NameCensus.

UK surname

Pottle

A surname denoting someone from a hamlet or small village.

In the 1881 census there were 390 people recorded with the Pottle surname, ranking it #8,104 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 512, ranked #9,823, down from #8,104 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Mid Devon and Islington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pottle is 566 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.3%.

1881 census count

390

Ranked #8,104

Modern count

512

2016, ranked #9,823

Peak year

1998

566 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pottle had 390 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,104 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 512 in 2016, ranked #9,823.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 548 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Pottle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pottle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pottle 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 224 #9,534
1861 historical 234 #10,463
1881 historical 390 #8,104
1891 historical 438 #8,234
1901 historical 504 #8,006
1911 historical 548 #7,311
1997 modern 556 #8,593
1998 modern 566 #8,726
1999 modern 561 #8,842
2000 modern 550 #8,943
2001 modern 537 #8,963
2002 modern 558 #8,876
2003 modern 548 #8,860
2004 modern 552 #8,833
2005 modern 536 #8,968
2006 modern 514 #9,291
2007 modern 516 #9,343
2008 modern 511 #9,485
2009 modern 537 #9,341
2010 modern 537 #9,543
2011 modern 531 #9,524
2012 modern 499 #9,870
2013 modern 518 #9,755
2014 modern 520 #9,803
2015 modern 518 #9,761
2016 modern 512 #9,823

Geography

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Where Pottles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea, St Marylebone and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Mid Devon, Islington and Flintshire. 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 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 007 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 011 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Mid Devon 011 Mid Devon
4 Islington 020 Islington
5 Flintshire 002 Flintshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pottle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pottle

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Pottle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Pottle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Pottle 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

Pottle 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

Pottle falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Pottle

The surname Pottle has its origins in England, first appearing in records from the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "pottel," which referred to a small pot or jar used for carrying liquids. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who made or sold such containers.

One of the earliest documented references to the name Pottle can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a Richard Pottel is listed in Oxfordshire. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 and 1332, which were tax records. These records mention individuals such as John Pottle in Somerset and William Pottle in Gloucestershire.

The Pottle surname can also be traced back to various place names in England, such as Pottle Hill in Buckinghamshire and Pottle Bridge in Bedfordshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English root word and may have influenced the surname's development.

One notable historical figure with the surname Pottle was John Pottle (c. 1470 - c. 1550), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Canterbury during the reign of Henry VIII.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Pottle (1616 - 1688), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Wonderful Deliverances of the Whole British Empire" and "The Jesuits Cabal."

In the 17th century, William Pottle (1628 - 1693) was a successful merchant and landowner in Massachusetts Bay Colony. He played a significant role in the early development of the town of Concord, Massachusetts.

Moving forward to the 18th century, John Pottle (1743 - 1801) was a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became a colonial administrator in New South Wales, Australia.

Finally, in the 19th century, Emery Pottle (1835 - 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pottle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pottle 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 123 Pottles recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.18x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 123 3.18x
Hampshire 91 11.46x
Norfolk 46 7.73x
Surrey 35 1.85x
Suffolk 23 4.88x
Kent 21 1.59x
Dorset 10 3.93x
Sussex 8 1.23x
Berkshire 7 2.41x
Channel Islands 6 5.23x
Essex 4 0.52x
Huntingdonshire 4 5.20x
Wiltshire 4 1.17x
Denbighshire 3 2.05x
Lancashire 3 0.07x
Herefordshire 2 1.26x
Somerset 2 0.32x
Staffordshire 2 0.15x
Hertfordshire 1 0.37x
Lincolnshire 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 2.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Thomas Winchester in Hampshire leads with 20 Pottles recorded in 1881 and an index of 357.14x.

