NameCensus.

UK surname

Fortt

A topographic surname referring to someone residing near a fortified place or stronghold.

In the 1881 census there were 95 people recorded with the Fortt surname, ranking it #20,349 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 204, ranked #19,320, up from #20,349 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Petherton, South and Llandaff (incl. Canton), Leckwith. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Sandwell and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fortt is 225 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 114.7%.

1881 census count

95

Ranked #20,349

Modern count

204

2016, ranked #19,320

Peak year

2000

225 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fortt had 95 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,349 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 204 in 2016, ranked #19,320.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 129 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Fortt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fortt surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fortt 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 45 #25,168
1861 historical 64 #25,747
1881 historical 95 #20,349
1891 historical 113 #22,162
1901 historical 118 #20,721
1911 historical 129 #19,577
1997 modern 199 #17,668
1998 modern 221 #17,021
1999 modern 218 #17,258
2000 modern 225 #16,891
2001 modern 216 #17,103
2002 modern 211 #17,696
2003 modern 210 #17,559
2004 modern 202 #18,110
2005 modern 204 #17,893
2006 modern 210 #17,718
2007 modern 214 #17,688
2008 modern 206 #18,300
2009 modern 216 #18,120
2010 modern 220 #18,265
2011 modern 203 #19,098
2012 modern 213 #18,422
2013 modern 219 #18,385
2014 modern 217 #18,645
2015 modern 208 #19,085
2016 modern 204 #19,320

Geography

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Where Fortts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Petherton, South, Llandaff (incl. Canton), Leckwith, London parishes and Lyncombe and Widcombe. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Sandwell, Wiltshire and The Vale of Glamorgan. 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 Petherton, South Somerset
3 Llandaff (incl. Canton), Leckwith Glamorganshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lyncombe and Widcombe Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 015 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Sandwell 011 Sandwell
3 Wiltshire 018 Wiltshire
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 007 Vale of Glamorgan
5 Rhondda Cynon Taf 009 Rhondda Cynon Taf

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fortt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fortt

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Fortt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Fortt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Fortt is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fortt 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

Fortt falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fortt is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Fortt

The surname Fortt is of English origin and is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name such as Fort, which comes from the Old English word "fort" meaning a fortified place or stronghold.

The earliest known record of the name Fortt is from the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1275, where it appears as "Fortt". This suggests that the name was already established in the region by this time.

Another early reference to the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where it is recorded as "Forte". This variation in spelling was common in medieval times, and it is likely that the name was sometimes written as Forte or Fort before the modern spelling of Fortt became standardized.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Fortt was John Fortt, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327. Similarly, a Thomas Fortt was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1332.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1443, where a William Fortt is mentioned. Another notable individual was Richard Fortt, whose name is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1497.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, several individuals with the surname Fortt gained recognition. For instance, Edward Fortt (c. 1550-1610) was an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Tredington in Worcestershire. Additionally, John Fortt (1570-1637) was a prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament who represented Taunton in Somerset.

The surname Fortt has also been associated with various places and locations throughout history. For example, there is a village called Fort in Shropshire, which may have contributed to the development of the surname in that region. Additionally, the name may be related to the town of Fort William in Scotland, although the connection is not entirely clear.

Overall, the surname Fortt has a rich history dating back to the medieval period in England. While its exact origins are uncertain, it is believed to be derived from a place name related to a fortified location or stronghold. The name has been recorded in various parts of England throughout the centuries, with several notable individuals bearing the surname in fields such as religion, law, and literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fortt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fortt 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 63 Fortts recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.24x.

County Total Index
Somerset 63 42.24x
Glamorgan 13 8.06x
Gloucestershire 9 4.95x
Middlesex 7 0.76x
Devon 1 0.52x
Hampshire 1 0.53x
Sussex 1 0.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. South Petherton in Somerset leads with 30 Fortts recorded in 1881 and an index of 3896.10x.

Place Total Index
South Petherton 30 3896.10x
Walcot 14 176.32x
Bath St Michael 13 1733.33x
Llandaff 8 148.98x
Islington London 6 6.68x
Weston Super Mare 6 159.15x
North Hamlet 5 3125.00x
Clifton 4 43.53x
Merthyr Tydfil 3 19.34x
Roath 2 27.29x
Brighton 1 3.17x
Christchurch 1 24.27x
Ilfracombe 1 50.25x
St George Martyr London 1 53.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Emma 5
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Florence 3
Louisa 3
Alice 2
Anna 2
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Susan 2
...risa 1
Ada 1
Bessie 1
Charlotte 1
Edeth 1
Fanny 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Kate 1
M. 1
Mabel 1
Martha 1
Nora 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
William 5
George 4
Charles 3
Frederick 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Alfred 1
Augustus 1
Ch...ers 1
Eaneas 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Fredr.J. 1
Gridren 1
James 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Fortt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fortt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 95 people were recorded with the Fortt surname. That placed it at #20,349 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fortt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 204 in 2016. That gives Fortt a modern rank of #19,320.

What does the Fortt surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone residing near a fortified place or stronghold.

What does the Fortt map show?

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