NameCensus.

UK surname

Niblett

An English diminutive surname derived from the Middle English word "neb" meaning "beak" or "nose".

In the 1881 census there were 887 people recorded with the Niblett surname, ranking it #4,286 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,195, ranked #4,987, down from #4,286 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, and East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wychavon, Stroud and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Niblett is 1,318 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.7%.

1881 census count

887

Ranked #4,286

Modern count

1,195

2016, ranked #4,987

Peak year

2000

1,318 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Niblett had 887 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,286 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,195 in 2016, ranked #4,987.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,220 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Niblett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Niblett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Niblett 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 603 #4,262
1861 historical 506 #5,174
1881 historical 887 #4,286
1891 historical 860 #4,765
1901 historical 1,112 #4,348
1911 historical 1,220 #3,872
1997 modern 1,253 #4,547
1998 modern 1,292 #4,599
1999 modern 1,315 #4,556
2000 modern 1,318 #4,511
2001 modern 1,286 #4,525
2002 modern 1,311 #4,539
2003 modern 1,262 #4,609
2004 modern 1,263 #4,603
2005 modern 1,217 #4,701
2006 modern 1,251 #4,604
2007 modern 1,252 #4,647
2008 modern 1,270 #4,599
2009 modern 1,276 #4,694
2010 modern 1,282 #4,756
2011 modern 1,262 #4,780
2012 modern 1,215 #4,861
2013 modern 1,237 #4,867
2014 modern 1,237 #4,879
2015 modern 1,218 #4,901
2016 modern 1,195 #4,987

Geography

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Where Nibletts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H, Cardiff St John and St Mary and Cheltenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wychavon, Stroud and The Vale of Glamorgan. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
3 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire
4 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
5 Cheltenham Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wychavon 014 Wychavon
2 Stroud 004 Stroud
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 012 Vale of Glamorgan
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 013 Vale of Glamorgan
5 Stroud 009 Stroud

Forenames

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First names often paired with Niblett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Niblett

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Niblett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Niblett household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Niblett 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

Niblett 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

Niblett falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Niblett

The surname Niblett is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "nibbe," meaning "a promontory" or "a headland." It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century as a toponymic surname, referring to someone who lived near a prominent headland or cliff.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which mentions a William de Nybbyng. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also include a reference to a John Nybbyngg.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, including Nibbinge, Nybbynge, and Nybbyngge, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common during that time. The surname is thought to have originated in the counties of Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, and Gloucestershire, where some of the earliest records of the name have been found.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Niblett (1575-1651), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the early 17th century. He played a significant role in the English Civil War and was a supporter of the Parliamentarian cause.

Another historical figure was Thomas Niblett (1737-1795), an English mathematician and astronomer. He made contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and published several works on mathematics and astronomy.

In the 19th century, Edward Niblett (1812-1886) was a prominent English architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

William Niblett (1834-1898) was a British engineer and inventor who patented several improvements to steam engines and other industrial machinery.

The surname Niblett can also be found in historical records from places like Nibleybright in Gloucestershire, which may have contributed to the development of the surname in that region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Niblett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Niblett 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. Gloucestershire leads with 352 Nibletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.65x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 352 20.65x
Surrey 64 1.51x
Middlesex 58 0.67x
Worcestershire 54 4.76x
Warwickshire 39 1.78x
Staffordshire 37 1.26x
Somerset 33 2.36x
Lancashire 30 0.29x
Wiltshire 30 3.90x
Hampshire 25 1.40x
Glamorgan 24 1.59x
Monmouthshire 23 3.66x
Radnorshire 20 28.52x
Kent 16 0.54x
Yorkshire 14 0.16x
Sussex 13 0.89x
Cheshire 10 0.52x
Herefordshire 10 2.81x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.85x
Berkshire 7 1.07x
Essex 6 0.35x
Devon 5 0.28x
Norfolk 5 0.37x
Royal Navy 3 2.90x
Channel Islands 1 0.39x
Northamptonshire 1 0.12x
Oxfordshire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cheltenham in Gloucestershire leads with 37 Nibletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.13x.

