NameCensus.

UK surname

Tarrant

Derived from a place name meaning "one who came from Tarrant," a location in Dorset, England.

In the 1881 census there were 2,119 people recorded with the Tarrant surname, ranking it #2,085 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,962, ranked #2,274, down from #2,085 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Swindon, Lyddington, London parishes and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Test Valley, Bournemouth and Windsor and Maidenhead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tarrant is 3,340 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.8%.

1881 census count

2,119

Ranked #2,085

Modern count

2,962

2016, ranked #2,274

Peak year

1999

3,340 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tarrant had 2,119 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,085 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,962 in 2016, ranked #2,274.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,227 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Tarrant surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tarrant surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tarrant 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 1,368 #2,096
1861 historical 1,001 #2,787
1881 historical 2,119 #2,085
1891 historical 2,200 #2,125
1901 historical 2,847 #1,956
1911 historical 3,227 #1,613
1997 modern 3,114 #2,056
1998 modern 3,269 #2,052
1999 modern 3,340 #2,026
2000 modern 3,281 #2,053
2001 modern 3,176 #2,073
2002 modern 3,279 #2,054
2003 modern 3,168 #2,075
2004 modern 3,160 #2,076
2005 modern 3,093 #2,089
2006 modern 3,027 #2,147
2007 modern 3,045 #2,151
2008 modern 3,021 #2,176
2009 modern 3,083 #2,188
2010 modern 3,173 #2,181
2011 modern 3,097 #2,200
2012 modern 2,959 #2,260
2013 modern 3,007 #2,264
2014 modern 3,036 #2,254
2015 modern 2,974 #2,277
2016 modern 2,962 #2,274

Geography

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Where Tarrants are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Swindon, Lyddington, London parishes 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 Test Valley, Bournemouth and Windsor and Maidenhead. 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 Swindon, Lyddington Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Test Valley 003 Test Valley
2 Test Valley 004 Test Valley
3 Bournemouth 008 Bournemouth
4 Test Valley 005 Test Valley
5 Windsor and Maidenhead 010 Windsor and Maidenhead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tarrant

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tarrant

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tarrant, 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 Tarrant surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Tarrant 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Tarrant is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tarrant is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tarrant falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Tarrant

The surname Tarrant originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "terrant," meaning a torrent or rapid stream. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a swift-flowing river or stream.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Tarrant can be found in various historical documents from the 13th century. One notable reference is in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, where a person named William Terrant is mentioned.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Terrant, Terraunt, and Torrant. These variations likely reflect the regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

The name Tarrant is also associated with several place names in England, including Tarrant Crawford, Tarrant Gunville, Tarrant Hinton, Tarrant Keyneston, Tarrant Launceston, Tarrant Monkton, and Tarrant Rushton. These place names derive from the Old English word "terrant" and suggest that the surname may have originated from these locations.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Tarrant was Sir William Tarrant (c. 1350 - c. 1420), an English soldier and landowner from Wiltshire. He served in the Hundred Years' War and was knighted for his military service.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Tarrant (c. 1520 - 1589), an English politician and landowner from Norfolk. He served as a Member of Parliament and was known for his involvement in local affairs.

In the 17th century, John Tarrant (1633 - 1692) was an English Puritan clergyman and author. He wrote several religious works and was known for his nonconformist views.

During the 18th century, Benjamin Tarrant (1754 - 1832) was an English engraver and publisher. He is best known for his engravings of landscapes and architectural subjects.

In the 19th century, Ralph Tarrant (1828 - 1902) was an English architect and designer. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall.

