NameCensus.

UK surname

Kitchen

An occupational surname for someone who worked in a kitchen or was a cook.

In the 1881 census there were 5,115 people recorded with the Kitchen surname, ranking it #869 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,281, ranked #1,280, down from #869 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Halifax and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham, Leeds and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kitchen is 5,870 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.2%.

1881 census count

5,115

Ranked #869

Modern count

5,281

2016, ranked #1,280

Peak year

1911

5,870 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kitchen had 5,115 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #869 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,281 in 2016, ranked #1,280.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,870 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Kitchen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kitchen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kitchen 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 3,311 #875
1861 historical 2,826 #1,035
1881 historical 5,115 #869
1891 historical 5,004 #937
1901 historical 5,578 #1,001
1911 historical 5,870 #882
1997 modern 5,541 #1,178
1998 modern 5,741 #1,184
1999 modern 5,809 #1,176
2000 modern 5,720 #1,183
2001 modern 5,654 #1,171
2002 modern 5,775 #1,175
2003 modern 5,562 #1,187
2004 modern 5,516 #1,195
2005 modern 5,424 #1,197
2006 modern 5,410 #1,199
2007 modern 5,379 #1,216
2008 modern 5,402 #1,216
2009 modern 5,512 #1,222
2010 modern 5,585 #1,239
2011 modern 5,513 #1,239
2012 modern 5,330 #1,257
2013 modern 5,421 #1,255
2014 modern 5,451 #1,258
2015 modern 5,321 #1,274
2016 modern 5,281 #1,280

Geography

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Where Kitchens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Halifax, London parishes, Manchester and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham, Leeds, Doncaster, East Lindsey and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 002 Rotherham
2 Leeds 005 Leeds
3 Doncaster 005 Doncaster
4 East Lindsey 013 East Lindsey
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 013 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kitchen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kitchen

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

Kitchen is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kitchen falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Kitchen

The surname KITCHEN originated in England, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "cycene," which referred to a kitchen or cooking room. The name likely denoted someone who worked in the kitchen, either as a cook or a servant responsible for maintaining the kitchen area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KITCHEN surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "de la Kuchene." This early spelling reflects the French influence on English at the time, with the addition of the preposition "de la" meaning "of the."

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various records as "Kychene," "Kychyn," and "Kychener," indicating the evolving spelling and pronunciation of the name over time. The widespread use of the KITCHEN surname during this period suggests that it gained popularity across different regions of England.

The KITCHEN name is also mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 for the county of Somerset, where a John de la Kychene is listed as a taxpayer. This record provides evidence of the surname's presence in the southwestern part of England during the medieval era.

One notable figure from history bearing the KITCHEN surname was William KITCHEN, a 16th-century English clergyman who served as the Dean of Windsor from 1563 until his death in 1568. He played a significant role in the Church of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another individual of note was Thomas KITCHEN (1621-1659), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Ripon during the Protectorate under Oliver Cromwell. He was a staunch supporter of the parliamentary cause during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, John KITCHEN (1736-1810) was a prominent English engraver and printmaker known for his detailed engravings of architectural subjects, including churches and cathedrals.

Moving to the 19th century, William KITCHEN (1823-1907) was an English civil engineer who made significant contributions to the development of railway systems in India. He served as the chief engineer for various railway projects during the British Raj.

Finally, a more recent figure with the KITCHEN surname was Michael KITCHEN (born 1948), a renowned British actor best known for his roles in television series such as Foyle's War and Grantchester. He has had a prolific career in film, television, and theater spanning several decades.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kitchen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kitchen 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 1,265 Kitchens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.56x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,265 2.56x
Lancashire 1,055 1.79x
Lincolnshire 427 5.37x
Middlesex 275 0.55x
Cumberland 248 5.79x
Cheshire 173 1.57x
Nottinghamshire 142 2.12x
Surrey 142 0.59x
Durham 133 0.90x
Derbyshire 119 1.53x
Westmorland 91 8.32x
Warwickshire 87 0.69x
Oxfordshire 76 2.47x
Somerset 76 0.95x
Cornwall 74 1.31x
Leicestershire 59 1.07x
Worcestershire 56 0.86x
Midlothian 52 0.78x
Hampshire 50 0.49x
Kent 46 0.27x
Northamptonshire 45 0.96x
Gloucestershire 39 0.40x
Northumberland 38 0.51x
Staffordshire 37 0.22x
Norfolk 34 0.44x
Sussex 27 0.32x
Renfrewshire 25 0.65x
Cambridgeshire 20 0.63x
Lanarkshire 17 0.11x
Hertfordshire 14 0.41x
Peeblesshire 14 5.98x
Glamorgan 13 0.15x
Banffshire 11 1.07x
Buckinghamshire 11 0.37x
Suffolk 11 0.18x
Essex 10 0.10x
Herefordshire 9 0.44x
Morayshire 9 1.16x
Ayrshire 8 0.21x
Berkshire 8 0.21x
Huntingdonshire 7 0.71x
Bedfordshire 6 0.23x
Devon 6 0.06x
East Lothian 4 0.61x
Roxburghshire 4 0.44x
Royal Navy 4 0.67x
Rutland 4 1.09x
Dunbartonshire 3 0.22x
Fife 3 0.10x
Flintshire 3 0.22x
Shropshire 3 0.07x
Monmouthshire 2 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.18x
Angus 1 0.02x
Isle of Man 1 0.11x
Nairnshire 1 0.66x
West Lothian 1 0.13x
Wiltshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Elland Cum Greetland in Yorkshire leads with 70 Kitchens recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.51x.

