NameCensus.

UK surname

Kyte

A Scottish surname originating as a nickname for a high-spirited or fiery person.

In the 1881 census there were 514 people recorded with the Kyte surname, ranking it #6,635 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,278, ranked #4,681, up from #6,635 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tilshead, London parishes and Normanton, South. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Chichester and Cherwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kyte is 1,373 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 148.6%.

1881 census count

514

Ranked #6,635

Modern count

1,278

2016, ranked #4,681

Peak year

1999

1,373 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kyte had 514 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,635 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,278 in 2016, ranked #4,681.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,063 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Kyte surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kyte surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Kyte 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 266 #8,373
1861 historical 194 #12,310
1881 historical 514 #6,635
1891 historical 643 #6,038
1901 historical 913 #5,087
1911 historical 1,063 #4,351
1997 modern 1,291 #4,417
1998 modern 1,346 #4,422
1999 modern 1,373 #4,378
2000 modern 1,343 #4,442
2001 modern 1,326 #4,415
2002 modern 1,338 #4,470
2003 modern 1,290 #4,516
2004 modern 1,298 #4,490
2005 modern 1,249 #4,607
2006 modern 1,246 #4,623
2007 modern 1,293 #4,505
2008 modern 1,292 #4,535
2009 modern 1,297 #4,618
2010 modern 1,320 #4,638
2011 modern 1,318 #4,581
2012 modern 1,279 #4,642
2013 modern 1,310 #4,625
2014 modern 1,327 #4,594
2015 modern 1,299 #4,637
2016 modern 1,278 #4,681

Geography

Back to top

Where Kytes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tilshead, London parishes, Normanton, South, East and West Lavington and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Chichester, Cherwell, Malvern Hills and Rotherham. 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 Tilshead Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Normanton, South Nottinghamshire
4 East and West Lavington Wiltshire
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 034 Wiltshire
2 Chichester 013 Chichester
3 Cherwell 010 Cherwell
4 Malvern Hills 009 Malvern Hills
5 Rotherham 009 Rotherham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Kyte

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Kyte

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Kyte is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kyte is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kyte falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Kyte

The surname KYTE is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is believed to be a toponymic name, derived from the Old English words "cyte" or "cyte-mann," meaning "a cottage-dweller" or "a cottager." The name likely originated in areas where there were small hamlets or settlements with cottages, such as in the counties of Kent, Surrey, and Sussex.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname KYTE can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, where a Thomas Kyte is mentioned. Another early record is from the Pipe Rolls of Berkshire in 1327, which lists a John Kyte as a taxpayer.

The name KYTE also appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1439, where a Richard Kyte is recorded as owning land in the village of Birch. This suggests that the name may have been associated with landowners and yeomen during that period.

In the 16th century, the surname KYTE is found in various parish records and manorial documents across southern England. For example, in 1562, a Thomas Kyte was recorded as a witness to a will in the parish of Betchworth, Surrey.

One notable individual with the surname KYTE was Thomas Kyte (c. 1550-1624), an English divine and theologian who served as the Dean of Arches and the Master of Christ's College, Cambridge. Another was Robert Kyte (1687-1753), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

In the 17th century, the KYTE surname is found in various parts of England, including London, where a John Kyte was listed as a merchant in the city's records in 1621. Another notable individual was Captain William Kyte (1635-1696), an English naval officer who served during the Anglo-Dutch Wars and is mentioned in Samuel Pepys' famous diary.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the KYTE surname continued to be found across England, with many families residing in the counties of Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. One notable figure from this period was William Kyte (1770-1844), an English landscape painter who specialized in depicting rural scenes and coastal views.

Throughout its history, the surname KYTE has been subject to various spelling variations, such as Kite, Kight, and Kighte, reflecting regional dialects and changes in pronunciation over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Kyte families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kyte 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. Wiltshire leads with 75 Kytes recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.08x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 75 17.08x
Warwickshire 65 5.19x
Derbyshire 42 5.40x
Lancashire 42 0.71x
Middlesex 38 0.77x
Oxfordshire 26 8.48x
Surrey 25 1.03x
Shropshire 24 5.59x
Staffordshire 21 1.25x
Herefordshire 17 8.35x
Hampshire 16 1.57x
Berkshire 15 4.02x
Glamorgan 15 1.74x
Gloucestershire 15 1.54x
Monmouthshire 13 3.62x
Sussex 10 1.19x
Worcestershire 10 1.54x
Leicestershire 9 1.63x
Somerset 9 1.13x
Yorkshire 7 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.60x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.67x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.64x
Devon 2 0.19x
Kent 2 0.12x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Cornwall 1 0.18x
Essex 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Market Lavington in Wiltshire leads with 26 Kytes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1092.44x.

