NameCensus.

UK surname

Putman

Derived from the Dutch nickname Putman, meaning a well digger or a person who lived near a well.

In the 1881 census there were 527 people recorded with the Putman surname, ranking it #6,503 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 511, ranked #9,834, down from #6,503 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lichfield, Sevenoaks and Dacorum.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Putman is 779 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.0%.

1881 census count

527

Ranked #6,503

Modern count

511

2016, ranked #9,834

Peak year

1911

779 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Putman had 527 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,503 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 511 in 2016, ranked #9,834.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 779 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Putman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Putman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Putman 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 318 #7,293
1861 historical 345 #7,398
1881 historical 527 #6,503
1891 historical 604 #6,353
1901 historical 695 #6,324
1911 historical 779 #5,578
1997 modern 552 #8,634
1998 modern 575 #8,622
1999 modern 581 #8,622
2000 modern 578 #8,625
2001 modern 568 #8,602
2002 modern 570 #8,740
2003 modern 549 #8,854
2004 modern 534 #9,057
2005 modern 517 #9,217
2006 modern 517 #9,246
2007 modern 522 #9,254
2008 modern 514 #9,445
2009 modern 514 #9,643
2010 modern 523 #9,726
2011 modern 519 #9,687
2012 modern 517 #9,644
2013 modern 513 #9,839
2014 modern 520 #9,803
2015 modern 511 #9,864
2016 modern 511 #9,834

Geography

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Where Putmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Portsmouth, Portsea and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lichfield, Sevenoaks, Dacorum, Poole and Three Rivers. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lichfield 012 Lichfield
2 Sevenoaks 014 Sevenoaks
3 Dacorum 021 Dacorum
4 Poole 003 Poole
5 Three Rivers 006 Three Rivers

Forenames

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First names often paired with Putman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Putman

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Putman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Putman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Putman 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

Putman 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

Putman falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Putman

The surname Putman is believed to have originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English words "put" meaning a pit or hole, and "mann" meaning a man or person. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a pit or worked as a digger of holes or pits.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Putman can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Puteman" in this historical record.

In the 13th century, variations of the name such as "Putman" and "Pittman" can be found in various county records across England, particularly in areas like Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and spelling differences at the time.

During the medieval period, the name Putman was also associated with certain place names. For example, the village of Puttenham in Surrey, England, was once known as "Puttenheth" or "Puttenehuthe," which may have contributed to the development of the surname Putman in that area.

One notable individual with the surname Putman was John Putman, a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses in the 17th century. He was born in England around 1625 and immigrated to Virginia, where he became a prominent figure in colonial politics.

Another historical figure was Sir George Putman, an English soldier and politician who lived from 1614 to 1690. He served as a member of Parliament and played a role in the English Civil War, fighting for the Parliamentarian forces.

In the 18th century, the Putman surname was also found in Scotland, with records showing individuals like Robert Putman, a merchant in Glasgow born in 1735.

One of the earliest known instances of the surname in the United States was Thomas Putman, who was born in England around 1615 and settled in Salem, Massachusetts in the 1630s. He became a prominent member of the Salem community and had several descendants who carried on the Putman name.

Another notable American with the surname was Rufus Putman, a soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He was born in Connecticut in 1738 and served in several major battles, including the Battle of Monmouth and the Battle of Yorktown.

