NameCensus.

UK surname

Plant

An English occupational surname referring to a gardener, planter, or someone who worked with plants or planted seeds.

In the 1881 census there were 6,612 people recorded with the Plant surname, ranking it #640 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 9,280, ranked #701, down from #640 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolstanton, Leek and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Staffordshire Moorlands and Stafford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Plant is 9,892 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.4%.

1881 census count

6,612

Ranked #640

Modern count

9,280

2016, ranked #701

Peak year

1999

9,892 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Plant had 6,612 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #640 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 9,280 in 2016, ranked #701.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,136 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Plant surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Plant surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Plant 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 4,211 #677
1861 historical 4,226 #667
1881 historical 6,612 #640
1891 historical 6,959 #647
1901 historical 8,290 #646
1911 historical 9,136 #537
1997 modern 8,848 #713
1998 modern 9,881 #658
1999 modern 9,892 #663
2000 modern 9,741 #672
2001 modern 9,564 #665
2002 modern 9,772 #668
2003 modern 9,560 #669
2004 modern 9,539 #666
2005 modern 9,445 #661
2006 modern 9,420 #662
2007 modern 9,390 #668
2008 modern 9,444 #671
2009 modern 9,621 #672
2010 modern 9,726 #684
2011 modern 9,594 #685
2012 modern 9,362 #688
2013 modern 9,453 #696
2014 modern 9,469 #701
2015 modern 9,327 #702
2016 modern 9,280 #701

Geography

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Where Plants are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolstanton, Leek, London parishes, Burslem and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Staffordshire Moorlands and Stafford. 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 Wolstanton Staffordshire
2 Leek Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Burslem Staffordshire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Staffordshire Moorlands 013 Staffordshire Moorlands
2 Staffordshire Moorlands 011 Staffordshire Moorlands
3 Staffordshire Moorlands 010 Staffordshire Moorlands
4 Stafford 003 Stafford
5 Staffordshire Moorlands 005 Staffordshire Moorlands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Plant

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Plant

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Plant 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

Plant is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Plant falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Plant

The surname Plant originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "plante," meaning a young tree or seedling. The Plant family likely took their name from residing near a plantation or nursery of young trees.

One of the earliest known references to the Plant surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a Robert Plant. The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, listing a John Plant as a taxpayer.

In the 14th century, the Plant name is recorded in several manorial records and legal documents from various counties in England, including Yorkshire, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire. This suggests that the family had already spread to different regions by this time.

The Plantagenet family, who ruled England from 1154 to 1485, may have influenced the popularity of the Plant surname. While not directly related, the name Plantagenet is believed to have derived from the Latin "planta genista," meaning a broom plant or broom tree.

Notable individuals with the Plant surname throughout history include:

1. Thomas Plant (c. 1540-1622), an English poet and playwright during the Elizabethan era. 2. Matthias Plant (1642-1719), a Dutch botanist and author of the influential "Plantarum Historia" (History of Plants). 3. Sir Henry Plant (1819-1899), a British businessman and founder of the Plant Steamship Company, which operated in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. 4. Robert Plant (born 1948), the iconic lead singer of the legendary rock band Led Zeppelin. 5. Michael Plant (born 1950), a British actor known for his roles in television series such as "Inspector Morse" and "Foyle's War."

