NameCensus.

UK surname

Matts

A surname derived from the given name Matthew, meaning "gift of God".

In the 1881 census there were 200 people recorded with the Matts surname, ranking it #12,836 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 398, ranked #11,924, up from #12,836 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Nuneaton, Dean and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Drumoyne and Shieldhall, Shropshire and Daventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Matts is 408 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 99.0%.

1881 census count

200

Ranked #12,836

Modern count

398

2016, ranked #11,924

Peak year

2010

408 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Matts had 200 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,836 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 398 in 2016, ranked #11,924.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 315 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Matts surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Matts surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Matts 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 192 #10,756
1861 historical 237 #10,359
1881 historical 200 #12,836
1891 historical 267 #12,136
1901 historical 298 #11,695
1911 historical 315 #11,050
1997 modern 353 #12,096
1998 modern 369 #12,077
1999 modern 385 #11,771
2000 modern 380 #11,837
2001 modern 368 #11,952
2002 modern 371 #12,096
2003 modern 364 #12,068
2004 modern 368 #12,001
2005 modern 359 #12,143
2006 modern 362 #12,151
2007 modern 377 #11,900
2008 modern 381 #11,918
2009 modern 387 #12,021
2010 modern 408 #11,804
2011 modern 407 #11,709
2012 modern 401 #11,699
2013 modern 391 #12,123
2014 modern 402 #11,949
2015 modern 389 #12,165
2016 modern 398 #11,924

Geography

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Where Matts' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Nuneaton, Dean, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Aylestone and Markfield, Charley, Newton Linford, Broadgate. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Drumoyne and Shieldhall, Shropshire, Daventry and Nuneaton and Bedworth. 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 Nuneaton Warwickshire
2 Dean Lancashire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Aylestone Leicestershire
5 Markfield, Charley, Newton Linford, Broadgate Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Drumoyne and Shieldhall Glasgow City
2 Shropshire 035 Shropshire
3 Daventry 002 Daventry
4 Nuneaton and Bedworth 002 Nuneaton and Bedworth
5 Nuneaton and Bedworth 009 Nuneaton and Bedworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Matts

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Matts

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Matts, 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 Matts surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Matts 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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Matts 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

Matts is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Matts falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Matts

The surname Matts has its roots in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a patronymic name, derived from the personal name Matthew, which means "gift of God" in Hebrew. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century.

One of the earliest known references to the Matts surname is in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like record from 1273. This document lists a Robert Matte, suggesting that the name had already been established by that time. In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Matte, Matts, and Mattes, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling during that era.

The Matts surname has strong ties to several regions in England, particularly Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. It is thought to have originated in these areas and later spread to other parts of the country. Some notable historical figures bearing the Matts surname include:

1. Sir John Matts (c. 1480-1545), an English politician and landowner who served as Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire during the reign of Henry VIII.

2. Robert Matts (c. 1550-1619), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of York, known for his involvement in local governance and trade.

3. Elizabeth Matts (c. 1620-1680), a landowner and philanthropist from Lincolnshire, who bequeathed a significant portion of her estate to establish a school for underprivileged children in her hometown.

4. William Matts (1745-1823), a notable agriculturalist from Yorkshire who pioneered innovative farming techniques and contributed to the improvement of crop yields in the region.

5. Charlotte Matts (1789-1866), a writer and poet from Nottinghamshire, whose work often explored themes of nature and rural life in England.

While the Matts surname is not among the most common in England, it has persisted through the centuries and continues to be associated with the country's rich historical heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Matts families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Matts 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. Leicestershire leads with 87 Matts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.25x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 87 41.25x
Warwickshire 57 11.88x
Lancashire 38 1.68x
Middlesex 4 0.21x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.74x
Cheshire 2 0.48x
Staffordshire 2 0.31x
Essex 1 0.27x
Glamorgan 1 0.30x
Surrey 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Atherstone in Warwickshire leads with 33 Matts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1346.94x.

Place Total Index
Atherstone 33 1346.94x
Leicester St Margaret 26 50.55x
Little Hulton 12 320.86x
Birmingham 11 6.88x
Anstey 10 1204.82x
Aylestone 10 602.41x
Gaddesby 8 5000.00x
Manchester 7 6.90x
Newtown Linford 7 2187.50x
Oadby 6 530.97x
Aston 5 3.79x
Farnworth 5 36.98x
Ibstock 5 326.80x
Nuneaton 5 89.93x
Ratby 5 471.70x
Tonge 5 105.49x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 4 61.54x
Worsley 4 28.76x
Cropston 3 3333.33x
Chalfont St Peter 2 210.53x
Kegworth 2 142.86x
Monks Coppenhall 2 12.63x
Walsall Foreign 2 6.03x
Alkrington 1 400.00x
Ashby Folville 1 1111.11x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.21x
Coventry St Michael 1 6.49x
Edgbaston 1 6.72x
Hugglescote 1 32.26x
Islington London 1 0.54x
Mancetter 1 72.46x
Newton Harcourt 1 833.33x
South Weald 1 31.06x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.61x
St Botolph Aldgate 1 38.46x
St George In East 1 7.73x
St John Near Swansea 1 24.39x
Swithland 1 625.00x
Whitherley 1 294.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 15
Mary 11
Hannah 7
Louisa 5
Ann 4
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Alice 3
Elizabeth 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Charlotte 2
Eleanor 2
Eliza 2
Fanny 2
Jane 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Agnes 1
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Belinda 1
Betsy 1
Betty 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Elizth.A. 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Lilly 1
Lottie 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Maggie 1
Margarriet 1
Martha 1
Medoline 1
Minnie 1
Nancy 1
Selina 1
Susan 1
Susanah 1
Susannah 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Matts surname: questions and answers

How common was the Matts surname in 1881?

In 1881, 200 people were recorded with the Matts surname. That placed it at #12,836 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Matts surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 398 in 2016. That gives Matts a modern rank of #11,924.

What does the Matts surname mean?

A surname derived from the given name Matthew, meaning "gift of God".

What does the Matts map show?

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