NameCensus.

UK surname

Nuttall

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a nut tree or in a nut grove.

In the 1881 census there were 7,536 people recorded with the Nuttall surname, ranking it #563 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,805, ranked #989, down from #563 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bury and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Nuttall is 9,749 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.7%.

1881 census count

7,536

Ranked #563

Modern count

6,805

2016, ranked #989

Peak year

1911

9,749 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Nuttall had 7,536 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #563 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,805 in 2016, ranked #989.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,749 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Nuttall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Nuttall surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Nuttall 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 4,588 #611
1861 historical 4,684 #605
1881 historical 7,536 #563
1891 historical 7,975 #553
1901 historical 9,313 #561
1911 historical 9,749 #507
1997 modern 7,390 #870
1998 modern 7,549 #890
1999 modern 7,609 #889
2000 modern 7,510 #899
2001 modern 7,417 #886
2002 modern 7,598 #886
2003 modern 7,367 #888
2004 modern 7,285 #900
2005 modern 7,117 #911
2006 modern 7,089 #915
2007 modern 7,100 #924
2008 modern 7,128 #924
2009 modern 7,299 #923
2010 modern 7,357 #935
2011 modern 7,207 #939
2012 modern 6,843 #973
2013 modern 6,963 #977
2014 modern 6,966 #983
2015 modern 6,877 #985
2016 modern 6,805 #989

Geography

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Where Nuttalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bury, Manchester, Bolton-le-Moors and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Bury Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 010 Rossendale
2 Rossendale 003 Rossendale
3 Rossendale 002 Rossendale
4 Rossendale 004 Rossendale
5 Rossendale 001 Rossendale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Nuttall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Nuttall

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Nuttall is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Nuttall is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Nuttall falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Nuttall

The surname Nuttall is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "hnutu" meaning nut and "halh" meaning a nook or corner of land. It likely originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a nut tree or in a nook of land where nut trees grew.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Nutehale" in Staffordshire. This suggests the name was already well-established in England by the late 11th century.

In Lancashire, the name Nuttall is closely associated with the small town of the same name, which was originally recorded in the 13th century as "Nutehale". This place name likely gave rise to many instances of the surname in that region.

One notable early bearer of the name was John Nuttall, a Franciscan friar who lived in the late 14th century and authored several theological works. Another was Sir Thomas Nuttall, a 16th century English landowner and Member of Parliament.

In the 17th century, Thomas Nuttall (1605-1676) was a prominent English Quaker who was imprisoned several times for his faith. His grandson, John Nuttall (1678-1753), continued the family's Quaker tradition and became a respected minister.

Moving into the 19th century, Thomas Nuttall (1786-1859) was a prominent English botanist and zoologist who made significant contributions to the study of American flora and fauna. He is considered one of the founding figures of natural history in the United States.

Another notable bearer was Sir John Nuttall (1858-1938), a British Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest award for military gallantry. He was recognized for his actions during the Second Boer War in South Africa.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals who have borne the surname Nuttall throughout its long history, spanning from the medieval period to modern times, and illustrating its enduring presence in England and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Nuttall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Nuttall 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. Lancashire leads with 5,897 Nuttalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.75x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 5,897 6.75x
Yorkshire 565 0.77x
Cheshire 236 1.45x
Derbyshire 229 1.99x
Nottinghamshire 97 0.98x
Middlesex 67 0.09x
Flintshire 63 3.18x
Staffordshire 60 0.24x
Surrey 50 0.14x
Lincolnshire 48 0.41x
Northumberland 45 0.41x
Durham 27 0.12x
Warwickshire 23 0.12x
Leicestershire 19 0.23x
Hampshire 18 0.12x
Channel Islands 14 0.64x
Worcestershire 12 0.12x
Denbighshire 11 0.40x
Essex 11 0.08x
Kent 11 0.04x
Sussex 6 0.05x
Roxburghshire 5 0.37x
Cardiganshire 4 0.22x
Cornwall 4 0.05x
Cumberland 3 0.05x
Midlothian 3 0.03x
Renfrewshire 3 0.05x
Hertfordshire 2 0.04x
Isle of Man 2 0.15x
Merionethshire 2 0.15x
Royal Navy 2 0.23x
Shropshire 2 0.03x
Ayrshire 1 0.02x
Berkshire 1 0.02x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.02x
Devon 1 0.01x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.05x
Glamorgan 1 0.01x
Gloucestershire 1 0.01x
Lanarkshire 1 0.00x
Oxfordshire 1 0.02x
Suffolk 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newchurch in Lancashire leads with 381 Nuttalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.28x.

