NameCensus.

UK surname

Tatman

An English occupational surname referring to someone who mends or patches clothes, derived from the Old English "tætteman."

In the 1881 census there were 97 people recorded with the Tatman surname, ranking it #20,127 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 201, ranked #19,525, up from #20,127 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Huntingdon St Mary, London parishes and Blunham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Exeter, Greenwich and Bedford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tatman is 214 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 107.2%.

1881 census count

97

Ranked #20,127

Modern count

201

2016, ranked #19,525

Peak year

1999

214 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tatman had 97 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,127 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 201 in 2016, ranked #19,525.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 184 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Tatman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tatman surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tatman 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 28 #28,274
1861 historical 82 #23,321
1881 historical 97 #20,127
1891 historical 152 #18,163
1901 historical 184 #15,942
1911 historical 174 #16,311
1997 modern 205 #17,370
1998 modern 211 #17,532
1999 modern 214 #17,494
2000 modern 210 #17,670
2001 modern 208 #17,513
2002 modern 214 #17,545
2003 modern 203 #17,967
2004 modern 205 #17,935
2005 modern 199 #18,198
2006 modern 200 #18,294
2007 modern 201 #18,428
2008 modern 192 #19,143
2009 modern 195 #19,329
2010 modern 202 #19,322
2011 modern 201 #19,213
2012 modern 206 #18,837
2013 modern 199 #19,584
2014 modern 204 #19,439
2015 modern 200 #19,567
2016 modern 201 #19,525

Geography

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Where Tatmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Huntingdon St Mary, London parishes, Blunham, St Werburgh and Peterborough St John the Baptist. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Exeter, Greenwich, Bedford, East Riding of Yorkshire and North Somerset. 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 Huntingdon St Mary Huntingdonshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Blunham Bedfordshire
4 St Werburgh Derbyshire
5 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Exeter 006 Exeter
2 Greenwich 005 Greenwich
3 Bedford 010 Bedford
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 019 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 North Somerset 010 North Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tatman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tatman

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Tatman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tatman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Tatman is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tatman 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

Tatman 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 Tatman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Tatman

The surname Tatman is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as an occupational name for someone who worked as a thatcher, referring to a person who thatched roofs with straw or reeds.

The name is derived from the Old English word "thaeccan," meaning "to cover or thatch." Over time, this word evolved into various spellings, including "thatcher," "thacker," and eventually "Tatman." The earliest recorded instance of the name is found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it appears as "William le Thackere."

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are references to several villages with names containing the word "thatched," such as "Tacchedene" (Thatchden) in Buckinghamshire and "Thaccheleie" (Thatchley) in Shropshire. These place names suggest the presence of thatchers in those areas during the 11th century, which may have contributed to the development of the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Tatman throughout history include:

1. William Tatman (c. 1472 - 1536), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Exeter in the early 16th century.

2. John Tatman (c. 1550 - 1620), an English merchant and explorer who was part of the expedition to establish the Jamestown colony in Virginia in 1607.

3. Elizabeth Tatman (c. 1635 - 1702), an English Quaker who was persecuted for her religious beliefs and spent time in prison for refusing to conform to the Church of England.

4. Thomas Tatman (1725 - 1801), a British colonial administrator who served as the Governor of the Bahamas from 1783 to 1789.

5. Samuel Tatman (1812 - 1891), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Tatman Foundation, which provided educational opportunities for underprivileged children in the Midwest.

While the surname Tatman is not as common as some other English surnames, it has a rich history rooted in the occupational trades of medieval England and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tatman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tatman 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. Bedfordshire leads with 50 Tatmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 102.08x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 50 102.08x
Huntingdonshire 26 138.45x
Cheshire 8 3.83x
Northamptonshire 6 6.74x
Lincolnshire 5 3.31x
Kent 1 0.31x
Wiltshire 1 1.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Barford in Bedfordshire leads with 26 Tatmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 10000.00x.

Place Total Index
Great Barford 26 10000.00x
Diddington 19 27142.86x
Blunham 14 4242.42x
Little Sutton 8 2857.14x
Great Grimsby 5 52.08x
Tansor 4 5000.00x
Clophill 3 833.33x
Great Stukeley 3 2142.86x
Huntingdon St John 3 555.56x
Luton 3 35.38x
Biggleswade 2 125.00x
Finedon 2 256.41x
Bedford St Paul 1 29.76x
Bedford St Peter 1 78.74x
Great Staughton 1 277.78x
Greenwich 1 6.64x
Horningsham 1 384.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 8
Alice 3
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Mary 3
Elizabeth 2
Louisa 2
Sophia 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Elizh. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Harriett 1
Helena 1
Jane 1
Lucy 1
Lucy. 1
Maria 1
Rebecca 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 8
Thomas 7
John 5
William 5
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Eli 2
Henry 2
Alfd. 1
Alfred 1
Cecil 1
Charlie 1
Chas.Wm. 1
Ernest 1
Fredrick 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Jonathan 1
Joseph 1
Lewis 1
Louis 1
Smith 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Tatman households.

FAQ

Tatman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tatman surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Tatman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 201 in 2016. That gives Tatman a modern rank of #19,525.

What does the Tatman surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who mends or patches clothes, derived from the Old English "tætteman."

What does the Tatman map show?

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