NameCensus.

UK surname

Escott

Of English origin, meaning "dweller at the outer cottage."

In the 1881 census there were 846 people recorded with the Escott surname, ranking it #4,458 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,136, ranked #5,184, down from #4,458 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) and Melksham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset and Taunton Deane.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Escott is 1,250 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.3%.

1881 census count

846

Ranked #4,458

Modern count

1,136

2016, ranked #5,184

Peak year

1911

1,250 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Escott had 846 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,458 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,136 in 2016, ranked #5,184.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,250 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Escott surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Escott surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Escott 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 562 #4,511
1861 historical 521 #5,031
1881 historical 846 #4,458
1891 historical 943 #4,391
1901 historical 1,136 #4,277
1911 historical 1,250 #3,798
1997 modern 1,197 #4,721
1998 modern 1,200 #4,875
1999 modern 1,196 #4,944
2000 modern 1,215 #4,842
2001 modern 1,174 #4,909
2002 modern 1,220 #4,835
2003 modern 1,168 #4,916
2004 modern 1,146 #5,014
2005 modern 1,137 #4,991
2006 modern 1,125 #5,044
2007 modern 1,128 #5,076
2008 modern 1,134 #5,095
2009 modern 1,156 #5,113
2010 modern 1,193 #5,070
2011 modern 1,178 #5,070
2012 modern 1,128 #5,173
2013 modern 1,153 #5,167
2014 modern 1,147 #5,217
2015 modern 1,132 #5,224
2016 modern 1,136 #5,184

Geography

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Where Escotts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Melksham, London parishes and Cardiff St John and St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset and Taunton Deane. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
3 Melksham Wiltshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 020 Wiltshire
2 Wiltshire 022 Wiltshire
3 Wiltshire 021 Wiltshire
4 Bath and North East Somerset 011 Bath and North East Somerset
5 Taunton Deane 009 Taunton Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Escott

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Escott

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Escott is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Escott is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Escott falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Escott

The surname Escott originates from England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "esc" meaning ash tree and "cot" meaning cottage or dwelling, suggesting that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near an ash tree or in a cottage surrounded by ash trees.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing this surname was John Escott, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1327. The Subsidy Rolls were tax records maintained by the English government, indicating that the name was already well-established in the region at that time.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in various spellings such as Escote, Escotte, and Escot, reflecting the variations in orthography common during that period. Notable individuals from this era include Richard Escot, a landowner in Somerset mentioned in the Feet of Fines records of 1467.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Escott became more widespread across England, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Escott, a member of the landed gentry in Somerset who lived from 1591 to 1668.

In the 18th century, the surname gained prominence with individuals like Edward Escott (1716-1794), a British naval officer who served during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. Another notable figure was George Escott (1743-1810), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Devizes from 1796 to 1806.

As the name spread across Britain, it also found its way to other parts of the world through migration and colonization. One notable individual was Sir Bickham Sweet Escott (1838-1924), an Australian politician and judge who served as the Premier of South Australia from 1897 to 1899.

Among other notable individuals with the surname Escott are Arthur Escott (1871-1949), a British author and journalist, and Harry Escott (1906-1973), a British film composer known for his work on several Ealing Studios productions in the 1940s and 1950s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Escott families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Escott 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. Somerset leads with 158 Escotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.04x.

County Total Index
Somerset 158 12.04x
Devon 157 9.25x
Middlesex 155 1.90x
Glamorgan 79 5.56x
Cornwall 50 5.42x
Surrey 41 1.03x
Wiltshire 36 4.99x
Gloucestershire 23 1.44x
Warwickshire 22 1.07x
Yorkshire 17 0.21x
Kent 14 0.50x
Essex 13 0.81x
Monmouthshire 13 2.21x
Shropshire 11 1.56x
Lancashire 8 0.08x
Carmarthenshire 7 2.04x
Hampshire 7 0.42x
Durham 6 0.25x
Channel Islands 2 0.83x
Hertfordshire 2 0.36x
Sussex 2 0.15x
Westmorland 2 1.12x
Bedfordshire 1 0.24x
Berkshire 1 0.16x
Brecknockshire 1 0.61x
Dorset 1 0.19x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.85x
Midlothian 1 0.09x
Northamptonshire 1 0.13x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.39x
Royal Navy 1 1.03x
Worcestershire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bampton in Devon leads with 42 Escotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 807.69x.

