UK surname

Porritt

An occupational surname derived from the Old English word "port" meaning porter or gatekeeper.

In the 1881 census there were 849 people recorded with the Porritt surname, ranking it #4,449 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,162, ranked #5,081, down from #4,449 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hinderwell, Birstall and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redcar and Cleveland, Richmondshire and Hartlepool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Porritt is 1,241 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.9%.

1881 census count

849

Ranked #4,449

Modern count

1,162

2016, ranked #5,081

Peak year

2011

1,241 bearers

Map years

1851 to 2016

Key insights

• Porritt had 849 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,449 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 1,162 in 2016, ranked #5,081.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,070 in 1911.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Map

Porritt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Porritt surname density by area, 1881 census.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Porritt 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	466	#5,325
1861	historical	332	#7,673
1881	historical	849	#4,449
1891	historical	758	#5,257
1901	historical	1,052	#4,564
1911	historical	1,070	#4,329
1997	modern	1,173	#4,809
1998	modern	1,195	#4,899
1999	modern	1,225	#4,830
2000	modern	1,213	#4,852
2001	modern	1,175	#4,902
2002	modern	1,179	#4,975
2003	modern	1,153	#4,978
2004	modern	1,147	#5,010
2005	modern	1,133	#5,007
2006	modern	1,146	#4,947
2007	modern	1,184	#4,864
2008	modern	1,176	#4,919
2009	modern	1,209	#4,907
2010	modern	1,235	#4,924
2011	modern	1,241	#4,851
2012	modern	1,169	#5,019
2013	modern	1,190	#5,023
2014	modern	1,199	#5,023
2015	modern	1,181	#5,042
2016	modern	1,162	#5,081

Geography

Where Porritts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hinderwell, Birstall, Batley, Stranton and Dewsbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redcar and Cleveland, Richmondshire and Hartlepool. 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	Hinderwell	Yorkshire, North Riding
2	Birstall	Yorkshire, West Riding
3	Batley	Yorkshire, West Riding
4	Stranton	Durham
5	Dewsbury	Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank	Area	District
1	Redcar and Cleveland 006	Redcar and Cleveland
2	Redcar and Cleveland 016	Redcar and Cleveland
3	Redcar and Cleveland 012	Redcar and Cleveland
4	Richmondshire 001	Richmondshire
5	Hartlepool 009	Hartlepool

Forenames

First names often paired with Porritt

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

Historical female names

Mary Sarah Elizabeth Ann Annie Hannah Jane Alice Margaret Eliza

Historical male names

William John George Thomas Joseph Robert Richard James Arthur Charles

Recent female names

Margaret Sarah Susan Joanne Alison Lisa Jean Emma Patricia Victoria

Recent male names

David John Steven Andrew Stephen Robert Richard Michael Christopher William

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Porritt

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Porritt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Porritt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Porritt 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

Porritt 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Porritt falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

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

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - British

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Porritt

The surname Porritt has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "porr" or "por," meaning a small village or hamlet, and "hythe," meaning a haven or landing place. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with someone who resided near a small port or harbor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1297, where it appears as "Porreyt." This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time. Additionally, in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a reference to a place called "Porhythe" in Kent, which further supports the name's connection to a small port settlement.

The Porritt surname is closely linked to various place names across England. For instance, the village of Porritt in Lancashire may have contributed to the surname's prevalence in that region. Similarly, the hamlet of Porrett in Buckinghamshire and the town of Porritt's Hole in Yorkshire could have influenced the name's distribution.

Notable individuals bearing the Porritt surname include John Porritt (1608-1679), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the rector of Sprotborough in Yorkshire. Another prominent figure was Robert Porrett (1783-1868), a British engineer and inventor who played a significant role in the development of early steam engines.

In the realm of sports, Arthur Porritt (1900-1994) was a renowned New Zealand athlete and surgeon. He won a bronze medal in the 100-meter sprint at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris and later served as the Governor-General of New Zealand from 1967 to 1972.

The name also has a literary connection through Beatrix Potter (1866-1943), the beloved English writer, illustrator, and natural scientist best known for her children's books featuring characters like Peter Rabbit. Her maiden name was Beatrix Porritt before her marriage to William Heelis.

Another noteworthy individual was Robert Porrett Porrett (1834-1894), an English barrister and legal scholar who authored several works on legal history and practice.