Place Total Index
Newchurch 381 53.28x
Bury 352 35.25x
Spotland 249 25.62x
Tottington Lower End 231 55.62x
Castleton 191 21.88x
Haslingden 185 51.12x
Manchester 158 4.02x
Accrington 154 19.38x
Elton 151 50.00x
Higher Booths 149 94.57x
Farnworth 138 26.35x
Great Bolton 136 11.75x
Radcliffe 135 32.04x
Heap 127 27.40x
Lower Booths 121 77.27x
Over Darwen 120 17.19x
Burnley 116 15.76x
Little Bolton 111 9.88x
Oldham 105 3.72x
Salford 105 4.08x
Walmersley Cum 83 59.43x
Habergham Eaves 79 9.89x
Tottington Higher End 78 78.40x
Hulme 73 4.00x
Blackburn 63 2.71x
Briercliffe Cum 58 200.21x
Pilkington 58 17.47x
Everton 56 2.01x
Preston 53 2.27x
Chorlton On Medlock 51 3.67x
Little Lever 51 45.63x
Oswaldtwistle 51 16.51x
Bradford 47 2.66x
Ashton Under Lyne 46 2.41x
Todmorden Walsden 46 19.64x
Hyde 45 9.38x
Kearsley 44 23.92x
Great Lever 43 46.37x
Wardleworth 43 8.61x
Hopwood 40 35.00x
Sheffield 40 1.72x
Tonge With Haulgh 40 23.51x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 39 41.76x
Ecclesfield 38 7.10x
Great Little Marsden 38 9.49x
Chadderton 37 8.66x
Clayton Le Moors 35 20.64x
Holywell 35 14.08x
Atherton 33 10.37x
Ardwick 32 4.06x
Elland Cum Greetland 32 9.73x
Brightside Bierlow 30 2.10x
Church 30 24.31x
Tipton 30 3.94x
Harwood 29 63.51x
Stockport 29 3.47x
Hunslet 28 2.46x
Little Hulton 28 19.35x
Turton 28 19.57x
Broughton In Salford 26 3.25x
Dilworth 26 48.55x
Hapton 26 47.58x
Newton In Ashton Under 26 16.21x
Pendleton In Salford 26 2.50x
Staveley 26 12.70x
Liverpool 25 0.47x
Mansfield 25 7.28x
Newton 25 3.71x
North Meols 25 2.92x
Youlgreave 25 74.94x
Horton In Bradford 24 2.11x
Stretford 24 4.99x
Tintwistle 24 27.62x
West Derby 24 0.94x
Whalley 23 18.06x
Newton In Makerfield 22 8.22x
Over Hulton 22 88.57x
Middle Hulton 21 40.57x
Heaton Norris 19 3.82x
Worsley 19 3.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 646
Sarah 338
Elizabeth 304
Alice 264
Jane 174
Ann 166
Margaret 141
Ellen 137
Martha 117
Hannah 105
Betsy 70
Annie 69
Emma 67
Maria 64
Eliza 58
Betty 48
Nancy 40
Ada 36
Esther 36
Emily 33
Clara 32
Florence 31
Harriet 31
Isabella 29
Rachel 28
Susannah 27
Lucy 26
Charlotte 24
Edith 23
Catherine 21
Fanny 21
Louisa 21
Susan 19
Amelia 18
Agnes 16
Anne 16
Grace 16
Lydia 16
Caroline 15
Ruth 15
Bertha 14
Margret 14
Frances 13
Elizth. 12
Amy 11
Harriett 11
Eleanor 10
Kate 9
Lilly 9
Sophia 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 571
James 408
William 357
Thomas 301
George 187
Robert 140
Joseph 133
Henry 114
Richard 111
Samuel 108
Charles 100
Edward 48
Alfred 46
Arthur 37
Albert 36
Harry 35
Herbert 33
Walter 32
Frank 29
Frederick 29
Fred 28
David 23
Abraham 22
Thos. 22
Ernest 21
Edmund 20
Lawrence 20
Peter 17
Wm. 17
Daniel 16
Isaac 14
Joshua 14
Benjamin 13
Francis 12
Jno. 12
Adam 11
Edwin 11
Andrew 10
Ellis 10
Jonathan 10
Eli 8
Robt. 8
Jesse 7
Ralph 7
Squire 7
Harold 6
Jas. 6
Richd. 6
Tom 6
Willie 6

FAQ

Nuttall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Nuttall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,536 people were recorded with the Nuttall surname. That placed it at #563 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Nuttall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,805 in 2016. That gives Nuttall a modern rank of #989.

What does the Nuttall surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a nut tree or in a nut grove.

What does the Nuttall map show?

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