NameCensus.

UK surname

Ott

Derived from the German surname "Otto," meaning "wealthy" or "fortunate," or referring to someone from Ottingen, Germany.

In the 1881 census there were 133 people recorded with the Ott surname, ranking it #16,676 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 251, ranked #16,744, down from #16,676 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Drypool and St George the Martyr. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hackney, Hounslow and Tunbridge Wells.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ott is 280 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 88.7%.

1881 census count

133

Ranked #16,676

Modern count

251

2016, ranked #16,744

Peak year

2010

280 bearers

Map years

5

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ott had 133 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,676 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 251 in 2016, ranked #16,744.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 189 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Ott surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ott surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ott 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 32 #27,570
1881 historical 133 #16,676
1901 historical 189 #15,684
1997 modern 253 #15,152
1998 modern 258 #15,354
1999 modern 257 #15,506
2000 modern 250 #15,741
2001 modern 247 #15,637
2002 modern 249 #15,855
2003 modern 244 #15,861
2004 modern 248 #15,779
2005 modern 252 #15,551
2006 modern 250 #15,749
2007 modern 269 #15,123
2008 modern 269 #15,260
2009 modern 274 #15,395
2010 modern 280 #15,485
2011 modern 270 #15,754
2012 modern 269 #15,706
2013 modern 264 #16,191
2014 modern 276 #15,788
2015 modern 260 #16,361
2016 modern 251 #16,744

Geography

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Where Otts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Drypool, St George the Martyr, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hackney, Hounslow, Tunbridge Wells, Chichester and Greenwich. 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 3
2 Drypool Yorkshire, East Riding
3 St George the Martyr London (South Districts)
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hackney 022 Hackney
2 Hounslow 024 Hounslow
3 Tunbridge Wells 010 Tunbridge Wells
4 Chichester 014 Chichester
5 Greenwich 037 Greenwich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ott

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ott

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Ott surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Ott 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Ott 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

Ott is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Ott

The surname Ott originated in Germany, where it was first recorded in the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "ot" or "od," meaning "fortune" or "prosperity." The name was likely given to someone who was prosperous or fortunate.

In the Middle Ages, the Ott surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. Early variations of the spelling included Otte, Othe, and Otte. The name can also be traced back to the Low German word "ot," meaning "ancestor" or "forefather."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Ott surname can be found in a 14th-century manuscript from the town of Augsburg, which mentions a certain "Heinrich Ott." Another notable early bearer of the name was Konrad Ott, a German soldier who fought in the Hussite Wars in the early 15th century.

The Ott surname has a long history in various parts of Germany. In the 16th century, a prominent figure named Johann Ott (1507-1573) was a Lutheran theologian and reformer who worked alongside Martin Luther. Another notable Ott was Johann Baptist Ott (1661-1736), a German Baroque painter and architect active in Bavaria.

In the 19th century, the Ott name gained prominence in the field of science. Karl Ott (1836-1900) was a German chemist and inventor who developed a process for manufacturing artificial indigo dye. His contemporary, Johann Ott (1844-1924), was a German-American botanist who made significant contributions to the study of plant morphology and anatomy.

One of the most famous bearers of the Ott surname was the German philosopher and sociologist Georg Ott (1908-1994), who was best known for his work on the Frankfurt School of critical theory. Another notable figure was the German-American physicist Hermann Ott (1928-2021), who made important contributions to the field of nuclear physics and worked on the Manhattan Project.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ott families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ott 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. Surrey leads with 59 Otts recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.01x.

County Total Index
Surrey 59 10.01x
Kent 20 4.85x
Middlesex 19 1.57x
Leicestershire 7 5.22x
Lancashire 6 0.42x
Essex 5 2.09x
Yorkshire 5 0.42x
Midlothian 2 1.23x
Hampshire 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 21 Otts recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.18x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 21 27.18x
Newington 20 44.76x
Plumstead 9 65.41x
Bermondsey 7 19.44x
Leicester St Margaret 7 21.41x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 26.32x
Deptford St Paul 6 18.85x
Lewisham 5 22.73x
Mile End Old Town 5 26.19x
West Ham 5 9.49x
Hillingdon 4 103.63x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 16.43x
Southwark St Saviour 4 64.31x
Leeds 3 4.43x
Edinburgh St Andrews 2 149.25x
St George Bloomsbury 2 28.82x
St George In East 2 24.30x
Andover 1 42.74x
Battersea 1 2.25x
Bradford 1 3.45x
Clerkenwell London 1 3.50x
Croydon 1 3.06x
Horton In Bradford 1 5.34x
Paddington London 1 2.25x
Reigate Borough 1 73.53x
Shoreditch London 1 1.91x
St George Hanover 1 6.33x
St Martin In Fields 1 13.81x
St Pancras London 1 1.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Emily 4
Emma 4
Ann 3
Caroline 3
Elizabeth 3
Sarah 3
Anna 2
Ellen 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Maria 2
Maryann 2
Nelley 2
Priscilla 2
Rebecca 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Babett 1
Christina 1
Elizabetha 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Francesca 1
Hannah 1
Jessie 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Margareth 1
Marie 1
Marriane 1
Maydalina 1
Minnie 1
Olive 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
William 8
Henry 6
Frederick 4
Alfred 3
Charles 3
George 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Chas. 2
James 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Alexander 1
Amiel 1
Edward 1
Ephraim 1
Florentin 1
Gorge 1
Harry 1
Heinrich 1
Reuben 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Ott surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ott surname in 1881?

In 1881, 133 people were recorded with the Ott surname. That placed it at #16,676 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ott surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 251 in 2016. That gives Ott a modern rank of #16,744.

What does the Ott surname mean?

Derived from the German surname "Otto," meaning "wealthy" or "fortunate," or referring to someone from Ottingen, Germany.

What does the Ott map show?

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