Throughout its history, the Porritt surname has been associated with various regions in England, particularly Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Kent. Its origins can be traced back to Old English words related to small settlements near ports or harbors, and it has been carried by individuals from diverse fields, including religion, engineering, sports, literature, and law.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Porritt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Porritt 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 535 Porritts recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.56x.

County	Total	Frequency	Index
Yorkshire	535	0.02%	6.56x
Lancashire	116	0.00%	1.19x
Durham	69	0.01%	2.82x
Derbyshire	43	0.01%	3.34x
Norfolk	18	0.00%	1.42x
Northumberland	15	0.00%	1.22x
Kent	14	0.00%	0.50x
Cheshire	8	0.00%	0.44x
Devon	4	0.00%	0.23x
Leicestershire	4	0.00%	0.44x
Lincolnshire	4	0.00%	0.30x
Surrey	4	0.00%	0.10x
Middlesex	3	0.00%	0.04x
Staffordshire	3	0.00%	0.11x
Essex	1	0.00%	0.06x
Gloucestershire	1	0.00%	0.06x
Lanarkshire	1	0.00%	0.04x
Somerset	1	0.00%	0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dewsbury in Yorkshire leads with 60 Porritts recorded in 1881 and an index of 71.71x.

Place	Total	Frequency	Index
Dewsbury	60	0.20%	71.71x
Hinderwell	57	2.31%	818.97x
Leeds	54	0.03%	11.72x
Farnworth	33	0.16%	56.38x
Cleckheaton	23	0.22%	76.54x
Stockton On Tees	22	0.05%	18.63x
Lofthouse	20	0.46%	164.20x
Hayfield	18	0.64%	227.56x
Huddersfield	17	0.04%	14.30x
Stranton	16	0.05%	19.40x
Chinley Bugsworth	15	1.25%	442.48x
Heckmondwike	15	0.16%	57.16x
Marske In Guisbrough	15	0.29%	103.52x
Batley	14	0.05%	18.06x
Bradford	14	0.02%	7.09x
Danby	14	1.20%	424.24x
Deptford St Paul	14	0.02%	6.46x
Bury	13	0.03%	11.65x
Gomersal	13	0.10%	34.14x
Tottington Higher End	13	0.33%	116.91x
Middlesbrough	12	0.03%	11.30x
Skelton In Guisbrough	11	0.14%	49.84x
Hilton	10	7.41%	2631.58x
Kirkby Moorside	10	0.54%	192.68x
Berwick Upon Tweed	9	0.10%	34.67x
Hart	9	0.43%	150.75x
Kilton	9	2.07%	737.70x
Manningham	9	0.03%	8.95x
Hutton Cranswick	8	0.66%	233.24x
Liversedge	8	0.06%	22.03x
Ruswarp	8	0.25%	88.20x
Ugglebarnby	8	2.05%	727.27x
Warrington	8	0.02%	6.91x
Bolton In Bradford	7	0.38%	133.84x
Guisbrough	7	0.11%	39.26x
Heaton Norris	7	0.04%	12.59x
Reddish	7	0.15%	52.01x
Beard	6	0.40%	143.20x
Bedlington	6	0.04%	14.67x
Bishopwearmouth	6	0.01%	2.85x
Brotton	6	0.16%	56.34x
Burnham Overy	6	0.97%	344.83x
Helmsley	6	0.39%	137.30x
Kirkheaton	6	0.13%	45.35x
Sewerby Cum Marton	6	1.09%	387.10x
Broughton In Stokesley	5	0.88%	312.50x
Buerton In Chester	5	7.81%	2777.78x
Sneaton	5	2.16%	769.23x
Spotland	5	0.01%	4.60x
Tottington Lower End	5	0.03%	10.77x
Whitby	5	0.05%	18.19x
Bermondsey	4	0.00%	1.63x
Birtle Cum Bamford	4	0.18%	62.79x
East Dereham	4	0.07%	25.02x
Egglescliffe	4	0.61%	216.22x
Great Driffield	4	0.07%	23.89x
Great Grimsby	4	0.01%	4.79x
Greatham	4	0.54%	192.31x
Hawsker Cum Stainsacre	4	0.42%	147.60x
Knighton	4	0.22%	77.67x
Musbury	4	0.39%	139.86x
Scarborough	4	0.02%	5.40x
Stretford	4	0.02%	7.44x
Tormoham	4	0.02%	5.52x
Aislaby In Whitby	3	0.89%	315.79x
Altofts	3	0.09%	33.33x
Bradford Girlington	3	0.23%	82.19x
Burton Upon Trent	3	0.01%	4.61x
Cley Next Sea	3	0.42%	147.78x
Easington In Guisbrough	3	0.47%	165.75x
Eccleshill	3	0.04%	15.11x
Eskdaleside	3	0.21%	74.81x
Guisbrough Tocketts	3	0.84%	297.03x
Heap	3	0.02%	5.79x
Hunslet	3	0.01%	2.36x
Normanby In	3	0.04%	13.76x
Shipley	3	0.02%	7.09x
West Derby	3	0.00%	1.05x
Wolviston	3	0.50%	175.44x
Danby Commondale	2	0.63%	224.72x

