NameCensus.

UK surname

Kettles

A surname derived from the word "kettle", likely referring to an occupation involving kettles or a metalworker.

In the 1881 census there were 295 people recorded with the Kettles surname, ranking it #9,842 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 521, ranked #9,701, up from #9,842 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Errol, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Perth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Coupar Angus and Meigle, Letham and Kirriemuir.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kettles is 533 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.6%.

1881 census count

295

Ranked #9,842

Modern count

521

2016, ranked #9,701

Peak year

2014

533 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kettles had 295 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,842 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 521 in 2016, ranked #9,701.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 316 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Kettles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kettles surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kettles 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 111 #16,006
1861 historical 133 #16,835
1881 historical 295 #9,842
1891 historical 264 #12,235
1901 historical 316 #11,242
1911 historical 23 #30,923
1997 modern 432 #10,395
1998 modern 450 #10,409
1999 modern 449 #10,464
2000 modern 488 #9,800
2001 modern 475 #9,827
2002 modern 509 #9,509
2003 modern 496 #9,540
2004 modern 503 #9,480
2005 modern 515 #9,251
2006 modern 512 #9,319
2007 modern 510 #9,432
2008 modern 510 #9,499
2009 modern 522 #9,544
2010 modern 506 #9,971
2011 modern 504 #9,895
2012 modern 514 #9,677
2013 modern 524 #9,687
2014 modern 533 #9,627
2015 modern 530 #9,605
2016 modern 521 #9,701

Geography

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Where Kettles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Errol, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Perth, Inchture and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Coupar Angus and Meigle, Letham, Kirriemuir, Hillyland, Tulloch and Inveralmond and Monikie. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Errol Perth
2 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
3 Perth Perth
4 Inchture Perth
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Coupar Angus and Meigle Perth and Kinross
2 Letham Perth and Kinross
3 Kirriemuir Angus
4 Hillyland, Tulloch and Inveralmond Perth and Kinross
5 Monikie Angus

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kettles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kettles

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Kettles surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Kettles household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kettles 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

Kettles is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kettles 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 Kettles is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kettles

The surname Kettles is of English origin, deriving from a locational name referring to a place where kettles were made or sold. The name is believed to have emerged in the 13th century, with early recordings such as William de Kettelby in Huntingdonshire in 1273.

Kettles can be traced back to the Old English word "cytel," meaning a cauldron or kettle, combined with the Old English term "leah," signifying a woodland clearing. This suggests that the name arose from a specific location where kettles were crafted or traded within a woodland area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, which mentions a Richard de Kettelby. This document provides valuable insight into the prevalence and variations of the name during the medieval period.

The surname Kettles has been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Kettleby in Leicestershire and Kettlebaston in Suffolk. These place names likely derived from the same Old English roots and may have influenced the surname's development.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Kettles include John Kettles (1553-1629), an English theologian and churchman who served as the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Kettles (1635-1703), a British politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire.

In the 18th century, the name gained recognition with the birth of William Kettles (1738-1803), a Scottish poet and writer who contributed to the literary scene of his time. Additionally, James Kettles (1807-1868) was a British naval officer and Arctic explorer known for his expeditions to the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

The 19th century saw the emergence of Mary Anne Kettles (1841-1910), a British educator and the founder of the Girls' Day School Trust, an organization dedicated to promoting education for girls in the United Kingdom.

While these historical records provide insight into the origins and evolution of the surname Kettles, it is important to note that the name's variations and spellings may have changed over time, reflecting regional dialects and individual preferences.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kettles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kettles 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. Perthshire leads with 113 Kettles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 87.50x.

County Total Index
Perthshire 113 87.50x
Angus 86 32.26x
Lanarkshire 33 3.55x
Renfrewshire 31 13.90x
East Lothian 8 20.99x
Ayrshire 6 2.79x
Suffolk 5 1.43x
Banffshire 3 5.03x
Clackmannanshire 3 12.62x
Fife 2 1.17x
Middlesex 2 0.07x
Kent 1 0.10x
Midlothian 1 0.26x
Surrey 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eastwood in Renfrewshire leads with 19 Kettles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 138.38x.

Place Total Index
Eastwood 19 138.38x
Perth East Church 16 131.36x
Dron 14 4242.42x
Dundee 14 14.07x
Glasgow 13 7.87x
Kinnoull 13 382.35x
Longforgan 12 655.74x
Inverarity 10 1162.79x
Ardoch 9 825.69x
Liff Benvie 9 22.24x
Bothwell 8 31.70x
Dirleton 8 533.33x
Errol 8 334.73x
Tealing 8 1066.67x
Fowlis Wester 7 636.36x
Govan 7 3.04x
Kirkden 7 419.16x
Aberdalgie 6 2068.97x
Cathcart 6 49.71x
Dunbarney 6 810.81x
Forfar 6 41.55x
Kirriemuir 6 91.19x
Renfrew 6 81.52x
Barony 5 2.12x
Dundonald 5 62.97x
Dunnichen 5 354.61x
Montrose 5 30.94x
Hollesley 4 784.31x
Mains 4 176.21x
Perth Middle Church 4 82.30x
Forteviot 3 483.87x
Inchture 3 468.75x
Mortlach 3 103.09x
Rescobie 3 441.18x
Alloa 2 17.36x
Arbirlot 2 246.91x
Blackford 2 126.58x
Kinnaird 2 769.23x
Maryton 2 526.32x
Muthill 2 118.34x
St Pancras London 2 0.86x
Tibbermore 2 108.11x
Aberlemno 1 101.01x
Abernethy 1 59.17x
Auchterhouse 1 151.52x
Clova 1 2500.00x
Colinton 1 23.26x
Crieff 1 20.83x
Croydon 1 1.28x
Cupar 1 13.50x
Dollar 1 40.65x
Dunfermline 1 3.82x
Kettins 1 112.36x
Kilmarnock 1 3.90x
Kilspindie 1 147.06x
Kinfauns 1 169.49x
Lewisham 1 1.91x
Lowestoft 1 6.04x
Oathlaw 1 227.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Alice 1
Lornea 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Abraham 1
Alexander 1
Alonzo 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1

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 Kettles households.

FAQ

Kettles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kettles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 295 people were recorded with the Kettles surname. That placed it at #9,842 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kettles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 521 in 2016. That gives Kettles a modern rank of #9,701.

What does the Kettles surname mean?

A surname derived from the word "kettle", likely referring to an occupation involving kettles or a metalworker.

What does the Kettles map show?

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