NameCensus.

UK surname

Flett

A topographic surname deriving from the Middle English word "flet", meaning a flat or level dwelling.

In the 1881 census there were 1,298 people recorded with the Flett surname, ranking it #3,153 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,787, ranked #3,525, down from #3,153 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkwall and St.Ola, Wick and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Mainland, Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness and West Kirkwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Flett is 1,804 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.7%.

1881 census count

1,298

Ranked #3,153

Modern count

1,787

2016, ranked #3,525

Peak year

2014

1,804 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Flett had 1,298 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,153 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,787 in 2016, ranked #3,525.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,634 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Flett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Flett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Flett 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 1,090 #2,579
1861 historical 1,085 #2,587
1881 historical 1,298 #3,153
1891 historical 1,439 #3,041
1901 historical 1,634 #3,159
1911 historical 276 #12,099
1997 modern 1,633 #3,630
1998 modern 1,672 #3,686
1999 modern 1,740 #3,586
2000 modern 1,730 #3,589
2001 modern 1,692 #3,591
2002 modern 1,764 #3,532
2003 modern 1,728 #3,529
2004 modern 1,709 #3,572
2005 modern 1,726 #3,497
2006 modern 1,739 #3,479
2007 modern 1,744 #3,509
2008 modern 1,769 #3,488
2009 modern 1,761 #3,567
2010 modern 1,800 #3,566
2011 modern 1,763 #3,586
2012 modern 1,733 #3,586
2013 modern 1,789 #3,548
2014 modern 1,804 #3,546
2015 modern 1,788 #3,540
2016 modern 1,787 #3,525

Geography

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Where Fletts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkwall and St.Ola, Wick, Edinburgh, Rathven and Stromness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Mainland, Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness, West Kirkwall, Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock and Buckie West and Mains of Buckie. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Kirkwall and St.Ola Orkney
2 Wick Caithness
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Rathven Banff
5 Stromness Orkney

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Mainland Orkney Islands
2 Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness Orkney Islands
3 West Kirkwall Orkney Islands
4 Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock Moray
5 Buckie West and Mains of Buckie Moray

Forenames

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First names often paired with Flett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Flett

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Flett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Flett household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Flett 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

Flett 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

Flett 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 Flett 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 Flett, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Flett

The surname Flett has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Scots word 'flat,' which referred to a piece of level or flat ground, often near a body of water. The earliest known spelling of the name was 'Flat,' which later evolved into 'Flett' over time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1494, where a John Flat is mentioned. The name also appears in various Scottish records throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, often associated with areas around the Firth of Forth and the Lothians region.

In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the Flett surname was Sir John Flett (1629-1699), a Scottish merchant and member of the Parliament of Scotland. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies, which later became the ill-fated Darien scheme.

Another prominent individual was Sir William Flett (1801-1868), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist. He made his fortune in the textile industry and was known for his charitable contributions, including the establishment of the Flett Trust, which supported education and housing initiatives in Scotland.

The name Flett has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Flettershields and Fletterton, which further reinforces its connection to the landscape and geographical features of the region.

Other notable individuals with the Flett surname include:

1. James Flett (1805-1876), a Scottish-born Australian explorer and surveyor. 2. Sir Arthur Flett (1867-1948), a Scottish geologist and academic. 3. Marjorie Flett (1913-2005), a Scottish novelist and playwright. 4. Gordon Flett (born 1960), a Canadian psychologist and professor. 5. Thomas Flett (1900-1983), a Scottish professional footballer.

While the Flett surname may not be as widespread as some others, it carries a rich history and has left its mark on various aspects of Scottish and international culture, from exploration and academia to literature and sports.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Flett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Flett 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. Orkney leads with 518 Fletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 372.42x.

County Total Index
Orkney 518 372.42x
Banffshire 347 132.32x
Caithness 70 40.44x
Midlothian 68 4.02x
Lanarkshire 50 1.22x
Durham 43 1.14x
Aberdeenshire 30 2.56x
Middlesex 27 0.21x
Northumberland 27 1.44x
Lancashire 22 0.15x
Morayshire 16 8.15x
Angus 11 0.94x
Perthshire 11 1.94x
Renfrewshire 11 1.12x
Cheshire 9 0.32x
Essex 6 0.24x
Sussex 6 0.28x
Warwickshire 4 0.13x
Hampshire 3 0.12x
Kent 2 0.05x
Ross-shire 2 0.58x
Surrey 2 0.03x
Worcestershire 2 0.12x
Argyllshire 1 0.28x
Ayrshire 1 0.11x
Cumberland 1 0.09x
Fife 1 0.13x
Glamorgan 1 0.05x
Kincardineshire 1 0.65x
Royal Navy 1 0.66x
Suffolk 1 0.06x
Yorkshire 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rathven in Banffshire leads with 336 Fletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 682.10x.

