scholar who served as the Attorney General of Massachusetts, and Dr. Thomas Addis Emmet (1764-1827), an Irish-American physician and prominent figure in the early history of New York City.
Throughout its history, the surname Emmet has been spelled in various ways, including Emmett, Emmit, and Emmitt, reflecting regional variations and phonetic adaptations. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in the Old English word "emet", a testament to its enduring legacy and connection to the industrious nature of ants.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Emmet surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 49 Emmets recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.73x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 49 | 2.73x |
| Lancashire | 36 | 1.67x |
| Middlesex | 31 | 1.71x |
| Cornwall | 15 | 7.30x |
| Surrey | 14 | 1.58x |
| Berkshire | 10 | 7.34x |
| Lanarkshire | 6 | 1.02x |
| Glamorgan | 5 | 1.58x |
| Hampshire | 5 | 1.34x |
| Warwickshire | 5 | 1.09x |
| Northumberland | 4 | 1.48x |
| Devon | 3 | 0.79x |
| Essex | 2 | 0.56x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.33x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hunslet in Yorkshire leads with 15 Emmets recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.51x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Emmet surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 13 |
| Sarah | 8 |
| Hannah | 5 |
| Margaret | 5 |
| Annie | 4 |
| Jane | 4 |
| Elizabeth | 3 |
| Emily | 3 |
| Emma | 3 |
| Ann | 2 |
| Edith | 2 |
| Eliza | 2 |
| Ellen | 2 |
| Kate | 2 |
| Margret | 2 |
| Maria | 2 |
| Sophia | 2 |
| Abigal | 1 |
| Alice | 1 |
| Anne | 1 |
| Bessie | 1 |
| Bessy | 1 |
| Deborah | 1 |
| Delilah | 1 |
| Eliz. | 1 |
| Elize | 1 |
| Fanny | 1 |
| Frances | 1 |
| Harriet | 1 |
| Helen | 1 |
| Helena | 1 |
| Hermoine | 1 |
| Jemima | 1 |
| Katherine | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Lilian | 1 |
| Lizzie | 1 |
| Louisa | 1 |
| Mabel | 1 |
| Maggie | 1 |
| Martha | 1 |
| Mather | 1 |
| Maude | 1 |
| Milley | 1 |
| Nancy | 1 |
| Rosamond | 1 |
| Susan | 1 |
| Susannah | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Emmet surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| William | 13 |
| Charles | 10 |
| George | 6 |
| John | 6 |
| Joseph | 4 |
| Thomas | 4 |
| Richard | 3 |
| Robert | 3 |
| Samuel | 3 |
| Benjamin | 2 |
| Francis | 2 |
| James | 2 |
| Philip | 2 |
| Wm. | 2 |
| Abraham | 1 |
| Albert | 1 |
| Alfred | 1 |
| Anthony | 1 |
| Cynt | 1 |
| Daniel | 1 |
| David | 1 |
| Edward | 1 |
| Enos | 1 |
| Ernest | 1 |
| Fredk. | 1 |
| Harry | 1 |
| Henry | 1 |
| Joshua | 1 |
| Josiah | 1 |
| Patrick | 1 |
| Percy | 1 |
| Peter | 1 |
| Reuben | 1 |
| Tom | 1 |
| Walker | 1 |
| Watson | 1 |
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 Emmet households.
FAQ
In 1881, 186 people were recorded with the Emmet surname. That placed it at #13,448 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 62 in 2016. That gives Emmet a modern rank of #34,227.
A surname derived from a diminutive form of the given name "Edmund".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Emmet bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.