NameCensus.

UK surname

Putnam

From an English place name meaning "Putta's homestead," derived from the Old English personal name Putta and ham, meaning "homestead."

In the 1881 census there were 249 people recorded with the Putnam surname, ranking it #11,103 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 524, ranked #9,666, up from #11,103 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Walthamstow, Low Leyton and Hitchenden or Hughenden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wycombe, South Hams and Horsham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Putnam is 570 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 110.4%.

1881 census count

249

Ranked #11,103

Modern count

524

2016, ranked #9,666

Peak year

2000

570 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Putnam had 249 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,103 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 524 in 2016, ranked #9,666.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 454 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Putnam surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Putnam surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Putnam 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 172 #11,682
1861 historical 158 #14,644
1881 historical 249 #11,103
1891 historical 206 #14,597
1901 historical 342 #10,608
1911 historical 454 #8,445
1997 modern 541 #8,772
1998 modern 554 #8,876
1999 modern 552 #8,959
2000 modern 570 #8,700
2001 modern 556 #8,732
2002 modern 554 #8,933
2003 modern 558 #8,740
2004 modern 559 #8,764
2005 modern 524 #9,135
2006 modern 524 #9,150
2007 modern 521 #9,271
2008 modern 513 #9,454
2009 modern 513 #9,654
2010 modern 521 #9,752
2011 modern 518 #9,705
2012 modern 511 #9,708
2013 modern 539 #9,497
2014 modern 539 #9,542
2015 modern 526 #9,654
2016 modern 524 #9,666

Geography

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Where Putnams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Walthamstow, Low Leyton, Hitchenden or Hughenden and Tring. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wycombe, South Hams and Horsham. 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 Walthamstow, Low Leyton Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Hitchenden or Hughenden Buckinghamshire
5 Tring Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wycombe 003 Wycombe
2 South Hams 004 South Hams
3 Wycombe 024 Wycombe
4 Wycombe 002 Wycombe
5 Horsham 016 Horsham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Putnam

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Putnam

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Putnam is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Putnam 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

Putnam falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Putnam

The surname Putnam has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the place name Puttenham, which is found in several counties including Surrey, Hertfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. The name is believed to derive from the Old English words "pytt" meaning a pit or hollow and "ham" meaning a homestead or village, thus translating to "the homestead or village by the pit or hollow."

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Puteham." This entry refers to a location in Surrey, which was likely the original place from which the surname originated. In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as "Puttenho," "Puttenhaw," and "Putteham" in various county records and tax rolls.

The first recorded instance of the spelling "Putnam" dates back to the late 16th century, with a Thomas Putnam mentioned in the parish records of Hertfordshire in 1586. This spelling became more commonly adopted over time, though variations such as "Puttenham" and "Puttnam" persisted for several centuries.

One notable figure associated with the Putnam surname is John Putnam (1579-1662), an early settler of Salem, Massachusetts, who arrived in the New World in 1634. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and served as a magistrate and lieutenant in the local militia.

Another prominent individual was Israel Putnam (1718-1790), a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He is renowned for his courageous actions in battles such as the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Battle of Long Island, and his daring escape from British dragoons has become a legendary tale.

In the literary realm, the name is associated with Mary Putnam Jacobi (1842-1906), a pioneering physician and writer who played a pivotal role in advancing women's rights and advocating for their admission to medical schools and professions.

George Palmer Putnam (1814-1872) was a prominent American publisher and founder of the publishing house G.P. Putnam's Sons, which played a significant role in the literary world of the 19th century.

Rufus Putnam (1738-1824) was a notable figure in the early history of the United States, serving as a surveyor and one of the founders of the settlement of Marietta, Ohio, which was the first permanent American settlement in the Northwest Territory.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Putnam families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Putnam 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 85 Putnams recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.50x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 85 3.50x
Buckinghamshire 58 39.50x
Hertfordshire 21 12.54x
Essex 19 3.96x
Surrey 17 1.44x
Kent 16 1.93x
Durham 12 1.66x
Northamptonshire 6 2.63x
Hampshire 4 0.80x
Yorkshire 3 0.12x
Midlothian 2 0.61x
Staffordshire 2 0.24x
Ayrshire 1 0.55x
Bedfordshire 1 0.80x
Oxfordshire 1 0.67x
Sussex 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. Hughenden in Buckinghamshire leads with 25 Putnams recorded in 1881 and an index of 1666.67x.

Place Total Index
Hughenden 25 1666.67x
Wycombe 22 200.91x
Ealing 14 64.49x
Lewisham 14 31.68x
St Marylebone London 13 10.02x
St Pancras London 13 6.65x
Darlington 12 43.01x
Kensington London 10 7.41x
Shoreditch London 10 9.50x
Tring 10 223.71x
Walthamstow 10 57.94x
Chesham 9 166.36x
Islington London 9 3.82x
West Ham 9 8.50x
Southwark Christchurch 7 61.51x
Hackney London 6 4.41x
Rickmansworth 6 130.15x
Clerkenwell London 5 8.72x
Romsey Infra 4 236.69x
Streatham 4 22.20x
Towcester 4 169.49x
Mexborough 3 62.76x
Amersham 2 96.15x
Bermondsey 2 2.77x
St Albans St Peter 2 35.40x
Willenhall 2 13.02x
Berkhampstead 1 26.60x
Cheshunt 1 17.09x
Croydon 1 1.52x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.56x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 15.80x
Grays Inn Staple Inn 1 322.58x
Harrow On The Hill 1 20.62x
Hartwell 1 238.10x
Kirkoswald 1 67.57x
Lambeth 1 0.47x
Luton 1 4.59x
Margate St John Baptist 1 6.59x
Northampton All Sts 1 12.90x
Northchurch 1 55.87x
Penicuik 1 22.62x
Pinner 1 46.95x
Shipton On Cherwell 1 1000.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.05x
St Anne Soho London 1 7.21x
Tillington 1 135.14x
Wandsworth 1 4.28x
Westminster St 1 11.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 12
Elizabeth 8
Ann 7
Eliza 6
Mary 6
Alice 5
Annie 5
Ada 4
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Maria 4
Emily 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Anna 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Hephzibah 2
Jane 2
Susan 2
Susanah 2
Susannah 2
Anne 1
Blanche 1
Eleanor 1
Elizab. 1
Elizth. 1
Florance 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Margt. 1
Maud 1
Milly 1
Minnie 1
Mirriam 1
Mrs 1
Phoebe 1
Rachel 1
Rhoda 1
Rosa 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Putnam surname: questions and answers

How common was the Putnam surname in 1881?

In 1881, 249 people were recorded with the Putnam surname. That placed it at #11,103 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Putnam surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 524 in 2016. That gives Putnam a modern rank of #9,666.

What does the Putnam surname mean?

From an English place name meaning "Putta's homestead," derived from the Old English personal name Putta and ham, meaning "homestead."

What does the Putnam map show?

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