Throughout history, the surname Putman has undergone various spelling variations, including Pittman, Putnam, Puttman, and Pudman, among others. Despite these variations, the name has maintained its connection to its Old English roots and the association with pits or holes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Putman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Putman 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 111 Putmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.15x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 111 2.15x
Surrey 83 3.30x
Buckinghamshire 54 17.31x
Hertfordshire 51 14.34x
Hampshire 49 4.63x
Sussex 43 4.94x
Bedfordshire 33 12.35x
Kent 31 1.76x
Essex 12 1.18x
Lancashire 8 0.13x
Northamptonshire 7 1.44x
Wiltshire 7 1.53x
Leicestershire 6 1.05x
Staffordshire 6 0.34x
Cambridgeshire 4 1.22x
Yorkshire 4 0.08x
Berkshire 3 0.77x
Shropshire 3 0.67x
Durham 2 0.13x
Isle of Man 2 2.09x
Somerset 2 0.24x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Derbyshire 1 0.12x
Devon 1 0.09x
Gloucestershire 1 0.10x
Northumberland 1 0.13x
Oxfordshire 1 0.31x
Royal Navy 1 1.63x
Warwickshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 27 Putmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.02x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 27 13.02x
Lambeth 23 5.11x
Edlesborough 20 704.23x
Millbrook 20 4081.63x
Battersea 19 10.01x
Watford 17 61.64x
Kensington London 15 5.23x
Walthamstow 11 30.01x
Wandsworth 11 22.15x
Deptford St Paul 10 7.36x
Ampthill 9 225.56x
Aylesbury 9 65.12x
Berkhampstead 9 112.50x
St Pancras London 9 2.17x
Beckenham 8 34.75x
Hammersmith London 8 6.29x
Hemel Hempstead 8 49.91x
Shoreditch London 8 3.58x
Subdeanery 8 121.21x
Wycombe 8 34.39x
Colerne 7 374.33x
Reigate Foreign 7 25.71x
St Marylebone London 7 2.54x
Bethnal Green London 6 2.68x
Bovingdon 6 322.58x
Chithurst 6 1016.95x
Southwark Christchurch 6 24.81x
Warblington 6 142.86x
Acton 5 16.53x
Chelsea London 5 3.22x
Everton 5 2.56x
Harrow 5 63.37x
Islington London 5 1.00x
Newtown Linford 5 588.24x
Rogate 5 287.36x
Terwick 5 1515.15x
Willesden 5 10.28x
Burpham 4 555.56x
Clapham 4 6.20x
Denham 4 179.37x
Eccleshall 4 60.61x
Great Missenden 4 104.17x
Havant 4 74.63x
Lewisham 4 4.26x
Poplar London 4 4.11x
St Andrewthe Less 4 10.71x
St Anne Soho London 4 13.57x
Wolverton 4 61.92x
Abbots Langley 3 56.82x
Cheshunt 3 24.14x
Donnington 3 500.00x
Eston 3 26.93x
Hendon 3 16.16x
Morden 3 240.00x
Rickmansworth 3 30.64x
Stanton Lacy 3 77.92x
Thames Ditton 3 57.47x
Welford 3 182.93x
West Dean 3 232.56x
West Drayton 3 168.54x
West Wycombe 3 70.92x
Woolwich 3 4.61x
Abthorpe 2 246.91x
Braddan 2 38.24x
Chiswick 2 7.09x
East Molesey 2 34.31x
Greenwich 2 2.43x
Hartlepool 2 9.17x
Hughenden 2 62.89x
Lavant Mid 2 277.78x
Luton 2 4.32x
North Hayling 2 425.53x
Portsmouth 2 8.21x
Reading St Mary 2 6.45x
St Botolph Aldgate 2 28.41x
St George Hanover 2 2.97x
Towcester 2 39.92x
Toxteth Park 2 0.96x
Westbourne 2 46.19x
Westminster St John 2 3.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 40
James 24
George 23
Henry 19
Joseph 15
Arthur 10
John 10
Thomas 10
Charles 9
Frank 9
Frederick 9
Alfred 7
Harry 6
Walter 6
Edward 5
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Daniel 3
Robert 3
Benjamin 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Herbert 2
Mark 2
Thos. 2
W. 2
Benjmin. 1
Cecil 1
Christopher 1
Clarence 1
Edwod 1
Edwood 1
Ephraim 1
Fredk. 1
G. 1
Gilbert 1
Guy 1
Horatio 1
Jas. 1
Joshu 1
Laban 1
Levi 1
Morris 1
Paul 1
Percy 1
R. 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Putman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Putman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 527 people were recorded with the Putman surname. That placed it at #6,503 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Putman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 511 in 2016. That gives Putman a modern rank of #9,834.

What does the Putman surname mean?

Derived from the Dutch nickname Putman, meaning a well digger or a person who lived near a well.

What does the Putman map show?

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