NameCensus.

UK surname

Pitts

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a pit or hollow.

In the 1881 census there were 3,036 people recorded with the Pitts surname, ranking it #1,476 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,447, ranked #1,977, down from #1,476 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Calverley, London parishes and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stroud, West Oxfordshire and Mid Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pitts is 3,920 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.5%.

1881 census count

3,036

Ranked #1,476

Modern count

3,447

2016, ranked #1,977

Peak year

1911

3,920 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pitts had 3,036 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,476 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,447 in 2016, ranked #1,977.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,920 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pitts surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pitts surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pitts 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 1,954 #1,483
1861 historical 2,074 #1,391
1881 historical 3,036 #1,476
1891 historical 3,053 #1,540
1901 historical 3,618 #1,548
1911 historical 3,920 #1,312
1997 modern 3,502 #1,853
1998 modern 3,688 #1,826
1999 modern 3,718 #1,827
2000 modern 3,661 #1,845
2001 modern 3,560 #1,858
2002 modern 3,671 #1,842
2003 modern 3,543 #1,867
2004 modern 3,510 #1,887
2005 modern 3,373 #1,937
2006 modern 3,309 #1,977
2007 modern 3,326 #1,987
2008 modern 3,354 #1,992
2009 modern 3,486 #1,952
2010 modern 3,529 #1,971
2011 modern 3,529 #1,950
2012 modern 3,437 #1,961
2013 modern 3,526 #1,953
2014 modern 3,521 #1,962
2015 modern 3,435 #1,987
2016 modern 3,447 #1,977

Geography

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Where Pitts' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Calverley, London parishes, Bradford and West Ham,Wanstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stroud, West Oxfordshire, Mid Devon, South Holland and Teignbridge. 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 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 London parishes London 2
5 West Ham,Wanstead Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stroud 011 Stroud
2 West Oxfordshire 012 West Oxfordshire
3 Mid Devon 009 Mid Devon
4 South Holland 001 South Holland
5 Teignbridge 002 Teignbridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pitts

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pitts

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Pitts is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Pitts is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Pitts falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pitts

The surname Pitts originated in England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English word "pytt," meaning a pit or hollow. This could suggest that the name was initially given to people who lived near a pit or worked in pit-related occupations.

Pitts is also thought to have connections to various place names in England, such as Pitt Town in Kent and Pitt Meadows in Surrey. These place names likely influenced the development and spread of the surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pitts can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed a John de la Putte. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain the surname Pitts, but it does mention several place names with similar spellings, such as "Pitte" and "Pite."

Notable individuals with the surname Pitts throughout history include William Pitt the Elder (1708-1778), a British statesman who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain, and his son, William Pitt the Younger (1759-1806), who also held the position of Prime Minister. Another prominent figure was Sir Christopher Pitts (1622-1687), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1689.

Other individuals with the surname Pitts include Zion Pitts (1765-1838), an American Baptist minister and educator, and Lizette Woodworth Pitts (1858-1924), an American poet and novelist. Additionally, Joseph Pitts (1663-1735) was an English sailor who was captured by Algerian pirates and later wrote a memoir about his experiences.

