NameCensus.

UK surname

Kettle

An occupational surname for a maker or seller of kettles, or a person living near a kettle-shaped geographical feature.

In the 1881 census there were 2,618 people recorded with the Kettle surname, ranking it #1,702 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,785, ranked #2,419, down from #1,702 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Burslem and Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester and South Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kettle is 3,342 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.4%.

1881 census count

2,618

Ranked #1,702

Modern count

2,785

2016, ranked #2,419

Peak year

1911

3,342 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kettle had 2,618 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,702 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,785 in 2016, ranked #2,419.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,342 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Kettle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kettle surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Kettle 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 1,818 #1,581
1861 historical 1,479 #1,912
1881 historical 2,618 #1,702
1891 historical 2,747 #1,718
1901 historical 3,171 #1,770
1911 historical 3,342 #1,561
1997 modern 2,940 #2,202
1998 modern 3,129 #2,144
1999 modern 3,154 #2,142
2000 modern 3,159 #2,127
2001 modern 3,072 #2,140
2002 modern 3,089 #2,176
2003 modern 2,997 #2,191
2004 modern 2,908 #2,260
2005 modern 2,826 #2,301
2006 modern 2,798 #2,326
2007 modern 2,832 #2,316
2008 modern 2,822 #2,333
2009 modern 2,871 #2,350
2010 modern 2,930 #2,355
2011 modern 2,866 #2,372
2012 modern 2,795 #2,387
2013 modern 2,860 #2,378
2014 modern 2,833 #2,412
2015 modern 2,796 #2,418
2016 modern 2,785 #2,419

Geography

Back to top

Where Kettles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Burslem, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester and South Kesteven. 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 Burslem Staffordshire
4 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 021 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Cheshire West and Chester 038 Cheshire West and Chester
3 South Kesteven 003 South Kesteven
4 Cheshire West and Chester 035 Cheshire West and Chester
5 South Kesteven 007 South Kesteven

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Kettle

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Kettle

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

Kettle is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kettle falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Kettle

The surname Kettle is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "cetel", meaning a kettle or cauldron. This name likely originated as an occupational surname, given to someone who made or sold kettles or cauldrons.

The earliest recorded instance of the Kettle surname dates back to the 13th century in Norfolk, England. In the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, there is a reference to Walter Ketel, which is believed to be an early spelling variation of the Kettle name.

During the medieval period, the name Kettle was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire in eastern England. This is likely due to the region's association with metalworking and the production of household items like kettles and cauldrons.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Kettle surname was William Kettle, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1212. Another early mention is found in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire, which reference a John Ketel in 1272.

In the 16th century, the surname Kettle is found in various records, including the Nottinghamshire Musters of 1569, which list a Thomas Kettle. The Wills at Chester from 1591 to 1600 also mention a Thomas Kettle, possibly the same individual.

Some notable individuals with the Kettle surname throughout history include:

1. Ralph Kettle (c. 1615-1670), an English Puritan minister and author from Norfolk. 2. Tilly Kettle (1735-1786), an English poet and writer from London. 3. William Kettle (1793-1862), an English architect and surveyor responsible for designing several notable buildings in London. 4. James Kettle (1807-1886), a Scottish politician and journalist who served as a Member of Parliament for Wigan. 5. Thomas Michael Kettle (1880-1916), an Irish economist, poet, and politician who served as a member of the Irish Parliamentary Party and was killed in action during World War I.

The Kettle surname has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout England, such as Kettle Green in Suffolk, Kettle Farm in Lincolnshire, and Kettleshulme in Cheshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Kettle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kettle 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 295 Kettles recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.15x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 295 1.15x
Staffordshire 224 2.60x
Cheshire 218 3.86x
Essex 203 4.02x
Kent 194 2.22x
Lincolnshire 168 4.11x
Suffolk 137 4.40x
Leicestershire 129 4.55x
Worcestershire 123 3.69x
Surrey 121 0.97x
Lancashire 102 0.34x
Norfolk 97 2.47x
Warwickshire 81 1.26x
Northamptonshire 70 2.91x
Yorkshire 50 0.20x
Nottinghamshire 37 1.07x
Durham 33 0.43x
Cambridgeshire 31 1.92x
Hampshire 31 0.59x
Rutland 30 15.99x
Lanarkshire 29 0.35x
Sussex 22 0.51x
Oxfordshire 21 1.33x
Perthshire 19 1.66x
Derbyshire 18 0.45x
Northumberland 14 0.37x
Devon 13 0.24x
Angus 11 0.46x
Brecknockshire 11 2.15x
Flintshire 10 1.46x
Midlothian 10 0.29x
Shropshire 10 0.45x
Glamorgan 8 0.18x
Wiltshire 7 0.31x
Pembrokeshire 6 0.74x
Gloucestershire 5 0.10x
Kinross-shire 5 7.74x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.17x
Berkshire 4 0.21x
Somerset 4 0.10x
Dorset 3 0.18x
Hertfordshire 3 0.17x
Royal Navy 2 0.66x
Anglesey 1 0.22x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.06x
Cardiganshire 1 0.16x
Cumberland 1 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.20x
Isle of Man 1 0.21x
Monmouthshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Witton Cum Twambrooks in Cheshire leads with 57 Kettles recorded in 1881 and an index of 113.50x.

