NameCensus.

UK surname

Kitson

Derived from a place name meaning "Kite's son" in Old English, referring to a person from Kidston.

In the 1881 census there were 2,390 people recorded with the Kitson surname, ranking it #1,869 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,810, ranked #2,404, down from #1,869 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, London parishes and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Calderdale, Bradford and Melton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kitson is 3,123 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.6%.

1881 census count

2,390

Ranked #1,869

Modern count

2,810

2016, ranked #2,404

Peak year

1911

3,123 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kitson had 2,390 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,869 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,810 in 2016, ranked #2,404.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,123 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Kitson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kitson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kitson 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 1,428 #2,012
1861 historical 1,027 #2,728
1881 historical 2,390 #1,869
1891 historical 2,221 #2,100
1901 historical 3,056 #1,833
1911 historical 3,123 #1,669
1997 modern 2,980 #2,172
1998 modern 3,038 #2,217
1999 modern 3,083 #2,197
2000 modern 3,040 #2,214
2001 modern 2,999 #2,198
2002 modern 3,016 #2,229
2003 modern 2,935 #2,234
2004 modern 2,928 #2,243
2005 modern 2,869 #2,263
2006 modern 2,876 #2,257
2007 modern 2,880 #2,275
2008 modern 2,852 #2,319
2009 modern 2,919 #2,322
2010 modern 2,955 #2,334
2011 modern 2,913 #2,337
2012 modern 2,881 #2,322
2013 modern 2,896 #2,349
2014 modern 2,896 #2,362
2015 modern 2,866 #2,356
2016 modern 2,810 #2,404

Geography

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Where Kitsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, London parishes, Batley, Wakefield and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Calderdale, Bradford, Melton and Glenwood South. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Calderdale 018 Calderdale
2 Bradford 047 Bradford
3 Calderdale 025 Calderdale
4 Melton 001 Melton
5 Glenwood South Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kitson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kitson

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Kitson is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Kitson 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

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

Meaning and origin of Kitson

The surname Kitson has its origins in England, tracing back to the late 11th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "cytteson," meaning "kitten's son" or "son of the kitten keeper." This patronymic surname was likely given to individuals whose occupation involved caring for kittens or cats.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror, there are several entries that may reference the earliest bearers of the Kitson surname. These include Kitteson, Kytteson, and Kittinson, which could be variations or precursors of the modern spelling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Kitson surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a certain Robert Kytesun is mentioned. This document provides evidence of the surname's existence in northern England during the 12th century.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Kitesone and Kytteson, as seen in historical records from Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. Variations in spelling were common during this period due to inconsistencies in record-keeping and regional dialects.

Sir Thomas Kitson (c. 1485-1540) was a notable bearer of the Kitson surname. He was a wealthy merchant and landowner from Hengrave, Suffolk, who served as Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk. His acquisition of the Hengrave estate in 1521 marked the family's rise to prominence.

Another notable individual was Sir Thomas Kitson (1605-1681), a descendant of the previous Sir Thomas Kitson. He was a member of the Long Parliament during the English Civil War and served as a colonel in the Parliamentarian army.

In the 18th century, the Kitson family established themselves as successful industrialists in Yorkshire. Richard Kitson (1703-1786) founded the Kitson & Company ironworks in Leeds, which later became a prominent engineering firm, producing locomotives and other machinery.

John Kitson (1777-1857), a descendant of Richard Kitson, continued the family's legacy in the ironworks business. He was also a prominent philanthropist and donated funds for the construction of churches and schools in the Leeds area.

James Kitson (1807-1889), another member of the Yorkshire Kitson family, was a successful engineer and industrialist. He played a pivotal role in the development of the railway industry, contributing to the design and construction of locomotives and rolling stock.

While the Kitson surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "cytteson" and the historical records of medieval England, where it first emerged as a patronymic surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kitson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kitson 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 1,260 Kitsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.45x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,260 5.45x
Middlesex 189 0.81x
Lancashire 149 0.54x
Suffolk 85 2.99x
Worcestershire 74 2.43x
Surrey 72 0.63x
Shropshire 68 3.37x
Staffordshire 55 0.70x
Devon 50 1.03x
Kent 39 0.49x
Essex 35 0.76x
Warwickshire 34 0.58x
Cambridgeshire 27 1.83x
Durham 26 0.37x
Derbyshire 24 0.66x
Herefordshire 19 1.99x
Lanarkshire 19 0.25x
Midlothian 19 0.61x
Buckinghamshire 18 1.28x
Leicestershire 15 0.58x
Aberdeenshire 14 0.65x
Cornwall 12 0.45x
Hampshire 12 0.25x
Cheshire 11 0.21x
Huntingdonshire 9 1.94x
Gloucestershire 8 0.17x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.22x
Banffshire 5 1.03x
Bedfordshire 5 0.41x
Dorset 5 0.33x
Ayrshire 4 0.23x
Perthshire 4 0.38x
Cumberland 3 0.15x
Isle of Man 3 0.69x
Angus 2 0.09x
Berkshire 2 0.11x
Cardiganshire 2 0.35x
Somerset 2 0.05x
Sussex 2 0.05x
Monmouthshire 1 0.06x
Norfolk 1 0.03x
Oxfordshire 1 0.07x
Royal Navy 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bradford in Yorkshire leads with 63 Kitsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.25x.