Place Total Index
Cheltenham 37 28.13x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 35 112.22x
Stroud 33 99.49x
Birmingham 29 3.97x
Westbury On Severn East 26 67.46x
Bedminster 25 19.02x
New Radnor 20 1418.44x
Southwark St George Martyr 18 10.29x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 15 9.35x
Sherston Magna 14 302.38x
Shoreditch London 14 3.72x
Camberwell 13 2.34x
Minchinhampton 13 95.73x
Roath 13 18.91x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 12 188.68x
Tipton 12 13.36x
Brighton 11 3.72x
Islington London 11 1.31x
Hackney London 10 2.05x
Great Malvern 9 38.01x
Lymm 9 64.52x
Newington Bagpath 9 1578.95x
Newnham 9 205.48x
Pauntley 9 1384.62x
Arreton 8 140.11x
Aston 8 1.33x
Chaceley 8 1052.63x
Dorking 8 28.13x
Gloucester St Catherine 8 166.67x
Tirley 8 559.44x
Westbury On Trym 8 13.85x
Forthampton 7 569.11x
Halifax 7 5.54x
Halliwell 7 18.65x
Hulme 7 3.25x
Newport 7 23.36x
Niton 7 294.12x
Upperswinford 7 72.92x
West Bromwich 7 4.17x
West Derby 7 2.32x
Willesden 7 8.54x
Abberton 6 2222.22x
Aberystruth 6 10.83x
Berkeley Breadstone 6 1395.35x
Cardiff St Mary 6 7.20x
Cirencester 6 26.00x
Darlaston 6 14.80x
East Hagbourn 6 384.62x
Gloucester St Mary Lode 6 150.00x
Hawkesbury 6 103.45x
Hereford All Sts 6 36.74x
Shire Newton 6 264.32x
Walthamstow 6 9.72x
Battersea 5 1.56x
Burton Upon Trent 5 7.28x
Clifton 5 5.80x
Harborne 5 5.32x
Horsley 5 66.23x
Lambeth 5 0.66x
Newland 5 34.89x
North Nibley 5 204.92x
Nottingham St Mary 5 1.65x
Pitchcombe 5 1063.83x
Poulton 5 367.65x
Radford Lenton 5 171.23x
Randwick 5 148.81x
Rodborough 5 60.75x
Southowram 5 19.02x
Berkeley Alkington 4 310.08x
Denton In North 4 615.38x
Droitwich St Nicholas 4 95.01x
Gloucester St Mary Crypt 4 152.67x
Grimley 4 186.92x
Hammersmith London 4 1.87x
Hartpury 4 167.36x
Margate St John Baptist 4 7.37x
St John Near Swansea 4 21.38x
St Marylebone London 4 0.86x
Westbury 4 22.30x
Whippingham 4 29.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 49
Elizabeth 32
Sarah 28
Ellen 24
Ann 22
Eliza 21
Jane 16
Emily 13
Emma 12
Alice 11
Fanny 11
Louisa 9
Ada 8
Kate 6
Annie 5
Caroline 5
Edith 5
Florence 5
Hannah 5
Harriet 5
Maria 5
Martha 5
Clara 4
Eleanor 4
Frances 4
Jessie 4
Lavinia 4
Rose 4
Agnes 3
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Elizth. 3
Lydia 3
Mabel 3
Marion 3
Maud 3
Minnie 3
Rosa 3
Selina 3
Beatrice 2
Charlott 2
Harriett 2
Levinia 2
Lizzie 2
Matilda 2
Priscilla 2
Rhoda 2
Sophia 2
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 38
John 34
James 30
Henry 28
Thomas 28
George 27
Charles 22
Alfred 21
Frederick 14
Albert 13
Samuel 12
Edward 10
Joseph 10
Arthur 8
Benjamin 8
Harry 8
Edwin 7
Frank 7
Francis 6
Robert 6
Walter 6
Richard 5
Herbert 4
Daniel 3
Ernest 3
Fred 3
Benjn. 2
Eli 2
Emanuel 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Gilbert 2
Isaac 2
Percy 2
Rowland 2
Wm. 2
Augustus 1
Charlie 1
Chas. 1
Chas.S. 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Edwd. 1
Elijah 1
Enos 1
Fanny 1
Gordon 1
J. 1
J.D.Thos. 1
J.T. 1

FAQ

Niblett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Niblett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 887 people were recorded with the Niblett surname. That placed it at #4,286 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Niblett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,195 in 2016. That gives Niblett a modern rank of #4,987.

What does the Niblett surname mean?

An English diminutive surname derived from the Middle English word "neb" meaning "beak" or "nose".

What does the Niblett map show?

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