NameCensus.

UK surname

Kett

A surname for someone from East Anglia, England.

In the 1881 census there were 394 people recorded with the Kett surname, ranking it #8,055 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 645, ranked #8,231, down from #8,055 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, London parishes and Haddiscoe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Norwich, Broadland and Suffolk Coastal.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kett is 727 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.7%.

1881 census count

394

Ranked #8,055

Modern count

645

2016, ranked #8,231

Peak year

2002

727 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kett had 394 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,055 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 645 in 2016, ranked #8,231.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 609 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Kett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kett 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 258 #8,568
1861 historical 198 #12,114
1881 historical 394 #8,055
1891 historical 452 #8,050
1901 historical 556 #7,474
1911 historical 609 #6,765
1997 modern 694 #7,298
1998 modern 718 #7,326
1999 modern 719 #7,369
2000 modern 695 #7,531
2001 modern 697 #7,389
2002 modern 727 #7,285
2003 modern 679 #7,576
2004 modern 686 #7,517
2005 modern 664 #7,660
2006 modern 660 #7,723
2007 modern 676 #7,651
2008 modern 669 #7,743
2009 modern 687 #7,750
2010 modern 679 #7,965
2011 modern 656 #8,094
2012 modern 634 #8,229
2013 modern 654 #8,182
2014 modern 644 #8,324
2015 modern 643 #8,266
2016 modern 645 #8,231

Geography

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Where Ketts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, London parishes, Haddiscoe, Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Norwich, Broadland and Suffolk Coastal. 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 St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju Norfolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Haddiscoe Norfolk
4 Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict Cambridgeshire
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Norwich 001 Norwich
2 Broadland 009 Broadland
3 Norwich 007 Norwich
4 Suffolk Coastal 001 Suffolk Coastal
5 Broadland 015 Broadland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kett

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kett, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Kett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Kett 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Kett 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

Kett 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

Kett falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kett is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kett

The surname Kett has its origins in England, where it first appeared in the late 12th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "cyte," meaning a small hut or dwelling. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived in a small cottage or hut.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kett can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Chiet" or "Chiet de Kett." The Domesday Book was a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman invasion of England in 1066.

The name Kett was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in eastern England. In the 13th century, records show a William Kett who held land in the village of Wymondham, Norfolk. Another early bearer of the name was John Kett, a prominent figure in the Peasants' Revolt of 1549, also known as Kett's Rebellion. He led a rebellion against the enclosure of common lands in Norfolk, which was eventually suppressed by the forces of Edward VI.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Kett. One of the earliest recorded was Robert Kett (c. 1492-1549), a landowner and leader of the aforementioned Peasants' Revolt. Another was Henry Kett (1761-1825), an English clergyman and academic who served as Master of Trinity Hall, Cambridge.

In the 19th century, Charles Kett (1821-1857) was a British author and journalist who wrote extensively on Australian history and exploration. Another notable bearer of the name was Henry Kett Tull (1888-1915), a British professional footballer who became the first outfield player from Tottenham Hotspur to be killed in action during World War I.

More recently, the name has been associated with the British actress Georgina Kett (born 1997), known for her roles in various television series and films.

The surname Kett has also been connected to various place names in England, such as Ketteringham in Norfolk and Kettlewell in Yorkshire, which may have derived from the same Old English root word "cyte."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kett 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. Norfolk leads with 166 Ketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.16x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 166 28.16x
Middlesex 83 2.17x
Suffolk 46 9.85x
Cambridgeshire 29 11.94x
Surrey 11 0.59x
Kent 9 0.69x
Nottinghamshire 9 1.74x
Lancashire 8 0.18x
Warwickshire 6 0.62x
Wiltshire 6 1.77x
Leicestershire 5 1.18x
Durham 4 0.35x
Hampshire 4 0.51x
Essex 3 0.40x
Cardiganshire 1 1.07x
Devon 1 0.13x
Sussex 1 0.15x
Yorkshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wymondham in Norfolk leads with 24 Ketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 398.01x.

