NameCensus.

UK surname

Floate

A surname derived from the Old English word "flot" meaning boat or floating vessel.

In the 1881 census there were 79 people recorded with the Floate surname, ranking it #22,357 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 125, ranked #26,827, down from #22,357 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Washington and Storrington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brighton and Hove, Adur and Solihull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Floate is 153 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.2%.

1881 census count

79

Ranked #22,357

Modern count

125

2016, ranked #26,827

Peak year

2000

153 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Floate had 79 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,357 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016, ranked #26,827.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 143 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Mature Families.

Floate surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Floate surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Floate 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 44 #25,328
1861 historical 50 #27,636
1881 historical 79 #22,357
1891 historical 100 #24,045
1901 historical 126 #19,970
1911 historical 143 #18,401
1997 modern 139 #22,132
1998 modern 148 #21,841
1999 modern 152 #21,636
2000 modern 153 #21,520
2001 modern 146 #21,857
2002 modern 145 #22,392
2003 modern 140 #22,634
2004 modern 141 #22,689
2005 modern 143 #22,473
2006 modern 139 #23,044
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 134 #24,249
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 139 #24,507
2012 modern 141 #24,258
2013 modern 138 #25,020
2014 modern 138 #25,218
2015 modern 130 #26,093
2016 modern 125 #26,827

Geography

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Where Floates are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Washington, Storrington, Brighton and West Ham,Wanstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Brighton and Hove, Adur and Solihull. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Washington Sussex
3 Storrington Sussex
4 Brighton Sussex
5 West Ham,Wanstead Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Brighton and Hove 025 Brighton and Hove
2 Brighton and Hove 001 Brighton and Hove
3 Adur 006 Adur
4 Brighton and Hove 027 Brighton and Hove
5 Solihull 026 Solihull

Forenames

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First names often paired with Floate

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Floate

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

Established Mature Families

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples predominate, many with older dependent children. Detached housing is common. Homeownership rates are the highest within this Supergroup. The presence of some students suggests that households are towards the end of a child rearing phase. Many residents have degree level qualifications, and the occupational profile is heavily skewed towards managerial and professional occupations. Residential developments commonly occur on the periphery of major urban cities or conurbations.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Floate is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Floate is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Floate falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Floate is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Floate, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Floate

The surname FLOATE is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "flot," which means a small stream or a creek. The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it appears as "Flete."

FLOATE is a locational surname, meaning it originated from a place name. In this case, it likely referred to someone who lived near a small stream or creek. There are several places in England with names like "Fleet" or "Flete," which could have given rise to the surname.

One notable early reference to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1301, which mentions a John de Flete. This record suggests that the name was well-established in various parts of England by the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, including Flote, Flotte, and Floate. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John Floate, who was born in Wiltshire in 1525 and served as a member of the local parliament.

During the 17th century, the FLOATE surname continued to spread across England. In 1632, a man named William Floate was recorded as a landowner in the village of Stratton, Somerset. Another notable person with this surname was Robert Floate, a merchant from Bristol who was born in 1655 and was involved in the transatlantic trade.

In the 18th century, the surname was well-established in various parts of England, and several notable individuals bore this name. One such person was John Floate, a renowned theologian and author who was born in Oxfordshire in 1718. Another noteworthy individual was Thomas Floate, a successful businessman and philanthropist from Yorkshire, who lived from 1745 to 1823.

As the centuries progressed, the FLOATE surname continued to be found in various regions of England, with some bearers of the name achieving notable accomplishments. For example, in the 19th century, Henry Floate (1805-1887) was a prominent architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings in London.

Overall, the surname FLOATE has a long and rich history in England, dating back to the 13th century and originating from the Old English word for a small stream or creek. While it may not be a widespread surname today, it has been borne by several notable individuals throughout the centuries, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who carry this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Floate families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Floate 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. Sussex leads with 51 Floates recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.27x.

County Total Index
Sussex 51 39.27x
Middlesex 15 1.95x
Surrey 9 2.40x
Kent 4 1.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Storrington in Sussex leads with 12 Floates recorded in 1881 and an index of 3333.33x.

Place Total Index
Storrington 12 3333.33x
Poplar London 9 61.90x
Pulborough 9 1875.00x
Washington 9 4090.91x
Ashurst 7 7000.00x
Rotherhithe 6 63.03x
Paddington London 5 17.65x
Steyning 4 909.09x
Ashington 3 4285.71x
Lewisham 3 21.40x
Amberley 2 1052.63x
Southwark Christchurch 2 55.40x
Sutton 2 2500.00x
Brighton 1 3.82x
Deptford St Paul 1 4.93x
Findon 1 526.32x
Hailsham 1 126.58x
Islington London 1 1.34x
Weybridge 1 123.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 5
Charlotte 3
Elizabeth 3
Jane 3
Sarah 3
Fanny 2
Mary 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Allice 1
Allis 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Evelyn 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Kate 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1
Maude 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

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 Floate households.

FAQ

Floate surname: questions and answers

How common was the Floate surname in 1881?

In 1881, 79 people were recorded with the Floate surname. That placed it at #22,357 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Floate surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016. That gives Floate a modern rank of #26,827.

What does the Floate surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "flot" meaning boat or floating vessel.

What does the Floate map show?

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