Place Total Index
Bradford 63 11.25x
Soothill 57 68.21x
Sheffield 56 7.60x
Huddersfield 54 16.02x
Dudley 49 13.22x
Yeadon 45 86.16x
Leeds 39 2.99x
Dewsbury 37 15.60x
Eccleshill 35 62.18x
Aston 33 2.04x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 32 38.09x
Ecclesfield 29 17.10x
St Pancras London 27 1.44x
Batley 26 11.83x
Halifax 26 7.66x
Wolverhampton 24 3.96x
Wortley In Bramley 24 13.10x
Bowling 23 10.04x
Ecclesall Bierlow 23 4.89x
Camberwell 22 1.48x
Manningham 21 7.37x
Southowram 21 29.75x
Hipperholme Cum 20 19.68x
Salford 20 2.46x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 19 22.99x
Hackney London 18 1.38x
Idle 18 16.78x
Shitlington 18 75.22x
Bramley In Bramley 17 19.20x
Greenwich 17 4.57x
Hunslet 17 4.71x
Coddenham 16 245.78x
Horton In Bradford 16 4.43x
Manchester 15 1.20x
Marr 15 1041.67x
Tormoham 15 7.30x
Bedingfield 14 528.30x
Headingley Cum Burley 14 9.40x
Lambeth 14 0.69x
Leiston 14 71.68x
Lower Whitley 14 448.72x
Shoreditch London 14 1.38x
Ashford 13 240.74x
Cawthorne In Wortley 13 139.19x
Northowram 13 8.01x
Skircoat 13 14.25x
Thornhill 13 19.26x
Walthamstow 13 7.84x
Lancaster 12 7.28x
Otley 12 21.36x
Wakefield 12 6.76x
Almondbury 11 9.83x
Elland Cum Greetland 11 10.56x
Great Driffield 11 23.17x
Hetton Le Hole 11 12.50x
Holy Trinity 11 1.98x
Oldham 11 1.23x
Cumberworth 10 84.89x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 10 37.91x
Mile End Old Town London 10 2.01x
Mirfield 10 7.87x
Poplar London 10 2.27x
Toxteth Park 10 1.07x
Willenhall 10 6.78x
Ardwick 9 3.60x
Bow London 9 3.03x
Brightside Bierlow 9 1.98x
Calverley Cum Farsley 9 13.70x
Castleford 9 10.68x
Farnhill 9 200.89x
Govan 9 0.48x
Great Eversden 9 418.60x
Heaton 9 36.22x
Heston 9 11.61x
Kirkheaton 9 23.99x
Lockwood 9 10.81x
Mendlesham 9 100.00x
Sandiacre 9 69.02x
Whitwood 9 27.39x
Worcester St Nicholas 9 62.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 172
Sarah 93
Elizabeth 77
Ann 54
Emma 48
Jane 41
Annie 34
Emily 32
Eliza 31
Ellen 29
Hannah 29
Clara 27
Alice 26
Harriet 24
Ada 22
Margaret 20
Martha 20
Edith 17
Frances 13
Louisa 13
Maria 13
Catherine 12
Florence 12
Caroline 10
Agnes 9
Amelia 9
Anne 9
Charlotte 9
Fanny 9
Kate 8
Ruth 8
Minnie 7
Eleanor 6
Harriett 6
Laura 6
Lilly 6
Sophia 6
Susannah 6
Amy 5
Beatrice 5
Elizth. 5
Henrietta 5
Susan 5
Betsy 4
Gertrude 4
Grace 4
Isabella 4
Jessie 4
Matilda 4
Rose 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 138
William 117
George 83
Thomas 71
James 50
Joseph 44
Henry 43
Charles 33
Arthur 32
Edward 30
Robert 25
Albert 22
Frederick 21
Walter 21
Alfred 20
Harry 19
Richard 19
Herbert 17
Benjamin 14
Fred 14
David 11
Samuel 10
Ernest 9
Francis 8
Joe 8
Thos. 8
Frank 7
Timothy 7
Daniel 6
Willie 6
Edwin 5
Joshua 5
Sam 5
Tom 5
Wm. 5
Geo. 4
Luke 4
Oliver 4
Abraham 3
Ben 3
Chas. 3
Harold 3
Isaac 3
Jno. 3
Percy 3
Reuben 3
Willm. 3
Charley 2
Mark 2
Noah 2

FAQ

Kitson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kitson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,390 people were recorded with the Kitson surname. That placed it at #1,869 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kitson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,810 in 2016. That gives Kitson a modern rank of #2,404.

What does the Kitson surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "Kite's son" in Old English, referring to a person from Kidston.

What does the Kitson map show?

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