While the surname Pitts has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, due to migration and immigration patterns.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pitts families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pitts 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. Yorkshire leads with 715 Pitts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.41x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 715 2.41x
Middlesex 329 1.10x
Devon 327 5.24x
Surrey 206 1.41x
Gloucestershire 125 2.13x
Essex 117 1.98x
Northamptonshire 109 3.87x
Lancashire 96 0.27x
Somerset 92 1.91x
Lincolnshire 86 1.79x
Leicestershire 73 2.20x
Oxfordshire 69 3.73x
Bedfordshire 61 3.93x
Worcestershire 58 1.48x
Norfolk 57 1.24x
Kent 41 0.40x
Cambridgeshire 34 1.79x
Sussex 34 0.67x
Staffordshire 33 0.33x
Suffolk 32 0.88x
Hampshire 31 0.50x
Isle of Man 31 5.57x
Berkshire 30 1.33x
Warwickshire 28 0.37x
Buckinghamshire 25 1.38x
Hertfordshire 25 1.21x
Cornwall 24 0.71x
Nottinghamshire 24 0.59x
Cheshire 21 0.32x
Monmouthshire 21 0.97x
Glamorgan 19 0.36x
Derbyshire 18 0.38x
Rutland 17 7.73x
Shropshire 15 0.58x
Durham 11 0.12x
Huntingdonshire 9 1.51x
Cumberland 5 0.19x
Denbighshire 4 0.35x
Midlothian 4 0.10x
Royal Navy 4 1.12x
Dorset 3 0.15x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.07x
Brecknockshire 2 0.33x
Renfrewshire 2 0.09x
Herefordshire 1 0.08x
Northumberland 1 0.02x
Wiltshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 85 Pitts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.07x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 85 5.07x
Idle 75 54.47x
Islington London 72 2.48x
Bermondsey 51 5.72x
Shipley 50 32.45x
Holy Trinity 40 5.60x
Bowling 39 13.26x
Tong 39 67.99x
Lambeth 38 1.45x
Eccleshill 37 51.20x
Bicester Market End 34 100.06x
Gomersal 34 24.53x
Great Barford 30 371.29x
St Pancras London 26 1.08x
Bradford 24 3.34x
Hunslet 24 5.18x
Redditch 23 28.99x
Plymouth St Andrew 22 4.58x
Tansor 22 852.71x
Brixham 21 29.05x
Sheffield 20 2.12x
Brighton 19 1.86x
Pirton 19 163.51x
Welham 18 2571.43x
Chignal Smealy 17 817.31x
Drighlington 17 39.30x
Falmouth 17 14.16x
Sherborne 17 289.12x
Hammersmith London 16 2.17x
Malew 16 32.92x
St Marylebone London 16 1.00x
Wisbech St Peter 16 16.81x
Kensington London 15 0.90x
Shoreditch London 15 1.15x
Wollaston 15 96.77x
Bingley 14 7.40x
Burnham 14 38.07x
Ealing 14 5.23x
Hackney London 14 0.83x
Leicester St Margaret 14 1.73x
Ashburton 13 43.59x
Bristol St James St Paul 13 6.63x
Camberwell 13 0.68x
Fulbrook 13 363.13x
Newington 13 1.17x
Portsea 13 1.08x
Pudsey 13 8.19x
Tewkesbury 13 24.79x
Willesden 13 4.60x
Newton Abbot St Mary 12 22.93x
Paddington London 12 1.09x
South Weald 12 23.69x
Wembury 12 212.01x
West Alvington 12 136.99x
Aston 11 0.53x
Bow London 11 2.88x
Bretforton 11 189.66x
Clevedon 11 21.93x
Everton 11 0.97x
Manchester 11 0.69x
Southwark St John 11 12.00x
Southwark St Saviour 11 7.14x
York St Mary 11 8.94x
Arundel 10 35.35x
Bicker 10 134.77x
Cow Honeybourne 10 265.25x
Crediton 10 16.92x
Deeping St Nicholas 10 71.28x
Hamstall Ridware 10 254.45x
Rotherham 10 5.97x
Shenfield 10 65.15x
South Kyme 10 183.82x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 1.66x
Trevethin 10 4.89x
Battersea 9 0.82x
Bradwell 9 35.29x
Northampton All Sts 9 9.41x
Paston 9 75.13x
Romford 9 9.62x
Topsham 9 30.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 180
Sarah 128
Elizabeth 124
Jane 60
Ann 58
Emma 57
Annie 56
Eliza 52
Ellen 50
Alice 41
Hannah 34
Emily 31
Louisa 28
Martha 27
Caroline 23
Charlotte 23
Florence 22
Maria 22
Edith 19
Fanny 19
Susan 18
Ada 17
Anne 16
Harriett 16
Lucy 16
Rose 16
Clara 15
Margaret 14
Catherine 13
Kate 13
Esther 12
Ethel 11
Laura 11
Frances 10
Harriet 10
Agnes 9
Amelia 9
Matilda 9
Minnie 9
Beatrice 8
Bessie 8
Jemima 8
Gertrude 6
Isabella 6
Ruth 6
Sophia 6
Betsey 5
Betsy 5
Grace 5
Phoebe 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 177
John 170
George 113
James 91
Thomas 88
Charles 82
Henry 54
Joseph 45
Walter 37
Arthur 35
Edward 35
Samuel 33
Robert 32
Frederick 27
Alfred 25
Harry 21
Fred 18
Albert 17
David 15
Richard 15
Ernest 12
Frank 10
Herbert 10
Benjamin 9
Thos. 9
Edwin 8
Joshua 8
Wm. 8
Abraham 6
Daniel 6
Francis 6
Tom 6
Matthew 5
Stephen 5
Chas. 4
Fredk. 4
Fredrick 4
Matthias 4
Sam 4
Geo. 3
Jonathan 3
Percy 3
Peter 3
Philip 3
Willie 3
Christopher 2
Josh. 2
Mary 2
Nathan 2
Oscar 2

FAQ

Pitts surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pitts surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,036 people were recorded with the Pitts surname. That placed it at #1,476 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pitts surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,447 in 2016. That gives Pitts a modern rank of #1,977.

What does the Pitts surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a pit or hollow.

What does the Pitts map show?

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