NameCensus.

UK surname

Jennett

A variant spelling of the French surname Genest, meaning "broom plant."

In the 1881 census there were 134 people recorded with the Jennett surname, ranking it #16,602 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 197, ranked #19,777, down from #16,602 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Manchester and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southend-on-Sea, Manchester and Halton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jennett is 221 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.0%.

1881 census count

134

Ranked #16,602

Modern count

197

2016, ranked #19,777

Peak year

1901

221 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jennett had 134 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,602 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016, ranked #19,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 221 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Jennett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jennett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jennett 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 94 #17,837
1861 historical 157 #14,732
1881 historical 134 #16,602
1891 historical 218 #14,023
1901 historical 221 #14,212
1911 historical 204 #14,784
1997 modern 209 #17,157
1998 modern 207 #17,749
1999 modern 205 #17,960
2000 modern 201 #18,152
2001 modern 196 #18,146
2002 modern 203 #18,115
2003 modern 199 #18,195
2004 modern 195 #18,500
2005 modern 190 #18,753
2006 modern 192 #18,753
2007 modern 194 #18,855
2008 modern 187 #19,465
2009 modern 189 #19,727
2010 modern 203 #19,264
2011 modern 204 #19,040
2012 modern 198 #19,340
2013 modern 197 #19,725
2014 modern 205 #19,375
2015 modern 196 #19,840
2016 modern 197 #19,777

Geography

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Where Jennetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Manchester, Sheffield, London parishes 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 Southend-on-Sea, Manchester, Halton, Warrington and Lincoln. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 London parishes London 2
5 Ecclesfield (Ecclesfield), Rotherham (Dalton), Conisborough Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Southend-on-Sea 011 Southend-on-Sea
2 Manchester 020 Manchester
3 Halton 004 Halton
4 Warrington 023 Warrington
5 Lincoln 009 Lincoln

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jennett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jennett

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

Jennett 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

Jennett falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Jennett

The surname Jennett has its origins in medieval Britain, specifically in the English county of Yorkshire. It is believed to have derived from the Old English personal name "Jennet," a diminutive form of the name "John." This name was originally derived from the Hebrew name "Yohanan," meaning "Graced by God."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jennett can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a certain "Jennet de Wakefield," indicating the presence of individuals bearing this surname in the Yorkshire region during the 11th century.

During the medieval period, the Jennett family held lands and properties in various parts of Yorkshire, particularly in the West Riding. Historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries mention individuals such as William Jennett, who was a landowner in the village of Kirkheaton, and John Jennett, a merchant from the city of York.

In the 16th century, the Jennett surname gained prominence with the rise of Sir Ralph Jennett (c. 1510-1580), a prominent merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. He served as Lord Mayor of London in 1564 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I for his services to the Crown.

Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Jennett (1636-1700), a member of Parliament for the constituency of Ripon in Yorkshire during the reign of King William III. He was a staunch supporter of the Glorious Revolution and played a significant role in securing the Protestant succession to the English throne.

In the 18th century, the Jennett family continued to leave their mark, with John Jennett (1720-1783) being a respected architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in the city of York, including the Assembly Rooms and the York County Hospital.

While the Jennett surname has its roots in Yorkshire, over the centuries it has spread to other parts of England and beyond. Some variations in spelling, such as Jennet, Jennett, and Jennett, have also emerged over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jennett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jennett 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 51 Jennetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.91x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 51 3.91x
Middlesex 18 1.37x
Gloucestershire 13 5.03x
Anglesey 8 34.29x
Lancashire 8 0.51x
Berkshire 7 7.08x
Devon 7 2.55x
Leicestershire 7 4.79x
Cheshire 3 1.03x
Somerset 3 1.42x
Durham 2 0.51x
Essex 2 0.77x
Kent 2 0.45x
Hertfordshire 1 1.10x
Royal Navy 1 6.37x
Sussex 1 0.45x
Wiltshire 1 0.86x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sheffield in Yorkshire leads with 16 Jennetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.52x.

Place Total Index
Sheffield 16 38.52x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 13 53.48x
Brightside Bierlow 11 42.99x
Nether Hallam 11 62.32x
Ardwick 8 56.78x
Beaumaris 8 930.23x
Reading St Giles 7 72.16x
Leicester St Mary 6 50.89x
Plymstock 6 416.67x
Westminster St John 6 37.43x
Ecclesfield 5 52.25x
Birkenhead 3 12.95x
Brierley 3 1363.64x
Rawmarsh 3 65.08x
St Pancras London 3 2.83x
Frome 2 39.45x
St George Martyr London 2 74.91x
Stockton On Tees 2 10.59x
West Ham 2 3.49x
Woolwich 2 12.05x
Bardon 1 3333.33x
Devonport 1 31.75x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 3.77x
Hove 1 10.27x
Kensington London 1 1.37x
Midsomer Norton 1 50.00x
Offley 1 169.49x
Paddington London 1 2.07x
Purton 1 96.15x
Royal Navy 1 7.46x
Shoreditch London 1 1.75x
Spitalfields London 1 10.10x
St Marylebone London 1 1.42x
Thornaby 1 20.49x
Towerof London London 1 238.10x
Willesden 1 8.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 12
William 9
Arthur 6
Charles 4
Alfred 3
Henry 3
James 3
Albert 2
Edward 2
Fred 2
George 2
Joseph 2
Thomas 2
Walter 2
Alexander 1
Cland 1
Denis 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Foster 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Noel 1
Sam 1
W.H.R. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Jennett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jennett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 134 people were recorded with the Jennett surname. That placed it at #16,602 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jennett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 197 in 2016. That gives Jennett a modern rank of #19,777.

What does the Jennett surname mean?

A variant spelling of the French surname Genest, meaning "broom plant."

What does the Jennett map show?

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