NameCensus.

UK surname

Hammett

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of hammers or other tools.

In the 1881 census there were 994 people recorded with the Hammett surname, ranking it #3,921 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,627, ranked #3,826, up from #3,921 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes and St Giles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Hams, North Devon and Waveney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hammett is 1,705 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.7%.

1881 census count

994

Ranked #3,921

Modern count

1,627

2016, ranked #3,826

Peak year

2010

1,705 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hammett had 994 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,921 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,627 in 2016, ranked #3,826.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,684 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hammett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hammett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hammett 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 695 #3,753
1861 historical 656 #4,086
1881 historical 994 #3,921
1891 historical 1,193 #3,592
1901 historical 1,523 #3,379
1911 historical 1,684 #2,908
1997 modern 1,655 #3,589
1998 modern 1,685 #3,661
1999 modern 1,668 #3,721
2000 modern 1,664 #3,709
2001 modern 1,630 #3,708
2002 modern 1,636 #3,763
2003 modern 1,583 #3,803
2004 modern 1,599 #3,789
2005 modern 1,581 #3,768
2006 modern 1,617 #3,706
2007 modern 1,635 #3,705
2008 modern 1,642 #3,714
2009 modern 1,683 #3,716
2010 modern 1,705 #3,753
2011 modern 1,667 #3,778
2012 modern 1,639 #3,758
2013 modern 1,614 #3,881
2014 modern 1,667 #3,792
2015 modern 1,638 #3,817
2016 modern 1,627 #3,826

Geography

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Where Hammetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), London parishes, St Giles and Morchard Bishop. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Hams, North Devon and Waveney. 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 Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) Devon
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Giles Devon
5 Morchard Bishop Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Hams 010 South Hams
2 North Devon 001 North Devon
3 Waveney 014 Waveney
4 North Devon 007 North Devon
5 North Devon 013 North Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hammett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hammett

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hammett, 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 Hammett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hammett 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hammett 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

Hammett is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Hammett

The surname Hammett is of English origin, derived from the Old English personal name Hamel or Hamelin. This name is thought to have been a diminutive form of the Old German name Hamo, meaning "cripple" or "flat-nosed." The surname likely emerged in the 11th or 12th century as a way to identify individuals with this given name.

Hammett is believed to have originated in the counties of Sussex and Kent in southern England. Some early records of the name include Hamelin de Gatesden, listed in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex in 1195, and Hamelin de Beaumont, mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Kent in 1207. These early spellings, such as Hamelyn, Hamelin, and Hamelyn, illustrate the evolution of the surname over time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Hammett was William Hammett, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. Another early reference is found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a John Hamelyne.

The surname Hammett has been associated with various place names throughout England. For example, the village of Hammettsfield in Surrey was once known as Hamelettes, which may have derived from an early bearer of the Hammett name. Additionally, the Hammetts were once prominent landowners in the parish of Hammett's End in Herefordshire.

Notable individuals with the surname Hammett include:

1. John Hammett (c. 1580-1626), an English playwright and actor during the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. 2. Benjamin Hammett (1736-1800), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. 3. Samuel Hammett (1755-1835), an English clergyman and author of several theological works. 4. Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961), an American author and screenwriter known for his hard-boiled detective novels, including "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Thin Man." 5. Barton Hammett (1909-1987), an American actor and screenwriter who co-wrote the screenplay for the film "Creature from the Black Lagoon."

The surname Hammett has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages in England, evolving from an Old English personal name and being associated with various places and notable individuals throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hammett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hammett 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. Devon leads with 461 Hammetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.77x.

County Total Index
Devon 461 22.77x
Middlesex 108 1.11x
Somerset 40 2.56x
Dorset 39 6.11x
Glamorgan 35 2.07x
Surrey 33 0.70x
Cornwall 32 2.91x
Hampshire 31 1.56x
Hertfordshire 29 4.33x
Lancashire 22 0.19x
Essex 18 0.94x
Staffordshire 18 0.55x
Wiltshire 15 1.74x
Cheshire 10 0.47x
Kent 10 0.30x
Gloucestershire 9 0.47x
Suffolk 9 0.76x
Northamptonshire 8 0.87x
Sussex 8 0.49x
Warwickshire 8 0.33x
Berkshire 7 0.96x
Lanarkshire 6 0.19x
Derbyshire 5 0.33x
Durham 5 0.17x
Leicestershire 4 0.37x
Merionethshire 4 2.25x
Northumberland 4 0.28x
Argyllshire 3 1.11x
Bedfordshire 3 0.60x
Brecknockshire 3 1.54x
Monmouthshire 3 0.43x
Royal Navy 3 2.59x
Yorkshire 2 0.02x
Herefordshire 1 0.25x
Shropshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Morchard Bishop in Devon leads with 34 Hammetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 805.69x.

