NameCensus.

UK surname

Nutt

An English occupational surname for a person who gathered or processed nuts, or lived near a nut tree.

In the 1881 census there were 2,168 people recorded with the Nutt surname, ranking it #2,048 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,372, ranked #2,764, down from #2,048 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Staffordshire Moorlands and Tendring.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nutt is 2,779 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.4%.

1881 census count

2,168

Ranked #2,048

Modern count

2,372

2016, ranked #2,764

Peak year

1911

2,779 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nutt had 2,168 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,048 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,372 in 2016, ranked #2,764.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,779 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Nutt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nutt surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nutt 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 1,525 #1,877
1861 historical 1,285 #2,215
1881 historical 2,168 #2,048
1891 historical 2,210 #2,115
1901 historical 2,629 #2,098
1911 historical 2,779 #1,870
1997 modern 2,464 #2,546
1998 modern 2,649 #2,484
1999 modern 2,671 #2,486
2000 modern 2,620 #2,508
2001 modern 2,559 #2,507
2002 modern 2,610 #2,523
2003 modern 2,519 #2,548
2004 modern 2,493 #2,577
2005 modern 2,440 #2,597
2006 modern 2,410 #2,619
2007 modern 2,400 #2,658
2008 modern 2,389 #2,684
2009 modern 2,431 #2,704
2010 modern 2,418 #2,765
2011 modern 2,402 #2,756
2012 modern 2,339 #2,772
2013 modern 2,398 #2,758
2014 modern 2,407 #2,754
2015 modern 2,377 #2,763
2016 modern 2,372 #2,764

Geography

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Where Nutts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Philip and Jacob, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Staffordshire Moorlands, Tendring and Lockerbie. 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 London parishes London 3
3 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 003 Caerphilly
2 Staffordshire Moorlands 011 Staffordshire Moorlands
3 Tendring 003 Tendring
4 Lockerbie Dumfries and Galloway
5 Caerphilly 005 Caerphilly

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nutt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nutt

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Nutt is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Nutt 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

Nutt 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 Nutt 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 Nutt, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Nutt

The surname Nutt is of English origin, believed to have derived from a nickname for someone with a rounded or nut-like head. It is thought to have emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century, initially as a descriptive name.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to 1273 in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where a Richard le Nut is mentioned. The prefix "le" was commonly used at the time to indicate a descriptive name or occupation.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, such as Nott, Notte, and Nut, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common in that era. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 list a William le Nutte, while the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379 include a John Nott.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir William Nutt, a prominent landowner and Member of Parliament for Wiltshire in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. He served under King Richard II and King Henry IV.

The surname Nutt is also associated with several place names in England, such as Nutfield in Surrey and Nutley in Hampshire. These locations may have influenced the adoption or spread of the name in certain areas.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Nutt family established roots in various parts of England, with notable individuals including Richard Nutt (1548-1624), a wealthy merchant and benefactor from London, and Thomas Nutt (1611-1660), a Puritan clergyman and author from Wiltshire.

In the 18th century, John Nutt (1678-1751) was a prominent London bookseller and publisher, known for publishing works by authors like Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Roger Nutt (1786-1864), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire.

Throughout its history, the surname Nutt has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, clergy, merchants, and military figures, reflecting its longstanding presence in English society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nutt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nutt 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 203 Nutts recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.96x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 203 0.96x
Yorkshire 192 0.92x
Warwickshire 170 3.19x
Oxfordshire 140 10.74x
Somerset 131 3.86x
Northamptonshire 127 6.40x
Staffordshire 123 1.73x
Gloucestershire 115 2.78x
Lancashire 115 0.46x
Surrey 80 0.78x
Leicestershire 64 2.73x
Herefordshire 55 6.35x
Lanarkshire 52 0.76x
Derbyshire 46 1.39x
Buckinghamshire 44 3.45x
Rutland 42 27.10x
Devon 40 0.91x
Worcestershire 40 1.45x
Kent 35 0.49x
Berkshire 33 2.08x
Renfrewshire 32 1.96x
Lincolnshire 31 0.92x
Nottinghamshire 31 1.09x
Wiltshire 28 1.50x
Glamorgan 20 0.54x
Durham 19 0.30x
Cheshire 17 0.36x
Bedfordshire 15 1.37x
Ayrshire 14 0.89x
Hampshire 12 0.28x
Sussex 12 0.34x
Monmouthshire 11 0.72x
Essex 10 0.24x
Cambridgeshire 8 0.60x
Dumfriesshire 8 1.72x
Dunbartonshire 8 1.41x
Shropshire 8 0.44x
Dorset 7 0.51x
Brecknockshire 5 1.18x
Hertfordshire 4 0.27x
Northumberland 4 0.13x
Stirlingshire 4 0.51x
Cumberland 3 0.17x
Suffolk 3 0.12x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.48x
Cornwall 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 72 Nutts recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.91x.

