NameCensus.

UK surname

Oats

A surname derived from the Old English word for the cereal grain.

In the 1881 census there were 644 people recorded with the Oats surname, ranking it #5,536 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 198, ranked #19,713, down from #5,536 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Redruth, Paul and St Hilary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Cheshire West and Chester and Cardiff.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oats is 914 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 69.3%.

1881 census count

644

Ranked #5,536

Modern count

198

2016, ranked #19,713

Peak year

1851

914 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oats had 644 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,536 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 198 in 2016, ranked #19,713.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 914 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Oats surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oats surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Oats 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 914 #3,020
1861 historical 653 #4,109
1881 historical 644 #5,536
1891 historical 580 #6,577
1901 historical 532 #7,712
1911 historical 379 #9,672
1997 modern 171 #19,438
1998 modern 175 #19,658
1999 modern 178 #19,592
2000 modern 184 #19,190
2001 modern 179 #19,215
2002 modern 174 #19,971
2003 modern 168 #20,171
2004 modern 170 #20,146
2005 modern 165 #20,468
2006 modern 165 #20,634
2007 modern 154 #21,804
2008 modern 162 #21,350
2009 modern 172 #20,950
2010 modern 179 #20,886
2011 modern 175 #21,035
2012 modern 181 #20,531
2013 modern 192 #20,067
2014 modern 194 #20,097
2015 modern 194 #19,994
2016 modern 198 #19,713

Geography

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Where Oats' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Redruth, Paul, St Hilary, Madron and Camborne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Cheshire West and Chester and Cardiff. 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 Redruth Cornwall
2 Paul Cornwall
3 St Hilary Cornwall
4 Madron Cornwall
5 Camborne Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 070 Cornwall
2 Cheshire West and Chester 046 Cheshire West and Chester
3 Cardiff 021 Cardiff
4 Cornwall 059 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 065 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Oats

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Oats

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Oats is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Oats is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Oats

The surname OATS is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word 'ata' meaning oats, the cereal grain. It is believed to have originated as an occupational name for someone who worked with oats, perhaps a farmer or miller.

The name first appeared in records during the 12th century, with one of the earliest recorded instances being William Otes, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1176. Another early example is Roger Otes, listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1212.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several references to places with names derived from 'ata,' such as Otehulle in Gloucestershire and Otringebi in Lincolnshire, suggesting the name's ancient roots in England.

The surname OATS has seen various spellings throughout history, including Otes, Ottes, Otte, and Otts. Some of these variations may have been influenced by place names like Otterburn in Northumberland or Ottery St. Mary in Devon.

Notable historical figures with the surname OATS include Sir Samuel Oates (1615-1683), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London from 1682 to 1683. Another prominent individual was Titus Oates (1649-1705), an English clergyman and controversial figure involved in the Popish Plot allegations of the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, John Oates (1726-1799) was a renowned English agriculturist and writer on agricultural topics. Later, Robert Oates (1809-1887) was a distinguished English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London.

One of the most famous bearers of the OATS surname was the American actor John Oates, born in 1949, best known for his partnership with Daryl Hall in the acclaimed music duo Hall & Oates.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Oats families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oats 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. Cornwall leads with 359 Oats' recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.09x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 359 48.09x
Yorkshire 46 0.70x
Isle of Man 32 26.13x
Middlesex 32 0.49x
Durham 26 1.33x
Lancashire 24 0.31x
Glamorgan 22 1.92x
Angus 14 2.29x
Cheshire 13 0.89x
Devon 12 0.87x
Staffordshire 12 0.54x
Cumberland 11 1.94x
Lanarkshire 10 0.47x
Leicestershire 8 1.09x
Derbyshire 7 0.68x
Monmouthshire 7 1.47x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.79x
Hampshire 5 0.37x
Ayrshire 4 0.81x
Northumberland 4 0.41x
Caernarfonshire 3 1.13x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.72x
Kent 3 0.13x
Midlothian 3 0.34x
Dorset 2 0.46x
Gloucestershire 2 0.15x
Lincolnshire 2 0.19x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.69x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.56x
Warwickshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Just In Penwith in Cornwall leads with 131 Oats' recorded in 1881 and an index of 904.70x.