Place Total Index
Bampton 42 807.69x
Melksham 22 175.72x
Llantwit Major 17 613.72x
Tavistock 16 82.73x
Kenwyn 15 62.14x
Shoreditch London 15 4.24x
St Pancras London 15 2.29x
Banwell 13 271.40x
Lambeth 13 1.83x
Bridgewater 11 30.86x
Cardiff St Mary 11 14.06x
Chippenham 11 72.75x
Llanharan 11 753.42x
Tiverton 11 37.62x
Exeter St Mary Steps 10 261.10x
Poplar London 10 6.50x
Stogumber 10 288.18x
Stoodleigh 10 813.01x
Wellington 10 25.25x
Ystradyfodwg 10 8.03x
Bethnal Green London 9 2.54x
Bicknoller 9 989.01x
Hackney London 9 1.97x
Kensington London 9 1.99x
Saddleworth 9 14.44x
St George Hanover Square 9 6.26x
Camberwell 8 1.54x
Goathurst 8 1111.11x
Hampstead London 8 6.30x
Kenilworth 8 69.03x
Plymouth St Andrew 8 6.12x
Scilly Islands St Mary 8 222.22x
Bedminster 7 5.67x
Bradninch 7 146.14x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 4.65x
Carhampton 7 388.89x
Charlinch 7 1250.00x
Eglwysilan 7 28.41x
Liverpool 7 1.19x
Mile End Old Town London 7 4.03x
Minehead 7 141.13x
North Petherton 7 66.10x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 4.27x
St Giles In Fields London 7 17.50x
St Marylebone London 7 1.61x
West Ham 7 1.97x
Aberdare 6 6.16x
Cutcombe 6 382.17x
Exeter Holy Trinity 6 90.23x
Exeter St Petrock 6 1111.11x
Islington London 6 0.76x
Kea 6 87.21x
Laugharne 6 131.58x
Panteg 6 64.66x
Roath 6 9.30x
St Decumans Watchet 6 180.72x
St Ives 6 33.20x
Stoke Newington London 6 9.45x
Stringston 6 1875.00x
Taunton St James 6 31.35x
Aston 5 0.88x
Canterbury Archbishops 5 1000.00x
Clerkenwell London 5 2.60x
Walcot 5 7.15x
Warwick St Mary 5 28.01x
Withycombe Rawleigh 5 56.56x
Bristol St George 4 5.41x
Brompton Ralph 4 338.98x
Cullompton 4 53.98x
Gerrans 4 160.64x
Kilve 4 645.16x
Merthyr Tydfil 4 2.93x
Pudsey 4 9.26x
Rotherhithe 4 3.97x
Sampford Courtenay 4 157.48x
Southampton St Mary 4 3.81x
St George In East London 4 5.22x
Walthanstow 4 149.81x
Wellington 4 22.47x
West Herrington 4 47.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 52
Elizabeth 35
Sarah 22
Eliza 18
Emma 15
Alice 14
Ann 13
Jane 13
Ellen 11
Annie 10
Charlotte 9
Caroline 8
Emily 8
Harriett 7
Margaret 7
Harriet 6
Louisa 6
Edith 5
Lucy 5
Martha 5
Susan 5
Ethel 4
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Gertrude 4
Grace 4
Kate 4
Sophia 4
Ada 3
Bessie 3
Clara 3
E. 3
Eleanor 3
Frances 3
Laura 3
Minnie 3
Rebecca 3
Rosa 3
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Elizth. 2
Hannah 2
Henrietta 2
Katherine 2
Lydia 2
Margt. 2
Maria 2
Maud 2
Rhoda 2
Sussanna 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 60
John 53
James 30
Henry 24
Thomas 24
Charles 20
George 17
Frederick 14
Richard 14
Robert 11
Samuel 11
Albert 9
Alfred 8
Francis 8
Walter 8
Arthur 6
Edwin 6
Frank 6
Edward 5
Ernest 5
Harry 5
Joseph 5
Edmund 4
Isaac 3
Amos 2
Benjamin 2
Cecil 2
Ralph 2
Tom 2
Adam 1
Alexander 1
Benjn. 1
C.W. 1
Caleb 1
Cas 1
E.T. 1
Earnest 1
Eli 1
Evan 1
Frances 1
Fred 1
Hercules 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
Hy.Jas. 1
Jane 1
Jasper 1
Jenkin 1
Jno. 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Escott surname: questions and answers

How common was the Escott surname in 1881?

In 1881, 846 people were recorded with the Escott surname. That placed it at #4,458 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Escott surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,136 in 2016. That gives Escott a modern rank of #5,184.

What does the Escott surname mean?

Of English origin, meaning "dweller at the outer cottage."

What does the Escott map show?

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