The Plant surname has evolved over the centuries, with variations including Plante, Plauntt, and Plaunt appearing in historical records. It has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Plantford in Buckinghamshire and Plantagenet in Norfolk, further reinforcing its connection to the natural world and plant life.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Plant families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Plant 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. Staffordshire leads with 2,412 Plants recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.06x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 2,412 11.06x
Lancashire 637 0.83x
Cheshire 543 3.81x
Yorkshire 432 0.67x
Derbyshire 328 3.24x
Middlesex 274 0.42x
Warwickshire 238 1.46x
Shropshire 224 4.01x
Worcestershire 222 2.63x
Suffolk 206 2.62x
Leicestershire 171 2.39x
Surrey 162 0.51x
Durham 123 0.64x
Lincolnshire 103 1.00x
Northamptonshire 80 1.32x
Kent 64 0.29x
Lanarkshire 60 0.29x
Buckinghamshire 51 1.31x
Nottinghamshire 45 0.52x
Oxfordshire 30 0.75x
Hampshire 27 0.20x
Gloucestershire 18 0.14x
Essex 17 0.13x
Glamorgan 16 0.14x
Rutland 15 3.16x
Midlothian 13 0.15x
Cambridgeshire 12 0.29x
Bedfordshire 10 0.30x
Cumberland 9 0.16x
Herefordshire 9 0.34x
Devon 8 0.06x
Berkshire 7 0.14x
Denbighshire 7 0.29x
Norfolk 6 0.06x
Perthshire 6 0.21x
Royal Navy 5 0.65x
Wiltshire 5 0.09x
Dumfriesshire 4 0.28x
Dorset 3 0.07x
Hertfordshire 3 0.07x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.23x
Renfrewshire 3 0.06x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.07x
Cornwall 2 0.03x
Somerset 2 0.02x
Brecknockshire 1 0.08x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.06x
Flintshire 1 0.06x
Sussex 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 330 Plants recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.27x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 330 14.27x
Kingswinford 171 21.60x
Leek Lowe 132 45.51x
Cheadle 131 125.11x
Birmingham 120 2.21x
Burslem 103 16.49x
Aston 82 1.83x
Stone 81 29.05x
Wolverhampton 79 4.71x
Eccleshall 74 89.52x
Eckington 74 30.12x
Cannock 69 18.14x
Dudley 69 6.73x
Rowley Regis 67 11.03x
Stafford St Mary 64 20.74x
Wolstanton 58 8.76x
Gnosall 57 108.32x
Tipton 57 8.54x
Dawley 55 27.09x
Manchester 55 1.60x
Trentham 53 28.58x
Newcastle Under Lyme 52 13.48x
Walsall Foreign 52 4.62x
West Bromwich 51 4.09x
Salford 48 2.13x
Twyford 43 346.77x
The Hill 41 75.69x
Islington London 40 0.64x
Macclesfield 40 6.31x
Wednesbury 40 7.34x
Castle Church 38 29.00x
Peterborough 37 8.41x
Titteworth 37 110.61x
Hackney London 35 0.97x
Hartington Upper 35 72.55x
Ashton Under Lyne 34 2.03x
Sheffield 33 1.62x
Handsworth 32 18.91x
Stockport 32 4.36x
Caverswall 31 27.35x
Blaxhall 29 255.28x
Biddulph 28 22.76x
Camberwell 28 0.68x
Chapel En Le Frith 28 30.33x
Ecclesall Bierlow 28 2.15x
Lilleshall 28 32.83x
Lowestoft 28 7.53x
Nether Hallam 28 3.23x
Burton Upon Trent 27 5.29x
Leicester St Margaret 27 1.55x
Barony 26 0.49x
Barton Upon Irwell 26 4.51x
St Marylebone London 26 0.75x
Blackley 25 18.61x
Walton 25 88.75x
Brightside Bierlow 24 1.91x
Ashborne 23 33.45x
Barrow In Furness 23 2.21x
Burntwood Edial 23 16.52x
Cheddleton 23 50.41x
Hurdsfield 23 26.22x
Oldbury 23 5.54x
Liverpool 21 0.45x
Lambeth 20 0.36x
Wrockwardine 20 16.30x
Bermondsey 19 0.99x
Buxton 19 22.20x
Desford 19 95.57x
Leeds 19 0.53x
Monks Coppenhall 19 3.53x
Sedgley 19 2.35x
Smallthorne 19 23.48x
Wellington 19 6.06x
Willenhall 19 4.65x
Chorlton On Medlock 18 1.48x
Church Hulme 18 123.20x
Derby St Werburgh 18 3.08x
Dukinfield 18 2.73x
Felixstow 18 93.90x
Stockton On Tees 18 1.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 484
Sarah 296
Elizabeth 262
Ann 142
Eliza 122
Emma 116
Annie 111
Hannah 106
Jane 98
Alice 89
Martha 75
Ellen 63
Emily 59
Harriet 59
Louisa 55
Margaret 48
Maria 44
Ada 40
Catherine 40
Lucy 37
Charlotte 36
Edith 35
Fanny 33
Florence 32
Frances 29
Clara 27
Anne 26
Kate 22
Susan 20
Caroline 19
Rose 18
Gertrude 17
Harriett 17
Selina 17
Julia 16
Agnes 15
Amelia 14
Esther 14
Elizth. 13
Rebecca 13
Ruth 13
Amy 12
Anna 12
Eleanor 12
Laura 12
Phoebe 12
Isabella 11
Lydia 11
Minnie 11
Betsy 10

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 401
John 352
Thomas 275
George 254
James 232
Joseph 176
Henry 103
Charles 100
Samuel 99
Edward 66
Arthur 62
Alfred 56
Benjamin 54
Robert 51
Frederick 49
Harry 47
Albert 45
Richard 38
David 34
Ernest 30
Herbert 28
Walter 24
Isaac 19
Daniel 17
Edwin 17
Thos. 17
Francis 14
Fred 14
Enoch 13
Ralph 11
Abraham 10
Matthew 10
Frank 9
Moses 9
Wm. 9
Reuben 8
Stephen 8
Elijah 7
Jesse 7
Christopher 6
Eli 6
Fredk. 6
Fredrick 6
Geo. 6
Horace 6
Peter 6
Sidney 6
Job 5
Philip 5
Phillip 5

FAQ

Plant surname: questions and answers

How common was the Plant surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,612 people were recorded with the Plant surname. That placed it at #640 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Plant surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 9,280 in 2016. That gives Plant a modern rank of #701.

What does the Plant surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a gardener, planter, or someone who worked with plants or planted seeds.

What does the Plant map show?

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