NameCensus.

UK surname

Lett

An English occupational surname referring to a tenant farmer leasing land from a landlord.

In the 1881 census there were 404 people recorded with the Lett surname, ranking it #7,919 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 534, ranked #9,515, down from #7,919 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Olney, Lavendon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Milton Keynes, West Berkshire and Thanet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lett is 592 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.2%.

1881 census count

404

Ranked #7,919

Modern count

534

2016, ranked #9,515

Peak year

1998

592 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lett had 404 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,919 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 534 in 2016, ranked #9,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 572 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lett 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 280 #8,043
1861 historical 286 #8,793
1881 historical 404 #7,919
1891 historical 434 #8,290
1901 historical 541 #7,611
1911 historical 572 #7,089
1997 modern 574 #8,398
1998 modern 592 #8,470
1999 modern 581 #8,622
2000 modern 570 #8,700
2001 modern 561 #8,672
2002 modern 577 #8,664
2003 modern 561 #8,711
2004 modern 546 #8,906
2005 modern 538 #8,933
2006 modern 531 #9,063
2007 modern 541 #9,006
2008 modern 539 #9,098
2009 modern 545 #9,238
2010 modern 538 #9,523
2011 modern 541 #9,400
2012 modern 522 #9,575
2013 modern 543 #9,432
2014 modern 543 #9,497
2015 modern 532 #9,567
2016 modern 534 #9,515

Geography

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Where Letts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Olney, Lavendon and Emberton, Hardmead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Milton Keynes, West Berkshire, Thanet and Lichfield. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Olney, Lavendon Buckinghamshire
4 Emberton, Hardmead Buckinghamshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Milton Keynes 001 Milton Keynes
2 West Berkshire 007 West Berkshire
3 Milton Keynes 002 Milton Keynes
4 Thanet 007 Thanet
5 Lichfield 007 Lichfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lett

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Lett is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lett 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

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

Meaning and origin of Lett

The surname Lett is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Lincolnshire, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "laet," which means "tenant farmer" or "peasant."

In the Domesday Book, a survey of land and property conducted in 1086 on the orders of William the Conqueror, there are several references to individuals bearing the surname Lett or similar spellings such as Lette or Latt. One notable entry is that of a certain Godric Lette, who held land in the village of Theddlethorpe, Lincolnshire.

The earliest recorded example of the surname Lett can be traced back to the 13th century, with a John le Lette mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. The prefix "le" was a common addition to surnames during that time, indicating the person's occupation or place of origin.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including Lette, Latt, and Lett, as evidenced by records from the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a Robert Lette was mentioned in 1317.

One notable figure with the surname Lett was William Lett (1572-1629), an English clergyman and author who served as the Bishop of Norwich and later as the Bishop of Ely. He was known for his religious writings and sermons.

Another notable individual was Sir John Lett (1718-1789), a British naval officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Prince Edward Island from 1786 to 1789.

In the 19th century, Joseph Lett (1820-1902) was a prominent Irish antiquarian and naturalist known for his contributions to the study of Irish archaeology and natural history.

The surname Lett was also associated with the place name Letton, a village in Herefordshire, England. The name Letton is derived from the Old English words "laet" and "tun," meaning "the farm or settlement of the tenant farmers."

Overall, the surname Lett has a long and rich history, with its origins deeply rooted in the medieval English countryside and the lives of tenant farmers and peasants who worked the land.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lett 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 60 Letts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.30x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 60 1.30x
Buckinghamshire 50 21.30x
Middlesex 47 1.21x
Warwickshire 43 4.39x
Surrey 26 1.37x
Yorkshire 24 0.62x
Bedfordshire 18 8.95x
Cumberland 18 5.39x
Oxfordshire 18 7.51x
Kent 17 1.28x
Worcestershire 17 3.35x
Staffordshire 13 0.99x
Gloucestershire 7 0.92x
Lincolnshire 7 1.13x
Somerset 7 1.12x
Cambridgeshire 5 2.03x
Dorset 5 1.96x
Northamptonshire 4 1.10x
Cheshire 3 0.35x
Essex 3 0.39x
Midlothian 2 0.38x
Berkshire 1 0.34x
Devon 1 0.12x
Hampshire 1 0.13x
Sussex 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Emberton in Buckinghamshire leads with 29 Letts recorded in 1881 and an index of 3372.09x.

