NameCensus.

UK surname

Spratt

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of sprouts or saplings.

In the 1881 census there were 1,652 people recorded with the Spratt surname, ranking it #2,597 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,722, ranked #3,625, down from #2,597 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, South Gloucestershire and Hinckley and Bosworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Spratt is 2,100 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.2%.

1881 census count

1,652

Ranked #2,597

Modern count

1,722

2016, ranked #3,625

Peak year

1911

2,100 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Spratt had 1,652 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,597 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,722 in 2016, ranked #3,625.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,100 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Spratt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Spratt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Spratt 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 1,101 #2,554
1861 historical 1,050 #2,669
1881 historical 1,652 #2,597
1891 historical 1,697 #2,663
1901 historical 2,044 #2,620
1911 historical 2,100 #2,389
1997 modern 1,929 #3,136
1998 modern 1,953 #3,213
1999 modern 1,944 #3,255
2000 modern 1,924 #3,272
2001 modern 1,869 #3,287
2002 modern 1,908 #3,302
2003 modern 1,861 #3,294
2004 modern 1,835 #3,338
2005 modern 1,786 #3,389
2006 modern 1,773 #3,416
2007 modern 1,759 #3,479
2008 modern 1,727 #3,548
2009 modern 1,757 #3,573
2010 modern 1,799 #3,570
2011 modern 1,752 #3,602
2012 modern 1,734 #3,582
2013 modern 1,740 #3,629
2014 modern 1,748 #3,629
2015 modern 1,741 #3,607
2016 modern 1,722 #3,625

Geography

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Where Spratts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Lambeth and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, South Gloucestershire and Hinckley and Bosworth. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 020 Northumberland
2 South Gloucestershire 004 South Gloucestershire
3 Hinckley and Bosworth 007 Hinckley and Bosworth
4 Northumberland 008 Northumberland
5 Northumberland 032 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Spratt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Spratt

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Spratt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Spratt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Spratt is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Spratt is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Spratt falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Spratt 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Spratt

The surname Spratt is of English origin, deriving from a nickname derived from the Middle English word "sprat," which referred to a small fish or a small, insignificant person. It is believed to have emerged in the 13th or 14th century.

The name Spratt was initially concentrated in the southern counties of England, particularly in Kent, Sussex, and Surrey. It is thought to have originated as a descriptive nickname, possibly referring to someone of small stature or someone who bore a resemblance to the small fish.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Spratt can be found in medieval records and tax rolls. For example, the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 mention a John Spratt, while the Subsidy Rolls of Kent from 1334 list a Thomas Spratt.

In the 16th century, the surname Spratt gained notable recognition through the work of Thomas Spratt, an English churchman and scholar who was born in 1635 and died in 1713. He served as the Bishop of Rochester and was a prominent writer and historian.

Another notable figure with the surname Spratt was Ralph Spratt, an English architect and sculptor who lived from 1576 to 1623. He is best known for his work on the Bodleian Library in Oxford and the Chapel of Trinity College, Cambridge.

The name Spratt also appears in various place names and old spellings of place names. For example, the hamlet of Spratsgate in Kent is believed to have derived its name from the surname Spratt, indicating a historical presence of the family in that area.

Other notable individuals with the surname Spratt include:

1. George Spratt (1784-1857), an English cricketer who played for Sussex. 2. Thomas Spratt (1635-1713), the Bishop of Rochester mentioned earlier. 3. James Spratt (1771-1853), an English manufacturer and entrepreneur who founded the Spratt's dog food company. 4. Thomas Abel Brimage Spratt (1811-1888), an English naval officer and hydrographer who surveyed parts of the Mediterranean Sea. 5. Richard Spratt (1817-1888), an English-born Australian politician and judge who served as the Attorney-General of Victoria.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Spratt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Spratt 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. Kent leads with 244 Spratts recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.40x.