Place Total Index
Elland Cum Greetland 70 31.51x
Preston 67 4.24x
Dalton In Furness 56 24.57x
Bradford 50 4.19x
Halifax 50 6.91x
Leeds 50 1.80x
Heaton Norris 45 13.39x
Salford 42 2.42x
Whitehaven 41 17.95x
Barrow In Furness 40 4.98x
Lancaster 40 11.38x
Sithney 37 64.98x
Toxteth Park 35 1.75x
Charlbury 34 98.55x
Spalding 34 21.53x
West Derby 34 1.97x
Great Grimsby 33 6.53x
Egremont 31 30.34x
Great Bolton 31 3.96x
Ashton Under Lyne 30 2.32x
Ecclesall Bierlow 30 2.99x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 29 1.08x
Manchester 29 1.09x
Pudsey 28 10.62x
St Pancras London 28 0.70x
Almondbury 27 11.32x
Birmingham 27 0.65x
Bishopwearmouth 27 2.12x
Little Bolton 27 3.56x
Blackburn 26 1.65x
Hunslet 26 3.38x
Liverpool 26 0.72x
Manningham 26 4.28x
Accrington 25 4.66x
Bowling 25 5.12x
Sheffield 24 1.53x
Wortley In Bramley 24 6.14x
Camberwell 23 0.72x
Chapel Allerton 23 31.17x
Lambeth 22 0.51x
Southowram 22 14.62x
Chelsea London 21 1.40x
Hensingham 21 59.98x
Millom 21 15.99x
St George Hanover Square 21 2.39x
St Marylebone London 21 0.79x
Stockport 21 3.71x
Derby St Alkmund 20 8.56x
Everton 20 1.06x
Gedney 20 61.56x
Islington London 20 0.41x
Whitwell 20 64.54x
Hulme 19 1.54x
Hyde 19 5.86x
Weston 19 131.85x
Cheadle 18 8.58x
Chorlton On Medlock 18 1.92x
Fairfield 18 34.54x
Grantham 18 17.35x
Holy Trinity 18 1.52x
Oxford St Thomas 18 12.55x
Kildwick 17 37.85x
Rotherham 17 6.11x
Scarborough 17 3.79x
Wharton 17 28.41x
Barton Upon Irwell 16 3.60x
Blockley 16 43.54x
Clifton 16 238.81x
Portsea 16 0.80x
Shipley 16 6.25x
Clayton 15 12.43x
Eccleston In Prescot 15 5.06x
Headingley Cum Burley 15 4.72x
Kensington London 15 0.54x
Pennington In Leigh 15 13.24x
Somerby 15 165.56x
Arlecdon 14 12.29x
Clee With Weelsby 14 8.04x
Heap 14 4.47x
Stratford On Avon 14 20.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 376
Sarah 223
Elizabeth 212
Jane 118
Ann 108
Annie 76
Emma 74
Hannah 73
Margaret 70
Alice 68
Eliza 63
Ellen 52
Martha 41
Charlotte 40
Fanny 35
Edith 31
Emily 31
Harriet 30
Agnes 29
Ada 27
Isabella 27
Louisa 26
Frances 25
Clara 22
Florence 22
Maria 22
Esther 20
Anne 18
Catherine 18
Rebecca 17
Caroline 16
Eleanor 16
Amy 14
Ruth 13
Susan 13
Lucy 12
Susannah 11
Elizth. 10
Gertrude 10
Matilda 10
Grace 9
Harriett 9
Kate 9
Rachel 9
Lizzie 8
Nancy 8
Rose 8
Anna 7
Jessie 7
Mabel 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 333
John 331
Thomas 201
James 173
George 147
Joseph 124
Henry 94
Charles 73
Robert 71
Richard 43
Edward 41
Samuel 38
Arthur 37
Frederick 35
Alfred 30
Walter 28
Albert 25
Fred 23
Harry 21
Frank 15
Peter 15
Tom 15
Wm. 15
Benjamin 14
Ernest 13
Herbert 13
David 11
Geo. 11
Isaac 11
Thos. 11
Daniel 9
Jonathan 9
Edwin 8
Stephen 8
Anthony 7
Francis 6
Johnson 6
Squire 6
Alexander 5
Ben 5
Christopher 5
Philip 5
Ralph 5
Robt. 5
Willie 5
Willm. 5
Fredrick 4
Jesse 4
Levi 4
Moses 4

FAQ

Kitchen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kitchen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,115 people were recorded with the Kitchen surname. That placed it at #869 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kitchen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,281 in 2016. That gives Kitchen a modern rank of #1,280.

What does the Kitchen surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who worked in a kitchen or was a cook.

What does the Kitchen map show?

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