NameCensus.

UK surname

Fitton

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

In the 1881 census there were 3,373 people recorded with the Fitton surname, ranking it #1,350 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,599, ranked #2,557, down from #1,350 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Middleton and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale, Rochdale and Oldham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fitton is 3,966 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 22.9%.

1881 census count

3,373

Ranked #1,350

Modern count

2,599

2016, ranked #2,557

Peak year

1911

3,966 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fitton had 3,373 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,350 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,599 in 2016, ranked #2,557.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,966 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Fitton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fitton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fitton 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 1,942 #1,494
1861 historical 1,868 #1,551
1881 historical 3,373 #1,350
1891 historical 3,279 #1,445
1901 historical 3,952 #1,427
1911 historical 3,966 #1,292
1997 modern 2,678 #2,384
1998 modern 2,776 #2,391
1999 modern 2,765 #2,415
2000 modern 2,762 #2,407
2001 modern 2,700 #2,406
2002 modern 2,753 #2,416
2003 modern 2,642 #2,454
2004 modern 2,626 #2,467
2005 modern 2,575 #2,476
2006 modern 2,615 #2,450
2007 modern 2,621 #2,464
2008 modern 2,638 #2,462
2009 modern 2,698 #2,465
2010 modern 2,723 #2,506
2011 modern 2,672 #2,517
2012 modern 2,574 #2,557
2013 modern 2,636 #2,549
2014 modern 2,667 #2,537
2015 modern 2,607 #2,556
2016 modern 2,599 #2,557

Geography

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Where Fittons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Middleton, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth), Ashton-under-Lyne and Prestwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale, Rochdale and Oldham. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Middleton Lancashire
3 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
4 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire
5 Prestwich Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 003 Rossendale
2 Rochdale 017 Rochdale
3 Oldham 014 Oldham
4 Rochdale 007 Rochdale
5 Oldham 003 Oldham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fitton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fitton

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fitton, 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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Fitton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Fitton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Fitton 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

Fitton is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Fitton falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Fitton

The surname Fitton is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "fitt" meaning battle or conflict, and "tun" meaning an enclosed village or settlement. The name likely originated in the northern counties of England, such as Lancashire or Yorkshire, during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Fitton is mentioned as holding lands in Cheshire. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show individuals with the surname Fitton residing in the village of Great Harwood, near Blackburn in Lancashire. The place-name "Fitton" is also found in various historical records, referring to settlements or estates owned by families bearing this surname.

Sir Edward Fitton (1527-1579) was a notable figure from the Fitton family, serving as the Lord President of Connaught and Thomond in Ireland during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He played a significant role in the Tudor conquest of Ireland and was knighted for his services.

Alice Fitton (c. 1572-c. 1642) was a prominent courtier and mistress of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex. Her alleged affair with the Earl caused a scandal at the court of Queen Elizabeth I, leading to her imprisonment in the Tower of London for a brief period.

Francis Fitton (c. 1580-1638) was an English Jesuit priest and philosopher, known for his work on moral philosophy and the study of conscience. He spent much of his life in exile due to the persecution of Catholics in England during the Reformation.

Edward Fitton (1629-1683) was an English author and translator, best known for his translation of the works of Spanish playwright Pedro Calderón de la Barca into English. He played a significant role in introducing Spanish literature to English audiences.

