NameCensus.

UK surname

Prettyman

An English surname derived from a nickname for an attractive man or a skilled craftsman.

In the 1881 census there were 88 people recorded with the Prettyman surname, ranking it #21,211 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 123, ranked #27,115, down from #21,211 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ashby, St Austell and Stranton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waveney, Pembrokeshire and Great Yarmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Prettyman is 163 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.8%.

1881 census count

88

Ranked #21,211

Modern count

123

2016, ranked #27,115

Peak year

1911

163 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Prettyman had 88 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,211 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016, ranked #27,115.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 163 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Prettyman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Prettyman surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Prettyman 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 36 #26,838
1861 historical 49 #27,768
1881 historical 88 #21,211
1891 historical 108 #22,828
1901 historical 124 #20,163
1911 historical 163 #16,939
1997 modern 142 #21,856
1998 modern 131 #23,495
1999 modern 131 #23,709
2000 modern 129 #23,901
2001 modern 132 #23,230
2002 modern 134 #23,492
2003 modern 137 #22,939
2004 modern 130 #23,902
2005 modern 127 #24,178
2006 modern 130 #24,053
2007 modern 130 #24,389
2008 modern 127 #25,020
2009 modern 124 #25,957
2010 modern 117 #27,557
2011 modern 122 #26,647
2012 modern 121 #26,829
2013 modern 127 #26,452
2014 modern 128 #26,490
2015 modern 125 #26,808
2016 modern 123 #27,115

Geography

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Where Prettymans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ashby, St Austell, Stranton, Reedham and Herringfleet. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waveney, Pembrokeshire and Great Yarmouth. 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 Ashby Suffolk
2 St Austell Cornwall
3 Stranton Durham
4 Reedham Norfolk
5 Herringfleet Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waveney 001 Waveney
2 Waveney 011 Waveney
3 Pembrokeshire 012 Pembrokeshire
4 Waveney 008 Waveney
5 Great Yarmouth 012 Great Yarmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Prettyman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Prettyman

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Prettyman is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Prettyman is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Prettyman

The surname Prettyman is of English origin, with records of the name dating back to the late 16th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "prættig" meaning "tricky" or "cunning" and "mann" meaning "man". It was likely originally a descriptive nickname given to someone with a clever or cunning nature.

One of the earliest known records of the Prettyman surname is found in the parish records of St. Mary Magdalene Church in Bermondsey, London, where a Thomas Prettyman was baptized in 1594. Another early reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1597, which lists a John Prettyman.

The Prettyman name has also been recorded in various forms over the centuries, including Prettiman, Prittiman, and Prittyman. These variations suggest that the name may have originated from different regional dialects or phonetic spellings.

Notable individuals with the surname Prettyman include Sir George Prettyman (1639-1718), an English judge and Member of Parliament, and Edgar Burchenall Prettyman (1889-1953), a United States federal judge who served on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Other historical figures with the Prettyman surname include:

1. William Prettyman (1652-1711), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Dover. 2. Thomas Prettyman (1772-1856), an English clergyman and author of theological works. 3. Charles Prettyman (1798-1874), an English solicitor and Lord Mayor of London in 1863. 4. Arthur Prettyman (1826-1891), an English barrister and judge who served as a Judge of the High Court of Justice. 5. George Prettyman (1842-1920), an English architect known for his work on churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

The Prettyman surname has been found throughout various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, and London. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old English language, reflecting the long history and evolution of English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Prettyman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Prettyman 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 55 Prettymans recorded in 1881 and an index of 52.61x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 55 52.61x
Norfolk 12 9.09x
Cornwall 9 9.26x
Middlesex 6 0.70x
Durham 5 1.96x
Surrey 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lowestoft in Suffolk leads with 22 Prettymans recorded in 1881 and an index of 445.34x.

Place Total Index
Lowestoft 22 445.34x
Herringfleet 13 18571.43x
Great Yarmouth 10 91.49x
Ashby 8 26666.67x
St Austell 8 240.96x
Gunton 7 23333.33x
Fritton 5 7142.86x
Throston 5 1020.41x
St Pancras London 4 5.79x
Runham 2 769.23x
Esher 1 169.49x
Falmouth 1 29.07x
Kensington London 1 2.10x
St Marylebone London 1 2.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 4
Ellen 4
Sarah 4
Jane 3
Alice 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Harriet 2
Martha 2
Maryann 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Amey 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Edith 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Myra 1
Phoebe 1
Sophia 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 6
John 5
James 4
Charles 3
Daniel 3
Henry 2
Samuel 2
Walter 2
William 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
Joseph 1
Obediah 1
Timothy 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 Prettyman households.

FAQ

Prettyman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Prettyman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 88 people were recorded with the Prettyman surname. That placed it at #21,211 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Prettyman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 123 in 2016. That gives Prettyman a modern rank of #27,115.

What does the Prettyman surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname for an attractive man or a skilled craftsman.

What does the Prettyman map show?

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