Place Total Index
Market Lavington 26 1092.44x
Tilshead 25 3086.42x
Epwell 24 5454.55x
South Normanton 17 311.36x
Battersea 14 7.66x
Astley Abbotts 13 1226.42x
Habergham Eaves 13 24.14x
Smalley 12 863.31x
Cardiff St Mary 10 21.00x
Wootton Wawen 10 253.81x
Brighton 9 5.33x
Monmouth 9 94.54x
Portsea 9 4.51x
Sandhurst 9 124.65x
Durnford 8 1052.63x
Ince In Makerfield 8 29.19x
Newington 8 4.36x
Alcester 7 169.49x
Aston 7 2.03x
Badsey 7 714.29x
Bilston 7 21.55x
Claverdon 7 714.29x
Clerkenwell London 7 5.97x
Leamington 7 84.34x
Manchester 7 2.64x
Bath St James 6 71.94x
Belgrave 6 48.31x
Holmer 6 163.49x
Huntington In Kington 6 1363.64x
Acton 5 17.18x
Hackney London 5 1.80x
Islington London 5 1.04x
Rugeley 5 41.56x
South Stoneham 5 22.64x
Wellesbourne Hastings 5 423.73x
Wilsford 5 793.65x
Winchcomb 5 103.52x
Bearley 4 1081.08x
Brinsworth 4 175.44x
Morville 4 1739.13x
St George Hanover Square 4 4.57x
St Pancras London 4 1.00x
Whalley 4 46.57x
Wolstanton Knutton 4 39.10x
Alfreton 3 12.70x
Birmingham 3 0.72x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 3.27x
Cardiff St John 3 10.62x
Heage 3 72.99x
Higham On The Hill 3 389.61x
Liverpool 3 0.84x
Newbold Pacey 3 468.75x
Nottingham St Mary 3 1.73x
Portskewett 3 361.45x
Ratlinghope 3 652.17x
Reading St Mary 3 10.05x
Staunton On Wye 3 333.33x
West Lavington 3 142.18x
Wolverhampton 3 2.33x
Alvaston 2 90.50x
Bedminster 2 2.66x
Bourton 2 416.67x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 6.16x
Cowley 2 20.90x
Curdworth 2 173.91x
Gorton 2 3.61x
Hailes 2 2000.00x
Haselor 2 344.83x
Kensington London 2 0.72x
Maddington 2 289.86x
Paddington London 2 1.10x
Plumstead 2 3.54x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 2.51x
Shrewsbury Holy Cross 2 42.19x
Shrewton 2 173.91x
Stanley 2 138.89x
Tottenham 2 2.53x
Tredington 2 112.99x
Wimbledon 2 7.36x
Wood Ditton 2 76.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 32
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 15
Jane 12
Annie 9
Emily 9
Alice 8
Ellen 8
Maria 8
Ann 7
Hannah 6
Louisa 6
Martha 6
Florence 5
Harriet 5
Caroline 4
Eliza 4
Fanny 4
Margaret 4
Agnes 3
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Clara 3
Edith 3
Emma 3
Gertrude 3
Isabella 3
Selina 3
Ada 2
Daisy 2
Kate 2
Margrett 2
Matilda 2
Theresa 2
Annael 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
C.K. 1
Eleanor 1
Elsie 1
Emila 1
Esther 1
Evelyn 1
Henrietta 1
Infant 1
Jennet 1
Laura 1
Lillian 1
Lois 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 34
John 28
Charles 22
Thomas 19
James 18
George 14
Henry 13
Joseph 7
Arthur 6
Edward 6
Walter 6
Harry 5
Robert 5
Samuel 5
Albert 4
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Alfred 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Stephen 3
Abraham 2
Frederick 2
Jesse 2
Percy 2
Benjn. 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Decimus 1
Edmund 1
Edwyn 1
Eli 1
Elias 1
Enoch 1
Enos 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Henery 1
Hezekiah 1
Jacob 1
Job 1
Jonah 1
Louis 1
Osmond 1
Reuben 1
Richd.Jas. 1
Roland 1
Sidney 1
Silas 1

FAQ

Kyte surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kyte surname in 1881?

In 1881, 514 people were recorded with the Kyte surname. That placed it at #6,635 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kyte surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,278 in 2016. That gives Kyte a modern rank of #4,681.

What does the Kyte surname mean?

A Scottish surname originating as a nickname for a high-spirited or fiery person.

What does the Kyte map show?

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