NameCensus.

UK surname

Kot

A Polish surname derived from the word "kot" meaning "cat".

In the 1881 census there were 6 people recorded with the Kot surname, ranking it #32,926 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 350, ranked #13,152, up from #32,926 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Selby, Blackford, West Mains and Mayfield Road and Bridgend.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kot is 350 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5733.3%.

1881 census count

6

Ranked #32,926

Modern count

350

2016, ranked #13,152

Peak year

2016

350 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kot had 6 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,926 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 350 in 2016, ranked #13,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Kot surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kot surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kot 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 #33,412
1881 historical 6 #32,926
1997 modern 69 #30,712
1998 modern 74 #30,562
1999 modern 79 #30,243
2000 modern 79 #30,249
2001 modern 74 #30,600
2002 modern 78 #30,601
2003 modern 80 #30,425
2004 modern 90 #29,481
2005 modern 104 #27,369
2006 modern 146 #22,320
2007 modern 184 #19,485
2008 modern 209 #18,114
2009 modern 223 #17,735
2010 modern 221 #18,205
2011 modern 224 #17,891
2012 modern 265 #15,862
2013 modern 289 #15,142
2014 modern 311 #14,464
2015 modern 326 #13,898
2016 modern 350 #13,152

Geography

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Where Kots are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Selby, Blackford, West Mains and Mayfield Road, Bridgend, Croydon and Ealing. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Selby 008 Selby
2 Blackford, West Mains and Mayfield Road City of Edinburgh
3 Bridgend 005 Bridgend
4 Croydon 022 Croydon
5 Ealing 030 Ealing

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kot

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kot

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Kot surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Kot household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Kot is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Kot is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kot falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kot is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Kot

The surname KOT is believed to have originated in Poland, where it is a common last name. It is derived from the Polish word "kot," which means "cat." The name likely originated as a nickname for someone who had a cat-like appearance or behavior, or perhaps worked with cats in some capacity.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname KOT can be traced back to the 14th century in Polish historical records. The name appears in various documents and manuscripts from that time period, including church records and tax rolls.

One notable early bearer of the surname KOT was Jan Kot, a Polish nobleman who lived in the 15th century. He was a prominent figure in the court of King Casimir IV Jagiellon and owned large estates in the region of Greater Poland.

Another famous individual with the surname KOT was Stanisław Kot, a Polish historian and diplomat who lived from 1885 to 1975. He was a professor at the University of Krakow and served as the Polish ambassador to the Vatican from 1936 to 1939.

In the 16th century, the surname KOT was also found in various place names across Poland, such as the village of Kotowo, which means "place of cats" or "cat village." This suggests that the name was well-established and widespread by that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname KOT in a significant historical document is in the Akta Grodzkie, a collection of court records from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth dating back to the 15th century. The name appears multiple times in these records, indicating its presence among the nobility and gentry of the region.

Another notable bearer of the surname KOT was Feliks Kot, a Polish military officer who lived from 1885 to 1975. He fought in World War I and later became a brigadier general in the Polish Army during the interwar period.

While the surname KOT is most commonly associated with Poland, it has also been found in other Central and Eastern European countries, such as Ukraine and Belarus, likely due to migration and cultural exchange in the region over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kot families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kot 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. Lancashire leads with 5 Kots recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.21x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 5 7.21x
Glamorgan 1 9.83x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 5 Kots recorded in 1881 and an index of 118.76x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 5 118.76x
Cardiff St John 1 303.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Margt. 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 1
Robt. 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 Kot households.

Occupation Count
Scholar 4
Charwoman 1

FAQ

Kot surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kot surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6 people were recorded with the Kot surname. That placed it at #32,926 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kot surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 350 in 2016. That gives Kot a modern rank of #13,152.

What does the Kot surname mean?

A Polish surname derived from the word "kot" meaning "cat".

What does the Kot map show?

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