NameCensus.

UK surname

Northcote

A locational surname derived from dwellers near the northern cottages or houses.

In the 1881 census there were 440 people recorded with the Northcote surname, ranking it #7,440 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 363, ranked #12,777, down from #7,440 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kilwinning Pennyburn, Swansea and Saltcoats North East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Northcote is 516 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 17.5%.

1881 census count

440

Ranked #7,440

Modern count

363

2016, ranked #12,777

Peak year

1901

516 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Northcote had 440 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,440 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016, ranked #12,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 516 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Northcote surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Northcote surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Northcote 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 202 #10,323
1861 historical 217 #11,220
1881 historical 440 #7,440
1891 historical 508 #7,341
1901 historical 516 #7,866
1911 historical 485 #8,012
1997 modern 345 #12,291
1998 modern 375 #11,939
1999 modern 371 #12,101
2000 modern 362 #12,264
2001 modern 355 #12,253
2002 modern 368 #12,168
2003 modern 357 #12,233
2004 modern 356 #12,299
2005 modern 336 #12,767
2006 modern 341 #12,684
2007 modern 343 #12,773
2008 modern 348 #12,751
2009 modern 360 #12,688
2010 modern 376 #12,548
2011 modern 363 #12,738
2012 modern 370 #12,417
2013 modern 375 #12,497
2014 modern 374 #12,598
2015 modern 366 #12,717
2016 modern 363 #12,777

Geography

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Where Northcotes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, St Pancras and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kilwinning Pennyburn, Swansea, Saltcoats North East, Reading and Cornwall. 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 1
2 Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kilwinning Pennyburn North Ayrshire
2 Swansea 013 Swansea
3 Saltcoats North East North Ayrshire
4 Reading 015 Reading
5 Cornwall 012 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Northcote

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Northcote

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Northcote 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

Northcote is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Northcote falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Northcote is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Northcote

The surname Northcote originated in England during the early medieval period. It is a locational name, deriving from the Old English words 'north' meaning northern and 'cot' meaning cottage or shelter. The name would have been given to someone who lived in a cottage situated to the north of a main village or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled 'Northcote'. This document was a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror across much of England and parts of Wales. The presence of the name in this record suggests that bearers of the Northcote surname were already well-established in certain parts of the country by the late 11th century.

Over the centuries, various spellings of the name emerged, including Northcott, Norcott, and Norcote. These variations likely arose due to differences in local dialects and the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time. The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Devon and Somerset in the southwest of England, where many early records of the Northcote family can be found.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Northcote (c. 1599-1676), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. He was a staunch Royalist and supported King Charles I against the Parliamentarians. Another early example is Sir Francis Northcote (c. 1600-1671), who was knighted by King Charles II and held the position of Sheriff of Devon.

In the 18th century, James Northcote (1746-1831) achieved fame as a renowned English painter and writer on art. He was a member of the Royal Academy and is particularly known for his portraits and historical paintings. Around the same time, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote (1818-1887) was a prominent Conservative politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer and later as Governor-General of Canada.

The Northcote surname also has connections to various place names in England, such as Northcote in Devon, which was likely derived from the same Old English roots as the surname itself. This village has been recorded under various spellings, including Northcote, Northcott, and Norcott, reflecting the evolution of the name over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Northcote families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Northcote 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. Devon leads with 135 Northcotes recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.11x.

County Total Index
Devon 135 15.11x
Middlesex 83 1.93x
Kent 34 2.32x
Lancashire 30 0.59x
Surrey 24 1.15x
Hampshire 23 2.61x
Cornwall 14 2.88x
Gloucestershire 11 1.31x
Somerset 8 1.16x
Warwickshire 8 0.74x
Cumberland 7 1.89x
Carmarthenshire 6 3.32x
Glamorgan 6 0.80x
Monmouthshire 6 1.93x
Durham 5 0.39x
Essex 5 0.59x
Sussex 5 0.69x
Yorkshire 5 0.12x
Dorset 3 1.07x
Northumberland 3 0.47x
Worcestershire 3 0.54x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.77x
Midlothian 2 0.35x
Royal Navy 2 3.91x
Staffordshire 2 0.14x
Cheshire 1 0.11x
Derbyshire 1 0.15x
Hertfordshire 1 0.34x
Lincolnshire 1 0.15x
Northamptonshire 1 0.25x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.17x
Suffolk 1 0.19x
Wiltshire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barnstaple in Devon leads with 19 Northcotes recorded in 1881 and an index of 135.52x.

