NameCensus.

UK surname

Spittle

A surname derived from the word "spittle," meaning saliva or spit, possibly referring to an ancestor's occupation or descriptive nickname.

In the 1881 census there were 854 people recorded with the Spittle surname, ranking it #4,427 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,169, ranked #5,063, down from #4,427 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, London parishes and Dudley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Walsall, Dudley and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spittle is 1,313 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.9%.

1881 census count

854

Ranked #4,427

Modern count

1,169

2016, ranked #5,063

Peak year

1999

1,313 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spittle had 854 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,427 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,169 in 2016, ranked #5,063.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,272 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Spittle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Spittle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Spittle 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 670 #3,877
1861 historical 560 #4,704
1881 historical 854 #4,427
1891 historical 939 #4,410
1901 historical 1,185 #4,135
1911 historical 1,272 #3,732
1997 modern 1,261 #4,518
1998 modern 1,301 #4,566
1999 modern 1,313 #4,561
2000 modern 1,263 #4,702
2001 modern 1,253 #4,639
2002 modern 1,245 #4,742
2003 modern 1,208 #4,780
2004 modern 1,216 #4,762
2005 modern 1,202 #4,752
2006 modern 1,169 #4,878
2007 modern 1,166 #4,931
2008 modern 1,179 #4,907
2009 modern 1,209 #4,907
2010 modern 1,205 #5,025
2011 modern 1,213 #4,925
2012 modern 1,182 #4,972
2013 modern 1,195 #4,999
2014 modern 1,194 #5,043
2015 modern 1,189 #5,014
2016 modern 1,169 #5,063

Geography

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Where Spittles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, London parishes, Dudley and Wednesbury. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Walsall, Dudley, Wakefield and Cotswold. 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 Sedgley Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Dudley Staffordshire
4 Wednesbury Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Walsall 038 Walsall
2 Dudley 006 Dudley
3 Wakefield 039 Wakefield
4 Dudley 017 Dudley
5 Cotswold 001 Cotswold

Forenames

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First names often paired with Spittle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Spittle

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Spittle, 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 Spittle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Spittle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

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, Spittle 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

Spittle is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Spittle 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 Spittle is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Spittle

The surname Spittle is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have derived from the Old English word "spit", meaning a small plot of land or a narrow strip of ground. It is thought to have been an occupational name for someone who lived or worked on such a plot of land.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Spitelond" in Norfolk, England. This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of East Anglia by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the surname took various forms, such as Spittelonde, Spittlande, and Spyttelond, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common at the time. These alternative spellings often referred to place names or localities where bearers of the name resided or held land.

One notable figure from the 14th century was John Spittle, a landowner and merchant from Somerset, who was mentioned in records from 1372. Another early bearer of the name was William Spittle, a farmer from Hertfordshire, who was born around 1450.

In the 16th century, the Spittle family established itself in various parts of England, including Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. During this period, the name was also found in Scotland, with records showing a Thomas Spittle residing in Ayrshire in 1583.

One of the most prominent individuals with the surname was Sir John Spittle (1619-1689), a wealthy merchant and politician from London. He served as a Member of Parliament for the City of London and was knighted in 1662.

In the 18th century, the name spread to other parts of the British Isles, including Ireland, where a family of Spittles settled in County Antrim. In the United States, the earliest known immigrant with the surname was Richard Spittle, who arrived in Virginia in 1635.

Throughout its history, the surname Spittle has been associated with various occupations, including farming, trade, and politics. While not a common name, it has maintained a presence in various regions of the United Kingdom and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Spittle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spittle 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. Staffordshire leads with 227 Spittles recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.08x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 227 8.08x
Worcestershire 148 13.62x
Middlesex 121 1.45x
Warwickshire 80 3.81x
Kent 63 2.22x
Monmouthshire 24 3.99x
Northumberland 24 1.94x
Yorkshire 23 0.28x
Oxfordshire 20 3.89x
Hampshire 16 0.94x
Lanarkshire 15 0.56x
Lancashire 15 0.15x
Derbyshire 9 0.69x
Perthshire 9 2.41x
Surrey 9 0.22x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.71x
Durham 7 0.28x
Gloucestershire 7 0.43x
Berkshire 6 0.96x
Northamptonshire 5 0.64x
Cheshire 3 0.16x
Devon 3 0.17x
Channel Islands 2 0.81x
Somerset 2 0.15x
Bedfordshire 1 0.23x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.20x
Cumberland 1 0.14x
Denbighshire 1 0.32x
Glamorgan 1 0.07x
Royal Navy 1 1.01x
Sussex 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dudley in Worcestershire leads with 81 Spittles recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.32x.