Place Total Index
Rathven 336 682.10x
Birsay Harray 121 1198.02x
Kirkwall St Ola 91 436.87x
Stromness 79 757.43x
Firth Stenness 71 1191.28x
Wick 63 112.68x
Sandwick 37 710.17x
Walls Flotta 34 522.27x
Orphir 33 748.30x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 28 4.11x
Govan 25 2.47x
Monkwearmouth Shore 20 27.24x
Evie Rendall 16 272.57x
South Leith 14 7.35x
Aberdeen Old Machar 13 5.32x
Drainie 13 74.71x
Westoe 12 5.63x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 11 5.02x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 11 27.46x
North Leith 11 14.03x
Barony 9 0.87x
Auchtergaven 8 84.12x
Farnell 8 297.40x
Glasgow 8 1.10x
Holm 8 171.67x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 7.12x
Shapinshay 8 189.57x
Islington London 7 0.57x
Monw Wearmouth Shore 7 194.44x
Toxteth Park 7 1.38x
Banff 6 26.34x
Chelsea London 6 1.58x
Hastings St Mary 6 11.31x
North Shields 6 15.98x
St George Hanover Square 6 2.69x
Tranmere 6 5.85x
Tynemouth 6 5.96x
Watten 6 98.68x
West Derby 6 1.37x
West Ham 6 1.09x
Westray Papa Westray 6 54.40x
Kirkdale 5 1.98x
St Andrews Deerness 5 68.40x
Stronsay Eday 5 54.95x
Birmingham 4 0.38x
Maryhill 4 5.00x
Abbey 3 2.01x
Belhelvie 3 37.45x
Bellie 3 33.78x
Claughton With Grange 3 23.60x
Liverpool 3 0.33x
Paisley Low Church 3 9.67x
Portsmouth 3 5.03x
Tottenham 3 1.49x
West Greenock 3 1.71x
Bothwell 2 1.80x
Chirton 2 4.70x
Fordyce 2 10.60x
Fraserburgh 2 6.07x
Gateshead 2 0.71x
Hoy Graemsay 2 76.63x
Inverkip 2 8.66x
Jesmond 2 7.56x
Liberton 2 7.65x
Mile End Old Town London 2 0.74x
South Ronaldshay 2 13.90x
St Vigeans 2 3.16x
Tulliallan 2 20.79x
Worcester Blockhouse 2 22.05x
Beith 1 3.54x
Carham 1 20.53x
Dunoon 1 13.81x
Ipswich St Margaret 1 1.91x
Lambeth 1 0.09x
Leith North 1 30.77x
Olrig 1 11.56x
Shettleston 1 2.73x
St Pancras London 1 0.10x
Stornoway 1 2.21x
Uig 1 6.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 10
Jane 7
Ann 6
Elizabeth 6
Mary 6
Sarah 5
Catherine 3
Isabella 3
Alice 2
Frances 2
Agnes 1
Annie 1
Bella 1
Cathe. 1
Cecilia 1
Eliza 1
Elizbt. 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Elzabeth 1
Esther 1
Euphemia 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Jessie 1
Johanna 1
Louisa 1
Lousia 1
Margt. 1
Margt.J. 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Mart.Spence 1
Mrs. 1
Murial 1
Susan 1
Thomina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 11
John 11
William 11
Robert 9
David 5
Thomas 3
Charles 2
George 2
Henry 2
Abel 1
Abm. 1
Albert 1
Alex 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Andrew 1
Charle 1
Chas. 1
Chas.B. 1
Chas.H. 1
Cuthbert 1
Earnest 1
Fenwick 1
Geo.A. 1
Hobson 1
J. 1
Magnus 1
Ransom 1
Thos 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Flett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Flett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,298 people were recorded with the Flett surname. That placed it at #3,153 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Flett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,787 in 2016. That gives Flett a modern rank of #3,525.

What does the Flett surname mean?

A topographic surname deriving from the Middle English word "flet", meaning a flat or level dwelling.

What does the Flett map show?

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