Place Total Index
Barnstaple 19 135.52x
Crediton 13 153.48x
Islington London 12 2.88x
Lewisham 12 15.37x
Stockland 12 930.23x
St Pancras London 11 3.18x
Hackney London 10 4.16x
Boldre 9 285.71x
Fowey 9 403.59x
Birmingham 8 2.22x
Bury 8 13.75x
Kensington London 8 3.35x
Newington 8 5.05x
Bideford 7 73.15x
Bristol St Augustine 7 51.55x
Millom 7 61.84x
Beckenham 6 31.35x
Dartford 6 40.08x
East Budleigh 6 142.52x
Huyton With Roby 6 100.50x
Kidwelly 6 162.60x
Lambeth 6 1.60x
Portsea 6 3.48x
Speldhurst 6 80.43x
Tottenham 6 8.78x
Yarcombe 6 582.52x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 4.49x
Clapham 5 9.32x
Exeter Allhallows On The 5 342.47x
Exeter St Mary Major 5 92.76x
Hastings Holy Trinity 5 93.81x
Llantillio Pertholey 5 276.24x
Seaton 5 145.35x
Sidmouth 5 97.85x
St George Hanover 5 8.93x
St Marylebone London 5 2.18x
Branscombe 4 327.87x
Calstock 4 41.97x
Colne 4 26.37x
Holy Trinity Less 4 434.78x
Moreton Hampstead 4 173.16x
Sidbury 4 209.42x
Tormoham 4 10.58x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.61x
Bristol St George 3 7.71x
Buckland Monachorum 3 157.07x
Camberwell 3 1.09x
Cheetham 3 7.90x
Honiton 3 60.73x
Loughton 3 71.60x
Musbury 3 384.62x
Ryme Instrinsica 3 1000.00x
Taunton St Mary 3 23.66x
Tiverton 3 19.49x
Tudhoe 3 26.86x
Westminster St 3 18.96x
Westminster St James 3 6.80x
Weston Super Mare 3 17.19x
Ystradyfodwg 3 4.58x
Bishops Tawton 2 71.68x
Bolton In Bradford 2 73.26x
Bow London 2 3.66x
Cardiff St Fagan 2 281.69x
Cockington 2 377.36x
Exeter Alphington 2 121.95x
Folkestone 2 7.04x
Great Torrington 2 39.45x
Isleworth 2 10.48x
Middlesbrough 2 3.61x
Plymouth Charles The 2 5.08x
Royal Navy 2 4.57x
South Stoneham 2 10.48x
Whitworth 2 21.39x
Woodbury 2 75.47x
Worcester St Michael 2 312.50x
Chelsea London 1 0.77x
Exeter St David 1 13.11x
Ilfracombe 1 10.87x
St Michael Winchester 1 55.87x
Tonbridge 1 1.89x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 25
William 25
Charles 13
Henry 11
George 9
James 9
Frederick 8
Samuel 7
Thomas 7
Stafford 6
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
Richard 5
Robert 4
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Joseph 3
Leonard 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Augustus 2
Cecil 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Lewis 2
Percy 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Archibald 1
Arscole 1
Arscote 1
Benjamin 1
Bertie 1
Charlie 1
David 1
E.Holdsworth 1
Eustace 1
Fredk. 1
G.C.E. 1
Geo. 1
Geoffrey 1
Horace 1
Hugh 1
Jessei 1
Levi 1
Mowbray 1
Reginald 1
Richd.C. 1
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Northcote surname: questions and answers

How common was the Northcote surname in 1881?

In 1881, 440 people were recorded with the Northcote surname. That placed it at #7,440 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Northcote surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016. That gives Northcote a modern rank of #12,777.

What does the Northcote surname mean?

A locational surname derived from dwellers near the northern cottages or houses.

What does the Northcote map show?

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