NameCensus.

UK surname

Rabbitt

An English surname derived from the animal known for breeding quickly.

In the 1881 census there were 195 people recorded with the Rabbitt surname, ranking it #13,054 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 329, ranked #13,798, down from #13,054 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tunbridge, Bidborough, Edwinstow and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton, Wigan and South Bucks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rabbitt is 395 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.7%.

1881 census count

195

Ranked #13,054

Modern count

329

2016, ranked #13,798

Peak year

1911

395 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rabbitt had 195 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,054 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 329 in 2016, ranked #13,798.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 395 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Rabbitt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rabbitt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rabbitt 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 79 #19,712
1861 historical 81 #23,431
1881 historical 195 #13,054
1891 historical 250 #12,762
1901 historical 330 #10,899
1911 historical 395 #9,373
1997 modern 343 #12,349
1998 modern 359 #12,321
1999 modern 373 #12,054
2000 modern 360 #12,309
2001 modern 357 #12,205
2002 modern 366 #12,221
2003 modern 355 #12,285
2004 modern 328 #13,058
2005 modern 325 #13,080
2006 modern 314 #13,474
2007 modern 318 #13,503
2008 modern 321 #13,516
2009 modern 325 #13,657
2010 modern 329 #13,818
2011 modern 327 #13,754
2012 modern 329 #13,593
2013 modern 332 #13,713
2014 modern 338 #13,624
2015 modern 327 #13,871
2016 modern 329 #13,798

Geography

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Where Rabbitts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tunbridge, Bidborough, Edwinstow, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Northampton All Saints and Warrington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton, Wigan, South Bucks and Maidstone. 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 Edwinstow Nottinghamshire
3 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
4 Northampton All Saints Northamptonshire
5 Warrington Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 002 Bolton
2 Wigan 037 Wigan
3 Wigan 031 Wigan
4 South Bucks 005 South Bucks
5 Maidstone 016 Maidstone

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rabbitt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rabbitt

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Rabbitt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Rabbitt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rabbitt 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.

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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

Rabbitt is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rabbitt falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rabbitt is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Rabbitt

The surname Rabbitt is of English origin and can be traced back to the early 13th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "rabet," meaning a small, furry mammal that was commonly hunted and eaten. The name was likely given to someone who worked as a rabbit hunter, trapper, or dealer in the trade of rabbits.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, which mentions a "William Rabbet." This suggests that the surname was already established in parts of England by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, including Rabbet, Rabett, and Rabbett, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping during that time period. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 list a "John Rabett," while the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379 mention a "Thomas Rabbett."

The surname Rabbitt is believed to have originated in the counties of Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset, where rabbit hunting and trading were common occupations. Some early bearers of the name were likely associated with these areas or nearby regions.

One notable individual with the surname Rabbitt was John Rabbitt, a 17th-century English clergyman and author who was born in 1625 and died in 1699. He was the rector of Tamworth in Staffordshire and published several religious works, including "The Christian's Guide" and "A Defence of the Church of England."

Another prominent figure was William Rabbitt, an English merchant and philanthropist from Bristol, who lived from 1736 to 1821. He made a significant fortune in the West Indies trade and donated a substantial portion of his wealth to charitable causes, including the establishment of a school and almshouses in Bristol.

In the 19th century, James Rabbitt (1815-1892) was a British engineer and inventor who patented several improvements in steam engine design and contributed to the development of early railway technology.

Additionally, Thomas Rabbitt (1868-1944) was an Irish politician and member of the UK Parliament, representing the constituency of North Roscommon from 1910 to 1918.

Finally, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Rabbitt in America was Daniel Rabbitt, an English immigrant who settled in Virginia in the 1630s and is listed in the records of the Virginia Company of London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rabbitt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rabbitt 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. Lancashire leads with 50 Rabbitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.19x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 50 2.19x
Northamptonshire 36 19.92x
Kent 16 2.44x
Nottinghamshire 16 6.18x
Bedfordshire 14 14.07x
Leicestershire 13 6.10x
Devon 9 2.25x
Staffordshire 8 1.23x
Cheshire 7 1.65x
Surrey 7 0.75x
Durham 6 1.05x
Middlesex 4 0.21x
Warwickshire 4 0.83x
Yorkshire 3 0.16x
Hampshire 2 0.51x
Royal Navy 1 4.37x
Sussex 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edwinstowe in Nottinghamshire leads with 16 Rabbitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2580.65x.

Place Total Index
Edwinstowe 16 2580.65x
Leicester St Margaret 13 25.02x
Northampton St Sepulchre 13 141.30x
Northampton Priory St 12 110.60x
Manchester 11 10.73x
Tonbridge 10 42.28x
Salford 9 13.42x
Tiverton 9 130.62x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 16.05x
Northampton All Sts 7 114.19x
Stoke Upon Trent 7 10.18x
Warrington 7 25.90x
Bedford St Paul 6 87.98x
Widnes 6 36.47x
Altrincham 5 67.48x
Lambeth 5 2.98x
Melchbourne 5 3571.43x
Birmingham 4 2.48x
Winlaton 4 72.99x
Bedford St Peter 3 116.28x
Orpington 3 149.25x
St Pauls Cray 3 600.00x
Wellingborough 3 33.00x
Atherton 2 24.10x
Broughton In Salford 2 9.59x
Crumpsall 2 37.24x
Islington London 2 1.07x
Latchford 2 70.92x
Little Bolton 2 6.82x
Shotton 2 141.84x
St George Bloomsbury 2 18.13x
Streatham 2 14.03x
Brighton 1 1.53x
Droxford 1 66.67x
Irthlingborough 1 56.50x
Manningham 1 4.26x
Old Malton 1 83.33x
Portsmouth 1 11.03x
Preston 1 1.64x
Royal Navy 1 5.11x
Southowram 1 17.21x
Stafford St Mary 1 10.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 17
Thomas 9
Michael 8
William 7
George 5
James 5
Frederick 4
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Henry 3
Alfred 2
Dennis 2
Harry 2
Martin 2
Patrick 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Abram 1
Albert 1
Charles 1
David 1
Ephraim 1
Fred 1
Herbert 1
Hy. 1
Jonothan 1
Joseph 1
Lewis 1
Mark 1
Pat 1
Samuell 1
Thos.Edward 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Rabbitt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rabbitt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 195 people were recorded with the Rabbitt surname. That placed it at #13,054 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rabbitt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 329 in 2016. That gives Rabbitt a modern rank of #13,798.

What does the Rabbitt surname mean?

An English surname derived from the animal known for breeding quickly.

What does the Rabbitt map show?

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