UK surname
Derived from a place name meaning "Putta's island" in Old English, referring to a settlement on an island.
In the 1881 census there were 64 people recorded with the Putney surname, ranking it #24,561 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 72, ranked #33,585, down from #24,561 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Dorking, London parishes and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Putney is 101 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.5%.
1881 census count
64
Ranked #24,561
Modern count
72
2016, ranked #33,585
Peak year
1861
101 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Putney surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Putney surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 70 | #21,020 |
| 1861 | historical | 101 | #20,955 |
| 1881 | historical | 64 | #24,561 |
| 1891 | historical | 84 | #26,229 |
| 1901 | historical | 78 | #25,500 |
| 1911 | historical | 99 | #22,850 |
| 1997 | modern | 59 | #31,734 |
| 1998 | modern | 59 | #32,027 |
| 1999 | modern | 62 | #31,893 |
| 2000 | modern | 63 | #31,829 |
| 2001 | modern | 62 | #31,798 |
| 2002 | modern | 63 | #32,113 |
| 2003 | modern | 66 | #31,879 |
| 2004 | modern | 60 | #32,684 |
| 2005 | modern | 62 | #32,708 |
| 2006 | modern | 64 | #32,839 |
| 2007 | modern | 61 | #33,440 |
| 2008 | modern | 56 | #34,084 |
| 2009 | modern | 63 | #33,751 |
| 2010 | modern | 61 | #34,143 |
| 2011 | modern | 65 | #33,842 |
| 2012 | modern | 68 | #33,763 |
| 2013 | modern | 67 | #33,939 |
| 2014 | modern | 69 | #33,833 |
| 2015 | modern | 74 | #33,487 |
| 2016 | modern | 72 | #33,585 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Dorking, London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dorking | Surrey |
| 2 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 3 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 4 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 5 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Putney surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Putney, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Putney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Putney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Putney is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Putney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Putney, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname PUTNEY originates from England and is derived from the place name Putney, a district in the London Borough of Wandsworth. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "putt" and "ey," meaning "a meadow by a stream or river."
The earliest recorded instance of the surname PUTNEY can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Puttenei." This suggests that the name was already established in the area at the time of the Norman Conquest.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname PUTNEY was Sir William Putney, a knight who lived in the 13th century. He was a prominent figure in the court of King Henry III and is mentioned in several historical records from that era.
In the 14th century, John Putney, a merchant and landowner, was recorded as owning significant property in the Putney area. His descendants continued to use the surname and played an important role in the local community for several generations.
During the Tudor period, Thomas Putney (1480-1547) was a notable figure. He served as a Member of Parliament and was involved in various political and religious disputes of the time.
In the 17th century, Sir Henry Putney (1615-1682) was a influential landowner and politician. He served as a Member of Parliament for Putney and held several important positions in the local government.
Another notable individual with the surname PUTNEY was Charles Putney (1766-1842), a British artist and engraver. He is known for his intricate engravings of landscapes and architectural scenes, many of which are housed in prestigious collections.
Throughout the centuries, the surname PUTNEY has been associated with the London area, particularly the district of Putney itself. While variations in spelling, such as "Puttnei" and "Puttneye," were common in earlier times, the modern spelling "PUTNEY" became standardized in more recent centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Putney surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Surrey leads with 28 Putneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.06x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Surrey | 28 | 9.06x |
| Middlesex | 27 | 4.26x |
| Essex | 7 | 5.59x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 2.29x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.46x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 0.63x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 10 Putneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.31x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bethnal Green London | 10 | 36.31x |
| Bow London | 7 | 86.74x |
| Reigate Foreign | 7 | 209.58x |
| Walthamstow | 7 | 155.56x |
| Camberwell | 6 | 14.82x |
| Dorking | 6 | 289.86x |
| Battersea | 4 | 17.15x |
| Lambeth | 3 | 5.43x |
| Bermondsey | 2 | 10.60x |
| Chelsea London | 2 | 10.47x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 5.91x |
| Birmingham | 1 | 1.88x |
| Bromley London | 1 | 7.17x |
| Hampstead London | 1 | 10.13x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.63x |
| Mile End Old Town | 1 | 9.99x |
| Minster In Sheppey | 1 | 27.93x |
| Shoreditch London | 1 | 3.64x |
| St Albans St Michael | 1 | 204.08x |
| Tottenham | 1 | 9.90x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Putney surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Putney surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Putney households.
FAQ
In 1881, 64 people were recorded with the Putney surname. That placed it at #24,561 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 72 in 2016. That gives Putney a modern rank of #33,585.
Derived from a place name meaning "Putta's island" in Old English, referring to a settlement on an island.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Putney bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.