NameCensus.

UK surname

Punnett

A habitational name for someone from a location called Punnett.

In the 1881 census there were 123 people recorded with the Punnett surname, ranking it #17,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 165, ranked #22,234, down from #17,506 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes and Mortlake. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shepway and Lichfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Punnett is 225 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.1%.

1881 census count

123

Ranked #17,506

Modern count

165

2016, ranked #22,234

Peak year

1911

225 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Punnett had 123 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,506 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016, ranked #22,234.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 225 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Punnett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Punnett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Punnett 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 120 #15,144
1861 historical 86 #22,810
1881 historical 123 #17,506
1891 historical 175 #16,467
1901 historical 204 #14,925
1911 historical 225 #13,874
1997 modern 184 #18,580
1998 modern 189 #18,737
1999 modern 185 #19,127
2000 modern 183 #19,239
2001 modern 172 #19,696
2002 modern 182 #19,411
2003 modern 177 #19,549
2004 modern 176 #19,731
2005 modern 173 #19,851
2006 modern 168 #20,368
2007 modern 169 #20,562
2008 modern 162 #21,350
2009 modern 157 #22,271
2010 modern 165 #22,026
2011 modern 170 #21,407
2012 modern 167 #21,598
2013 modern 157 #22,904
2014 modern 158 #23,022
2015 modern 162 #22,509
2016 modern 165 #22,234

Geography

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Where Punnetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes, Mortlake, Hawkinge, Folkestone and Maidstone, Linton, Loddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shepway and Lichfield. 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 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Mortlake Surrey
4 Hawkinge, Folkestone Kent
5 Maidstone, Linton, Loddington Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shepway 004 Shepway
2 Shepway 005 Shepway
3 Shepway 003 Shepway
4 Shepway 006 Shepway
5 Lichfield 006 Lichfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Punnett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Punnett

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Punnett is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Punnett is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Punnett falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Punnett

The surname Punnett is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place called Punnet or Punnett in East Sussex, England. The name is thought to have evolved from the Old English words "puning" or "punning," meaning a little hill or mound.

During the 13th century, the name Punnett appeared in various historical records, including the Hundred Rolls of Sussex, where it was spelled as "Punnet." This early mention suggests that the name was already established in the region by that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Punnett surname can be found in the Feet of Fines for Sussex, dated 1292, which mentions a John de Punnet. This record provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, indicating its continued presence in the area. One notable entry from 1327 lists a William Punnett as a taxpayer.

Over the centuries, the Punnett family spread across various parts of England, with some members achieving notable positions and recognition. One such figure was Sir John Punnett (1601-1677), a renowned English judge who served as a Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of King Charles II.

Another prominent individual bearing the Punnett surname was Reginald Crunden Punnett (1875-1967), a British geneticist and academic. He is best known for his work on genetic inheritance patterns, particularly the Punnett square, a graphical representation used to calculate the probability of different genotypes in offspring.

Other notable individuals with the Punnett surname include William Punnett (1787-1855), an English landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes, and Thomas Punnett (1764-1840), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London during the early 19th century.

While the Punnett name has its origins in East Sussex, it eventually spread across various parts of England and even to other countries through migration and settlement. However, the core of its historical significance remains rooted in its connection to the medieval English landscape and the specific locality from which it derived its name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Punnett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Punnett 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. Kent leads with 59 Punnetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.41x.

County Total Index
Kent 59 14.41x
Sussex 19 9.39x
Middlesex 18 1.50x
Surrey 8 1.37x
Warwickshire 8 2.64x
Hampshire 3 1.22x
Cornwall 2 1.47x
Devon 1 0.40x
Durham 1 0.28x
Essex 1 0.42x
Hertfordshire 1 1.21x
Norfolk 1 0.54x
Somerset 1 0.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Folkestone in Kent leads with 27 Punnetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 340.05x.

Place Total Index
Folkestone 27 340.05x
Tonbridge 13 88.08x
Maidstone 10 82.03x
Edgbaston 8 85.29x
Mile End Old Town 8 42.24x
Fletching 7 769.23x
Heathfield 7 853.66x
Croydon 5 15.41x
Rye 4 208.33x
Boxley 3 476.19x
St Marylebone London 3 4.68x
St Pancras London 3 3.11x
Bermondsey 2 5.60x
Bromley London 2 7.58x
Dover St Mary Virgin 2 50.51x
Hampstead London 2 10.70x
Lyminge 2 571.43x
Mylor 2 219.78x
Whitwell 2 689.66x
Abbas Combe 1 714.29x
Bishopwearmouth 1 3.26x
Broadwater 1 21.55x
Cheriton 1 59.88x
East Ham 1 22.73x
Farlington 1 200.00x
Guildford St Mary 1 138.89x
Headcorn 1 163.93x
Heigham 1 10.10x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 5.20x
Watford 1 15.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 8
John 5
Arthur 4
George 4
Thomas 4
Albert 3
Edward 3
Henry 3
James 3
Richard 3
David 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Egbert 1
Ephraim 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Herrick 1
Horace 1
Robert 1
Sampson 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
T.G.A. 1
Thos. 1
Trevor 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Punnett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Punnett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 123 people were recorded with the Punnett surname. That placed it at #17,506 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Punnett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016. That gives Punnett a modern rank of #22,234.

What does the Punnett surname mean?

A habitational name for someone from a location called Punnett.

What does the Punnett map show?

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