Place Total Index
Morchard Bishop 34 805.69x
Wembury 26 1413.04x
Kensington London 24 4.44x
Crediton 21 109.49x
Tormoham 21 24.52x
Plymouth St Andrew 20 12.82x
St Giles In The Wood 20 662.25x
Great Torrington 19 165.51x
Manchester 17 3.28x
Stoke Damerel 17 12.00x
Fremington 16 389.29x
Stoke Upon Trent 15 4.31x
Kingsbridge 14 275.05x
Plymouth Charles The 14 15.70x
Swansea Town 14 10.08x
Islington London 13 1.38x
St Pancras London 13 1.66x
West Ham 13 3.07x
Hitchin 12 39.66x
Tolpuddle 12 1176.47x
Poughill 11 1264.37x
Seaton 11 141.03x
Christchurch 10 23.13x
Kimpton 10 318.47x
St Endellion 10 261.78x
Exeter St Thomas The 9 43.60x
Lambeth 9 1.06x
Llandaff 9 15.97x
Northam 9 61.02x
Shoreditch London 9 2.13x
Wellington 9 42.39x
Bermondsey 8 2.76x
Birmingham 8 0.98x
Down St Mary 8 740.74x
Kenwyn 8 27.79x
Northampton St Giles 8 22.96x
Standlynch 8 2580.65x
Chagford 7 144.33x
East Worlington 7 1000.00x
Exeter Allhallows On The 7 210.84x
Exeter Holy Trinity 7 88.27x
Little Torrington 7 393.26x
Lymington 7 47.78x
Reading St Mary 7 11.97x
Shapwick 7 479.45x
Stockleigh English 7 3181.82x
Torbrian 7 1029.41x
Wrentham 7 212.77x
Yarnscombe 7 786.52x
Aldershot 6 8.98x
Blandford Forum 6 47.66x
Bristol Temple 6 47.77x
Broad Clist 6 85.96x
Dolton 6 240.00x
Exeter St Mary Steps 6 131.29x
Exeter St Olave 6 229.89x
Fulham London 6 4.25x
Govan 6 0.77x
Hammersmith London 6 2.50x
Lidford 6 66.01x
Ore 6 49.18x
Taunton St Mary 6 20.88x
Tedburn St Mary 6 281.69x
Wimborne Minster 6 58.14x
Withiel Florey 6 666.67x
Cardiff St John 5 9.04x
Hemyock 5 165.56x
Holy Trinity 5 117.65x
Mile End Old Town London 5 2.42x
Monks Coppenhall 5 6.17x
Netherhampton 5 806.45x
Oystermouth 5 38.17x
Shobrooke 5 233.64x
St George Hanover Square 5 2.92x
St Teath 5 75.41x
Taunton St James 5 21.90x
Devonport 4 17.20x
Rickmansworth 4 21.67x
St Breock 4 67.23x
Tawstock 4 111.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 73
Sarah 37
Elizabeth 32
Eliza 22
Ann 20
Emily 19
Jane 18
Alice 17
Ellen 16
Annie 14
Maria 11
Louisa 10
Edith 9
Fanny 8
Martha 8
Lucy 7
Susan 7
Emma 6
Kate 6
Bessie 5
Hannah 5
Laura 5
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Eva 4
Frances 4
Grace 4
Harriett 4
Jessie 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Amy 3
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Florence 3
Harriet 3
Margaret 3
Marion 3
Beatrice 2
Betsy 2
Caroline 2
Lilian 2
Lydia 2
Maud 2
Phillis 2
Rachel 2
Rebecca 2
Rhoda 2
Rose 2
Selina 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 85
John 61
George 48
Charles 23
Henry 23
Thomas 22
James 20
Edward 16
Samuel 14
Albert 10
Richard 10
Frederick 9
Joseph 9
Robert 8
Walter 8
Frank 7
Arthur 6
David 6
Harry 6
Benjamin 5
Francis 5
Sidney 5
Alfred 4
Fred 4
Herbert 4
Lewis 4
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Fredrick 3
Jno. 3
Peter 3
Wm. 3
Alexander 2
Earnest 2
Isaac 2
Jesse 2
Phillip 2
Sampson 2
Simon 2
Asman 1
Chas. 1
Chas.F. 1
Clifford 1
Daniel 1
Frances 1
Fredk.Charles 1
Lepold 1
Michael 1
Miles 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Hammett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hammett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 994 people were recorded with the Hammett surname. That placed it at #3,921 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hammett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,627 in 2016. That gives Hammett a modern rank of #3,826.

What does the Hammett surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of hammers or other tools.

What does the Hammett map show?

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