County Total Index
Kent 244 4.40x
Middlesex 220 1.35x
Surrey 176 2.22x
Somerset 148 5.66x
Hampshire 139 4.17x
Norfolk 103 4.12x
Lancashire 94 0.49x
Warwickshire 67 1.63x
Northumberland 54 2.23x
Gloucestershire 41 1.29x
Essex 38 1.18x
Sussex 38 1.39x
Wiltshire 36 2.50x
Devon 35 1.03x
Lanarkshire 34 0.65x
Roxburghshire 23 7.81x
Lincolnshire 22 0.85x
Derbyshire 19 0.75x
Suffolk 19 0.96x
Berwickshire 15 7.62x
Channel Islands 15 3.11x
Cornwall 13 0.71x
Bedfordshire 10 1.19x
Yorkshire 8 0.05x
Herefordshire 7 1.05x
Argyllshire 5 1.11x
Hertfordshire 5 0.45x
Leicestershire 5 0.28x
Royal Navy 5 2.58x
Durham 4 0.08x
East Lothian 4 1.86x
Glamorgan 4 0.14x
Berkshire 2 0.16x
Northamptonshire 2 0.13x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.39x
Renfrewshire 2 0.16x
Selkirkshire 2 1.36x
Ayrshire 1 0.08x
Cumberland 1 0.07x
Dorset 1 0.09x
Monmouthshire 1 0.09x
Morayshire 1 0.40x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 56 Spratts recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.10x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 56 4.10x
Lambeth 49 3.46x
Newington 39 6.50x
Bermondsey 29 5.99x
Portsea 29 4.44x
Islington London 26 1.65x
Chelsea London 25 5.11x
Shoreditch London 24 3.41x
Hackney London 23 2.52x
Bedminster 22 8.95x
West Ham 22 3.11x
Harbridge 20 966.18x
Woolwich 20 9.76x
Camberwell 17 1.64x
Cheddar 17 129.18x
Chislet 17 271.57x
Fordingbridge 17 93.87x
Glasgow 16 1.71x
Herne 16 65.17x
Bethnal Green London 15 2.12x
Folkestone 15 13.95x
Kensington London 14 1.55x
St Helier 14 8.93x
Sturry 14 213.41x
Walmer 14 58.09x
Ash Next Sandwich 13 105.95x
Heigham 13 9.69x
Martock 13 76.43x
St Pancras London 13 0.99x
Toxteth Park 13 1.99x
Battersea 12 2.01x
Beccles 12 37.66x
Hoath 12 638.30x
Wiggenhall St Mary Virgin 12 674.16x
Ayton 11 96.32x
Barrow In Furness 11 4.19x
Bridgewater 11 15.49x
Exeter St Sidwell 11 14.20x
St George Hanover 11 5.19x
Taunton St Mary 11 22.91x
Whitstable 11 40.44x
Aston 10 0.89x
Chichester St Pancras 10 122.10x
Great Crosby 10 19.02x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 10 13.33x
Linton 10 325.73x
Liverpool 10 0.85x
Mile End Old Town 10 3.90x
Old Monkland 10 4.79x
Ewell Lydden 9 208.33x
Fittleton 9 466.32x
Fundenhall 9 508.47x
Tottenham 9 3.48x
Wherwell 9 299.00x
Amesbury 8 127.39x
Deeping St James 8 87.15x
Hampstead London 8 3.16x
Shalford 8 91.22x
Shepton Mallet 8 27.26x
St Nicholas At Wade 8 246.91x
Tacolnestone 8 325.20x
Taunton St James 8 20.97x
Ancroft 7 82.35x
Bristol St James St Paul 7 6.59x
Kingstanley 7 59.42x
Kirkdale 7 2.16x
Leyton Low 7 10.73x
Preston 7 1.36x
Ramsgate 7 7.73x
Romsey Infra 7 62.00x
Rumbolds Wyke 7 139.17x
Saxlingham Thorpe 7 864.20x
Tonbridge 7 3.50x
Watlington 7 203.49x
Bramshaw 6 142.18x
Clerkenwell London 6 1.56x
Fitzhead 6 408.16x
Lympsham 6 236.22x
St Levan 6 180.18x
Twyford 6 75.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 107
George 66
James 57
John 56
Henry 50
Charles 36
Thomas 35
Robert 28
Alfred 25
Frederick 21
Edward 17
Joseph 15
Arthur 13
Richard 13
Samuel 13
Albert 12
Frank 12
Harry 12
Edwin 9
Walter 9
Wm. 7
David 6
Herbert 5
Stephen 5
Ernest 4
Francis 4
Fred 4
Fredk. 4
Matthew 4
Sidney 4
Andrew 3
Daniel 3
Isaac 3
Peter 3
Richd. 3
Thos. 3
Alexander 2
Augustus 2
C. 2
Charlie 2
Horace 2
Leonard 2
Michael 2
Percy 2
Reginald 2
Simeon 2
Sydney 2
Uriah 2
Earnest 1
Ebenezer 1

FAQ

Spratt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Spratt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,652 people were recorded with the Spratt surname. That placed it at #2,597 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Spratt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,722 in 2016. That gives Spratt a modern rank of #3,625.

What does the Spratt surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of sprouts or saplings.

What does the Spratt map show?

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