NameCensus.

UK surname

Tallent

An English occupational surname for a person skilled in tailoring or cutting cloth.

In the 1881 census there were 97 people recorded with the Tallent surname, ranking it #20,127 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 248, ranked #16,910, up from #20,127 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Feltham, St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stafford and Spelthorne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tallent is 277 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 155.7%.

1881 census count

97

Ranked #20,127

Modern count

248

2016, ranked #16,910

Peak year

2011

277 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tallent had 97 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,127 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 248 in 2016, ranked #16,910.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 161 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Tallent surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tallent surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tallent 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 67 #21,440
1861 historical 79 #23,702
1881 historical 97 #20,127
1891 historical 107 #22,967
1901 historical 155 #17,704
1911 historical 161 #17,072
1997 modern 223 #16,448
1998 modern 245 #15,903
1999 modern 246 #15,974
2000 modern 255 #15,538
2001 modern 251 #15,483
2002 modern 255 #15,599
2003 modern 248 #15,695
2004 modern 241 #16,086
2005 modern 249 #15,679
2006 modern 253 #15,602
2007 modern 252 #15,815
2008 modern 262 #15,550
2009 modern 262 #15,888
2010 modern 271 #15,856
2011 modern 277 #15,433
2012 modern 253 #16,377
2013 modern 257 #16,466
2014 modern 259 #16,509
2015 modern 246 #16,994
2016 modern 248 #16,910

Geography

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Where Tallents are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Feltham, St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, London parishes, Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington and Stanwell, Harmondsworth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stafford and Spelthorne. 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 Feltham Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju Norfolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington Staffordshire
5 Stanwell, Harmondsworth Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stafford 007 Stafford
2 Stafford 003 Stafford
3 Stafford 006 Stafford
4 Spelthorne 008 Spelthorne
5 Stafford 013 Stafford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tallent

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tallent

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

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Tallent surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Tallent 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Tallent is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tallent 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

Tallent falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tallent

The surname Tallent is believed to have originated in England, with records indicating it was first used in the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "talent," which means "inclination" or "disposition." This word was likely adopted from the Latin "talentum," meaning "weight" or "sum of money."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tallent appears in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where a person named Ralph Tallent is mentioned. This suggests the name was already in use by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the surname Tallent is found in various records, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1248, where a William Tallent is mentioned, and the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, which list a Robert Tallent.

The Tallent surname is also linked to several place names in England, including Tallington in Lincolnshire and Talland in Cornwall. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Tallent throughout history include:

1. Robert Tallent (c. 1505-1576), an English Protestant reformer and clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Battersea, London.

2. Francis Tallent (c. 1619-1708), an English Presbyterian minister and author who was a prominent figure in the religious life of Warwickshire.

3. William Tallent (c. 1670-1730), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Spofforth in Yorkshire.

4. John Tallent (1737-1804), an English lawyer and businessman who served as the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire in 1785.

5. Philip Tallent (1805-1876), an English-born Australian explorer and surveyor who played a significant role in the exploration and settlement of South Australia.

Throughout its history, the Tallent surname has been subject to various spellings, including Talant, Taland, Talland, and Tallant, reflecting the influence of regional dialects and scribal variations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tallent families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tallent 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. Norfolk leads with 27 Tallents recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.56x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 27 18.56x
Yorkshire 18 1.92x
Lancashire 17 1.51x
Middlesex 12 1.27x
Surrey 11 2.39x
Devon 9 4.57x
Suffolk 2 1.74x
Kent 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Norwich St Peter in Norfolk leads with 9 Tallents recorded in 1881 and an index of 947.37x.

Place Total Index
Norwich St Peter 9 947.37x
Plymouth St Andrew 9 59.33x
Tharston 9 7500.00x
Stanwell 8 1142.86x
Broughton In Salford 7 68.23x
Clapham 6 50.72x
East Ardsley 6 740.74x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 31.46x
Salford 4 12.12x
Shoreditch London 4 9.75x
Wakefield 4 55.56x
Westacre 4 3076.92x
Droylsden 3 81.97x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 3 68.65x
Hulme 2 8.54x
Lambeth 2 2.42x
Mettingham 2 1666.67x
Newington 2 5.72x
Swaffham 2 169.49x
Hunslet 1 6.84x
Kingston On Thames 1 9.03x
Lewisham 1 5.81x
Preston 1 3.33x
Skipton 1 33.90x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Tallent surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tallent surname in 1881?

In 1881, 97 people were recorded with the Tallent surname. That placed it at #20,127 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tallent surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 248 in 2016. That gives Tallent a modern rank of #16,910.

What does the Tallent surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a person skilled in tailoring or cutting cloth.

What does the Tallent map show?

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