NameCensus.

UK surname

Rossiter

Derived from a place name meaning "red site," referring to someone living near a red-colored feature or building.

In the 1881 census there were 1,893 people recorded with the Rossiter surname, ranking it #2,301 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,424, ranked #1,992, up from #2,301 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf and Sedgemoor.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rossiter is 3,499 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 80.9%.

1881 census count

1,893

Ranked #2,301

Modern count

3,424

2016, ranked #1,992

Peak year

2010

3,499 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rossiter had 1,893 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,301 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,424 in 2016, ranked #1,992.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,544 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Rossiter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rossiter surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rossiter 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 1,083 #2,594
1861 historical 938 #2,952
1881 historical 1,893 #2,301
1891 historical 1,928 #2,390
1901 historical 2,390 #2,278
1911 historical 2,544 #2,008
1997 modern 3,317 #1,943
1998 modern 3,456 #1,937
1999 modern 3,447 #1,966
2000 modern 3,400 #1,981
2001 modern 3,301 #1,994
2002 modern 3,416 #1,986
2003 modern 3,306 #1,999
2004 modern 3,304 #1,998
2005 modern 3,281 #1,987
2006 modern 3,262 #2,007
2007 modern 3,257 #2,033
2008 modern 3,260 #2,045
2009 modern 3,403 #2,012
2010 modern 3,499 #1,987
2011 modern 3,475 #1,972
2012 modern 3,376 #1,995
2013 modern 3,471 #1,975
2014 modern 3,486 #1,983
2015 modern 3,438 #1,985
2016 modern 3,424 #1,992

Geography

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Where Rossiters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Liverpool and Sittingbourne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf and Sedgemoor. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Sittingbourne Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 009 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Sedgemoor 013 Sedgemoor
3 Sedgemoor 008 Sedgemoor
4 Sedgemoor 014 Sedgemoor
5 Sedgemoor 009 Sedgemoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rossiter

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rossiter

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Rossiter 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

Rossiter 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

Rossiter 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 Rossiter 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 Rossiter, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rossiter

The surname Rossiter has its origins in England and traces back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "rossiere," which referred to a person who bred or cared for horses. This occupation was highly regarded at the time, as horses were crucial for transportation, agriculture, and warfare.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Rossiter can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from 1195, where a person named Robert le Rossiter is mentioned. This document suggests that the surname was already in use by the end of the 12th century.

In the 13th century, variations of the name, such as Rosser and Rossour, appeared in various records across England. For instance, a Nicholas Rosser was listed in the Patent Rolls of 1272, while a John Rossour was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1292.

The Rossiter name has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir Edward Rossiter (1618-1692), an English colonist who served as the Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations from 1686 to 1687.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Prichard Rossiter (1817-1871), an American painter known for his landscapes and genre scenes. His works were highly acclaimed and are now held in various museums across the United States.

In the literary world, Arthur Rossiter (1866-1943) was a British author and playwright who wrote several novels and plays, including "The Damask Robe" and "The Widow's Cruse."

Moving into the 20th century, John Leonard Rossiter (1899-1983) was a British civil servant who served as the Governor of Bermuda from 1949 to 1954, and later as the Governor of Cyprus from 1954 to 1957.

More recently, James Robert Rossiter (born 1970) is an American computer scientist and professor at the University of Michigan, known for his contributions to the field of robotics and control systems.

While the Rossiter surname has its roots in England, it has since spread across the globe, with families bearing this name found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rossiter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rossiter 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. Somerset leads with 545 Rossiters recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.40x.

