NameCensus.

UK surname

Fossett

A surname denoting someone who lived near a ditch or fosse.

In the 1881 census there were 182 people recorded with the Fossett surname, ranking it #13,647 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 290, ranked #15,099, down from #13,647 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dalmeny and Queensferry, Lewisham and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southend-on-Sea, Warwick and Calderdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fossett is 303 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.3%.

1881 census count

182

Ranked #13,647

Modern count

290

2016, ranked #15,099

Peak year

2010

303 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Fossett had 182 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,647 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 290 in 2016, ranked #15,099.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 241 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Fossett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Fossett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Fossett 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 151 #12,840
1861 historical 119 #18,393
1881 historical 182 #13,647
1891 historical 195 #15,211
1901 historical 208 #14,760
1911 historical 241 #13,229
1997 modern 282 #14,072
1998 modern 294 #14,060
1999 modern 280 #14,630
2000 modern 300 #13,904
2001 modern 285 #14,191
2002 modern 293 #14,203
2003 modern 282 #14,410
2004 modern 283 #14,418
2005 modern 277 #14,542
2006 modern 286 #14,322
2007 modern 289 #14,401
2008 modern 292 #14,403
2009 modern 295 #14,594
2010 modern 303 #14,626
2011 modern 295 #14,758
2012 modern 292 #14,770
2013 modern 292 #15,027
2014 modern 292 #15,129
2015 modern 291 #15,078
2016 modern 290 #15,099

Geography

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Where Fossetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dalmeny and Queensferry, Lewisham, London parishes, St Pancras and St Dunstan Stepney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Southend-on-Sea, Warwick, Calderdale and Pollokshaws. 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 Dalmeny and Queensferry Linlithgow
2 Lewisham London (South Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Southend-on-Sea 017 Southend-on-Sea
2 Southend-on-Sea 013 Southend-on-Sea
3 Warwick 004 Warwick
4 Calderdale 017 Calderdale
5 Pollokshaws Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Fossett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Fossett

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Fossett is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Fossett 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

Fossett falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Fossett

The surname Fossett originated in England during the late medieval period, derived from the Old French word "fosse," meaning a ditch or trench. It was initially an occupational surname given to those who dug or maintained ditches and trenches, often as part of military fortifications or drainage systems.

The earliest recorded instances of the Fossett surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. In the renowned Hundred Rolls of 1273, which documented landowners and their holdings, the name appears as "Fossard" and "Fossator," both variants closely related to the modern spelling.

One of the earliest notable bearers of the Fossett surname was Sir John Fossett, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in the late 13th century. He was documented in the Calendarium Genealogicum, a historical record of noble families, as holding substantial estates in Northamptonshire.

During the 14th century, the Fossett surname began to appear in various manorial records and tax rolls throughout England, indicating its widespread distribution. In the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, the name is recorded as "Fosset" and "Fossett" in counties such as Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

The 16th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals bearing the Fossett surname. Among them was William Fossett (c. 1520-1585), a renowned merchant and alderman in the city of London, who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1581. His legacy is commemorated in the Fossett Ward, named after him, within the City of London.

Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Fossett (1567-1634), a Member of Parliament and landowner in Yorkshire. He played a significant role in the English Civil War and was a staunch supporter of the Royalist cause.

In the 18th century, the Fossett surname gained further recognition with the birth of William Fossett (1720-1790), a celebrated English architect and surveyor. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the prestigious Somerset House.

As the name spread throughout England, it also found its way to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances in America was John Fossett, who arrived in Virginia in 1635, establishing a lineage that continues to this day.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Fossett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fossett 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. Middlesex leads with 67 Fossetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.82x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 67 3.82x
Kent 20 3.34x
Berkshire 17 12.90x
Surrey 13 1.52x
Yorkshire 9 0.52x
Sussex 8 2.70x
West Lothian 7 26.48x
Hampshire 6 1.67x
Denbighshire 5 7.54x
Essex 4 1.15x
Lancashire 4 0.19x
Staffordshire 3 0.51x
Cardiganshire 2 4.67x
Cheshire 2 0.52x
Gloucestershire 2 0.58x
Hertfordshire 2 1.65x
Lincolnshire 2 0.71x
Midlothian 2 0.85x
Warwickshire 2 0.45x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.94x
Devon 1 0.27x
Lanarkshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 17 Fossetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.29x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 17 22.29x
Mile End Old Town London 17 45.49x
Reading St Mary 12 113.64x
Lewisham 10 31.31x
St Pancras London 10 7.08x
Queensferry 7 1076.92x
Wortley In Bramley 5 36.28x
Wrexham Regis 5 101.42x
Hove 4 30.79x
Limehouse London 4 20.76x
Mexborough 4 115.94x
Newington 4 6.17x
Upper Beeding 4 1081.08x
Whitechapel London 4 23.11x
Camberwell 3 2.68x
Deptford St Paul 3 6.49x
Eccleston In Prescot 3 28.68x
Horninglow 3 107.53x
Portsea 3 4.25x
Reading St Lawrence 3 106.38x
St Bride London 3 294.12x
St Luke London 3 10.65x
West Ham 3 3.92x
Aberystwith 2 54.20x
Battersea 2 3.10x
Chatham 2 12.14x
Coventry St Michael 2 14.06x
Crowland 2 113.64x
Fulham London 2 7.86x
Islington London 2 1.18x
Shinfield 2 256.41x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 5.66x
St George Hanover Square 2 6.47x
Stockbridge 2 384.62x
Stoke Newington London 2 14.62x
Tring 2 61.92x
Aldershot 1 8.29x
Altrincham 1 14.77x
Beaconsfield 1 102.04x
Chester St John Baptist 1 14.35x
Clifton 1 5.74x
Devonport 1 23.81x
Gillingham 1 8.10x
Lambeth 1 0.65x
Lasswade 1 18.59x
Lee 1 11.49x
Leyton 1 16.75x
Milton In Milton 1 39.22x
Minster In Sheppey 1 10.08x
Mitcham 1 18.48x
Newchurch 1 5.87x
Queensferry 1 416.67x
Rutherglen 1 12.00x
Southfleet 1 181.82x
St Martin In Fields 1 9.51x
Westbury On Trym 1 8.57x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
William 10
Thomas 8
James 6
Joseph 6
Charles 4
Robert 4
Wm. 4
George 3
Henry 3
Richard 3
Benjamin 2
David 2
Samuel 2
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
Harrey 1
Harry 1
Ian 1
Josh 1
Matthew 1
Richd. 1
Saml. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Fossett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Fossett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 182 people were recorded with the Fossett surname. That placed it at #13,647 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Fossett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 290 in 2016. That gives Fossett a modern rank of #15,099.

What does the Fossett surname mean?

A surname denoting someone who lived near a ditch or fosse.

What does the Fossett map show?

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