NameCensus.

UK surname

Hatt

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of hats.

In the 1881 census there were 642 people recorded with the Hatt surname, ranking it #5,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,129, ranked #5,219, up from #5,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hitchenden or Hughenden and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Oxfordshire, Tendring and Medway.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hatt is 1,181 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 75.9%.

1881 census count

642

Ranked #5,551

Modern count

1,129

2016, ranked #5,219

Peak year

1998

1,181 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hatt had 642 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,129 in 2016, ranked #5,219.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 996 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hatt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hatt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hatt 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 719 #3,640
1861 historical 893 #3,099
1881 historical 642 #5,551
1891 historical 931 #4,447
1901 historical 895 #5,169
1911 historical 996 #4,556
1997 modern 1,177 #4,792
1998 modern 1,181 #4,944
1999 modern 1,176 #5,014
2000 modern 1,176 #4,990
2001 modern 1,147 #5,000
2002 modern 1,173 #4,999
2003 modern 1,155 #4,966
2004 modern 1,147 #5,010
2005 modern 1,102 #5,118
2006 modern 1,114 #5,091
2007 modern 1,137 #5,039
2008 modern 1,140 #5,061
2009 modern 1,155 #5,118
2010 modern 1,165 #5,173
2011 modern 1,149 #5,182
2012 modern 1,129 #5,170
2013 modern 1,156 #5,157
2014 modern 1,144 #5,222
2015 modern 1,120 #5,270
2016 modern 1,129 #5,219

Geography

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Where Hatts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hitchenden or Hughenden, St Pancras and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Oxfordshire, Tendring, Medway and Rushmoor. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Hitchenden or Hughenden Buckinghamshire
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Oxfordshire 018 South Oxfordshire
2 Tendring 008 Tendring
3 Medway 038 Medway
4 Rushmoor 004 Rushmoor
5 Medway 027 Medway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hatt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hatt

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Hatt 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

Hatt 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

Hatt falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hatt

The surname HATT originates from Germany, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "hatte," meaning "hat" or "headdress." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a hatter or someone who made hats for a living.

In the 14th century, the name HATT appeared in various German chronicles and records, often associated with individuals from the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. One notable early mention was in the Würzburg Codex of 1352, which listed a "Hermannus Hatt" among the guild members of hatters and furriers.

The earliest recorded bearer of the HATT surname was Hans Hatt, born in 1427 in Nuremberg, Germany. He was a respected hatter and merchant who supplied headwear to the local nobility. Another early example was Konrad Hatt, a hatter from Augsburg, who was recorded in the city's tax records in 1489.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the HATT name spread across various German principalities and states. In 1612, a Johannes Hatt was mentioned in the town records of Freiburg im Breisgau as a master hatter. Interestingly, the name also appeared in the form "Hut" in some regions, which is the German word for "hat."

One notable figure bearing the HATT surname was Johann Hatt (1684-1761), a German composer and organist from Württemberg. He was renowned for his sacred works and served as the court organist to the Duke of Württemberg.

Another prominent HATT was Friedrich Hatt (1792-1876), a German astronomer and mathematician from Saxony. He made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and was a member of the prestigious Prussian Academy of Sciences.

In the 19th century, the HATT name spread beyond Germany, with some bearers emigrating to other parts of Europe and North America. For instance, August Hatt (1823-1901) was a German-American architect who designed several notable buildings in Chicago, including the Old Water Tower.

Overall, the surname HATT has a rich history rooted in the German hatmaking tradition, with numerous notable bearers across various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hatt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hatt 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 184 Hatts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.94x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 184 2.94x
Surrey 104 3.41x
Hampshire 59 4.60x
Buckinghamshire 58 15.32x
Berkshire 39 8.30x
Essex 37 2.99x
Oxfordshire 32 8.27x
Aberdeenshire 25 4.31x
Wiltshire 23 4.15x
Kent 16 0.75x
Yorkshire 13 0.21x
Somerset 10 0.99x
Hertfordshire 5 1.16x
Sussex 5 0.47x
Derbyshire 4 0.41x
Durham 4 0.21x
Warwickshire 4 0.25x
Northamptonshire 3 0.51x
Renfrewshire 3 0.62x
Royal Navy 3 4.02x
Lincolnshire 2 0.20x
Midlothian 2 0.24x
Northumberland 2 0.21x
Kincardineshire 1 1.31x
Lanarkshire 1 0.05x
Lancashire 1 0.01x
Leicestershire 1 0.14x
Suffolk 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hughenden in Buckinghamshire leads with 32 Hatts recorded in 1881 and an index of 826.87x.

