NameCensus.

UK surname

Tett

Possibly derived from an occupational surname referring to a tent maker or person involved in weaving or textiles.

In the 1881 census there were 147 people recorded with the Tett surname, ranking it #15,674 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 281, ranked #15,449, up from #15,674 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Symondsbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, South Somerset and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tett is 327 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 91.2%.

1881 census count

147

Ranked #15,674

Modern count

281

2016, ranked #15,449

Peak year

1999

327 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tett had 147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,674 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 281 in 2016, ranked #15,449.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 311 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Tett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tett 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 145 #13,223
1861 historical 111 #19,429
1881 historical 147 #15,674
1891 historical 170 #16,816
1901 historical 262 #12,740
1911 historical 311 #11,150
1997 modern 307 #13,328
1998 modern 323 #13,211
1999 modern 327 #13,209
2000 modern 322 #13,307
2001 modern 304 #13,619
2002 modern 320 #13,414
2003 modern 325 #13,104
2004 modern 310 #13,589
2005 modern 302 #13,788
2006 modern 290 #14,202
2007 modern 293 #14,272
2008 modern 291 #14,430
2009 modern 300 #14,420
2010 modern 327 #13,889
2011 modern 317 #14,059
2012 modern 292 #14,770
2013 modern 290 #15,107
2014 modern 292 #15,129
2015 modern 288 #15,190
2016 modern 281 #15,449

Geography

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Where Tetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Symondsbury, Crewkerne, Wayford and Melcombe Regis. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, South Somerset, Cornwall, Sedgemoor and Wiltshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Symondsbury Dorset
4 Crewkerne, Wayford Somerset
5 Melcombe Regis Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 013 East Devon
2 South Somerset 021 South Somerset
3 Cornwall 012 Cornwall
4 Sedgemoor 014 Sedgemoor
5 Wiltshire 040 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tett

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tett, 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 Tett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tett 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Tett is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tett is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tett 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 Tett is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Tett

The surname TETT is an English surname that originated in the county of Dorset, England, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "tetta," which means "a small piece of land or a homestead." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name were likely landowners or farmers.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname TETT can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Dorset from the year 1176, where a person named Richard Tett is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were ancient public records that documented financial transactions and payments made to the Exchequer.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a document recording landowners in various counties of England, there is an entry for a William Tett from the village of Wimborne Minster in Dorset. This provides further evidence of the surname's origins in this region.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname TETT appeared in various spellings, such as Tette, Tet, and Tette, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling practices of the time.

Notable historical figures with the surname TETT include Sir William Tett (1570-1638), a member of the English gentry and landowner in Dorset, who served as a Member of Parliament for the county in the early 17th century.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Tett (1615-1692), an English Puritan minister and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Ark of Safety" and "The Humble Remonstrance."

In the 18th century, John Tett (1720-1789) was a renowned clockmaker and watchmaker in London, known for his intricate and highly accurate timepieces.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname TETT in North America was William Tett, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 as one of the early English settlers in the colony.

Another notable figure was Benjamin Tett (1768-1842), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and rose to the rank of Rear Admiral.

While the surname TETT has scattered appearances in various historical records and documents, it remains a relatively uncommon name, particularly in its original spelling.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tett 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. Somerset leads with 54 Tetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.48x.

County Total Index
Somerset 54 22.48x
Dorset 33 33.69x
Devon 15 4.83x
Sussex 13 5.17x
Hampshire 10 3.27x
Yorkshire 7 0.47x
Channel Islands 6 13.57x
Monmouthshire 4 3.71x
Surrey 3 0.41x
Buckinghamshire 2 2.22x
Kent 2 0.39x
Middlesex 2 0.13x
Glamorgan 1 0.38x
Gloucestershire 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crewkerne in Somerset leads with 36 Tetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1411.76x.

Place Total Index
Crewkerne 36 1411.76x
West Grinstead 9 1184.21x
Cartworth 7 573.77x
Misterton 7 2058.82x
Milton Abbas 6 1250.00x
Portland 6 113.85x
St Peter Port 6 73.35x
Winterborne Monkton 6 15000.00x
Broadhembury 5 1428.57x
Beaminster 4 366.97x
Eling 4 129.03x
Hinton St George 4 1142.86x
Kingsbury Episcopi 4 512.82x
Lewes All Sts 4 400.00x
Portskewett 4 1600.00x
Thorverton 4 851.06x
Exeter St Sidwell 3 42.19x
Hilton 3 882.35x
Melcombe Regis 3 73.89x
Portsea 3 5.01x
Croydon 2 4.96x
Deptford St Paul 2 5.09x
East Wellow 2 1250.00x
Puddletown 2 333.33x
Symondsbury 2 322.58x
Aberdare 1 5.61x
Battersea 1 1.82x
Clifton 1 6.76x
Colyton 1 84.03x
Devonport 1 28.01x
Olney 1 80.00x
Pitminster 1 140.85x
Portsmouth 1 14.20x
St Pancras London 1 0.83x
Stoke Abbott 1 357.14x
Wayford 1 909.09x
Whitechapel London 1 6.80x
Widworthy 1 1428.57x
Wilton 1 158.73x
Wycombe 1 14.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 5
Susan 4
Ann 3
Ellen 3
Jane 3
Priscilla 3
Sarah 3
Anne 2
Bridgett 2
Eliza 2
Flora 2
Hester 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Annie 1
Charlotte 1
Christinah 1
Deborah 1
Dinah 1
Eamily 1
Emily 1
Emm 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Jessie 1
Juliet 1
Lavinia 1
Lucy 1
Margaretta 1
Marie 1
Phillis 1
Rose 1
Selina 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Tett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 147 people were recorded with the Tett surname. That placed it at #15,674 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 281 in 2016. That gives Tett a modern rank of #15,449.

What does the Tett surname mean?

Possibly derived from an occupational surname referring to a tent maker or person involved in weaving or textiles.

What does the Tett map show?

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