Top female names

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

Name	Count
Mary	66
Sarah	37
Elizabeth	29
Hannah	19
Ann	17
Annie	17
Jane	15
Eliza	12
Margaret	11
Emma	9
Martha	9
Ada	8
Alice	8
Emily	8
Anne	7
Florence	7
Harriet	7
Agnes	6
Catherine	6
Louisa	6
Ellen	5
Rachel	5
Clara	4
Eleanor	4
Maria	4
Caroline	3
Charlotte	3
Ethel	3
Kate	3
Patience	3
Rebecca	3
Susannah	3
Amelia	2
Daisy	2
Edith	2
Elizth.	2
Esther	2
Fanny	2
Frances	2
G.A.	2
Gertrude	2
Grace	2
Helen	2
Henrietta	2
Isabella	2
Lucy	2
Lydia	2
Mabel	2
Margret	2
Ruth	2

Top male names

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

Name	Count
William	50
John	49
George	30
Joseph	26
Thomas	25
James	16
Richard	12
Robert	11
Charles	8
Alfred	7
Arthur	7
Matthew	7
Samuel	7
Albert	6
Francis	5
Frank	5
Henry	5
Isaac	5
Jacob	5
Jonathan	5
Joshua	5
Wm.	5
Edwin	4
Frederick	4
Herbert	4
Walter	4
Josiah	3
Benjamin	2
Christopher	2
Cyrus	2
David	2
Edward	2
Ernest	2
G.	2
Geo.	2
Gilbert	2
Harry	2
Mark	2
Marshall	2
Mathew	2
Nelson	2
Ralph	2
Sam	2
Stephen	2
Wallace	2
Watson	2
Arnold	1
Fred	1
Fred.	1
Fredric	1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Porritt households.

Occupation	Count
Scholar	152
Fisherman	12
Joiner	10
Annuitant	8
Dressmaker	8
No Occupation	7
Farmers Wife	6
Woollen Manufacturer	6
Farmers Son	5
Housekeeper	5
Woolen Manufacturer	5
Dress Maker	4
Ironstone Miner	4
Painter	4
Wife	4
Domestic Servant	3
General Labourer	3
Lodging House Keeper	3
Blanket Weaver	2
Boarder Scholar	2
Carpet Weaver	2
Cloth Dresser	2
Cloth Finisher	2
Cloth Weaver	2
Coal Agent (Dlr)	2
Coal Miner	2
Cotton Weaver	2
Cotton Winder	2
Deputy In Ironstone Mines	2
Farm Servant (Indoor)	2
Farmers Daur	2
Felt Hat Trimmer	2
General Laborer	2
House Keeper	2
Iron Broker	2
Iron Miner	2
Labourer Print Works	2
Pupil Teacher	2
Railway Clerk	2
Retired Farmer	2
Self Actor Minder Cotton Mill	2
Woollen Carpet Yarn Manufacturer	2
Woollen Manufacturer Son	2
Agricultural Labourer	1
Blacksmiths Wife	1
Butchers Apprentice	1
Cabinet Maker	1
Cabinet Makers Apprentice	1
Captain Of Yawl (Fisherman)	1
Yeast Agent	1

FAQ

Porritt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Porritt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 849 people were recorded with the Porritt surname. That placed it at #4,449 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Porritt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,162 in 2016. That gives Porritt a modern rank of #5,081.

What does the Porritt surname mean?