Place Total Index
Wymondham 24 398.01x
St Andrewthe Less 22 79.31x
Islington London 15 4.04x
Lowestoft 15 68.00x
Haddiscoe 13 2500.00x
Thorpe Next Norwich 13 208.00x
Earsham 12 1500.00x
Blythburgh 11 1018.52x
Mile End Old Town London 11 13.48x
Norwich St Julian 11 443.55x
Wenhaston 11 956.52x
Chelsea London 10 8.66x
Norwich St Benedict 10 380.23x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 9 234.99x
Nottingham St Mary 9 6.73x
Sutton At Hone 9 332.10x
Shoreditch London 8 4.81x
Beeston St Andrew 7 14000.00x
Norwich St Peter Mancroft 7 236.49x
Swanton Abbott 7 1060.61x
Clerkenwell London 6 6.63x
Hemblington 6 1935.48x
Norwich St Giles 6 317.46x
Preshute 6 287.08x
Tottenham 6 9.83x
Ashford 5 165.02x
Birmingham 5 1.55x
Everton 5 3.45x
Heigham 5 15.80x
Norwich St Etheldred 5 602.41x
Shawell 5 1851.85x
Cherry Hinton 4 350.88x
Chopwell 4 188.68x
Gillingham 4 677.97x
Moulton St Michael 4 851.06x
St Pancras London 4 1.30x
Towerof London London 4 327.87x
Wicklewood 4 416.67x
Battersea 3 2.13x
Geldeston 3 789.47x
Gorleston 3 25.30x
Great Yarmouth 3 6.15x
Newington 3 2.12x
Norwich St Peter 3 77.52x
Portsea 3 1.95x
Southwark St John 3 25.60x
Ardwick 2 4.87x
Beccles 2 26.63x
Hampstead London 2 3.35x
Kirkley 2 51.15x
Norwich St Gregory 2 194.17x
St Andrew Holborn London 2 12.05x
St Andrewthe Great 2 63.69x
St George Martyr London 2 25.77x
St Marylebone London 2 0.98x
West Ham 2 1.20x
Acton 1 4.45x
Bermondsey 1 0.88x
Brighton 1 0.77x
Brockdish 1 175.44x
Christchurch 1 5.87x
Felthorpe 1 163.93x
Gate Fulford 1 11.27x
Golborne 1 16.86x
Hackney London 1 0.47x
Hempnall 1 86.21x
Hethersett 1 67.11x
Leamington Priors 1 4.20x
Llangunllo 1 131.58x
Plymouth Charles The 1 2.85x
Prittlewell 1 9.53x
Ratcliffe London 1 4.72x
Smallburgh 1 142.86x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.48x
Starston 1 149.25x
Swaffham Bulbeck 1 102.04x
Upton With Fishley 1 142.86x
Westminster St James 1 2.54x
Westminster St Margaret 1 5.41x
Woodbridge 1 16.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 22
George 17
John 11
Alfred 10
Frederick 8
Robert 8
Edward 7
Samuel 7
Albert 6
Charles 6
David 6
James 6
Walter 6
Arthur 5
Henry 4
Herbert 4
Richard 4
Thomas 4
Ernest 3
Christopher 2
Edmund 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Mark 2
Peter 2
Philip 2
Andrew 1
Authur 1
Benjamin 1
Clifford 1
Edgar 1
Esau 1
Francish 1
Fred 1
Fredr. 1
Geo.F.W. 1
Hampden 1
Jacob 1
Joseph 1
Josiah 1
Mary 1
Michael 1
Nathan 1
Percy 1
Phillip 1
Reuben 1
Thos. 1
W. 1
Wiliam 1

FAQ

Kett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 394 people were recorded with the Kett surname. That placed it at #8,055 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 645 in 2016. That gives Kett a modern rank of #8,231.

What does the Kett surname mean?

A surname for someone from East Anglia, England.

What does the Kett map show?

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