Place Total Index
Witton Cum Twambrooks 57 113.50x
St Pancras London 49 2.38x
Burslem 48 19.42x
St Marylebone London 44 3.22x
Aston 36 2.03x
Bourn 35 106.03x
Newcastle Under Lyme 32 20.96x
West Ham 28 2.51x
Leicester St Margaret 26 3.76x
Peterborough 25 14.36x
Spittlegate 24 42.46x
Gilmorton 23 408.53x
Hackney London 23 1.61x
Islington London 20 0.81x
Ipswich St Clement 19 24.01x
Northfield 19 30.01x
Norton In Moors 19 41.60x
Battersea 18 1.91x
Castle Bytham 18 314.69x
Layer De La Hay 18 299.50x
St George Hanover Square 18 4.00x
Glasgow 17 1.16x
Lambeth 17 0.76x
Over 17 29.65x
Shoreditch London 16 1.44x
Tonbridge 16 5.09x
Newington 15 1.59x
Nottingham St Mary 15 1.68x
Westoe 15 3.48x
Folkestone 14 8.28x
Monks Coppenhall 14 6.58x
Winterton 14 202.60x
Bethnal Green London 13 1.17x
Brantham 13 367.23x
Bromsgrove 13 11.57x
Harwich St Nicholas 13 33.36x
Hulme 13 2.05x
Maidstone 13 5.00x
West Bromwich 13 2.63x
Claines 12 13.10x
Hammersmith London 12 1.91x
Tarvin Pryors Hayes 12 160.43x
Trentham 12 16.36x
Whissendine 12 187.50x
Basingstoke 11 18.26x
Elswick 11 3.62x
Ipswich St Margaret 11 10.41x
Northampton Priory St 11 7.63x
Offham 11 350.32x
Skeyton 11 401.46x
Stretford 11 6.59x
Birmingham 10 0.47x
Clerkenwell London 10 1.66x
Darlaston 10 8.39x
Davenham 10 194.93x
Feckenham 10 26.18x
Frating 10 454.55x
Lexden 10 49.38x
Mold Leeswood 10 64.31x
Nantwich 10 15.26x
Poplar London 10 2.07x
Stamford St Mary 10 121.07x
Wolverhampton 10 1.51x
Audley Talk O Th Hill 9 57.92x
Broughton In Salford 9 3.25x
Congleton 9 9.23x
Cromer 9 64.42x
Croydon 9 1.30x
Dodderhill 9 63.25x
Great Bromley 9 142.18x
Hadleigh 9 29.80x
Hove 9 4.76x
Kidderminster Borough 9 4.61x
Lympne 9 182.93x
Minster In Sheppey 9 6.23x
Oldbury 9 5.48x
Ripley 9 18.20x
Smarden 9 90.36x
St Andrewthe Less 9 4.87x
Warrington 9 2.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 163
John 140
George 103
James 80
Thomas 78
Henry 71
Charles 48
Joseph 48
Edward 36
Alfred 35
Walter 34
Samuel 31
Robert 28
Arthur 21
Albert 20
Frederick 18
Ernest 16
David 14
Francis 14
Herbert 14
Harry 13
Wm. 12
Stephen 8
Benjamin 7
Daniel 7
Edgar 5
Ralph 5
Richard 5
Edwin 4
Geo. 4
Peter 4
Allen 3
Bernard 3
Edwd. 3
Elijah 3
Enoch 3
Frank 3
Infant 3
Mark 3
Matthew 3
Nathaniel 3
Rupert 3
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
Joshua 2
Josiah 2
Louis 2
Noah 2
Ottewell 2
Phillip 2

FAQ

Kettle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kettle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,618 people were recorded with the Kettle surname. That placed it at #1,702 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kettle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,785 in 2016. That gives Kettle a modern rank of #2,419.

What does the Kettle surname mean?

An occupational surname for a maker or seller of kettles, or a person living near a kettle-shaped geographical feature.

What does the Kettle map show?

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