NameCensus.

UK surname

Sutter

A habitational surname referring to a person who lived near a sewer, drain, or ditch.

In the 1881 census there were 135 people recorded with the Sutter surname, ranking it #16,515 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 107, ranked #29,762, down from #16,515 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dunbar, New Monkland and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wolverhampton, West Lancashire and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sutter is 255 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 20.7%.

1881 census count

135

Ranked #16,515

Modern count

107

2016, ranked #29,762

Peak year

1861

255 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sutter had 135 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,515 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 107 in 2016, ranked #29,762.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 255 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Sutter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sutter surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sutter 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 190 #10,852
1861 historical 255 #9,699
1881 historical 135 #16,515
1891 historical 201 #14,866
1901 historical 190 #15,634
1911 historical 87 #24,147
1997 modern 122 #23,917
1998 modern 139 #22,720
1999 modern 130 #23,805
2000 modern 118 #25,197
2001 modern 116 #25,089
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 111 #26,091
2004 modern 101 #27,813
2005 modern 105 #27,203
2006 modern 105 #27,479
2007 modern 108 #27,391
2008 modern 107 #27,844
2009 modern 110 #27,991
2010 modern 116 #27,704
2011 modern 111 #28,294
2012 modern 106 #29,187
2013 modern 114 #28,347
2014 modern 116 #28,253
2015 modern 111 #28,986
2016 modern 107 #29,762

Geography

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Where Sutters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dunbar, New Monkland, Govan Combination, Elgin and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wolverhampton, West Lancashire, Liverpool, Tillicoultry and Sefton. 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 Dunbar Haddington
2 New Monkland Lanark
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Elgin Elgin
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wolverhampton 018 Wolverhampton
2 West Lancashire 010 West Lancashire
3 Liverpool 023 Liverpool
4 Tillicoultry Clackmannanshire
5 Sefton 031 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sutter

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sutter

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Sutter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Sutter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Sutter is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Sutter 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

Sutter falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Sutter

The surname Sutter originated in Germany and Switzerland, derived from the Middle High German word "suter" or "suter," meaning "shoemaker" or "cobbler." It first emerged in the 13th century, primarily in the southern regions of Germany and the northern parts of Switzerland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sutter can be found in the town records of Schaffhausen, Switzerland, from the year 1290, where a certain Johannes Suter is mentioned. This suggests that the name was well-established in that region by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name Sutter appeared in various German towns and cities, such as Augsburg, Nuremberg, and Cologne. It was often associated with the shoemaking trade and was commonly found among artisans and craftsmen.

The Sutter family played a significant role in the history of California during the 19th century. Johann August Sutter, born in 1803 in Baden, Germany, was a Swiss-German settler who established Sutter's Fort in the Sacramento Valley. He was a prominent figure in the early days of California and played a crucial role in the events leading up to the California Gold Rush.

Another notable Sutter was Hermann Sutter, a Swiss architect born in 1925. He was renowned for his work in concrete construction and was responsible for designing several landmark buildings, including the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland.

In the realm of sports, Bruce Sutter, born in 1953 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was a professional baseball player who achieved fame as a relief pitcher. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998, recognizing his exceptional career in Major League Baseball.

The name Sutter has also been associated with various place names, such as Sutter Creek in California, named after John Sutter, and Sutter County, also in California, established in 1850 and named in honor of Johann August Sutter.

Throughout history, the surname Sutter has been recorded with various spellings, including Suter, Sutor, and Schuster, all referring to the same occupation of shoemaking or cobbling. These variations reflect the regional dialects and linguistic differences within the German-speaking areas where the name originated.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sutter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sutter 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. Lancashire leads with 25 Sutters recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.65x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 25 1.65x
Middlesex 20 1.57x
Midlothian 19 11.10x
Lanarkshire 13 3.15x
Morayshire 9 45.34x
Aberdeenshire 8 6.76x
Northumberland 7 3.68x
Angus 5 4.22x
Dunbartonshire 5 14.56x
East Lothian 4 23.63x
Cheshire 3 1.06x
Hampshire 2 0.76x
Kent 2 0.46x
Sussex 2 0.93x
Yorkshire 2 0.16x
Berkshire 1 1.04x
Cumberland 1 0.91x
Durham 1 0.26x
Fife 1 1.32x
Monmouthshire 1 1.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 12 Sutters recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.42x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 12 17.42x
Govan 10 9.78x
Chelsea London 8 20.77x
Kirkdale 8 31.36x
New Spynie 8 1126.76x
Barrow In Furness 6 29.10x
Elswick 6 39.55x
Cardross 5 121.36x
Craig 5 438.60x
Dunbar 4 168.78x
Peterhead 4 63.90x
Rishton 4 224.72x
St George Hanover 4 23.98x
Levenshulme 3 192.31x
Old Monkland 3 18.29x
St Marylebone London 3 4.40x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 2 9.03x
Aldershot 2 22.81x
Cheadle 2 37.11x
Dalkeith 2 59.17x
Edinburgh St Georges 2 56.34x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 2 200.00x
Halifax 2 10.76x
Islington London 2 1.61x
Liverpool 2 2.17x
West Derby 2 4.51x
Ashford 1 23.53x
Brampton 1 66.23x
Brighton 1 2.30x
Burpham 1 555.56x
Chester St Oswald 1 19.57x
Cruden 1 65.79x
Deal 1 26.88x
Forres 1 47.85x
Fyvie 1 51.81x
Graig 1 243.90x
Kensington London 1 1.41x
Lasswade 1 25.58x
Leuchars 1 104.17x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 8.81x
Reading St Mary 1 13.02x
St Bride London 1 135.14x
St Michael Le Querne 1 3333.33x
Stranton 1 7.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 4
Margaret 3
Mary 3
Ann 2
Annie 2
Jessie 2
Anne 1
Catharine 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Joanna 1
Lilian 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Margt.A. 1
Margt.C. 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
George 3
William 3
Alexander 2
Henry 2
Alexr. 1
Charles 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
F. 1
Frank 1
Fritz 1
Isaac 1
James 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Walter 1
Wilhelm 1

FAQ

Sutter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sutter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 135 people were recorded with the Sutter surname. That placed it at #16,515 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sutter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 107 in 2016. That gives Sutter a modern rank of #29,762.

What does the Sutter surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to a person who lived near a sewer, drain, or ditch.

What does the Sutter map show?

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