NameCensus.

UK surname

Gatt

An anglicized version of the German surname "Gatt" meaning "husband."

In the 1881 census there were 215 people recorded with the Gatt surname, ranking it #12,249 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 584, ranked #8,891, up from #12,249 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gairloch, Aberdour and Dalton-le-Dale. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Aberchirder and Whitehills, Peterhead Bay and Fraserburgh Smiddyhill.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gatt is 601 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 171.6%.

1881 census count

215

Ranked #12,249

Modern count

584

2016, ranked #8,891

Peak year

2010

601 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gatt had 215 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,249 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 584 in 2016, ranked #8,891.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 280 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Gatt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gatt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gatt 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 175 #11,542
1861 historical 280 #8,953
1881 historical 215 #12,249
1891 historical 255 #12,552
1901 historical 199 #15,173
1911 historical 73 #25,541
1997 modern 530 #8,911
1998 modern 548 #8,960
1999 modern 529 #9,245
2000 modern 528 #9,251
2001 modern 523 #9,146
2002 modern 534 #9,190
2003 modern 516 #9,275
2004 modern 511 #9,361
2005 modern 503 #9,405
2006 modern 519 #9,223
2007 modern 532 #9,122
2008 modern 561 #8,822
2009 modern 575 #8,866
2010 modern 601 #8,774
2011 modern 595 #8,748
2012 modern 580 #8,813
2013 modern 580 #8,955
2014 modern 580 #9,013
2015 modern 574 #9,015
2016 modern 584 #8,891

Geography

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Where Gatts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gairloch, Aberdour, Dalton-le-Dale, Fraserburgh and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Aberchirder and Whitehills, Peterhead Bay, Fraserburgh Smiddyhill, Fraserburgh Lochpots and Peterhead Harbour. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Gairloch Ross And Cromarty
2 Aberdour Aberdeen
3 Dalton-le-Dale Durham
4 Fraserburgh Aberdeen
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Aberchirder and Whitehills Aberdeenshire
2 Peterhead Bay Aberdeenshire
3 Fraserburgh Smiddyhill Aberdeenshire
4 Fraserburgh Lochpots Aberdeenshire
5 Peterhead Harbour Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gatt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gatt

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Gatt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gatt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Gatt is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gatt is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gatt falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Gatt

The surname "GATT" is believed to have originated in Germany, specifically in the region of Bavaria. Its earliest recorded use dates back to the 12th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "gat," which meant a gap or an opening, possibly referring to a geographical feature or a location where the family may have lived or had its origins.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "GATT" can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, which mentions a person named "Gatto" in the year 1187. This early spelling variation suggests that the name may have evolved from a similar-sounding word or a place name.

During the 13th century, the name "GATT" appeared in various records and documents across Germany, indicating its increasing prevalence. In 1248, a certain "Johannes Gatt" was mentioned in the records of the city of Augsburg, located in Bavaria. This region is believed to be the primary origin of the surname.

In the 14th century, the name "GATT" was found in the records of the city of Nuremberg, another prominent Bavarian city. A notable figure from this era was Hans Gatt, born in 1345, who was a prominent merchant and member of the city's guild system.

As the surname spread beyond its Bavarian roots, it also found its way into other regions of Germany and neighboring countries. In the 16th century, a man named Johann Gatt (1512-1578) was a renowned theologian and educator in the city of Strasbourg, which at that time was part of the Holy Roman Empire.

Another notable figure with the surname "GATT" was Johann Kaspar Gatt (1667-1738), a German artist and engraver from Augsburg, known for his intricate copperplate engravings depicting religious and historical scenes.

Throughout its long history, the surname "GATT" has been associated with various professions and occupations, from merchants and artisans to scholars and clergy members. While its exact origin remains somewhat uncertain, the name's longevity and widespread presence across German-speaking regions attest to its deep-rooted heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gatt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gatt 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 125 Gatts recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.19x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 125 63.19x
Durham 32 5.04x
Banffshire 8 18.05x
Yorkshire 8 0.38x
Orkney 6 25.53x
Cheshire 4 0.85x
Kincardineshire 4 15.38x
Lanarkshire 4 0.58x
Lancashire 4 0.16x
Midlothian 4 1.40x
Ross-shire 4 6.82x
Royal Navy 4 15.71x
Middlesex 3 0.14x
Angus 2 1.01x
Surrey 2 0.19x
Ayrshire 1 0.63x
Caithness 1 3.42x
Hampshire 1 0.23x
Renfrewshire 1 0.60x
Somerset 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdour in Aberdeenshire leads with 98 Gatts recorded in 1881 and an index of 6282.05x.

Place Total Index
Aberdour 98 6282.05x
Bishopwearmouth 23 42.16x
Pitsligo 18 952.38x
Fraserburgh 9 161.58x
Northowram 7 47.17x
Banff 6 155.84x
Stronsay Eday 6 389.61x
Dalton Le Dale 5 5555.56x
Gairloch 4 118.34x
Glasgow 4 3.26x
Royal Navy 4 18.38x
Tranmere 4 23.08x
Fetteresso 3 73.53x
Camberwell 2 1.47x
Dalkeith 2 35.40x
Dundee 2 2.71x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 1.74x
St Pancras London 2 1.16x
Stockton On Tees 2 6.53x
Toxteth Park 2 2.33x
Alvah 1 100.00x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.81x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.08x
Dawdon 1 12.79x
Dundonald 1 16.98x
Fordyce 1 31.35x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 3.63x
Liverpool 1 0.65x
Nigg 1 46.51x
Portsea 1 1.17x
Thurso 1 21.93x
West Greenock 1 3.37x
Weston Super Mare 1 11.52x
York St Maurice 1 25.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 6
Mary 5
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Jane 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Elen 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Jenetta 1
Margret 1
Rebecca 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Gatt 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
Thomas 4
James 3
Francis 2
David 1
Henry 1
Jalvo 1
Jm. 1
Joseph 1
Michael 1
Michell 1
Nicholas 1
Robert 1
Salvo 1
Xaverius 1

FAQ

Gatt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gatt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 215 people were recorded with the Gatt surname. That placed it at #12,249 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gatt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 584 in 2016. That gives Gatt a modern rank of #8,891.

What does the Gatt surname mean?

An anglicized version of the German surname "Gatt" meaning "husband."

What does the Gatt map show?

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