NameCensus.

UK surname

Kent

An English toponymic surname derived from the county of Kent or any of the various places named Kent.

In the 1881 census there were 12,591 people recorded with the Kent surname, ranking it #335 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 17,311, ranked #355, down from #335 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest Heath, Cornwall and Vale of White Horse.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kent is 17,853 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.5%.

1881 census count

12,591

Ranked #335

Modern count

17,311

2016, ranked #355

Peak year

1999

17,853 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kent had 12,591 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #335 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 17,311 in 2016, ranked #355.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 17,011 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Kent surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kent surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kent 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 8,471 #315
1861 historical 8,799 #311
1881 historical 12,591 #335
1891 historical 13,815 #306
1901 historical 15,587 #332
1911 historical 17,011 #276
1997 modern 16,971 #348
1998 modern 17,813 #346
1999 modern 17,853 #348
2000 modern 17,580 #353
2001 modern 17,215 #352
2002 modern 17,478 #355
2003 modern 17,100 #354
2004 modern 17,074 #353
2005 modern 16,608 #360
2006 modern 16,568 #357
2007 modern 16,679 #358
2008 modern 16,760 #358
2009 modern 17,282 #353
2010 modern 17,646 #353
2011 modern 17,338 #357
2012 modern 17,108 #356
2013 modern 17,606 #351
2014 modern 17,712 #353
2015 modern 17,391 #354
2016 modern 17,311 #355

Geography

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Where Kents are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Forest Heath, Cornwall, Vale of White Horse and Breckland. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest Heath 001 Forest Heath
2 Cornwall 024 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 030 Cornwall
4 Vale of White Horse 011 Vale of White Horse
5 Breckland 012 Breckland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kent

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kent

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

Kent is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Kent

The surname Kent originated in England, with roots dating back to the Anglo-Saxon era. It is derived from the Old English word "Cent," which referred to the county of Kent in the south-eastern part of England. The name likely emerged as a territorial surname, indicating that the bearer hailed from or lived in the region of Kent.

Kent is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. This early record suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century. The Domesday Book lists several individuals with the surname Kent, indicating their association with the county.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Kent can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a person named Radulfus de Kent is mentioned. This spelling variation, "de Kent," reflects the Norman French influence on English surnames during that period.

In the 13th century, the name Kent appeared in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which documented landowners and their holdings. One notable individual from this time was Sir Roger de Kent, a prominent knight who served under King Edward I and participated in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the late 13th century.

During the 14th century, the surname Kent continued to be prevalent in England. One notable figure from this era was John Kent (c. 1330 – c. 1400), a member of the gentry from Wiltshire who served as a member of parliament and held various positions in the county administration.

In the 15th century, the Kent surname gained further recognition with individuals like William Kent (c. 1420 – 1487), a wealthy merchant and alderman of London. He was a prominent figure in the city's mercantile community and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1470.