Place Total Index
Emberton 29 3372.09x
Aston 20 7.42x
Birmingham 17 5.21x
Castleton 15 32.60x
Liverpool 13 4.65x
St Pancras London 13 4.16x
Bilston 12 47.24x
Bedford St Paul 9 65.26x
Olney 9 276.92x
Dudley 8 12.98x
Hulme 8 8.32x
Salford 8 5.90x
Souldern 8 1290.32x
St Marylebone London 8 3.86x
Woolwich 8 16.35x
Deptford St Paul 7 6.85x
Lambeth 7 2.07x
Leckhampton 7 149.25x
Chelsea London 6 5.13x
Foston 6 4615.38x
Kenilworth 6 108.70x
Pitminster 6 326.09x
Scampston 6 1875.00x
Shirburn 6 1428.57x
Uldale 6 1764.71x
Waddingham 6 631.58x
Ampthill 5 166.67x
Burnham 5 167.22x
Linthorpe 5 21.78x
Lorton 5 943.40x
Rotherhithe 5 10.42x
Whitehaven 5 28.06x
Aylesbury 4 38.46x
Bedford St Peter 4 76.63x
Bradpole 4 191.39x
Everton 4 2.72x
Northampton Priory St 4 18.26x
Shoreditch London 4 2.38x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 5.12x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 8.20x
Chaddesley Corbett 3 157.89x
Chinnor 3 180.72x
Hyde 3 11.86x
Otley 3 32.12x
Putney 3 16.96x
Southwark Christchurch 3 16.49x
St Botolph Cambridge 3 476.19x
Camberwell 2 0.81x
Carnforth 2 79.05x
Edinburgh Canongate 2 15.11x
Hackney London 2 0.92x
Hambleden 2 99.50x
Kensington London 2 0.93x
Kirkdale 2 2.58x
Leyton 2 15.15x
Rushock 2 800.00x
Toxteth Park 2 1.28x
Whitechapel London 2 5.23x
Blandford Forum 1 19.88x
Caterham 1 11.96x
Cheriton 1 18.52x
Devonport 1 10.76x
East Grinstead 1 10.79x
Fritwell 1 133.33x
Glastonbury 1 19.61x
Great Coggeshall 1 25.06x
Great Driffield 1 12.67x
Heston 1 7.76x
Islington London 1 0.27x
Lancaster 1 3.65x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.21x
Ombersley 1 35.46x
Reading St Mary 1 4.28x
St Andrewthe Less 1 3.56x
St Marythe Less 1 66.67x
Stretford 1 3.95x
Warblington 1 31.65x
West Ayton 1 163.93x
West Derby 1 0.74x
Westminster St John 1 2.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 23
Mary 21
Elizabeth 14
Ann 9
Emma 9
Eliza 8
Edith 6
Annie 5
Ethel 5
Harriet 5
Kate 5
Amelia 4
Charlotte 4
Emily 4
Martha 4
Clara 3
Hannah 3
Margaret 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Ellen 2
Emilie 2
Gertrude 2
Jane 2
Lilly 2
Louisa 2
Rebecca 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Anastasia 1
Bettuah 1
Caroline 1
Eleanor 1
Evelyn 1
Flora 1
Florry 1
Frances 1
Isabella 1
Julia 1
Kathleen 1
Laura 1
Leonora 1
Lilian 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Matilda 1
Norah 1
Rose 1
S. 1
Witham 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 27
John 19
Henry 15
George 12
Richard 11
Charles 10
James 10
Thomas 10
Joseph 8
Robert 7
Arthur 6
Edward 6
Frederick 6
Samuel 6
Francis 5
Harry 5
Alfred 4
Herbert 4
Ernest 2
Frederic 2
Job 2
Louis 2
Nicholas 2
C. 1
Edgar 1
Emanuel 1
Emmanuel 1
Evans 1
Fenwick 1
Frank 1
H. 1
Harold 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
Icaac 1
Jeremiah 1
Jesse 1
Jos. 1
Manuel 1
Newton 1
Noah 1
Radie 1
Ralph 1
S. 1
Simeon 1
Stafford 1
Stephen 1
Tom 1
W. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Lett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 404 people were recorded with the Lett surname. That placed it at #7,919 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 534 in 2016. That gives Lett a modern rank of #9,515.

What does the Lett surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a tenant farmer leasing land from a landlord.

What does the Lett map show?

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