NameCensus.

UK surname

Madgett

A surname possibly derived from a diminutive of Matthew or from an English place name.

In the 1881 census there were 103 people recorded with the Madgett surname, ranking it #19,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 104, ranked #30,317, down from #19,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Anne Limehouse and St Mary Islington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mendip, Torbay and Chelmsford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Madgett is 135 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.0%.

1881 census count

103

Ranked #19,410

Modern count

104

2016, ranked #30,317

Peak year

1911

135 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Madgett had 103 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016, ranked #30,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 135 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Madgett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Madgett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Madgett 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 35 #27,037
1861 historical 74 #24,370
1881 historical 103 #19,410
1891 historical 123 #20,939
1901 historical 109 #21,712
1911 historical 135 #19,058
1997 modern 116 #24,688
1998 modern 118 #25,041
1999 modern 122 #24,745
2000 modern 124 #24,469
2001 modern 125 #24,011
2002 modern 119 #25,231
2003 modern 118 #25,146
2004 modern 119 #25,200
2005 modern 113 #25,974
2006 modern 106 #27,332
2007 modern 103 #28,187
2008 modern 99 #29,181
2009 modern 102 #29,286
2010 modern 104 #29,618
2011 modern 95 #30,877
2012 modern 103 #29,733
2013 modern 105 #29,916
2014 modern 106 #30,030
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 104 #30,317

Geography

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Where Madgetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Anne Limehouse, St Mary Islington, Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mendip, Torbay, Chelmsford, Longside and Rattray and Bexley. 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 London parishes London 3
2 St Anne Limehouse London (East Districts)
3 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
4 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mendip 009 Mendip
2 Torbay 010 Torbay
3 Chelmsford 015 Chelmsford
4 Longside and Rattray Aberdeenshire
5 Bexley 017 Bexley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Madgett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Madgett

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Madgett 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

Madgett is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Madgett falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Madgett 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Madgett

The surname Madgett is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "mad" meaning mad or insane, and "geat" meaning gate or opening. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a gate or entrance, or perhaps someone who was considered slightly eccentric or foolish.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, where a certain William Madgett is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were a record of financial accounts kept by the English Crown, indicating that the name was already in use by the 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1201, where a Robert Madgett is listed. These rolls were legal records kept by the royal court, further solidifying the presence of the name in medieval England.

The Madgett surname is also mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327, which were tax records compiled by the English government. This suggests that the name was well-established in various regions of the country by the 14th century.

One notable individual with the Madgett surname was John Madgett, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of York during the late 15th century. He was born around 1440 and served as Lord Mayor of York in 1487.

Another individual of note was Thomas Madgett, a renowned English clockmaker who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was born in 1668 and is credited with creating several intricate and highly-regarded clocks during his lifetime.

In the 19th century, a certain William Madgett made a name for himself as a celebrated painter. He was born in 1808 and is particularly known for his landscapes depicting rural English countryside scenes.

The Madgett surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Madgett's Farm in Northamptonshire and Madgett's Lane in Surrey. These locations likely derived their names from individuals bearing the Madgett surname who lived or owned property in those areas.

While less common today, the Madgett surname can still be found among families with roots in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire, Suffolk, and surrounding regions. Its rich history and unique origins continue to reflect the diverse linguistic and cultural influences that have shaped English surnames over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Madgett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Madgett 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. Norfolk leads with 37 Madgetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.95x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 37 23.95x
Middlesex 21 2.09x
Kent 12 3.50x
Lancashire 11 0.92x
Surrey 9 1.84x
Suffolk 6 4.90x
Cambridgeshire 5 7.86x
Essex 1 0.50x
Yorkshire 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. Norwich St Benedict in Norfolk leads with 14 Madgetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2028.99x.

Place Total Index
Norwich St Benedict 14 2028.99x
Diss 10 757.58x
Everton 8 21.05x
Gravesend 6 206.90x
Heigham 5 60.31x
Islington London 5 5.13x
Lambeth 5 5.71x
Newton 5 2000.00x
Roydon In Guiltcross 5 2380.95x
St Lawrence 4 169.49x
Bedingfield 3 2727.27x
Palgrave 3 1153.85x
Whitechapel London 3 30.30x
Wigan 3 18.01x
Fulham London 2 13.73x
Isleworth 2 44.74x
Kensington London 2 3.58x
Newington 2 5.39x
Norwich All Sts 2 1538.46x
Ratcliffe London 2 36.04x
St Clement Danes 2 122.70x
St George Hanover 2 15.26x
Camberwell 1 1.56x
Ealing 1 11.14x
Heslington St Paul 1 1250.00x
Hougham 1 49.02x
Lakenham 1 45.66x
Putney 1 21.83x
Ramsgate 1 17.86x
Romford 1 31.95x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Elizabeth 4
Sarah 4
Agnes 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Jane 2
Julia 2
Susan 2
A. 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Betsy 1
Florie 1
Frances 1
Helena 1
Jesse 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Martha 1
Maude 1
Sophia 1
Sousan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 6
William 5
George 4
Thomas 4
Arthur 3
Frederick 3
John 3
Stephen 3
Charles 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
A. 1
Alfred 1
Amos 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
James 1
Jessy 1
Joseph 1
Nicholas 1
Swootman 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Madgett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Madgett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 103 people were recorded with the Madgett surname. That placed it at #19,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Madgett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 104 in 2016. That gives Madgett a modern rank of #30,317.

What does the Madgett surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from a diminutive of Matthew or from an English place name.

What does the Madgett map show?

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