NameCensus.

UK surname

Pretty

An English surname derived from the Old French "pret," meaning ready or prepared.

In the 1881 census there were 1,060 people recorded with the Pretty surname, ranking it #3,717 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,035, ranked #5,635, down from #3,717 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lambeth and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Suffolk, South Norfolk and Waveney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Pretty is 1,537 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.4%.

1881 census count

1,060

Ranked #3,717

Modern count

1,035

2016, ranked #5,635

Peak year

1911

1,537 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Pretty had 1,060 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,717 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,035 in 2016, ranked #5,635.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,537 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Pretty surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Pretty surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Pretty 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 664 #3,909
1861 historical 599 #4,431
1881 historical 1,060 #3,717
1891 historical 1,177 #3,636
1901 historical 1,440 #3,529
1911 historical 1,537 #3,157
1997 modern 1,155 #4,874
1998 modern 1,175 #4,965
1999 modern 1,170 #5,035
2000 modern 1,147 #5,084
2001 modern 1,133 #5,055
2002 modern 1,159 #5,062
2003 modern 1,109 #5,143
2004 modern 1,111 #5,142
2005 modern 1,095 #5,147
2006 modern 1,077 #5,226
2007 modern 1,068 #5,308
2008 modern 1,082 #5,288
2009 modern 1,097 #5,334
2010 modern 1,101 #5,435
2011 modern 1,093 #5,407
2012 modern 1,072 #5,403
2013 modern 1,082 #5,448
2014 modern 1,090 #5,446
2015 modern 1,055 #5,554
2016 modern 1,035 #5,635

Geography

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Where Prettys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lambeth, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Suffolk, South Norfolk and Waveney. 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 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Suffolk 003 Mid Suffolk
2 South Norfolk 014 South Norfolk
3 South Norfolk 015 South Norfolk
4 South Norfolk 013 South Norfolk
5 Waveney 015 Waveney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Pretty

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Pretty

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

Pretty 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

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

Meaning and origin of Pretty

The surname Pretty is of English origin and is derived from the Old French word 'prud', meaning 'brave' or 'valiant'. It is believed to have emerged in the 12th century as a descriptive nickname for someone who was considered courageous or valiant.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Pretty can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1176, where it is spelled 'Prutt'. Other early spellings include 'Prude', 'Prute', and 'Prutye'. The name is also found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273, where it is recorded as 'Pruty'.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Pretty was John Pretty, a Member of Parliament for Ipswich in 1558. Another early bearer of the name was Francis Pretty, an English explorer and navigator who sailed with Sir Walter Raleigh on his expeditions to Guiana in 1595 and 1617.

In the 17th century, the name Pretty was associated with the town of Gorleston in Norfolk, where several families with this surname were recorded in the parish registers. One notable individual from this area was Thomas Pretty, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived from 1617 to 1686.

Another famous bearer of the surname Pretty was Sarah Pretty, an English poet and writer who lived from 1768 to 1856. She is best known for her collection of poems titled 'The Wildflowers of England', published in 1824.

In the 19th century, the Pretty surname spread to other parts of England and can be found in various records and directories from this period. One notable individual was Frederick Pretty, a British military officer who served in the Crimean War and later became a Member of Parliament for Norwich from 1868 to 1880.

