NameCensus.

UK surname

Kittle

Derived from Middle English "kitel," referring to a maker or seller of kettles or cauldrons.

In the 1881 census there were 327 people recorded with the Kittle surname, ranking it #9,147 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 379, ranked #12,371, down from #9,147 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Caistor next Yarmouth, London parishes and Great Yarmouth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kittle is 456 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.9%.

1881 census count

327

Ranked #9,147

Modern count

379

2016, ranked #12,371

Peak year

1911

456 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kittle had 327 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,147 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 379 in 2016, ranked #12,371.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 456 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Kittle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kittle surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kittle 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 301 #7,626
1861 historical 324 #7,860
1881 historical 327 #9,147
1891 historical 374 #9,343
1901 historical 386 #9,708
1911 historical 456 #8,409
1997 modern 396 #11,086
1998 modern 411 #11,122
1999 modern 412 #11,203
2000 modern 400 #11,402
2001 modern 381 #11,637
2002 modern 389 #11,667
2003 modern 383 #11,614
2004 modern 380 #11,717
2005 modern 385 #11,512
2006 modern 375 #11,796
2007 modern 379 #11,854
2008 modern 386 #11,795
2009 modern 394 #11,859
2010 modern 400 #11,992
2011 modern 391 #12,062
2012 modern 372 #12,374
2013 modern 379 #12,399
2014 modern 377 #12,535
2015 modern 375 #12,470
2016 modern 379 #12,371

Geography

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Where Kittles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Caistor next Yarmouth, London parishes, Great Yarmouth, Dagenham and Romford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, Great Yarmouth, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Plymouth and South Norfolk. 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 Caistor next Yarmouth Norfolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Great Yarmouth Norfolk
4 Dagenham Essex
5 Romford Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 014 North Norfolk
2 Great Yarmouth 001 Great Yarmouth
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 004 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 Plymouth 019 Plymouth
5 South Norfolk 006 South Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kittle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kittle

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

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Kittle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Kittle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

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, Kittle 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

Kittle is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kittle falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Kittle

The surname Kittle originated in England, deriving from the Old English word "cytel," which means "kite" or a small hawk. It is believed to have been an occupational surname given to a person who worked as a keeper of hawks or falcons, also known as a kyteler or kiteler.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273 as Richard le Kiteler. This suggests that the name was already in use during this time period, potentially even earlier.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various forms, including Kitteler, Kyteler, and Kytteler, reflecting the different spellings and pronunciations of the time. It was particularly prevalent in counties such as Huntingdonshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire.

One notable historical figure bearing the name was Alice Kyteler, an Irish woman from the early 14th century who was accused of witchcraft and heresy. Her trial in 1324 garnered significant attention and became one of the earliest known instances of witchcraft accusations in medieval Europe.

In the 16th century, the surname Kittle began to appear more frequently in records, such as the Parish Registers of Buckinghamshire, where the name was recorded as Kyttle. During this period, the name also had variations like Kittell and Kittle.

Notable individuals with the surname Kittle include John Kittle (1638-1702), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Regius Professor of Greek at the University of Oxford. Another was William Kittle (1765-1841), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Ohio.

Samuel Kittle (1804-1884) was a prominent American industrialist and inventor who established the Kittle Iron Works in Philadelphia, contributing significantly to the development of the iron industry in the United States.

In the 19th century, James Kittle (1835-1909) was a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria and played a role in the formation of the Australian Labor Party.

More recently, George Kittle (born 1993) is an American football player who currently plays as a tight end for the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kittle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kittle 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 68 Kittles recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.13x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 68 2.13x
Norfolk 45 9.17x
Kent 43 3.95x
Devon 37 5.57x
Essex 30 4.76x
Suffolk 27 6.95x
Surrey 23 1.48x
Pembrokeshire 9 8.88x
Glamorgan 7 1.26x
Lancashire 7 0.18x
Cambridgeshire 6 2.97x
Hertfordshire 4 1.82x
Yorkshire 4 0.13x
Hampshire 3 0.46x
Leicestershire 3 0.85x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.70x
Durham 2 0.21x
Derbyshire 1 0.20x
Northumberland 1 0.21x
Somerset 1 0.19x
Staffordshire 1 0.09x
Sussex 1 0.19x
Wiltshire 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Caistor Next Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 19 Kittles recorded in 1881 and an index of 1098.27x.

