NameCensus.

UK surname

Norcott

A toponymic surname derived from a place name referring to a northern cottage or dwelling.

In the 1881 census there were 351 people recorded with the Norcott surname, ranking it #8,742 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 434, ranked #11,102, down from #8,742 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Salford, South Bucks and Middlesbrough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Norcott is 573 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.6%.

1881 census count

351

Ranked #8,742

Modern count

434

2016, ranked #11,102

Peak year

1911

573 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Norcott had 351 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,742 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 434 in 2016, ranked #11,102.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 573 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Norcott surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Norcott surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Norcott 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 171 #11,730
1861 historical 182 #12,949
1881 historical 351 #8,742
1891 historical 385 #9,150
1901 historical 498 #8,081
1911 historical 573 #7,078
1997 modern 458 #9,939
1998 modern 493 #9,702
1999 modern 500 #9,661
2000 modern 504 #9,575
2001 modern 496 #9,526
2002 modern 500 #9,625
2003 modern 483 #9,735
2004 modern 470 #9,958
2005 modern 453 #10,155
2006 modern 443 #10,369
2007 modern 440 #10,533
2008 modern 428 #10,869
2009 modern 447 #10,742
2010 modern 443 #11,046
2011 modern 440 #10,977
2012 modern 443 #10,796
2013 modern 446 #10,911
2014 modern 447 #10,969
2015 modern 447 #10,873
2016 modern 434 #11,102

Geography

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Where Norcotts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Salford, South Bucks, Middlesbrough, Windsor and Maidenhead 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Salford 030 Salford
2 South Bucks 007 South Bucks
3 Middlesbrough 001 Middlesbrough
4 Windsor and Maidenhead 011 Windsor and Maidenhead
5 Bexley 006 Bexley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Norcott

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Norcott

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

Norcott 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

Norcott falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Norcott

The surname Norcott has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a place called Northcote, which is a combination of the Old English words "north" meaning north and "cot" meaning cottage or small dwelling. This suggests that the name may have originated from someone who lived in or near a northerly located cottage.

Early records indicate that variations of the spelling include Northcote, Northcott, and Norcott. The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, contains entries for individuals with the surname Northcote in the counties of Devon and Somerset.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, where a Richard de Northcote is listed. In the 13th century, the name Northcote was also associated with the village of Northcote in Devonshire, which may have been the place of origin for some bearers of the name.

Prominent individuals with the surname Norcott include Sir Francis Norcott (1570-1632), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury in the early 17th century. Another notable figure is Sir John Norcott (1621-1676), a wealthy merchant and landowner who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1672.

The Norcott family had a strong presence in the county of Gloucestershire, where they owned estates and held positions of influence. One such individual was William Norcott (1665-1734), a prominent justice of the peace and deputy lieutenant in the county.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Norcott name was also found in various parishes across Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire, indicating the spread of the family throughout southern and central England.

In the 19th century, a notable figure was John Norcott (1810-1877), a British architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas. His most famous work is the Church of St. Michael and All Angels in Croydon, which was completed in 1858.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Norcott families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Norcott 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. Middlesex leads with 88 Norcotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.56x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 88 2.56x
Cheshire 42 5.54x
Oxfordshire 39 18.39x
Lancashire 38 0.93x
Berkshire 21 8.15x
Buckinghamshire 19 9.15x
Worcestershire 15 3.35x
Devon 14 1.96x
Northamptonshire 11 3.41x
Warwickshire 11 1.27x
Hampshire 9 1.28x
Staffordshire 9 0.78x
Hertfordshire 8 3.38x
Surrey 7 0.42x
Somerset 5 0.90x
Gloucestershire 4 0.59x
Kent 4 0.34x
Lincolnshire 2 0.36x
Cornwall 1 0.26x
Essex 1 0.15x
Midlothian 1 0.22x
Monmouthshire 1 0.40x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.22x
Suffolk 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ealing in Middlesex leads with 23 Norcotts recorded in 1881 and an index of 74.97x.

Place Total Index
Ealing 23 74.97x
Limehouse London 17 45.10x
Stokenchurch 15 789.47x
St Pancras London 12 4.34x
Aston 11 4.61x
Widnes 11 37.43x
Burtonwood 10 671.14x
Bray 9 118.89x
Chester St Oswald 9 65.60x
Combeinteignhead 9 1764.71x
Crowley 9 3913.04x
Henley On Thames 9 207.37x
Wolstanton 9 25.57x
Farnham Royal 8 650.41x
Hatfield 8 166.67x
Paddington London 8 6.34x
Portsea 8 5.80x
Worcester St Swithin 8 952.38x
Bromley London 6 7.94x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 9.27x
Standground 6 387.10x
Chelsea London 5 4.83x
Hammersmith London 5 5.91x
Peterborough 5 21.39x
Pilkington 5 32.30x
Rotherfield Greys 5 223.21x
Runcorn 5 28.62x
Chester St John Baptist 4 29.37x
Cookham 4 49.81x
Fulham London 4 8.03x
Gillingham 4 16.56x
Helsby 4 421.05x
Medmenham 4 1025.64x
Oxford St Giles 4 39.53x
Pishill 4 2000.00x
Reading St Giles 4 15.82x
Stonehouse 4 104.44x
Battersea 3 2.37x
Bedminster 3 5.78x
Brill 3 197.37x
Church Coppenhall 3 88.50x
Leckhampstead 3 810.81x
Stoke Damerel 3 6.00x
Weston In Runcorn 3 152.28x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.34x
Brushford 2 526.32x
Croydon 2 2.15x
Datchet 2 140.85x
Feckenham 2 38.99x
Hambleden 2 112.99x
Liverpool 2 0.81x
Pyrton 2 298.51x
Stamford St George 2 80.97x
Toxteth Park 2 1.45x
Whistones 2 61.54x
Wimbledon 2 10.65x
Worcester St Andrew 2 131.58x
Aberystruth 1 4.57x
Alvanley 1 256.41x
Barrow In Furness 1 1.80x
Beeston 1 18.80x
Braintree 1 16.42x
Bucklebury 1 74.63x
Claines 1 8.12x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.54x
Everton 1 0.77x
Higher Bebington 1 20.62x
Ipswich St Margaret 1 7.05x
Islington London 1 0.30x
Kensington London 1 0.52x
Kingsley 1 70.92x
Little Torrington 1 158.73x
Lymm 1 18.15x
Mile End Old Town 1 1.85x
Plymouth Charles The 1 3.18x
Portsmouth 1 6.17x
Saltash 1 33.22x
St Martin In Fields 1 4.86x
St Mary Magdalen Milk 1 1666.67x
St Marylebone London 1 0.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 24
Elizabeth 17
Ellen 11
Sarah 11
Ann 9
Emma 7
Martha 7
Eliza 6
Jane 6
Maria 6
Alice 5
Emily 5
Catherine 4
Annie 3
Florence 3
Laura 3
Lydia 3
Agnes 2
Anna 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Gertrude 2
Hannah 2
Jessie 2
Margaret 2
Rose 2
Charlott 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Dorcas 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth.T. 1
Ester 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Flora 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Jessey 1
Kate 1
Leonia 1
Lily 1
Lois 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lurrina 1
Melvina 1
Minnie 1
Priscilla 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Norcott surname: questions and answers

How common was the Norcott surname in 1881?

In 1881, 351 people were recorded with the Norcott surname. That placed it at #8,742 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Norcott surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 434 in 2016. That gives Norcott a modern rank of #11,102.

What does the Norcott surname mean?

A toponymic surname derived from a place name referring to a northern cottage or dwelling.

What does the Norcott map show?

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