Overall, the surname Pretty has a long and interesting history, with its origins tracing back to the Middle Ages and its association with bravery and valor. While not an extremely common surname, it has been borne by notable individuals throughout the centuries, particularly in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Pretty families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Pretty 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. Suffolk leads with 139 Prettys recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.00x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 139 11.00x
Middlesex 122 1.18x
Surrey 105 2.08x
Leicestershire 80 6.95x
Hampshire 71 3.34x
Wiltshire 69 7.52x
Kent 62 1.75x
Norfolk 50 3.13x
Warwickshire 41 1.57x
Worcestershire 41 3.03x
Yorkshire 41 0.40x
Lincolnshire 40 2.41x
Rutland 22 28.87x
Essex 19 0.93x
Lancashire 15 0.12x
Staffordshire 14 0.40x
Somerset 13 0.78x
Durham 12 0.39x
Monmouthshire 12 1.60x
Anglesey 10 5.44x
Dorset 10 1.47x
Gloucestershire 10 0.49x
Devon 9 0.42x
Northamptonshire 9 0.92x
Bedfordshire 8 1.49x
Derbyshire 7 0.43x
Sussex 7 0.40x
Lanarkshire 5 0.15x
Glamorgan 4 0.22x
Royal Navy 3 2.43x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.30x
Oxfordshire 2 0.31x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.10x
Berkshire 1 0.13x
Cheshire 1 0.04x
Denbighshire 1 0.26x
Herefordshire 1 0.24x
Hertfordshire 1 0.14x
Midlothian 1 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.07x
Sutherland 1 1.25x
Westmorland 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 41 Prettys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.53x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 41 4.53x
Leicester St Margaret 38 13.54x
Spalding 24 72.88x
Camberwell 23 3.47x
Ipswich St Margaret 22 51.28x
Buriton 20 487.80x
Sittingbourne 19 67.95x
Aston 16 2.22x
Milton In Milton 15 99.67x
Battersea 14 3.67x
Hartlebury 14 173.48x
Ratcliffe London 14 24.42x
St Marylebone London 14 2.53x
Wylye 14 800.00x
Islington London 13 1.29x
Lowestoft 12 20.09x
Whetstone 12 285.04x
Deptford St Paul 11 4.03x
Edgbaston 11 13.55x
Guisbrough 11 48.93x
Marshfield 11 594.59x
St Pancras London 11 1.32x
Bethnal Green London 10 2.22x
Diss 10 73.10x
Leicester St Mary 10 10.76x
Llandysilio 10 173.31x
Bradford On Avon 9 30.62x
Coventry Holy Trinity 9 11.52x
Newington 9 2.35x
Titchfield 9 56.14x
Burgate 8 784.31x
Chard 8 39.53x
Halesworth 8 89.29x
Heigham 8 9.34x
Metfield 8 386.47x
Odiham 8 85.65x
Parr 8 18.16x
Scole Cum Frenze 8 344.83x
Whitechapel London 8 7.82x
Aldershot 7 9.82x
Chilmark 7 355.33x
Ditchingham 7 183.25x
Fressingfield 7 171.57x
Liddington 7 374.33x
Redditch 7 25.47x
West Bromwich 7 3.49x
Westminster St 7 18.30x
Alvechurch 6 103.99x
Exeter St Lawrence 6 370.37x
Great Easton 6 312.50x
Hampstead London 6 3.71x
Handsworth 6 6.95x
Kinson 6 45.08x
Leicester All Sts 6 26.55x
Normanton 6 19.41x
Old Buckenham 6 146.70x
Paddington London 6 1.57x
Stock And Bradley 6 750.00x
Weybread 6 247.93x
Wilton 6 92.45x
Baverstock 5 1162.79x
Chediston 5 387.60x
Downton 5 41.63x
Eye 5 61.20x
Great Yarmouth 5 3.78x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 3.74x
Ipswich St Peter 5 29.38x
Kings Somborne 5 112.11x
Laxton 5 1388.89x
Manningham 5 3.95x
Normanby By Spital 5 354.61x
Pilton 5 2631.58x
Rye 5 30.07x
Southwark St Saviour 5 9.37x
Spexhall 5 694.44x
Darlington 4 3.36x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 1.91x
Hamilton 4 4.27x
Llandaff 4 6.65x
Middleton 4 223.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 79
George 45
John 38
Thomas 33
Charles 32
Henry 27
James 27
Edward 21
Alfred 16
Joseph 12
Robert 11
Walter 10
Arthur 9
Frederick 9
Harry 7
Frank 6
Richard 6
Samuel 6
Wm. 5
Albert 4
Clement 4
Ernest 4
Francis 4
Isaac 4
David 3
Edgar 3
Edwin 3
Herbert 3
Jacob 3
Jesse 3
Thos. 3
Christopher 2
Freeman 2
Harold 2
Jonathan 2
Peter 2
Reginald 2
Robt. 2
Stephen 2
Augustine 1
Aurthur 1
C.B. 1
Charly 1
Chas. 1
Emmanuel 1
Esau 1
Fredc. 1
Frederic 1
Jessie 1
Jno. 1

FAQ

Pretty surname: questions and answers

How common was the Pretty surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,060 people were recorded with the Pretty surname. That placed it at #3,717 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Pretty surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,035 in 2016. That gives Pretty a modern rank of #5,635.

What does the Pretty surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old French "pret," meaning ready or prepared.

What does the Pretty map show?

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