Place Total Index
St Thomas Winchester 20 357.14x
St Marylebone London 18 8.71x
Newington 16 11.18x
Portsea 14 9.00x
Bracon Ash 12 3243.24x
Christchurch 12 69.73x
Boyton 11 2972.97x
Mile End Old Town 9 14.72x
Teddington London 9 102.62x
Bray 7 81.97x
Kingsbury 7 693.07x
Paddington London 7 4.92x
Rotherhithe 7 14.63x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 6 33.56x
Michelmersh 6 389.61x
St George Martyr 6 91.88x
St Mary Kalendar 6 363.64x
Tottenham 6 9.73x
Westminster St 6 42.02x
Willesden 6 16.44x
Battersea 5 3.51x
Bethnal Green London 5 2.97x
Dickleburgh 5 454.55x
Millbrook 5 25.01x
Minster In Thanet 5 181.82x
Norwich St James 5 107.07x
St Peter Port 5 23.55x
Weeke 5 208.33x
Wimborne Minster 5 121.65x
Fakenham 4 136.52x
Fulham London 4 7.12x
Great Staughton 4 268.46x
Mile End New Town 4 75.61x
Saxmundham 4 228.57x
Selborne 4 246.91x
St Botolph Aldgate 4 75.61x
Aldershot 3 11.28x
Clerkenwell London 3 3.28x
Deptford St Paul 3 2.94x
Donhead St Mary 3 172.41x
East Grinstead 3 32.47x
Eltham 3 38.76x
Fawkham 3 967.74x
Hammersmith London 3 3.14x
Hampstead London 3 4.97x
Hanwell 3 43.67x
Holdenhurst 3 14.41x
Hornsey 3 6.13x
Kirkdale 3 3.88x
Lakenham 3 35.46x
Lambeth 3 0.89x
Llangollen 3 206.90x
Shoreditch London 3 1.79x
St Faith Winchester 3 81.08x
St Luke London 3 4.83x
Warblington 3 95.24x
Wimborne 3 97.40x
Birling 2 170.94x
Bolney 2 188.68x
Carisbrooke 2 18.15x
Croydon 2 1.91x
Farnham 2 1538.46x
Great Yarmouth 2 4.06x
Grundisburgh 2 183.49x
Hereford St John 2 110.50x
Hingham 2 97.09x
Ipswich St Helen 2 35.78x
Kensington London 2 0.93x
Kings Somborne 2 120.48x
Lewisham 2 2.84x
Lexden 2 65.15x
South Lynn 2 29.76x
St George Hanover 2 3.96x
St Pancras London 2 0.64x
Woodford 2 23.12x
Enville 1 97.09x
Hackney London 1 0.46x
Holy Rood 1 62.11x
Norwich St Julian 1 39.84x
Ropley 1 86.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 22
Mary 22
Alice 13
Eliza 12
Sarah 12
Jane 11
Ellen 8
Annie 5
Harriet 5
Maria 5
Matilda 5
Ann 4
Charlotte 4
Emily 4
Emma 4
Fanny 4
Lucy 4
Catherine 3
Edith 3
Louisa 3
Martha 3
Rose 3
Ada 2
Christina 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Phoebe 2
Susan 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Bell 1
Bessie 1
Biddy 1
Daisy 1
Eda 1
Eliz.F. 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Lavinia 1
Lilly 1
Lititia 1
Louise 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Margery 1
Marianna 1
Maryann 1
Virginia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 25
John 19
Charles 17
George 16
James 13
Alfred 9
Thomas 9
Robert 8
Walter 8
Henry 6
Frederick 5
Joseph 5
Arthur 4
Harry 4
Edward 3
Edwin 3
Albert 2
Edgar 2
Herbert 2
Richard 2
Abraham 1
Agustine 1
Alexander 1
Barnabas 1
Chas. 1
Edmund 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred.J. 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.T. 1
Geo. 1
Henery 1
Jane 1
Jephthah 1
Job 1
Luther 1
Peter 1
Randle 1
Reginald 1
Stephen 1
Willie 1
Wilm.T. 1

FAQ

Pottle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pottle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 390 people were recorded with the Pottle surname. That placed it at #8,104 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pottle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 512 in 2016. That gives Pottle a modern rank of #9,823.

What does the Pottle surname mean?

A surname denoting someone from a hamlet or small village.

What does the Pottle map show?

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