Sir Alexander Fitton (1805-1881) was a British diplomat and colonial administrator, serving as the Governor of Western Australia from 1868 to 1877. He played a crucial role in the development of the colony during his tenure.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fitton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fitton 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. Lancashire leads with 2,454 Fittons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.29x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 2,454 6.29x
Yorkshire 572 1.76x
Cheshire 229 3.16x
Middlesex 31 0.09x
Staffordshire 22 0.20x
Worcestershire 14 0.33x
Glamorgan 9 0.16x
Warwickshire 9 0.11x
Surrey 7 0.04x
Leicestershire 5 0.14x
Roxburghshire 5 0.84x
Shropshire 3 0.11x
Derbyshire 1 0.02x
Essex 1 0.02x
Isle of Man 1 0.16x
Kent 1 0.01x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Lincolnshire 1 0.02x
Perthshire 1 0.07x
Suffolk 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 261 Fittons recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.74x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 261 20.74x
Castleton 189 48.54x
Middleton In Oldham 156 133.46x
Crompton 148 133.31x
Heap 142 68.68x
Royton 102 85.53x
Wardleworth 95 42.64x
Bury 83 18.64x
Ashton Under Lyne 81 9.51x
Wuerdle Wardle 79 66.76x
Thornham 76 360.36x
Tonge 76 92.92x
Spotland 72 16.61x
Chadderton 64 33.58x
Pilkington 52 35.11x
Hopwood 44 86.33x
Kirkburton 44 114.64x
Manchester 40 2.28x
Hyde 39 18.22x
Shelley 35 183.82x
Hulme 33 4.05x
Dukinfield 32 9.55x
Pendleton In Salford 32 6.89x
Butterworth 30 31.58x
Huddersfield 29 6.11x
Liversedge 29 20.01x
Chorlton On Medlock 27 4.36x
Prestwich 27 27.76x
Haslingden 26 16.11x
Saddleworth 26 10.35x
Leeds 24 1.31x
Birtle Cum Bamford 23 90.41x
Dewsbury 22 6.59x
Radcliffe 22 11.71x
Salford 22 1.92x
Wooldale 22 39.84x
Little Heaton 21 225.56x
Broughton In Salford 20 5.61x
Soyland 20 51.20x
Eaton In Nantwich 19 363.29x
Gorton 19 5.18x
Honley 19 33.35x
Accrington 18 5.08x
Batley 18 5.82x
Barton Upon Irwell 17 5.79x
Blackley 16 23.41x
Bradford 16 8.77x
Ardwick 15 4.27x
Cheetham 15 5.16x
Sowerby In Halifax 15 14.09x
Dalton In Huddersfield 14 19.20x
Macclesfield 14 4.34x
Wharton 14 35.44x
Droylsden 13 10.22x
Great Bolton 13 2.52x
Beswick 12 12.04x
Hindley 12 7.22x
Little Bolton 12 2.39x
Little Hulton 12 18.59x
Northowram 12 5.26x
Ovenden 12 8.28x
Halifax 11 2.30x
Hurdsfield 11 24.65x
York St Mary 11 8.16x
Didsbury 10 19.32x
Hunslet 10 1.97x
Rastrick 10 11.06x
Tottington Higher End 10 22.53x
Tottington Lower End 10 5.40x
Walsall Borough 10 11.62x
Warrington 10 2.16x
Elland Cum Greetland 9 6.14x
Flockton 9 67.77x
Manningham 9 2.24x
Newton 9 80.00x
Swinton In Rotherham 9 10.45x
Walmersley Cum 9 14.45x
Cumberworth 8 48.25x
Habergham Eaves 8 2.25x
West Derby 8 0.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 289
Sarah 182
Elizabeth 139
Alice 90
Ann 78
Hannah 67
Jane 65
Ellen 57
Martha 57
Annie 46
Emma 43
Betty 36
Eliza 35
Ada 29
Clara 27
Emily 27
Margaret 27
Esther 24
Harriet 21
Betsy 16
Nancy 16
Fanny 13
Rachel 13
Ruth 11
Amelia 10
Frances 10
Lucy 10
Maria 10
Susannah 10
Louisa 9
Agnes 8
Anne 7
Charlotte 7
Amy 6
Bertha 6
Florence 6
Leah 6
Lydia 6
Matilda 6
Catherine 5
Edith 5
Gertrude 5
Grace 5
Julia 5
Selina 5
Susan 5
Helena 4
Henrietta 4
Isabella 4
Lilly 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 266
James 170
William 127
Thomas 118
Robert 98
Joseph 82
George 51
Charles 45
Samuel 34
Edward 32
Richard 32
Abraham 30
Edmund 26
Henry 25
Albert 23
Alfred 23
Walter 23
Arthur 22
Harry 22
Edwin 20
Frank 19
Herbert 19
Fred 15
Ernest 14
Frederick 14
David 12
Isaac 10
Sam 9
Jas. 8
Andrew 7
Wm. 7
Ben 6
Francis 6
Joe 6
Jonathan 6
Benjamin 5
Thos. 5
Tom 5
Alexander 4
Allen 4
Daniel 4
Joshua 4
Josiah 4
Kay 4
Robt. 4
Willie 4
Adam 3
Edgar 3
Jacob 3
Jno. 3

FAQ

Fitton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fitton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,373 people were recorded with the Fitton surname. That placed it at #1,350 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fitton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,599 in 2016. That gives Fitton a modern rank of #2,557.

What does the Fitton surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in England.

What does the Fitton map show?

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