NameCensus.

UK surname

Otton

A surname derived from a Germanic personal name, meaning "wealth" or "prosperous".

In the 1881 census there were 122 people recorded with the Otton surname, ranking it #17,602 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 229, ranked #17,878, down from #17,602 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kingsdon, London parishes and Barton St David. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Basingstoke and Deane, Derby and West Berkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Otton is 267 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 87.7%.

1881 census count

122

Ranked #17,602

Modern count

229

2016, ranked #17,878

Peak year

1997

267 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Otton had 122 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,602 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 229 in 2016, ranked #17,878.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 237 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Otton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Otton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Otton 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 100 #17,164
1861 historical 139 #16,263
1881 historical 122 #17,602
1891 historical 191 #15,437
1901 historical 173 #16,579
1911 historical 237 #13,406
1997 modern 267 #14,623
1998 modern 267 #15,016
1999 modern 259 #15,433
2000 modern 259 #15,390
2001 modern 241 #15,870
2002 modern 256 #15,565
2003 modern 246 #15,769
2004 modern 243 #16,004
2005 modern 228 #16,683
2006 modern 235 #16,439
2007 modern 241 #16,341
2008 modern 247 #16,205
2009 modern 242 #16,789
2010 modern 257 #16,476
2011 modern 264 #16,016
2012 modern 239 #17,027
2013 modern 231 #17,703
2014 modern 231 #17,813
2015 modern 234 #17,577
2016 modern 229 #17,878

Geography

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Where Ottons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kingsdon, London parishes, Barton St David, St James Clerkenwell and St Thomas the Apostle, Whitestone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Basingstoke and Deane, Derby, West Berkshire, Portsmouth and Newport. 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 Kingsdon Somerset
2 London parishes London 3
3 Barton St David Somerset
4 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)
5 St Thomas the Apostle, Whitestone Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Basingstoke and Deane 002 Basingstoke and Deane
2 Derby 025 Derby
3 West Berkshire 022 West Berkshire
4 Portsmouth 017 Portsmouth
5 Newport 006 Newport

Forenames

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First names often paired with Otton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Otton

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Otton 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

Otton 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

Otton falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Otton

The surname Otton is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English personal name "Otta," which itself is derived from the Germanic word "aud" meaning wealth or prosperity.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Otton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The record mentions an individual named "Otta" who held land in Oxfordshire.

During the 13th century, the name Otton appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed landowners and taxpayers in England. One notable individual from this period was Sir John Otton, a knight who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

In the 16th century, the Otton family was prominent in the county of Gloucestershire, where they held significant land and property. One member of this family, Sir Thomas Otton (c. 1510 - 1587), was a Member of Parliament and served as Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1567.

Another notable figure with the surname Otton was Nicholas Otton (c. 1550 - 1622), an English scholar and clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Shropshire and Provost of Eton College. He was known for his work in translating and publishing ancient Greek texts.

In the 17th century, the name Otton was associated with the village of Otton, located in the county of Devon. This place name, which is a variant spelling of the surname, was recorded in the Assize Rolls of 1288 and likely derived from the Old English word "tun" meaning a farm or settlement.

While the surname Otton may not be as common today as it once was, its history can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period, and it has been borne by individuals of note throughout the centuries, including knights, landowners, scholars, and members of Parliament.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Otton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Otton 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 44 Ottons recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.36x.

County Total Index
Devon 44 18.36x
Somerset 18 9.72x
Middlesex 16 1.39x
Glamorgan 7 3.49x
Yorkshire 7 0.61x
Warwickshire 6 2.07x
Hampshire 5 2.12x
Kent 4 1.02x
Berkshire 3 3.47x
Dorset 3 3.97x
Surrey 2 0.36x
Gloucestershire 1 0.44x
Lanarkshire 1 0.27x
Midlothian 1 0.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Branscombe in Devon leads with 18 Ottons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5454.55x.

Place Total Index
Branscombe 18 5454.55x
Exeter St Thomas The 7 286.89x
Honiton 7 526.32x
Kingsdon 7 5000.00x
Aston 6 7.51x
Barnstaple 6 159.57x
Clerkenwell London 6 22.08x
Fulham London 6 35.95x
Kildale 6 5454.55x
Aller 5 2631.58x
Barton St David 5 3846.15x
Rhyndwyclydach 4 287.77x
Aldershot 3 37.97x
Clase 3 40.27x
Dorchester All Sts 3 833.33x
Earley 3 208.33x
Ide 3 1153.85x
Sidmouth 3 218.98x
Deptford St Paul 2 6.60x
Lewisham 2 9.55x
Penge 2 27.21x
Chelsea London 1 2.88x
Holy Trinity 1 3.65x
Kensington London 1 1.56x
Maryhill 1 13.72x
Queen Camel 1 454.55x
Rowner 1 1250.00x
South Leith 1 5.76x
Southampton St Mary 1 6.74x
St Luke London 1 5.42x
St Marylebone London 1 1.63x
Stapleton 1 23.36x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Otton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Otton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 122 people were recorded with the Otton surname. That placed it at #17,602 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Otton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 229 in 2016. That gives Otton a modern rank of #17,878.

What does the Otton surname mean?

A surname derived from a Germanic personal name, meaning "wealth" or "prosperous".

What does the Otton map show?

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