Place Total Index
Aston 72 4.91x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 70 17.96x
Birmingham 57 3.21x
Bedminster 31 9.71x
Islington London 31 1.52x
Checkley 30 162.07x
Leicester St Margaret 28 4.91x
St Pancras London 26 1.53x
Oxford St Thomas 21 34.52x
Wellingborough 21 21.04x
Middleton In Oldham 20 26.63x
Derby St Werburgh 19 9.96x
Horton In Bradford 19 5.82x
Nottingham St Mary 19 2.58x
Ecclesfield 18 11.74x
Hackney London 18 1.52x
Battersea 17 2.19x
Bothwell 17 9.18x
Neithrop 17 38.80x
Uppingham 16 86.58x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 15 7.70x
Bristol St George 15 7.83x
Farnham Royal 15 198.41x
Gt Milton 15 340.91x
Barnstaple 14 20.30x
Camberwell 14 1.04x
Northampton Priory St 14 11.75x
Ryhall 14 271.84x
Ashton Under Lyne 13 2.37x
Cheadle 13 37.99x
West Greenock 13 4.43x
Wollaston 13 119.05x
Bridgewater 12 13.01x
Chelsea London 12 1.89x
Fazeley 12 92.59x
Lambeth 12 0.65x
Leicester St Mary 12 6.35x
Road 12 291.26x
Street 12 65.29x
Burton Latimer 11 91.74x
Deptford St Paul 11 1.98x
Dudley 11 3.28x
Ellerton Priory 11 539.22x
Flitwick 11 185.81x
Hornsey 11 4.12x
Nether Hallam 11 3.89x
Stoke Poges 11 70.69x
Stoke Upon Trent 11 1.46x
Swyncombe 11 416.67x
Bristol St James St Paul 10 7.24x
Bromley London 10 2.15x
Eye Dunsden 10 158.98x
Galston 10 23.15x
Hasland 10 29.73x
Newton In Leominster 10 2083.33x
Nuneham Courtenay 10 529.10x
Oxford St Peter Le Bailey 10 154.56x
Warkworth 10 55.96x
Wigan 10 2.86x
Barnsley 9 4.17x
Newnham 9 301.00x
Acton 8 6.46x
Burton Upon Trent 8 4.80x
Cowley 8 19.66x
East Greenock 8 5.18x
East Harptree 8 167.71x
Ecclesall Bierlow 8 1.88x
Edgbaston 8 4.85x
Hampstead London 8 2.43x
Heanor 8 16.18x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 2.94x
Old Monkland 8 2.95x
Oxford St Ebbe 8 20.85x
Paddington London 8 1.03x
Selby 8 18.30x
Sheffield 8 1.20x
Stanwick 8 169.13x
Westbury 8 18.36x
Whitwick 8 26.88x
Wolverhampton 8 1.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 148
John 119
James 76
Thomas 76
George 66
Joseph 50
Charles 39
Henry 37
Arthur 25
Frederick 25
Samuel 22
Richard 20
Alfred 16
Harry 15
Ernest 14
Robert 14
Albert 12
Edward 11
Walter 11
Edwin 9
Frank 8
Benjamin 7
Fredrick 7
Daniel 6
David 5
Francis 5
Fred 5
Herbert 5
Willm. 5
Percival 4
Sidney 4
Wm. 4
Abraham 3
Andrew 3
Fredk. 3
Geo. 3
Horace 3
Hy. 3
Reginald 3
Anthony 2
Elijah 2
Frances 2
Infant 2
Isaac 2
Michael 2
Nathaniel 2
Oliver 2
Percy 2
Robt. 2
Stephen 2

FAQ

Nutt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nutt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,168 people were recorded with the Nutt surname. That placed it at #2,048 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nutt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,372 in 2016. That gives Nutt a modern rank of #2,764.

What does the Nutt surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a person who gathered or processed nuts, or lived near a nut tree.

What does the Nutt map show?

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