NameCensus.

UK surname

Ibbotson

An English habitational surname deriving from a place name likely meaning "Ibbe's town".

In the 1881 census there were 2,057 people recorded with the Ibbotson surname, ranking it #2,142 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,502, ranked #2,644, down from #2,142 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ecclesfield, Sheffield and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrogate, Bradford and Selby.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ibbotson is 2,900 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.6%.

1881 census count

2,057

Ranked #2,142

Modern count

2,502

2016, ranked #2,644

Peak year

1911

2,900 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ibbotson had 2,057 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,142 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,502 in 2016, ranked #2,644.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,900 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ibbotson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ibbotson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ibbotson 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 1,431 #2,006
1861 historical 1,365 #2,101
1881 historical 2,057 #2,142
1891 historical 2,256 #2,070
1901 historical 2,672 #2,066
1911 historical 2,900 #1,799
1997 modern 2,651 #2,404
1998 modern 2,722 #2,434
1999 modern 2,727 #2,447
2000 modern 2,681 #2,470
2001 modern 2,609 #2,479
2002 modern 2,662 #2,479
2003 modern 2,588 #2,489
2004 modern 2,585 #2,497
2005 modern 2,553 #2,497
2006 modern 2,532 #2,524
2007 modern 2,529 #2,539
2008 modern 2,537 #2,551
2009 modern 2,588 #2,564
2010 modern 2,619 #2,595
2011 modern 2,609 #2,574
2012 modern 2,508 #2,614
2013 modern 2,540 #2,631
2014 modern 2,538 #2,644
2015 modern 2,497 #2,658
2016 modern 2,502 #2,644

Geography

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Where Ibbotsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ecclesfield, Sheffield, Blackburn, Rotherham and Ecclesfield (Ecclesfield), Rotherham (Dalton), Conisborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrogate, Bradford, Selby, Sheffield and North Lincolnshire. 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 Ecclesfield Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Blackburn Lancashire
4 Rotherham Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Ecclesfield (Ecclesfield), Rotherham (Dalton), Conisborough Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrogate 009 Harrogate
2 Bradford 023 Bradford
3 Selby 002 Selby
4 Sheffield 023 Sheffield
5 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ibbotson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ibbotson

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

Ibbotson is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ibbotson falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ibbotson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Ibbotson

The surname Ibbotson is believed to have originated in England, possibly during the late medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the place name Ibbotson, which is a combination of the Old English words "Ibba" and "tun," meaning "Ibba's farm" or "Ibba's settlement."

The earliest known record of the surname Ibbotson dates back to the 13th century in Yorkshire, England. It is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1273, where a person named William Ibbotson is listed.

In the 14th century, the surname Ibbotson appeared in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, further solidifying its presence in the region.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was John Ibbotson, who was born in Yorkshire in the late 15th century. He is mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1524.

The Ibbotson name has also been associated with the village of Ibbotson in South Yorkshire, which likely took its name from the surname itself. This village was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 under the spelling "Ibbodestune."

In the 17th century, a prominent figure with the surname Ibbotson was Benjamin Ibbotson (1620-1689), an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works.

Another notable individual was Henry Ibbotson (1734-1811), a British landscape painter who was born in Yorkshire and is known for his picturesque views of the English countryside.

In the 19th century, John Ibbotson (1789-1857) was a notable English engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of steam engines and boilers.

Additionally, James Ibbotson (1818-1890) was a British architect who designed numerous buildings in Sheffield and the surrounding areas.

