NameCensus.

UK surname

Pittam

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "pit homestead" or "pit farm."

In the 1881 census there were 288 people recorded with the Pittam surname, ranking it #9,988 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 593, ranked #8,799, up from #9,988 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Milton, Little and Silverstone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Northamptonshire, Wolverhampton and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pittam is 622 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 105.9%.

1881 census count

288

Ranked #9,988

Modern count

593

2016, ranked #8,799

Peak year

1999

622 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pittam had 288 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,988 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 593 in 2016, ranked #8,799.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 533 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pittam surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pittam surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pittam 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 208 #10,107
1861 historical 164 #14,188
1881 historical 288 #9,988
1891 historical 396 #8,945
1901 historical 521 #7,811
1911 historical 533 #7,477
1997 modern 607 #8,081
1998 modern 616 #8,240
1999 modern 622 #8,240
2000 modern 616 #8,276
2001 modern 606 #8,237
2002 modern 606 #8,401
2003 modern 594 #8,391
2004 modern 600 #8,346
2005 modern 598 #8,288
2006 modern 580 #8,497
2007 modern 589 #8,477
2008 modern 591 #8,512
2009 modern 608 #8,509
2010 modern 606 #8,723
2011 modern 597 #8,723
2012 modern 601 #8,595
2013 modern 602 #8,728
2014 modern 593 #8,884
2015 modern 590 #8,843
2016 modern 593 #8,799

Geography

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Where Pittams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Milton, Little, Silverstone, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Cold, Higham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Northamptonshire, Wolverhampton, County Durham, Sefton and Walsall. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Milton, Little Oxfordshire
3 Silverstone Northamptonshire
4 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
5 Cold, Higham Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Northamptonshire 008 South Northamptonshire
2 Wolverhampton 033 Wolverhampton
3 County Durham 032 County Durham
4 Sefton 010 Sefton
5 Walsall 012 Walsall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pittam

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pittam

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Pittam is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pittam is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Pittam

The surname Pittam has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from an Old English place name, possibly related to the word "pyt," meaning a pit or small hollow. The name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a pit or depression in the land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Pittam can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dated around 1273. This document mentions a person named John Pyttam, suggesting the name's existence in that region during the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Pittam surname appeared in various records, including the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where a Richard Pittam was listed. This indicates the name's presence in different parts of England during that time.

The Pittam surname has also been associated with various place names throughout history. For instance, in the 16th century, there was a reference to a place called "Pittam" in the county of Suffolk. This could potentially be linked to the surname's origins or an early settlement of individuals bearing the name.

Notable individuals with the surname Pittam include:

1. John Pittam (1518-1589), an English merchant and landowner from Buckinghamshire, known for his involvement in the wool trade and his philanthropic efforts.

2. Elizabeth Pittam (1640-1718), a prominent Quaker preacher and author from Gloucestershire, who published several works on religious subjects.

3. Thomas Pittam (1767-1833), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and participated in several notable battles.

4. William Pittam (1809-1887), an English engraver and artist, known for his intricate engravings of landscapes and architectural subjects.

5. Mary Pittam (1858-1932), a British educator and advocate for women's rights, who founded several schools for girls in London.

While the Pittam surname may not have been as widespread as some others, it has a rich history spanning several centuries, with individuals from various walks of life contributing to their respective fields and communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pittam families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pittam 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. Northamptonshire leads with 99 Pittams recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.73x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 99 37.73x
Oxfordshire 40 23.22x
Warwickshire 31 4.41x
Buckinghamshire 18 10.67x
Staffordshire 17 1.81x
Shropshire 16 6.64x
Middlesex 11 0.39x
Essex 10 1.82x
Yorkshire 10 0.36x
Derbyshire 8 1.83x
Surrey 7 0.52x
Hertfordshire 4 2.08x
Leicestershire 4 1.29x
Lancashire 3 0.09x
Durham 2 0.24x
Lincolnshire 2 0.45x
Somerset 2 0.45x
Bedfordshire 1 0.69x
Herefordshire 1 0.87x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lt Milton in Oxfordshire leads with 21 Pittams recorded in 1881 and an index of 6000.00x.

Place Total Index
Lt Milton 21 6000.00x
Helmdon 20 3921.57x
Wellington 16 118.08x
Silverstone 15 1351.35x
Northampton St Sepulchre 12 89.89x
Long Buckby 11 452.67x
Cold Higham 10 2941.18x
Horton In Bradford 10 23.16x
Duston 9 378.15x
Stapleford Tawney 9 4285.71x
Neithrop 8 138.17x
Aston 7 3.61x
Bicester Market End 7 221.52x
Buckingham 7 204.08x
Church Gresley 7 100.72x
Polesworth 7 209.58x
Ravenstone 7 2000.00x
Cosgrove 6 983.61x
Shoreditch London 6 4.96x
Bilston 5 27.40x
Loxley 5 1612.90x
Northampton St Giles 5 50.05x
Walsall Foreign 5 10.28x
Wednesfield 5 36.08x
Ashby De La Zouch 4 55.79x
Kingston On Thames 4 12.25x
Pattishall 4 459.77x
Sutton Coldfield 4 54.13x
Wolverton 4 114.61x
Gt Haseley 3 461.54x
North Mimms 3 247.93x
Rugby 3 31.51x
Dunholme 2 512.82x
Lambeth 2 0.82x
Newton 2 7.84x
Poplar London 2 3.80x
Southam 2 116.96x
Wappenham 2 454.55x
Westoe 2 4.25x
Willesden 2 7.60x
Bedford St Paul 1 10.09x
Birmingham 1 0.43x
Brixworth 1 89.29x
Burton Extra 1 18.52x
Burton Upon Trent 1 4.54x
Bushey 1 21.83x
Cheetham 1 4.05x
Cradley 1 59.88x
Croydon 1 1.33x
Litchurch 1 5.69x
Loughton 1 36.76x
Northampton All Sts 1 11.24x
Rushton 1 212.77x
Solihull 1 19.76x
St Pancras London 1 0.45x
Syresham 1 131.58x
Tadmarton 1 294.12x
Taunton St Mary 1 12.14x
Towcester 1 36.90x
Wappenbury 1 454.55x
Wincanton 1 43.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 18
Thomas 17
William 17
George 12
Henry 9
James 7
Samuel 7
Edward 6
Charles 5
Joseph 4
Alfred 3
David 3
Francis 3
Arthur 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Lewis 2
Richard 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Amy 1
Benjamin 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Emanuel 1
Fred 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Reuben 1
Squire 1
Thompson 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wm.Richard 1

FAQ

Pittam surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pittam surname in 1881?

In 1881, 288 people were recorded with the Pittam surname. That placed it at #9,988 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pittam surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 593 in 2016. That gives Pittam a modern rank of #8,799.

What does the Pittam surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "pit homestead" or "pit farm."

What does the Pittam map show?

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