NameCensus.

UK surname

Scarlett

An English occupational surname referring to someone who sold or made cloth of a scarlet color.

In the 1881 census there were 1,014 people recorded with the Scarlett surname, ranking it #3,862 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,815, ranked #3,490, up from #3,862 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Norton-in-the-Moors, London parishes and Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Berkshire, Aylesbury Vale and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Scarlett is 1,883 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 79.0%.

1881 census count

1,014

Ranked #3,862

Modern count

1,815

2016, ranked #3,490

Peak year

2010

1,883 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Scarlett had 1,014 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,862 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,815 in 2016, ranked #3,490.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,538 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Scarlett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Scarlett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Scarlett 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 560 #4,524
1861 historical 709 #3,824
1881 historical 1,014 #3,862
1891 historical 1,185 #3,618
1901 historical 1,423 #3,565
1911 historical 1,538 #3,155
1997 modern 1,599 #3,702
1998 modern 1,732 #3,576
1999 modern 1,734 #3,599
2000 modern 1,717 #3,609
2001 modern 1,691 #3,596
2002 modern 1,739 #3,585
2003 modern 1,727 #3,535
2004 modern 1,756 #3,476
2005 modern 1,768 #3,425
2006 modern 1,753 #3,456
2007 modern 1,758 #3,480
2008 modern 1,775 #3,476
2009 modern 1,836 #3,452
2010 modern 1,883 #3,446
2011 modern 1,858 #3,437
2012 modern 1,808 #3,462
2013 modern 1,822 #3,497
2014 modern 1,837 #3,495
2015 modern 1,828 #3,484
2016 modern 1,815 #3,490

Geography

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Where Scarletts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Norton-in-the-Moors, London parishes, Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington and Tuddenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Berkshire, Aylesbury Vale, County Durham, South Norfolk and East Lindsey. 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 Norton-in-the-Moors Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington Staffordshire
5 Tuddenham Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Berkshire 010 West Berkshire
2 Aylesbury Vale 018 Aylesbury Vale
3 County Durham 059 County Durham
4 South Norfolk 010 South Norfolk
5 East Lindsey 006 East Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Scarlett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Scarlett

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

Scarlett is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Scarlett falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Scarlett

The surname Scarlett is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "escarlate," meaning a rich, bright red cloth. The name initially referred to someone who dyed, sold, or wore this vibrant red fabric.

This surname first emerged in the 12th century, with early recorded instances found in various counties across England, including Yorkshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk. One of the earliest known bearers was William Scarlat, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1176.

In the 13th century, the Scarlett surname appeared in the Hundredorum Rolls, a census-like record of landowners in England. Notable entries include Adam Scarlet in Oxfordshire (1273) and John Skarlet in Cambridgeshire (1279). These early spellings highlight the name's evolution from its Old French roots.

The Scarlett name continued to spread across England in the following centuries, with various spelling variations emerging, such as Scarlet, Scarlette, and Skarlett. One notable bearer was Robert Scarlett (1519-1594), an English Roman Catholic priest and martyr during the Elizabethan period.

In the 17th century, the Scarlett surname found its way to Ireland, particularly in counties like Down and Antrim. One prominent figure was John Scarlett (1661-1714), an Irish Anglican priest and author born in County Down.

As the name spread, several notable individuals emerged, including Sir James Yorke Scarlett (1799-1871), a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and the Crimean War, and Nathaniel Scarlett (1753-1834), an English lawyer and politician who served as Chief Baron of the Exchequer.

Other significant bearers of the Scarlett surname include William Scarlett (1828-1908), an English-born architect who designed several notable buildings in Canada, and John Scarlett (1976-), a British journalist and former head of the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6).

Throughout its history, the Scarlett surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, from cloth merchants and dyers to military officers, lawyers, and civil servants. Its rich red hue and origins in the textile industry have given the name a distinctive and colorful legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Scarlett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Scarlett 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 203 Scarletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.05x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 203 2.05x
Suffolk 155 12.84x
Staffordshire 104 3.11x
Lancashire 73 0.62x
Yorkshire 72 0.73x
Surrey 62 1.28x
Norfolk 45 2.95x
Hampshire 33 1.62x
Kent 31 0.92x
Durham 28 0.95x
Warwickshire 28 1.12x
Wiltshire 23 2.62x
Essex 21 1.07x
Oxfordshire 20 3.27x
Gloucestershire 17 0.87x
Berkshire 11 1.48x
Derbyshire 11 0.71x
Cheshire 10 0.46x
Sussex 8 0.48x
Worcestershire 7 0.54x
Angus 6 0.65x
Glamorgan 6 0.35x
Midlothian 6 0.45x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.67x
Cornwall 4 0.36x
Devon 4 0.19x
Somerset 4 0.25x
Hertfordshire 3 0.44x
Lanarkshire 3 0.09x
Leicestershire 3 0.27x
Argyllshire 2 0.72x
Northumberland 2 0.14x
East Lothian 1 0.76x
Northamptonshire 1 0.11x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.07x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.32x
Renfrewshire 1 0.13x
Ross-shire 1 0.37x
Wigtownshire 1 0.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St George Hanover in Middlesex leads with 24 Scarletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.55x.