One of the more recent prominent figures was Henry Kenyon Ibbotson (1896-1977), a British diplomat who served as the British Ambassador to Chile from 1953 to 1957.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ibbotson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ibbotson 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. Yorkshire leads with 1,481 Ibbotsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.46x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,481 7.46x
Lancashire 319 1.34x
Derbyshire 66 2.10x
Durham 38 0.64x
Cheshire 36 0.81x
Warwickshire 20 0.40x
Middlesex 15 0.07x
Surrey 15 0.15x
Gloucestershire 7 0.18x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.26x
Shropshire 7 0.40x
Bedfordshire 6 0.58x
Hertfordshire 6 0.43x
Westmorland 5 1.13x
Kent 3 0.04x
Lanarkshire 3 0.05x
Oxfordshire 3 0.24x
Sussex 3 0.09x
Cumberland 2 0.12x
Essex 2 0.05x
Glamorgan 2 0.06x
Lincolnshire 2 0.06x
Staffordshire 2 0.03x
Channel Islands 1 0.17x
Devon 1 0.02x
Northumberland 1 0.03x
Wiltshire 1 0.06x
Worcestershire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bradfield in Yorkshire leads with 167 Ibbotsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 218.07x.

Place Total Index
Bradfield 167 218.07x
Ecclesall Bierlow 130 32.17x
Nether Hallam 115 42.79x
Ecclesfield 91 62.48x
Sheffield 88 13.91x
Leeds 61 5.44x
Blackburn 41 6.48x
Ashton Under Lyne 38 7.31x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 38 53.55x
Kimberworth 37 33.56x
Darlington 32 13.90x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 30 16.21x
Hipperholme Cum 30 34.37x
Brightside Bierlow 29 7.44x
Salford 22 3.14x
Hunshelf 21 215.61x
Manningham 21 8.58x
Whixley 20 557.10x
Barnsley 19 9.27x
Bradford 19 3.95x
Upper Hallam 19 110.08x
Wath On Dearne 19 47.94x
Hathersage 18 204.55x
Pendleton In Salford 17 6.00x
Dukinfield 16 7.82x
Manchester 16 1.50x
Seaton Ross 15 460.12x
Great Little Marsden 14 12.85x
Habergham Eaves 14 6.44x
Keighley 14 6.61x
Linton In Skipton 14 693.07x
Saddleworth 14 9.14x
Yeadon 14 31.21x
Chapel En Le Frith 13 45.36x
Lambeth 13 0.74x
Cawthorne In Wortley 12 149.63x
Heeley 12 19.88x
Horsforth 12 27.55x
Shipley 12 11.64x
Horton In Bradford 11 3.55x
Hunslet 11 3.55x
Monk Bretton 11 54.70x
Colne 10 14.11x
Dewsbury Ossett Cum 10 231.48x
Holme On Spalding Moor 10 76.80x
Oldham 10 1.30x
Allerton 9 35.55x
Barton Upon Irwell 9 5.03x
Haughton 9 25.94x
Markington Cum 9 283.02x
Morley 9 8.71x
Pontefract 9 21.03x
Preston 9 1.41x
Stayley 9 17.79x
Tanshelf 9 56.75x
Thornton In Bradford 9 13.61x
Arley 8 563.38x
Birmingham 8 0.47x
Dodworth 8 38.78x
Farnworth 8 5.61x
Gate Fulford 8 17.25x
Greasbrough 8 30.50x
Heckmondwike 8 12.52x
High Low Bishopside 8 45.40x
Hoyland Nether 8 16.42x
Wakefield 8 5.25x
Ardwick 7 3.26x
Brimington 7 29.37x
Denton 7 13.28x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 7 9.73x
Gomersal 7 7.55x
Great Crosby 7 10.79x
Newton 7 3.82x
Skipton 7 11.20x
Wombwell 7 12.09x
Barnoldswick 6 21.64x
Bedford St John 6 387.10x
Madeley 6 9.45x
Midgley 6 28.34x
Stockton On Tees 6 2.09x

FAQ

Ibbotson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ibbotson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,057 people were recorded with the Ibbotson surname. That placed it at #2,142 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ibbotson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,502 in 2016. That gives Ibbotson a modern rank of #2,644.

What does the Ibbotson surname mean?

An English habitational surname deriving from a place name likely meaning "Ibbe's town".

What does the Ibbotson map show?

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