Place Total Index
St Just In Penwith 131 904.70x
Sancreed 31 1469.19x
St Hilary Marazion 28 1379.31x
Paul 25 184.37x
Camborne 22 71.52x
Madron Penzance 20 73.66x
Malew 16 149.53x
Madron 15 248.76x
Dundee 14 6.14x
St Erth 11 243.36x
Swinton In Rotherham 9 52.08x
Gwennap 8 56.82x
Gwithian 8 575.54x
Horninglow 8 76.34x
Leicester St Margaret 8 4.49x
Llanwonno 8 19.39x
Margam 8 62.45x
St Marylebone London 8 2.27x
Wentworth 8 198.02x
Brampton 7 48.51x
Onchan 7 19.85x
Oswaldtwistle 7 25.32x
Redruth 7 33.14x
St Luke London 7 6.62x
Gomersal 6 19.67x
Gulval 6 124.74x
Morvah 6 1428.57x
St Buryan 6 194.81x
St Keverne 6 145.99x
Tottenham 6 5.71x
Whickham 6 33.24x
Barony 5 0.93x
Bowdon 5 86.51x
Gateshead 5 3.40x
Greasley 5 24.94x
Morley 5 14.72x
Patrick 5 83.75x
Plymouth Charles The 5 8.27x
St Cuthbert W O 5 18.07x
Arlecdon 4 26.49x
Bedwellty 4 4.75x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 4 17.90x
Hamsterley 4 360.36x
Hulme 4 2.45x
Kilmarnock 4 6.81x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 3 4.93x
Bow London 3 3.57x
Buckland In Dover 3 40.21x
Cambusnethan 3 6.33x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 2.41x
Liskeard 3 24.02x
Llanengan 3 93.46x
Llangeinor 3 44.38x
Lonan 3 40.43x
Lostwithel 3 141.51x
Newton In Ashton Under 3 20.89x
Perranuthnoe 3 147.06x
Shadforth 3 78.74x
Sithney 3 39.79x
St Woollos 3 5.64x
Stranton 3 4.54x
Breage 2 29.37x
Cramlington 2 15.42x
Dewsbury 2 2.98x
East Stockwith 2 273.97x
Freshwater 2 32.36x
Govan 2 0.38x
Halifax 2 2.08x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 2 44.15x
Kenwyn 2 10.25x
Plymstock 2 27.82x
Shoreditch London 2 0.70x
South Bedburn Hamsterley 2 256.41x
Stoke Newington London 2 3.89x
Thelwall 2 178.57x
Towednack 2 136.99x
Warrington 2 2.16x
Wendron 2 19.29x
Westminster St 2 8.23x
Witchampton 2 181.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 52
Elizabeth 39
Jane 29
Annie 13
Grace 13
Ann 11
Eliza 11
Sarah 11
Ellen 8
Margaret 8
Catherine 6
Emily 5
Kate 5
Agnes 4
Emma 4
Hannah 4
Maria 4
Martha 4
Caroline 3
Elizth. 3
Jessie 3
Rebecca 3
Ada 2
Bessie 2
Bridget 2
Catharine 2
Cathrine 2
Elisabeth 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Joanna 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Nanny 2
Peggy 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Betty 1
Blanche 1
Edith 1
Edna 1
Elenor 1
Elizh. 1
Harriet 1
Honor 1
Honour 1
Issabela 1
Ivy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 46
William 46
James 41
Thomas 27
Richard 24
George 12
Samuel 9
Edward 8
Henry 5
Joseph 5
Nicholas 5
Walter 5
Martin 4
Patrick 4
Robert 4
Willm. 4
Christopher 3
Hugh 3
Alfred 2
Anthony 2
Arthur 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Richd. 2
Bernard 1
Charlotte 1
Charls 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Hubert 1
Joe 1
Joel 1
Larry 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
Milford 1
Nichols 1
Noah 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Rees 1
Reginal 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Oats surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oats surname in 1881?

In 1881, 644 people were recorded with the Oats surname. That placed it at #5,536 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oats surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 198 in 2016. That gives Oats a modern rank of #19,713.

What does the Oats surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word for the cereal grain.

What does the Oats map show?

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