NameCensus.

UK surname

Pavitt

From an English surname perhaps denoting someone from Pavatt or Pabet, placenames of unknown location and meaning.

In the 1881 census there were 673 people recorded with the Pavitt surname, ranking it #5,361 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 906, ranked #6,273, down from #5,361 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ockendon, South, London parishes and Sawbridgeworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Uttlesford, Greenwich and Thurrock.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pavitt is 1,065 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.6%.

1881 census count

673

Ranked #5,361

Modern count

906

2016, ranked #6,273

Peak year

1998

1,065 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pavitt had 673 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,361 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 906 in 2016, ranked #6,273.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,008 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Pavitt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pavitt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pavitt 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 397 #6,070
1861 historical 356 #7,171
1881 historical 673 #5,361
1891 historical 693 #5,657
1901 historical 868 #5,281
1911 historical 1,008 #4,514
1997 modern 1,046 #5,286
1998 modern 1,065 #5,388
1999 modern 1,060 #5,437
2000 modern 1,032 #5,545
2001 modern 996 #5,595
2002 modern 1,002 #5,675
2003 modern 970 #5,735
2004 modern 949 #5,846
2005 modern 917 #5,938
2006 modern 912 #5,972
2007 modern 922 #5,981
2008 modern 906 #6,105
2009 modern 928 #6,103
2010 modern 940 #6,167
2011 modern 927 #6,184
2012 modern 914 #6,178
2013 modern 937 #6,161
2014 modern 945 #6,151
2015 modern 938 #6,133
2016 modern 906 #6,273

Geography

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Where Pavitts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ockendon, South, London parishes, Sawbridgeworth and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Uttlesford, Greenwich, Thurrock and Chelmsford. 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 Ockendon, South Essex
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Sawbridgeworth Hertfordshire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Uttlesford 008 Uttlesford
2 Greenwich 006 Greenwich
3 Thurrock 008 Thurrock
4 Thurrock 014 Thurrock
5 Chelmsford 011 Chelmsford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pavitt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pavitt

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Pavitt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Pavitt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Pavitt 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

Pavitt 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

Pavitt falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Pavitt is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Pavitt, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Pavitt

The surname Pavitt is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have originated in the county of Bedfordshire, England, where it was first recorded as a locational surname derived from the Old English words "pæc" meaning a peak or hill, and "hyth" meaning a landing place or small port. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a hill or elevated area near a waterway or landing site.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pavitt can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1195, where it appears as "William de Pachith". The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also mention a "John de Pachit" from the same county. These early spellings, such as "Pachith" and "Pachit", highlight the evolution of the name over time to its modern form of Pavitt.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various medieval records and manuscripts, including the Subsidy Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1307, which listed a "Roger Paghit". The Chancery Rolls of 1396 also mention a "John Pavyt" from Bedfordshire, indicating the gradual transition towards the modern spelling.

One notable historical figure with the surname Pavitt was Sir William Pavitt, a 16th-century English lawyer and Member of Parliament for Bedford. He was born in 1544 and served as the town's recorder from 1573 until his death in 1611.

Another significant individual was Robert Pavitt, an English clergyman who lived in the 17th century. He was born in 1596 and served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Barwick-in-Elmet, Yorkshire, from 1631 until his death in 1669.

In the 18th century, John Pavitt, born in 1712, was a renowned clockmaker from Cranfield, Bedfordshire. His clocks and timepieces were highly sought after and can still be found in various museums and private collections.

The 19th century saw the birth of George Pavitt, a notable English architect who was born in 1828 in Wiltshire. He was responsible for designing several prominent buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal College of Music.

Finally, one of the more recent historical figures with the surname Pavitt was Walter Pavitt, a British naval officer and author who lived from 1884 to 1970. He served in the Royal Navy during World War I and later wrote several books on naval history and strategy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pavitt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pavitt 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. Essex leads with 321 Pavitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.73x.

