NameCensus.

UK surname

Proffitt

An occupational surname referring to a skilled worker or teacher, derived from the Middle English word "profete."

In the 1881 census there were 298 people recorded with the Proffitt surname, ranking it #9,765 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 913, ranked #6,240, up from #9,765 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Steeple Barton, Westcott Barton and Walsall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Walsall, Wigan and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Proffitt is 970 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 206.4%.

1881 census count

298

Ranked #9,765

Modern count

913

2016, ranked #6,240

Peak year

2011

970 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Proffitt had 298 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,765 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 913 in 2016, ranked #6,240.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 666 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Proffitt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Proffitt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Proffitt 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 122 #14,966
1861 historical 158 #14,644
1881 historical 298 #9,765
1891 historical 416 #8,596
1901 historical 614 #6,953
1911 historical 666 #6,318
1997 modern 824 #6,389
1998 modern 916 #6,064
1999 modern 921 #6,092
2000 modern 932 #6,025
2001 modern 911 #6,033
2002 modern 928 #6,053
2003 modern 930 #5,935
2004 modern 940 #5,891
2005 modern 932 #5,866
2006 modern 925 #5,909
2007 modern 925 #5,964
2008 modern 923 #6,018
2009 modern 930 #6,090
2010 modern 966 #6,043
2011 modern 970 #5,958
2012 modern 942 #6,026
2013 modern 938 #6,156
2014 modern 927 #6,248
2015 modern 911 #6,277
2016 modern 913 #6,240

Geography

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Where Proffitts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Steeple Barton, Westcott Barton, Walsall, Bolton-le-Moors and Lymm. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Walsall, Wigan, County Durham, Bolsover and Bury. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Steeple Barton, Westcott Barton Oxfordshire
3 Walsall Staffordshire
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Lymm Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Walsall 020 Walsall
2 Wigan 003 Wigan
3 County Durham 066 County Durham
4 Bolsover 002 Bolsover
5 Bury 001 Bury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Proffitt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Proffitt

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Proffitt 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

Proffitt 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

Proffitt 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Proffitt is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Proffitt

The surname Proffitt has its origins in medieval England, derived from the Old French word "profit," which means "benefit" or "advantage." This surname likely emerged during the early 13th century and was initially used as an occupational name for someone who worked as a clerk or scribe, handling financial records or legal documents.

In its earliest form, the name was often spelled as "Profit" or "Proffit." One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, which mentions a man named William Profit. The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, where it is spelled as "Profyt."

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname spread across various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Somerset. In the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334, a Richard Profyt is listed in Yorkshire, while the Pipe Rolls of Somerset from 1395 mention a Thomas Profyt.

As the name evolved over time, various spellings emerged, including Proffitt, Proffit, and Proffet. One notable bearer of this surname was Sir John Proffitt (c. 1520-1585), a prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the surname Proffitt began to appear in records in the American colonies. One of the earliest documented instances is William Proffitt, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. Another early settler was John Proffitt, who was granted land in Henrico County, Virginia, in 1679.

Other notable individuals with the surname Proffitt include:

1. Amariah Proffitt (1789-1869), an American politician and businessman from Tennessee. 2. William Proffitt (1802-1878), a pioneer and early settler in the Great Smoky Mountains region of Tennessee. 3. John Proffitt (1821-1905), a Union Army veteran who fought in the American Civil War. 4. William Theophilus Proffitt (1849-1933), an American Baptist minister and educator from Virginia. 5. Maude Proffitt (1892-1959), an American country music singer and songwriter from Tennessee.

While the surname Proffitt has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, carried by descendants of early English settlers and immigrants.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Proffitt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Proffitt 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 104 Proffitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.60x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 104 10.60x
Lancashire 67 1.94x
Cheshire 63 9.82x
Flintshire 23 29.43x
Warwickshire 11 1.50x
Cumberland 10 4.00x
Middlesex 7 0.24x
Shropshire 4 1.59x
Leicestershire 3 0.93x
Oxfordshire 3 1.67x
Yorkshire 2 0.07x
Surrey 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Walsall Foreign in Staffordshire leads with 33 Proffitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.11x.

Place Total Index
Walsall Foreign 33 65.11x
Lymm 22 472.10x
Burntwood Edial 19 303.03x
Willenhall 15 81.61x
Ince 13 3939.39x
Walsall Borough 13 170.60x
Great Bolton 12 26.26x
Liverpool 12 5.73x
Rhuddlan 11 159.88x
Cleator 10 95.97x
Aldridge 9 476.19x
Hulme 9 12.50x
Latchford 8 187.79x
Little Bolton 8 18.04x
Macclesfield 7 24.54x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 7 94.85x
Garston 6 58.94x
Hawarden Saltney 6 550.46x
Hope 6 154.24x
Toxteth Park 6 5.14x
Congleton 5 45.09x
Sutton Coldfield 5 64.85x
Warrington 5 12.23x
Birmingham 4 1.64x
Condover 4 225.99x
St Luke London 4 8.58x
Aylestone 3 118.11x
Spotland 3 7.82x
Steeple Barton 3 329.67x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 2.88x
Tipton 3 9.98x
Clerkenwell London 2 2.92x
Sharples 2 53.48x
West Derby 2 1.98x
Whittington 2 99.50x
Ansley 1 120.48x
Aston 1 0.50x
Bilston 1 5.26x
Burton Upon Trent 1 4.36x
Cannock 1 5.84x
Darlaston 1 7.37x
Habergham Eaves 1 3.17x
Horton In Bradford 1 2.22x
Linthorpe 1 5.82x
Preston 1 1.08x
Rugeley 1 14.20x
St George Hanover 1 2.64x
Sutton 1 9.76x
Sutton In Macclesfield 1 15.02x
Tamworth 1 19.05x
Wolverhampton 1 1.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 15
Mary 15
Sarah 8
Annie 7
Ann 6
Ellen 6
Emma 6
Jane 6
Alice 5
Anne 5
Ada 4
Maria 4
Clara 3
Hannah 3
Margaret 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Dorothy 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Rebecca 2
Betty 1
Charlotte 1
E. 1
Elenor 1
Eliz.E. 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Happy 1
Harriot 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Joanna 1
Kate 1
Lilly 1
Minnie 1
Miriam 1
Parualice 1
Penelope 1
Rose 1
Sabina 1
Therisa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 24
Thomas 20
William 14
James 13
Joseph 12
George 8
Harry 5
Alfred 4
Henry 4
Richard 4
Charles 3
Robert 3
Samuel 3
Arthur 2
Daniel 2
Edward 2
Elihu 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Peter 2
Ralph 2
Benjamin 1
Cyril 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.E. 1
Horace 1
Horatio 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Levi 1
Noah 1
Osborne 1
Sidney 1
Silas 1
Simeon 1
Tom 1
Willm.G. 1

FAQ

Proffitt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Proffitt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 298 people were recorded with the Proffitt surname. That placed it at #9,765 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Proffitt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 913 in 2016. That gives Proffitt a modern rank of #6,240.

What does the Proffitt surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a skilled worker or teacher, derived from the Middle English word "profete."

What does the Proffitt map show?

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