These individuals represent just a few examples of the many people throughout history who have carried the surname Tarrant, reflecting its long-standing presence in England and its association with various professions and achievements.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tarrant families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tarrant 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. Hampshire leads with 439 Tarrants recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.39x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 439 10.39x
Surrey 294 2.93x
Middlesex 287 1.39x
Wiltshire 221 12.12x
Kent 83 1.18x
Gloucestershire 72 1.78x
Berkshire 67 4.33x
Worcestershire 66 2.45x
Buckinghamshire 59 4.73x
Sussex 57 1.64x
Warwickshire 52 1.00x
Lancashire 47 0.19x
Somerset 47 1.42x
Cambridgeshire 37 2.83x
Yorkshire 35 0.17x
Northamptonshire 34 1.75x
Essex 28 0.69x
Oxfordshire 26 2.04x
Dorset 22 1.63x
Suffolk 16 0.64x
Monmouthshire 15 1.01x
Devon 13 0.30x
Staffordshire 13 0.19x
Shropshire 12 0.67x
Derbyshire 10 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.29x
Lanarkshire 7 0.11x
Midlothian 7 0.25x
Norfolk 7 0.22x
Bedfordshire 5 0.47x
Leicestershire 5 0.22x
Channel Islands 4 0.65x
Lincolnshire 4 0.12x
Cheshire 3 0.07x
Durham 3 0.05x
Glamorgan 3 0.08x
Cumberland 1 0.06x
Herefordshire 1 0.12x
Hertfordshire 1 0.07x
Radnorshire 1 0.60x
Royal Navy 1 0.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 59 Tarrants recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.28x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 59 3.28x
Swindon 53 37.49x
Camberwell 46 3.49x
Christchurch 46 50.21x
Portsea 37 4.47x
Bermondsey 34 5.54x
Kensington London 34 2.97x
St Andrewthe Less 31 20.78x
Croydon 30 5.38x
Southampton St Mary 29 10.92x
Andover 28 70.16x
Dartford 23 31.98x
Holdenhurst 23 20.75x
Ringwood 23 85.09x
Wroughton 21 133.00x
Bethnal Green London 20 2.23x
Chaddleworth 20 687.29x
Rotherhithe 20 7.85x
Aston 19 1.33x
Salford 19 2.64x
Millbrook 18 16.92x
Newington 18 2.36x
Brighton 17 2.42x
Chelsea London 17 2.74x
Moulton 17 157.70x
Pewsey 17 126.77x
Stratton St Margaret 17 60.80x
Claines 16 21.66x
Hillingdon 16 24.35x
Bitton 15 42.63x
Greywell 15 694.44x
Eastbourne 14 8.75x
Eton 14 49.56x
Islington London 14 0.70x
Leyton 14 19.98x
St George In East 14 9.99x
Battersea 13 1.71x
Birmingham 13 0.75x
Marlborough St Peter St 13 138.59x
Southwark St George Martyr 13 3.13x
St George Hanover 13 4.83x
Hackney London 12 1.04x
Ratcliffe London 12 10.54x
St Pancras London 12 0.72x
Aldershot 11 7.77x
Great Faringdon 11 49.48x
Hornsey 11 4.22x
Hulme 11 2.15x
Lower Shuckburgh 11 1549.30x
Marlborough St Mary Virgin 11 85.60x
Aberystruth 10 7.61x
Acton 10 8.28x
Basingstoke 10 20.58x
Dorney 10 450.45x
Little Horsted 10 471.70x
Paddington London 10 1.32x
Sopley 10 172.12x
St Marylebone London 10 0.91x
Woodford 10 92.76x
Worfield 10 80.91x
Alverstoke 9 5.89x
Devizes St Mary 9 48.86x
Halifax 9 3.00x
Micheldever 9 122.62x
Mottisfont 9 245.23x
Romsey Extra 9 35.83x
Sheffield 9 1.38x
Stone In Dartford 9 49.89x
Audley 8 11.62x
Chesham 8 17.42x
Clapham 8 3.10x
Clewer 8 12.62x
Deptford St Paul 8 1.47x
Hammersmith London 8 1.58x
Nottingham St Mary 8 1.11x
Odiham 8 43.15x
Oldbury 8 6.04x
Rendcombe 8 536.91x
Stowmarket 8 27.58x
Winchcomb 8 39.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 126
Elizabeth 92
Sarah 80
Emma 43
Alice 41
Jane 41
Eliza 40
Annie 37
Ellen 37
Emily 35
Ann 28
Caroline 20
Louisa 20
Martha 20
Susan 18
Florence 17
Charlotte 16
Kate 15
Hannah 14
Edith 13
Harriet 13
Maria 13
Ada 12
Amelia 10
Fanny 10
Anne 9
Margaret 9
Jessie 8
Minnie 8
Agnes 7
Harriett 7
Julia 7
Amy 6
Clara 6
Lucy 6
Matilda 6
Beatrice 5
Catherine 5
Elizth. 5
Ethel 5
Henrietta 5
Susannah 5
Bessie 4
Dinah 4
Helen 4
Lily 4
Rose 4
Sophia 4
Anna 3
Laura 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 125
George 103
James 72
John 67
Henry 62
Charles 61
Thomas 54
Alfred 28
Frederick 26
Arthur 25
Walter 25
Harry 24
Edward 23
Joseph 22
Albert 21
Robert 18
Ernest 14
Edwin 12
Frank 12
Richard 12
Herbert 11
Samuel 10
Fred 7
Geo. 7
Stephen 7
Wm. 7
David 5
Francis 5
Benjamin 4
Leonard 4
Philip 4
Amos 3
Daniel 3
Edmund 3
Elijah 3
Isaac 3
Jesse 3
Percy 3
Sidney 3
Sydney 3
Thos. 3
Willie 3
Willm. 3
Chas. 2
Edgar 2
Fredrick 2
Job 2
Percival 2
Peter 2
Phillip 2

FAQ

Tarrant surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tarrant surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,119 people were recorded with the Tarrant surname. That placed it at #2,085 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tarrant surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,962 in 2016. That gives Tarrant a modern rank of #2,274.

What does the Tarrant surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "one who came from Tarrant," a location in Dorset, England.

What does the Tarrant map show?

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