Place Total Index
Caistor Next Yarmouth 19 1098.27x
Colaton Raleigh 18 2195.12x
West Moulsey 14 1944.44x
Dymchurch 11 1833.33x
Minster In Sheppey 11 61.01x
Plymouth Charles The 10 34.19x
Somerleyton 10 1538.46x
Ellough 9 5294.12x
Great Yarmouth 9 22.15x
Heston 9 84.99x
Ightham 9 656.93x
Pembroke St Mary 9 68.97x
Mile End Old Town London 8 11.78x
Willesden 8 26.60x
Mile End 7 608.70x
Shoreditch London 7 5.06x
Fulham London 6 12.97x
Heigham 6 22.80x
Hildersham 6 2222.22x
Liverpool 6 2.61x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 11.73x
Romford 6 60.30x
Bromley London 5 7.12x
Stoke By Nayland 5 396.83x
Edmonton 4 15.56x
Gelligaer 4 31.55x
Norwich St James 4 103.90x
Rollesby 4 655.74x
St Osyth 4 261.44x
Bradford Girlington 3 212.77x
Colchester St Martin 3 260.87x
Deptford St Paul 3 3.57x
Elmstead 3 297.03x
Greenwich 3 5.91x
Limehouse London 3 8.57x
Normanton On Soar 3 857.14x
Southwark St Saviour 3 18.30x
St George In East London 3 10.00x
Walthamstow 3 13.24x
Battersea 2 1.70x
Bengeo 2 78.43x
Camberwell 2 0.98x
Colyton 2 78.43x
Dover St Mary Virgin 2 18.99x
Lound 2 416.67x
Paddington London 2 1.71x
Penarth 2 36.83x
Saxby 2 1538.46x
Sittingbourne 2 23.28x
Southampton St Mary 2 4.87x
St George Hanover Square 2 3.56x
Thornley 2 58.31x
Tottenham 2 3.94x
Alverstoke 1 4.22x
Barking 1 5.43x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.72x
Brighton 1 0.92x
Bruton 1 49.51x
Cobham 1 39.22x
Corringham 1 212.77x
East Molesey 1 27.70x
Enfield 1 4.78x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 6.79x
Kirby Le Soken 1 109.89x
Lowestoft 1 5.45x
Manningham 1 2.57x
Nailstone 1 125.00x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 4.07x
Ramsgate 1 5.63x
Ratcliffe London 1 5.68x
Scoulton 1 277.78x
St Albans 1 22.17x
St Marylebone London 1 0.59x
St Pancras London 1 0.39x
Swindon 1 4.57x
Tendring 1 107.53x
Uxbridge 1 27.47x
Wilmington 1 65.79x
Winshill 1 31.45x
Wolverhampton 1 1.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 20
William 16
George 15
James 12
Robert 10
Henry 8
Charles 7
Thomas 7
Joseph 6
Richard 6
Walter 6
Arthur 4
Albert 3
Harry 3
Ambrose 2
Daniel 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Fredk. 2
Robt.J. 2
Samuel 2
Willam 2
Adam 1
Albt.J. 1
Alfred 1
Benjiman 1
Carey 1
Christmas 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Fredk.Ernest 1
Harvey 1
Herbert 1
Herman 1
Ivan 1
Jacob 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Lancelot 1
Lewis 1
Percy 1
S. 1
Seymour 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Kittle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kittle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 327 people were recorded with the Kittle surname. That placed it at #9,147 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kittle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 379 in 2016. That gives Kittle a modern rank of #12,371.

What does the Kittle surname mean?

Derived from Middle English "kitel," referring to a maker or seller of kettles or cauldrons.

What does the Kittle map show?

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