NameCensus.

UK surname

Pittman

A surname referring to someone who worked in or owned a pit, such as a coal mine or clay pit.

In the 1881 census there were 721 people recorded with the Pittman surname, ranking it #5,056 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 843, ranked #6,627, down from #5,056 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, Tendring and Cheltenham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pittman is 944 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.9%.

1881 census count

721

Ranked #5,056

Modern count

843

2016, ranked #6,627

Peak year

1998

944 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pittman had 721 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,056 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 843 in 2016, ranked #6,627.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 931 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Pittman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pittman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pittman 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 576 #4,422
1861 historical 424 #6,061
1881 historical 721 #5,056
1891 historical 746 #5,338
1901 historical 814 #5,545
1911 historical 931 #4,819
1997 modern 942 #5,755
1998 modern 944 #5,938
1999 modern 934 #6,030
2000 modern 929 #6,037
2001 modern 899 #6,096
2002 modern 900 #6,198
2003 modern 863 #6,279
2004 modern 866 #6,268
2005 modern 839 #6,364
2006 modern 820 #6,486
2007 modern 824 #6,532
2008 modern 850 #6,424
2009 modern 873 #6,429
2010 modern 891 #6,444
2011 modern 866 #6,526
2012 modern 850 #6,527
2013 modern 864 #6,553
2014 modern 865 #6,575
2015 modern 852 #6,587
2016 modern 843 #6,627

Geography

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Where Pittmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Lambeth and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, Tendring, Cheltenham, Swansea and Rother. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 038 Wigan
2 Tendring 007 Tendring
3 Cheltenham 010 Cheltenham
4 Swansea 030 Swansea
5 Rother 009 Rother

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pittman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pittman

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

Pittman is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Pittman

The surname PITTMAN has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "pytt" meaning a pit or hollow and "mann" meaning a man or worker. The name likely referred to someone who worked in a pit or quarry, or lived near a pit or hollow in the landscape.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where it appears as "Pitteman". The surname is also found in various medieval records such as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it is spelled "Pyteman".

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name was primarily concentrated in the counties of Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire in the southwest of England. It is believed that the name may have originated in this region, where there were numerous quarries and pits used for mining and construction.

In the 16th century, the spelling of the name began to standardize, with variations like "Pittman", "Pitman", and "Pytman" becoming more common. One notable bearer of the name from this period was John Pittman (c.1525-1585), a Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake in Ipswich, Suffolk, during the reign of Queen Mary I.

As the name spread across England, it also became associated with various place names. For example, the village of Pitman's Cross in Gloucestershire likely derived its name from a family with the surname Pittman who lived in the area.

Other notable figures with the surname PITTMAN throughout history include:

1. Sir Edward Pittman (1629-1711), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1689. 2. William Pittman (1766-1853), an English painter and engraver known for his landscape paintings and etchings. 3. John Pittman (1801-1876), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the former Royal Panopticon of Science and Art. 4. Thomas Pittman (1816-1891), an English cricketer who played for Sussex County Cricket Club in the mid-19th century. 5. Charles Pittman (1872-1945), an American politician who served as the 35th Governor of Nevada from 1935 to 1939.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pittman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pittman 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. Middlesex leads with 212 Pittmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.96x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 212 2.96x
Surrey 102 2.92x
Hampshire 61 4.15x
Dorset 60 12.75x
Kent 45 1.84x
Gloucestershire 38 2.70x
Somerset 35 3.03x
Essex 30 2.12x
Wiltshire 23 3.63x
Lancashire 15 0.18x
Channel Islands 13 6.12x
Warwickshire 12 0.66x
Berkshire 11 2.04x
Oxfordshire 11 2.48x
Devon 9 0.60x
Sussex 9 0.74x
Cumberland 8 1.30x
Worcestershire 7 0.75x
Hertfordshire 5 1.01x
Monmouthshire 5 0.96x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.88x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.41x
Yorkshire 4 0.06x
Glamorgan 3 0.24x
Royal Navy 3 3.51x
Herefordshire 2 0.68x
Staffordshire 2 0.08x
Lanarkshire 1 0.04x
Leicestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 26 Pittmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.74x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 26 3.74x
Battersea 24 9.10x
Hackney London 22 5.47x
Newington 18 6.80x
Mile End Old Town 16 14.14x
Abbotsbury 15 625.00x
West Ham 15 4.80x
Bethnal Green London 14 4.50x
Camberwell 14 3.06x
Bermondsey 13 6.09x
Deptford St Paul 13 6.89x
St Helier 13 18.80x
St Pancras London 13 2.25x
Clerkenwell London 12 7.09x
Lambeth 11 1.76x
Yetminster 11 628.57x
Bow London 10 10.96x
Bromley London 10 6.34x
Chetnole 10 1666.67x
Christchurch 10 31.38x
Hindon 10 735.29x
Limehouse London 10 12.70x
Tewkesbury 10 79.68x
St George In East 9 18.45x
Brading 8 40.96x
Chatham 8 11.89x
Seaton 8 111.11x
Upleadon 8 1403.51x
Banstead 7 73.92x
Bridgewater 7 22.34x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 5.29x
Cheltenham 7 6.45x
Folke 7 1060.61x
Freshwater 7 104.32x
Kensington London 7 1.76x
Litherland 7 39.35x
Portsea 7 2.43x
Ratcliffe London 7 17.68x
Ryde 7 22.17x
Shoreditch London 7 2.25x
West Parley 7 853.66x
Aston 6 1.21x
Bredon 6 187.50x
Chigwell 6 44.91x
Fulham London 6 5.77x
Goring 6 237.15x
St Paul Covent Garden 6 83.68x
Aberystruth 5 10.94x
Brighton 5 2.05x
Fisherton Anger 5 42.59x
Horsington 5 271.74x
Paddington London 5 1.90x
Reading St Mary 5 11.60x
Romsey Infra 5 100.40x
Southampton St Mary 5 5.41x
St Botolph Aldgate 5 51.07x
Warminster 5 36.00x
Weston Super Mare 5 17.16x
Wimbledon 5 12.75x
Fordingbridge 4 50.06x
Harrow On The Hill 4 27.93x
Hulme 4 2.25x
Ilminster 4 49.63x
Milton In Gravesend 4 10.91x
Oxford St Clement 4 35.81x
Radford 4 8.15x
Rickling 4 360.36x
Shoreham 4 114.94x
St George Martyr 4 33.11x
Birmingham 3 0.50x
East Barnet 3 30.61x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 2.08x
High Littleton 3 157.89x
Royal Navy 3 4.11x
Seaton 3 52.17x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.08x
St Marylebone London 3 0.78x
St Nicholas 3 348.84x
Wapping London 3 54.74x
Yeovilton 3 508.47x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 54
John 36
George 30
Henry 23
James 21
Charles 16
Joseph 14
Thomas 12
Albert 9
Alfred 9
Frederick 9
Arthur 8
Edward 8
Harry 8
Frank 7
Robert 6
Edwin 5
Francis 5
Walter 5
Ernest 4
Herbert 4
Richard 4
Percy 3
Sidney 3
Archibald 2
Christopher 2
Josiah 2
Maurice 2
Thos. 2
Chas.G. 1
Cornelius 1
Douglas 1
Farnham 1
Ferdinand 1
Frances 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Harold 1
Harrison 1
Jesse 1
Jno.Jas. 1
Joshua 1
Keith 1
Ladbrook 1
Levi 1
Osmond 1
Paul 1
Percival 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Pittman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pittman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 721 people were recorded with the Pittman surname. That placed it at #5,056 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pittman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 843 in 2016. That gives Pittman a modern rank of #6,627.

What does the Pittman surname mean?

A surname referring to someone who worked in or owned a pit, such as a coal mine or clay pit.

What does the Pittman map show?

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