NameCensus.

UK surname

Rackett

From the Middle English "rackett", meaning "broken stick" or "bat".

In the 1881 census there were 148 people recorded with the Rackett surname, ranking it #15,611 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 131, ranked #26,004, down from #15,611 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newchurch, London parishes and Brading. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rackett is 168 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.5%.

1881 census count

148

Ranked #15,611

Modern count

131

2016, ranked #26,004

Peak year

1998

168 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rackett had 148 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,611 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016, ranked #26,004.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 159 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Rackett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rackett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rackett 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 90 #18,317
1861 historical 112 #19,279
1881 historical 148 #15,611
1891 historical 134 #19,777
1901 historical 159 #17,442
1911 historical 150 #17,866
1997 modern 154 #20,780
1998 modern 168 #20,181
1999 modern 161 #20,868
2000 modern 162 #20,735
2001 modern 152 #21,294
2002 modern 157 #21,261
2003 modern 148 #21,866
2004 modern 151 #21,720
2005 modern 135 #23,297
2006 modern 133 #23,711
2007 modern 133 #24,059
2008 modern 135 #24,123
2009 modern 135 #24,594
2010 modern 140 #24,569
2011 modern 143 #24,056
2012 modern 134 #25,059
2013 modern 132 #25,789
2014 modern 138 #25,218
2015 modern 138 #25,103
2016 modern 131 #26,004

Geography

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Where Racketts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newchurch, London parishes, Brading, Southampton St Mary and Newport. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight. 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 Newchurch Hampshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Brading Hampshire
4 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
5 Newport Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 003 Isle of Wight
2 Isle of Wight 014 Isle of Wight
3 Isle of Wight 015 Isle of Wight
4 Isle of Wight 011 Isle of Wight
5 Isle of Wight 016 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rackett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rackett

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Rackett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rackett household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Rackett is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Rackett 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

Rackett falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Rackett

The surname RACKETT is of English origin, stemming from the Middle English word "raket" or "racket," which initially referred to a kind of hunting dog utilized for chasing small game or birds. This term is thought to have derived from the Old French word "rachier," meaning "to pursue" or "to hunt."

In the 13th century, the name RACKETT began to appear in various historical records across England. It is believed that some of the earliest bearers of this surname were families or individuals involved in hunting or the training of hunting dogs. The name may have been initially adopted as a descriptive occupational surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the RACKETT name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, dating back to 1273, where a William Racket is mentioned. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 also list a John Racket.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name RACKETT appeared in various forms, including Racket, Rakett, Rakette, and Racquett, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling during that era. Some historical references suggest that the name may have been associated with certain localities or place names, such as Rackheath in Norfolk, Rackheath in Suffolk, or Rackham in Sussex.

Notable historical figures bearing the RACKETT surname include:

1. Sir Thomas Rackett (c. 1530-1612), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 2. John Rackett (c. 1570-1637), an English clergyman and author of theological works. 3. Elizabeth Rackett (c. 1615-1678), a Quaker activist and writer known for her religious pamphlets and advocacy for women's rights. 4. Thomas Rackett (c. 1670-1735), a renowned English clockmaker and inventor of the striking mechanism for tower clocks. 5. Sir Edmond Rackett (c. 1720-1782), a British naval officer and explorer who charted parts of the South Pacific.

While the RACKETT surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and other English-speaking countries, carried by individuals and families migrating from their ancestral homeland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rackett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rackett 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. Hampshire leads with 78 Racketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.84x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 78 25.84x
Lancashire 22 1.26x
Middlesex 21 1.43x
Surrey 15 2.09x
Yorkshire 7 0.48x
Royal Navy 3 17.09x
Cornwall 1 0.60x
Derbyshire 1 0.43x
Essex 1 0.34x
Northamptonshire 1 0.72x
Sussex 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brading in Hampshire leads with 23 Racketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 573.57x.

Place Total Index
Brading 23 573.57x
Carisbrooke 14 334.13x
Southampton St Mary 14 73.72x
Portsea 13 21.97x
Farnworth 8 76.41x
Hendon 8 150.94x
Stretford 8 83.16x
Chiswick 7 86.96x
Ryde 7 107.86x
Everton 6 10.77x
Streatham 6 54.89x
Castleford 5 93.99x
Croydon 5 12.55x
Newport 5 304.88x
Camberwell 4 4.25x
Royal Navy 3 20.00x
Fulham London 2 9.36x
Ardingly 1 126.58x
Brightside Bierlow 1 3.49x
Hayfield 1 70.92x
Hornsey 1 5.37x
Isleworth 1 15.27x
Kensington London 1 1.22x
Mevagissey 1 90.09x
Northwood 1 23.26x
Oundle 1 64.52x
South Weald 1 40.16x
St Pancras London 1 0.84x
Whippingham 1 43.67x
Wortley In Bramley 1 8.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 11
Henry 9
George 8
Thomas 7
Arthur 6
Joseph 5
Alfred 4
Edward 4
Edwin 3
Charles 2
Frederick 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Bertram 1
Caleb 1
David 1
E. 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
James 1
Percy 1
Samuel 1
W. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Rackett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rackett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 148 people were recorded with the Rackett surname. That placed it at #15,611 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rackett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 131 in 2016. That gives Rackett a modern rank of #26,004.

What does the Rackett surname mean?

From the Middle English "rackett", meaning "broken stick" or "bat".

What does the Rackett map show?

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