County Total Index
Somerset 545 18.40x
Middlesex 227 1.23x
Gloucestershire 161 4.46x
Kent 134 2.13x
Lancashire 121 0.55x
Surrey 119 1.33x
Devon 102 2.66x
Dorset 84 6.96x
Pembrokeshire 58 9.92x
Monmouthshire 38 2.86x
Glamorgan 36 1.12x
Northumberland 34 1.24x
Durham 31 0.57x
Wiltshire 28 1.72x
Hampshire 25 0.66x
Worcestershire 17 0.71x
Berkshire 12 0.87x
Sussex 12 0.39x
Warwickshire 12 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 11 0.99x
Lincolnshire 11 0.37x
Essex 7 0.19x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.28x
Rutland 7 5.18x
Lanarkshire 6 0.10x
Yorkshire 6 0.03x
Cheshire 5 0.12x
Suffolk 5 0.22x
Cornwall 4 0.19x
Herefordshire 4 0.53x
Bedfordshire 2 0.21x
Hertfordshire 2 0.16x
Leicestershire 2 0.10x
Oxfordshire 2 0.18x
Royal Navy 2 0.91x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.13x
Midlothian 1 0.04x
Norfolk 1 0.04x
Northamptonshire 1 0.06x
Radnorshire 1 0.67x
Staffordshire 1 0.02x
Stirlingshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St George in Gloucestershire leads with 73 Rossiters recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.74x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St George 73 43.74x
Liverpool 49 3.70x
Sittingbourne 39 78.68x
Weston Super Mare 33 44.13x
Frome 32 45.18x
Camberwell 31 2.64x
Bridgewater 30 37.31x
Islington London 30 1.68x
Bedminster 27 9.70x
Paignton 26 89.22x
Clerkenwell London 25 5.76x
Midsomer Norton 23 82.44x
Milton In Milton 23 86.21x
Evercreech 22 308.12x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 20 5.89x
Teynham 19 167.84x
Leigh On Mendip 18 620.69x
Newington 18 2.65x
St Pancras London 18 1.22x
Hackney London 17 1.65x
Lambeth 16 1.00x
Battersea 15 2.22x
Blandford Forum 15 62.97x
Harton 15 69.35x
Kensington London 15 1.47x
Kings Norton 15 6.96x
Road 15 417.83x
Tottenham 15 5.12x
Elm 14 622.22x
Marnhull 14 159.27x
Radstock 14 71.91x
Shoreditch London 14 1.76x
Tiverton 14 21.22x
Shepton Mallet 13 39.12x
West Monkton 13 199.39x
Cheddar 12 80.54x
Long Ashton 12 81.69x
Long Critchell 12 1165.05x
Mells 12 196.08x
Walcot 12 7.61x
Ashford 11 17.99x
Bethnal Green London 11 1.38x
Christchurch 11 26.74x
East Pennard 11 286.46x
Lyncombe Widcombe 11 14.19x
St Florence 11 516.43x
Toxteth Park 11 1.49x
Ystradyfodwg 11 3.91x
Bristol St James In 10 18.85x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 2.70x
St George Hanover 10 4.16x
Wayford 10 709.22x
Clifton 9 4.93x
Eglwysilan 9 16.19x
Hammersmith London 9 1.99x
Middlezoy 9 247.93x
Whitley 9 101.81x
Aldershot 8 6.33x
Ashwick 8 167.01x
Bradford On Avon 8 15.36x
Bristol St James St Paul 8 6.65x
Broomfield 8 303.03x
East Cranmore 8 975.61x
Kilmersdon 8 54.68x
Monckton 8 76.63x
Salford 8 1.25x
Sherborne 8 22.50x
St Marylebone London 8 0.81x
Timsbury 8 89.19x
Tormoham 8 4.94x
Wallsend 8 9.22x
Wellington 8 19.93x
West Derby 8 1.25x
Westminster St John 8 3.57x
Wiveliscombe 8 48.46x
Buckland Newton 7 129.63x
Deptford St Nicholas 7 14.05x
Oldham 7 0.99x
Swansea St Thomas 7 21.75x
Uppingham 7 43.48x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Rossiter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rossiter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,893 people were recorded with the Rossiter surname. That placed it at #2,301 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rossiter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,424 in 2016. That gives Rossiter a modern rank of #1,992.

What does the Rossiter surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "red site," referring to someone living near a red-colored feature or building.

What does the Rossiter map show?

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