UK surname
A diminutive surname denoting small stature or youth.
In the 1881 census there were 91 people recorded with the Ette surname, ranking it #20,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 66, ranked #33,948, down from #20,843 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wellingborough, Bulwick, Bulwick Short Leys and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ette is 158 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 27.5%.
1881 census count
91
Ranked #20,843
Modern count
66
2016, ranked #33,948
Peak year
1911
158 bearers
Map years
3
1891 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Ette surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Ette surname density by area, 1911 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 | 37 | #26,673 |
| 1861 | historical | 50 | #27,636 |
| 1881 | historical | 91 | #20,843 |
| 1891 | historical | 121 | #21,169 |
| 1901 | historical | 143 | #18,570 |
| 1911 | historical | 158 | #17,277 |
| 1997 | modern | 73 | #30,306 |
| 1998 | modern | 76 | #30,386 |
| 1999 | modern | 77 | #30,427 |
| 2000 | modern | 77 | #30,486 |
| 2001 | modern | 71 | #30,907 |
| 2002 | modern | 68 | #31,626 |
| 2003 | modern | 68 | #31,689 |
| 2004 | modern | 63 | #32,380 |
| 2005 | modern | 60 | #32,917 |
| 2006 | modern | 57 | #33,513 |
| 2007 | modern | 65 | #33,045 |
| 2008 | modern | 69 | #32,962 |
| 2009 | modern | 69 | #33,257 |
| 2010 | modern | 71 | #33,401 |
| 2011 | modern | 70 | #33,465 |
| 2012 | modern | 69 | #33,695 |
| 2013 | modern | 73 | #33,557 |
| 2014 | modern | 74 | #33,531 |
| 2015 | modern | 70 | #33,717 |
| 2016 | modern | 66 | #33,948 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wellingborough, Bulwick, Bulwick Short Leys, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Rushden and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. 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 | Wellingborough | Northamptonshire |
| 2 | Bulwick, Bulwick Short Leys | Northamptonshire |
| 3 | Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory | Northamptonshire |
| 4 | Rushden | Northamptonshire |
| 5 | Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars | Leicestershire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Ette 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 Ette, 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 Ette surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Ette 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, Ette 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 Ette is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Ette, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname "ETTE" has its origins in France, dating back to the late medieval period. It is believed to be a diminutive form derived from the French word "petit," meaning "small" or "little." This surname was likely initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone of small stature or a younger member of a family.
In the early 13th century, variations of the name, such as "Petet" and "Pette," can be found in records from the Normandy region of France. One of the earliest documented instances of the surname appears in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a census-like record compiled in England in 1274-1275, which lists a "William Pette" residing in Oxfordshire.
The surname also has connections to various place names in France, such as Petite-Île, a small island in the Seine River near Paris. It is possible that some bearers of the name "ETTE" may have originated from or lived in areas with similar place names.
One notable historical figure with this surname was Jean Ette, a French composer and musician who lived from around 1420 to 1490. He was a renowned composer of sacred music during the Renaissance period and served as a choirmaster at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris.
In the 16th century, the surname appears in the records of the Protestant Huguenot community in France. For instance, Jacques Ette (c. 1540-1610) was a Huguenot minister and writer who fled religious persecution and settled in Geneva, Switzerland.
Another significant individual with this surname was Marie-Anne Ette (1737-1824), a French botanist and naturalist. She was a pioneering figure in the study of lichens and made significant contributions to the field of lichenology.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name "ETTE" can be found in various French colonial records, indicating that some bearers of this surname may have been among the early settlers in North America and other French territories abroad.
One notable example is Pierre Ette (1690-1762), a French-born colonist and explorer who settled in what is now Louisiana. He was instrumental in establishing French settlements along the Mississippi River and played a crucial role in the early exploration and mapping of the region.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ette 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. Northamptonshire leads with 85 Ettes recorded in 1881 and an index of 101.82x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Northamptonshire | 85 | 101.82x |
| Leicestershire | 4 | 4.07x |
| Devon | 2 | 1.08x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Northampton Priory St in Northamptonshire leads with 30 Ettes recorded in 1881 and an index of 598.80x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Northampton Priory St | 30 | 598.80x |
| Bulwick | 24 | 24000.00x |
| Wellingborough | 10 | 238.10x |
| Great Doddington | 8 | 4444.44x |
| Rushden | 7 | 625.00x |
| Holwell | 4 | 5000.00x |
| Wollaston | 3 | 652.17x |
| Brixham | 2 | 93.46x |
| Wilby | 2 | 1666.67x |
| Deenethorpe | 1 | 1666.67x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Ette surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Ette surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Ette households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 22 |
| Shoe Finisher | 6 |
| Ag Labourer | 4 |
| Shoemaker | 3 |
| Ag Lab | 2 |
| Currier | 2 |
| Auctioneer | 1 |
| Baker | 1 |
| Boarder | 1 |
| Boot Closer | 1 |
| Brickmaker | 1 |
| Carpenter & Joiner | 1 |
| Clicker | 1 |
| Domestic Servt | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Farm Lab | 1 |
| Fitter Shoe Work | 1 |
| Garden Boy (D) | 1 |
| Gardener & General (Serv Dom) | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| Genl Lab | 1 |
| Lace Maker | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Machinist | 1 |
| Mariners Wife | 1 |
| Nurse (L M S) | 1 |
| Retired Shoemaker | 1 |
| Shoe Fitter | 1 |
| Shoe Machinist | 1 |
| Shoe Maker | 1 |
| Shoe Rivetter | 1 |
| Upper Closer Shoe Trade | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 91 people were recorded with the Ette surname. That placed it at #20,843 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 66 in 2016. That gives Ette a modern rank of #33,948.
A diminutive surname denoting small stature or youth.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Ette 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.