Place Total Index
St George Hanover 24 18.55x
Stafford St Mary 23 48.56x
Armley 21 48.48x
Kensington London 20 3.63x
Camberwell 18 2.84x
Lowestoft 18 31.57x
Heigham 17 20.78x
Islington London 16 1.67x
Tuddenham St Martin 15 1239.67x
Bromley London 14 6.42x
Penge 14 22.11x
Smallthorne 14 112.72x
Ipswich St Mathew 13 38.43x
Mile End Old Town 12 7.67x
Westleton 12 424.03x
Collingbourne Kingston 11 466.10x
Cranford 11 643.27x
Wolverhampton 11 4.28x
Aldeburgh 10 140.06x
Hackney London 10 1.80x
Haswell 10 47.33x
Deptford St Paul 9 3.45x
Gt Tew 9 552.15x
Norton In Moors 9 50.82x
Norwich St Etheldred 9 418.60x
Portsea 9 2.26x
Abbots Bromley 8 161.29x
Brightside Bierlow 8 4.15x
Haslingden 8 16.43x
Hungerford 8 79.52x
Ipswich St Margaret 8 19.53x
St Marylebone London 8 1.51x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 2.26x
Walsall Foreign 8 4.63x
West Bromwich 8 4.18x
Abinger 7 174.56x
Bow London 7 5.55x
Deal 7 24.27x
Headingley Cum Burley 7 11.07x
Liverpool 7 0.98x
North Meols 7 6.08x
Paddington London 7 1.92x
Poplar London 7 3.74x
Standlake 7 291.67x
West Ham 7 1.62x
Aston 6 0.87x
Brinnington 6 29.35x
Burbage 6 134.23x
Castle Church 6 29.84x
Cheetham 6 6.84x
Hillmorton 6 134.53x
Holy Trinity 6 2.54x
Inveresk 6 16.69x
Litchurch 6 9.61x
Margam 6 31.17x
Mundham 6 600.00x
Playford 6 740.74x
Rossington 6 500.00x
St Bartholomew Great 6 66.52x
St John Winchester 6 140.52x
St Sepulchre London 6 41.35x
Walthamstow 6 8.52x
West Derby 6 1.74x
Westminster St James 6 5.89x
Burton Extra 5 26.07x
Bury 5 3.72x
Condicote 5 877.19x
Dunwich 5 588.24x
Enfield 5 7.69x
Flockton 5 124.69x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 5 14.06x
Harwich St Nicholas 5 33.09x
Ipswich St Clement 5 16.29x
Liff Benvie 5 3.59x
Manchester 5 0.95x
Melton 5 105.26x
Snape 5 290.70x
Stockley 5 133.69x
Stow Upland 5 125.94x
Wolverton 5 943.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 60
George 39
James 38
John 35
Henry 31
Charles 22
Robert 22
Samuel 22
Thomas 21
Edward 17
Joseph 13
Arthur 11
Alfred 10
Frederick 10
Walter 10
Harry 7
Albert 6
Herbert 6
Wm. 6
David 5
Ernest 5
Benjamin 4
Peter 4
Stephen 4
Edwin 3
Horace 3
Sidney 3
Ar. 2
Frank 2
Frederic 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Hugh 2
Jas. 2
Job 2
Josiah 2
Wiliam 2
Ann 1
Chs. 1
Daniel 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredk.J. 1
Fredk.W. 1
Fredrick 1
Israel 1
Jas.Alexander 1
Jesse 1
Jns. 1
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Scarlett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Scarlett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,014 people were recorded with the Scarlett surname. That placed it at #3,862 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Scarlett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,815 in 2016. That gives Scarlett a modern rank of #3,490.

What does the Scarlett surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who sold or made cloth of a scarlet color.

What does the Scarlett map show?

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