Throughout history, the surname Kent has been associated with various notable individuals, including the renowned English landscape architect William Kent (1685 – 1748), who was instrumental in the development of the English Landscape Garden style. Another notable bearer of the name was James Kent (1763 – 1847), an American jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge on the New York Supreme Court and authored several influential legal treatises.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kent families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kent 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 1,628 Kents recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.32x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,628 1.32x
Surrey 1,016 1.69x
Staffordshire 880 2.12x
Lancashire 703 0.48x
Sussex 659 3.18x
Yorkshire 637 0.52x
Cornwall 559 4.01x
Hampshire 488 1.93x
Suffolk 453 3.02x
Kent 397 0.95x
Lincolnshire 384 1.95x
Norfolk 354 1.87x
Berkshire 350 3.79x
Warwickshire 322 1.04x
Derbyshire 317 1.65x
Essex 284 1.17x
Gloucestershire 265 1.10x
Wiltshire 252 2.32x
Durham 224 0.61x
Cheshire 214 0.79x
Devon 207 0.81x
Buckinghamshire 186 2.50x
Hertfordshire 161 1.90x
Northumberland 149 0.81x
Dorset 129 1.60x
Glamorgan 125 0.58x
Northamptonshire 123 1.06x
Cambridgeshire 111 1.42x
Oxfordshire 110 1.45x
Lanarkshire 103 0.26x
Worcestershire 100 0.62x
Nottinghamshire 95 0.57x
Leicestershire 88 0.64x
Somerset 77 0.39x
Shropshire 72 0.68x
Bedfordshire 60 0.94x
Orkney 57 4.21x
Channel Islands 37 1.01x
Midlothian 35 0.21x
Monmouthshire 22 0.25x
Argyllshire 20 0.58x
Herefordshire 20 0.40x
Renfrewshire 14 0.15x
Cumberland 11 0.10x
Aberdeenshire 10 0.09x
Brecknockshire 10 0.41x
Huntingdonshire 10 0.41x
Rutland 10 1.11x
Caernarfonshire 9 0.18x
Royal Navy 9 0.61x
Denbighshire 8 0.17x
Dunbartonshire 8 0.24x
Fife 8 0.11x
Angus 6 0.05x
Flintshire 5 0.15x
Anglesey 4 0.18x
Pembrokeshire 4 0.10x
Peeblesshire 3 0.52x
Ayrshire 2 0.02x
Buteshire 2 0.27x
Perthshire 2 0.04x
Radnorshire 2 0.20x
West Lothian 2 0.11x
Berwickshire 1 0.07x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.02x
Isle of Man 1 0.04x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.06x
Wigtownshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 192 Kents recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.61x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 192 1.61x
Lambeth 186 1.73x
St Pancras London 178 1.80x
Stoke Upon Trent 169 3.84x
Brighton 164 3.92x
Camberwell 141 1.79x
Portsea 132 2.67x
Hackney London 120 1.74x
Kensington London 106 1.55x
Aston 105 1.23x
St Marylebone London 97 1.48x
Hastings All Sts 92 47.05x
Birmingham 85 0.82x
West Ham 84 1.57x
St Dennis 78 149.91x
Mile End Old Town London 71 2.71x
Newington 71 1.56x
Shoreditch London 69 1.29x
Middleton In Oldham 63 14.39x
Lakenheath 62 78.32x
Bermondsey 59 1.61x
Paddington London 59 1.30x
Clerkenwell London 58 2.00x
Croydon 58 1.74x
St George Hanover Square 54 2.49x
Brandon 49 48.18x
Deptford St Paul 49 1.51x
Derby St Werburgh 49 4.40x
Plymouth St Andrew 48 2.43x
Boston 47 7.87x
Aston Abbotts 46 376.43x
Battersea 46 1.02x
Southwark St George Martyr 45 1.82x
Sheffield 44 1.13x
Burslem 43 3.61x
Rotherhithe 43 2.83x
Lewisham 42 1.88x
Cannock 41 5.66x
Wednesbury 41 3.95x
West Derby 41 0.96x
Macclesfield 39 3.23x
Chelsea London 38 1.02x
Hastings St Clement 38 19.46x
Leeds 37 0.54x
Nottingham St Mary 37 0.86x
Burghfield 36 65.89x
Gateshead 36 1.31x
Hammersmith London 36 1.19x
Northampton Priory St 36 5.18x
Fulham London 34 1.90x
Sturminster Marshall 34 100.74x
Bishopwearmouth 33 1.05x
Glasgow 33 0.47x
Hove 33 3.62x
Wantage 33 22.40x
Brightside Bierlow 32 1.34x
Gwennap 32 12.17x
Poplar London 32 1.38x
Everton 31 0.67x
Brading 30 8.95x
Elswick 30 2.05x
Kingston On Thames 30 2.08x
Lowestoft 30 4.24x
Great Yarmouth 29 1.85x
Newmarket St Mary 29 25.20x
Oldham 29 0.62x
St Neot 29 52.82x
Swindon 29 3.43x
Trentham 29 8.21x
Wandsworth 29 2.45x
Aberdare 27 1.84x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 27 1.19x
Gillingham 27 3.12x
Hampstead London 27 1.41x
Haydon 27 26.96x
Liverpool 27 0.30x
St Stephen In Brannel 27 21.24x
Bromley London 26 0.96x
Holy Trinity 26 0.89x
Leicester St Margaret 26 0.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 787
Elizabeth 443
Sarah 386
Jane 224
Ann 212
Emma 205
Eliza 200
Annie 198
Ellen 186
Emily 186
Alice 171
Martha 109
Hannah 105
Edith 103
Louisa 103
Caroline 97
Harriet 96
Charlotte 87
Fanny 86
Margaret 86
Florence 82
Ada 63
Maria 62
Kate 53
Harriett 52
Catherine 47
Lucy 47
Susan 45
Frances 44
Anne 43
Agnes 39
Esther 39
Clara 37
Ethel 33
Matilda 33
Rose 33
Amelia 32
Julia 32
Rebecca 32
Minnie 31
Sophia 30
Ruth 28
Eleanor 26
Jessie 26
Amy 25
Gertrude 23
Lizzie 23
Anna 22
Grace 22
Laura 21

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 823
John 653
George 466
Thomas 389
James 384
Charles 323
Henry 269
Joseph 174
Alfred 156
Arthur 154
Frederick 153
Edward 144
Robert 122
Richard 105
Albert 95
Samuel 90
Walter 90
Harry 88
Ernest 68
Frank 55
Edwin 51
Herbert 47
Francis 41
Benjamin 36
David 31
Fred 27
Thos. 25
Daniel 23
Wm. 23
Edmund 22
Geo. 21
Percy 19
Philip 19
Sidney 19
Isaac 17
Stephen 17
Peter 15
Christopher 12
Fredk. 12
Fredrick 12
Tom 12
Frederic 11
Michael 11
Harold 10
Phillip 10
Sydney 10
Edgar 9
Horace 9
Matthew 9
Willie 9

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Kent households.

FAQ

Kent surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kent surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12,591 people were recorded with the Kent surname. That placed it at #335 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kent surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 17,311 in 2016. That gives Kent a modern rank of #355.

What does the Kent surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from the county of Kent or any of the various places named Kent.

What does the Kent map show?

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