Place Total Index
Hughenden 32 826.87x
St Pancras London 20 3.97x
Chertsey 17 86.21x
Islington London 15 2.47x
Mile End Old Town London 15 11.25x
Bermondsey 14 7.51x
Grays Thurrock 14 121.85x
Wycombe 12 42.52x
Lambeth 11 2.01x
Newington 11 4.75x
Paddington London 11 4.78x
Portsea 11 4.37x
Aberdeen Old Machar 10 8.26x
Great Missenden 10 214.59x
Mortimer 10 444.44x
Norwood 10 69.83x
Rotherhithe 10 12.92x
Owslebury 9 494.51x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 7.14x
St George Hanover Square 9 8.16x
Grays Inn Staple Inn 8 1000.00x
Oxford St Clement 8 81.97x
St Marylebone London 8 2.39x
Walcot 8 14.90x
Bromley London 7 5.08x
Finchley 7 29.15x
Heckfield 7 583.33x
Southwark St Saviour 7 21.75x
Stratfieldsaye 7 569.11x
Aylesford 6 101.35x
Bow London 6 7.53x
Fyvie 6 63.42x
Ipsden 6 394.74x
Limehouse London 6 8.73x
Newbury 6 39.84x
Stratton St Margaret 6 70.59x
Walthamstow 6 13.49x
Auchterless 5 108.70x
Chatham 5 8.51x
Christian Malford 5 297.62x
Clapham 5 6.39x
Clerkenwell London 5 3.38x
Hartley Wintney 5 129.53x
Kensington London 5 1.44x
Mattingley 5 458.72x
Peasemore 5 769.23x
Poplar London 5 4.23x
Shoreditch London 5 1.84x
St George Bloomsbury 5 13.92x
St Giles In Fields London 5 16.28x
Sunbury 5 66.49x
Wombwell 5 27.64x
Aston 4 0.92x
Bremhill 4 160.00x
Chalgrove 4 363.64x
Cowley 4 33.14x
Frimley 4 46.03x
Gt Milton 4 305.34x
Hackney London 4 1.14x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 4.96x
Leyton 4 18.79x
Rettendon 4 259.74x
Ruswarp Hawsker Cum 4 261.44x
Tottenham 4 4.01x
Battersea 3 1.30x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.10x
Brentwood 3 39.79x
Brotton 3 37.04x
Caversham 3 38.76x
Cove 3 178.57x
Edmonton 3 5.95x
Kingston On Thames 3 4.09x
Leyton Low 3 11.94x
Preston 3 16.27x
Royal Navy 3 4.70x
St George In East London 3 5.09x
Swindon 3 6.98x
Watford 3 8.96x
West Greenock 3 3.44x
Yateley 3 123.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 37
Elizabeth 22
Sarah 17
Eliza 16
Ann 13
Emily 13
Ellen 12
Alice 11
Emma 10
Jane 10
Annie 8
Harriet 8
Edith 7
Florence 6
Kate 6
Ada 5
Martha 5
Eleanor 4
Grace 4
Hannah 4
Louisa 4
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Gertrude 3
Sophia 3
Susan 3
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Catherine 2
Helen 2
Isabella 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Maud 2
Minnie 2
Rhoda 2
Rosa 2
Anne 1
Blanch 1
Carone. 1
Cecilia 1
Elizth. 1
Eva 1
Flora 1
Isabel 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Thyrsa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 30
George 28
John 28
William 23
James 19
Thomas 15
Henry 14
Alfred 8
David 8
Joseph 8
Richard 8
Edward 7
Robert 7
Walter 7
Arthur 6
Albert 4
Ernest 4
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Daniel 3
Frank 3
Sydney 3
Benjamin 2
Douglas 2
Edwin 2
Frederic 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Mark 2
Samuel 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Alfd. 1
Amos 1
Andrew 1
Chas. 1
Cipprian 1
Edwd. 1
Eli 1
Ewd. 1
Henery 1
Josuha 1
Maurice 1
Nathan 1
Noel 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Reginald 1
Reuben 1
Zackriah 1

FAQ

Hatt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hatt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 642 people were recorded with the Hatt surname. That placed it at #5,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hatt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,129 in 2016. That gives Hatt a modern rank of #5,219.

What does the Hatt surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of hats.

What does the Hatt map show?

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