Place Total Index
Dudley 81 61.32x
Wednesbury 65 92.61x
Aston 32 5.54x
Birmingham 30 4.29x
Handsworth 30 43.33x
Sedgley 30 28.76x
Wolverhampton 24 11.11x
Bilston 22 40.42x
Oldbury 21 39.28x
West Bromwich 20 12.44x
Christchurch 19 102.10x
Fulham London 19 15.74x
Wollescote 18 205.71x
Brightside Bierlow 14 8.66x
Lye 14 77.43x
Weston On Green 14 1359.22x
Coventry Holy Trinity 13 20.75x
Paddington London 13 4.25x
Shoreditch London 12 3.33x
Plumstead 11 11.62x
Ashford 10 152.21x
Dalziel 10 34.54x
Portsea 9 2.69x
Wednesfield 9 21.78x
Yardley 9 32.37x
Bothal Demesne 8 135.14x
Kensington London 8 1.73x
Rowley Regis 8 10.22x
Staines 8 60.70x
Tulliallan 8 126.38x
Burton Upon Trent 7 10.65x
St George Martyr 7 49.89x
Ardwick 6 6.74x
Chatham 6 7.68x
Crayford 6 48.39x
Tonbridge 6 5.86x
Westgate 6 7.83x
Aldershot 5 8.75x
Alnwick 5 23.49x
Bethnal Green London 5 1.38x
Cranbrook 5 41.56x
Lee 5 12.13x
St Marylebone London 5 1.13x
Walsall Foreign 5 3.45x
Whitwell 5 96.53x
Willoughby On Wolds 5 364.96x
Appleton 4 245.40x
Barony 4 0.59x
Bicester Market End 4 42.37x
Borden 4 111.11x
Cheltenham 4 3.18x
Deptford St Nicholas 4 17.75x
Gateshead 4 2.16x
Great Bolton 4 3.06x
Hammersmith London 4 1.95x
Lambeth 4 0.55x
Leigh 4 107.82x
Loversall 4 800.00x
Mile End Old Town 4 3.05x
Poplar London 4 2.55x
Sittingbourne 4 17.84x
St George In East 4 7.07x
St Woollos 4 5.96x
Wellingborough 4 10.17x
Bromley London 3 1.64x
Charlton 3 15.91x
Coventry St Michael 3 4.45x
Gorton 3 3.23x
Helmington Row 3 26.02x
Monks Coppenhall 3 4.33x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 3 4.06x
Normanton 3 27.27x
Normanton On Wolds 3 1500.00x
Sidmouth 3 30.27x
St George Hanover 3 2.76x
Streatham 3 4.86x
Bitton Oldland 2 11.99x
Rothbury 2 56.34x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 0.67x
Uffington 2 123.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 50
Sarah 38
Elizabeth 26
Eliza 18
Ann 17
Jane 17
Hannah 13
Annie 12
Alice 11
Ada 9
Emily 9
Louisa 9
Martha 9
Clara 8
Emma 8
Florence 6
Lucy 6
Caroline 5
Ellen 5
Fanny 5
Lydia 5
Amelia 4
Betsy 4
Catherine 4
Edith 4
Harriet 4
Kate 4
Margaret 4
Maria 4
Beatrice 3
Eleanor 3
Helen 3
Lilian 3
Selina 3
Susannah 3
Elizh. 2
Esther 2
Lizzie 2
Maryann 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Bertha 1
Blanche 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Harrt. 1
Hilda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 58
John 42
George 39
Thomas 23
Joseph 18
Henry 16
James 16
Arthur 14
Samuel 14
Edward 13
Benjamin 12
Frederick 12
Albert 11
Charles 10
David 7
Harry 7
Walter 7
Alfred 6
Frank 6
Richard 6
Ernest 5
Robert 4
Saml. 4
Abraham 3
Fred 3
Fredk. 3
Mark 3
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Fredrick 2
Henson 2
Herbert 2
Jonathan 2
Josh. 2
Moses 2
W. 2
Zachariah 2
Andrew 1
Arnold 1
Benjm. 1
Crink 1
Elisha 1
Eliza 1
Ezra 1
Geo. 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Job 1
Laurence 1
Michael 1

FAQ

Spittle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spittle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 854 people were recorded with the Spittle surname. That placed it at #4,427 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spittle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,169 in 2016. That gives Spittle a modern rank of #5,063.

What does the Spittle surname mean?

A surname derived from the word "spittle," meaning saliva or spit, possibly referring to an ancestor's occupation or descriptive nickname.

What does the Spittle map show?

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