County Total Index
Essex 321 24.73x
Middlesex 195 2.97x
Surrey 67 2.09x
Hertfordshire 32 7.06x
Kent 16 0.71x
Sussex 13 1.17x
Somerset 10 0.94x
Denbighshire 5 2.01x
Dorset 5 1.16x
Suffolk 4 0.50x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Hampshire 1 0.07x
Lincolnshire 1 0.10x
Midlothian 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 1.28x
Yorkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aveley in Essex leads with 31 Pavitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1415.53x.

Place Total Index
Aveley 31 1415.53x
Harlow 30 536.67x
Bethnal Green London 27 9.45x
Islington London 25 3.92x
Sawbridgeworth 25 364.43x
South Ockendon 20 743.49x
Mile End Old Town 17 16.38x
Matching 16 1185.19x
Tottenham 16 15.28x
Battersea 15 6.20x
Hackney London 15 4.07x
High Easter 15 833.33x
Romford 15 73.10x
Lambeth 14 2.44x
St Pancras London 14 2.65x
Epping 13 246.68x
High Laver 12 1121.50x
Brighton 11 4.92x
Chigwell 11 89.80x
Kensington London 11 3.01x
Leaden Roothing 11 2750.00x
West Ham 11 3.84x
Grays Thurrock 9 74.63x
Finchley 8 31.73x
Good Easter 8 683.76x
Kingston On Thames 8 10.40x
Leatherhead 8 99.75x
North Weald Bassett 8 353.98x
St George Hanover 8 9.32x
Stanford Rivers 8 365.30x
Aythorpe Roothing 7 1296.30x
Limehouse London 7 9.70x
Paddington London 7 2.90x
St Marylebone London 7 1.99x
Stansted Mountfitchet 7 213.41x
Abbots Roothing 6 1153.85x
Chadwell St Mary 6 451.13x
Dagenham 6 77.72x
Saffron Walden 6 43.76x
Stanford Le Hope 6 322.58x
Walthamstow 6 12.85x
West Hanningfield 6 618.56x
Barwick 5 471.70x
Camberwell 5 1.19x
Plumstead 5 6.69x
Richmond 5 11.14x
St Luke London 5 4.74x
Wrexham Regis 5 27.12x
Bathwick 4 34.16x
Bow London 4 4.78x
Bradford Abbas 4 347.83x
Chipping Ongar 4 179.37x
Deptford St Paul 4 2.31x
Fobbing 4 416.67x
Hampton London 4 37.00x
Leyton Low 4 15.16x
Little Easton 4 606.06x
Rawreth 4 540.54x
St George Bloomsbury 4 10.60x
Streatham 4 8.20x
White Roothing 4 421.05x
Woodford 4 27.23x
Chiswick 3 8.35x
Hornsey 3 3.61x
Ipswich St Margaret 3 11.04x
Northfleet 3 15.18x
Rettendon 3 185.19x
Ayott St Lawrence 2 800.00x
Barking 2 5.27x
Chelsea London 2 1.01x
Clapham 2 2.43x
Hertford St Andrew 2 35.71x
High Roothing 2 198.02x
Newington 2 0.82x
Orsett 2 59.17x
Rainham 2 32.47x
Thorley 2 212.77x
Willingale Spain 2 425.53x
Fyfield 1 95.24x
St George In East 1 2.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 45
George 42
James 39
John 26
Charles 24
Henry 23
Alfred 13
Thomas 13
Arthur 11
Walter 11
Joseph 9
Benjamin 7
Samuel 7
Edward 5
Frank 5
Frederick 5
Robert 5
Albert 4
Ernest 4
Frederic 3
Fredrick 3
Herbert 3
Jonathan 3
Peter 3
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
Fred 2
Isaac 2
Richard 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Clarence 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Fredr. 1
Fredric 1
Harry 1
Jacob 1
Jno. 1
Josiah 1
Josp. 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Oscar 1
Percy 1
Simeon 1
Spencer 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Pavitt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pavitt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 673 people were recorded with the Pavitt surname. That placed it at #5,361 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pavitt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 906 in 2016. That gives Pavitt a modern rank of #6,273.

What does the Pavitt surname mean?

From an English surname perhaps denoting someone from Pavatt or Pabet, placenames of unknown location and meaning.

What does the Pavitt map show?

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