UK surname
A surname potentially derived from the words "tib" or "tip" meaning a small piece of land or property.
In the 1881 census there were 113 people recorded with the Tibbits surname, ranking it #18,412 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 72, ranked #33,585, down from #18,412 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Aldridge and St Dunstan Stepney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tibbits is 170 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 36.3%.
1881 census count
113
Ranked #18,412
Modern count
72
2016, ranked #33,585
Peak year
1901
170 bearers
Map years
4
1881 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Tibbits surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Tibbits surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 95 | #17,707 |
| 1861 | historical | 82 | #23,321 |
| 1881 | historical | 113 | #18,412 |
| 1891 | historical | 163 | #17,300 |
| 1901 | historical | 170 | #16,762 |
| 1911 | historical | 148 | #18,023 |
| 1997 | modern | 69 | #30,712 |
| 1998 | modern | 82 | #29,754 |
| 1999 | modern | 87 | #29,398 |
| 2000 | modern | 73 | #30,881 |
| 2001 | modern | 71 | #30,907 |
| 2002 | modern | 82 | #30,181 |
| 2003 | modern | 79 | #30,549 |
| 2004 | modern | 72 | #31,488 |
| 2005 | modern | 76 | #31,267 |
| 2006 | modern | 68 | #32,441 |
| 2007 | modern | 73 | #32,287 |
| 2008 | modern | 83 | #31,483 |
| 2009 | modern | 81 | #32,172 |
| 2010 | modern | 74 | #33,167 |
| 2011 | modern | 71 | #33,392 |
| 2012 | modern | 65 | #33,964 |
| 2013 | modern | 64 | #34,127 |
| 2014 | modern | 68 | #33,898 |
| 2015 | modern | 69 | #33,788 |
| 2016 | modern | 72 | #33,585 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Aldridge, St Dunstan Stepney, Warwick St Mary and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolverhampton | Staffordshire |
| 2 | Aldridge | Staffordshire |
| 3 | St Dunstan Stepney | London (East Districts) |
| 4 | Warwick St Mary | Warwickshire |
| 5 | Birmingham Town: Aston | Warwickshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Tibbits surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tibbits, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Tibbits surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Tibbits household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Tibbits is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tibbits is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Tibbits, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Tibbits is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old English personal name "Tybba" or "Tybbing," which may have been a nickname for someone stout or portly. Alternatively, it could have roots in the Old English word "tybbe," meaning a small bundle or parcel.
The earliest recorded instances of the Tibbits surname date back to the 13th century in various parts of England, including Suffolk, Essex, and Kent. One notable early bearer of the name was Johanna Tybbyt, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.
In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Tybbyt, Tibbit, and Tibbett, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. The Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379 recorded a Thomas Tibbet, while the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1381 listed a John Tybbyt.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname began to spread across England and into other parts of the British Isles. One notable figure from this period was Richard Tibbits, a merchant and ship owner from Bristol, England, who lived from 1590 to 1662.
In the 18th century, the Tibbits surname was found in various places, including the village of Tibberton in Gloucestershire, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name in that region. Another notable bearer of the name was William Tibbits (1737-1823), a prominent Baptist minister and author from London.
As the British Empire expanded, the Tibbits surname also spread to other parts of the world, with bearers of the name found in various colonies and settlements. One such individual was John Tibbits (1785-1868), a British settler in Australia who established one of the first vineyards in the Hunter Valley region.
Other notable individuals with the Tibbits surname include Charles Tibbits (1812-1892), a British architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings in London, and Sir Walter Tibbits (1850-1928), a British diplomat and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Malta from 1915 to 1919.
Overall, the surname Tibbits has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages in England, and it has since spread across the globe, carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, ministers, architects, and colonial administrators.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tibbits surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Warwickshire leads with 23 Tibbits' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.35x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Warwickshire | 23 | 8.35x |
| Staffordshire | 21 | 5.70x |
| Yorkshire | 14 | 1.29x |
| Pembrokeshire | 11 | 31.69x |
| Derbyshire | 9 | 5.26x |
| Gloucestershire | 8 | 3.73x |
| Middlesex | 8 | 0.73x |
| Lancashire | 5 | 0.39x |
| Worcestershire | 4 | 2.80x |
| Denbighshire | 2 | 4.85x |
| Oxfordshire | 2 | 2.97x |
| Sussex | 2 | 1.09x |
| Flintshire | 1 | 3.41x |
| Lincolnshire | 1 | 0.57x |
| Northamptonshire | 1 | 0.97x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Brides in Pembrokeshire leads with 11 Tibbits' recorded in 1881 and an index of 15714.29x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| St Brides | 11 | 15714.29x |
| Bradford | 9 | 34.35x |
| Newton Solney | 9 | 5000.00x |
| Warwick St Mary | 9 | 376.57x |
| Walsall Foreign | 8 | 41.99x |
| Wolverhampton | 8 | 28.22x |
| Westbury On Trym | 6 | 82.64x |
| Balsall | 5 | 1162.79x |
| Mile End Old Town | 5 | 29.00x |
| Richmond | 5 | 295.86x |
| Aston | 4 | 5.27x |
| Harborne | 4 | 33.84x |
| Kidderminster Borough | 4 | 47.90x |
| Moss Side | 3 | 43.99x |
| Abergele | 2 | 168.07x |
| Bulkington | 2 | 333.33x |
| Clifton | 2 | 18.47x |
| St Pancras London | 2 | 2.27x |
| Thame | 2 | 162.60x |
| Barton Seagrave | 1 | 1250.00x |
| Brighton | 1 | 2.69x |
| Cheetham | 1 | 10.34x |
| Hawarden | 1 | 43.29x |
| Newnham Regis | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Pendleton In Salford | 1 | 6.48x |
| Rugby | 1 | 26.81x |
| St George Bloomsbury | 1 | 15.95x |
| St Mark Lincoln | 1 | 270.27x |
| Warwick St Nicholas | 1 | 49.51x |
| West Bromwich | 1 | 4.74x |
| Westham | 1 | 263.16x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Tibbits surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Tibbits surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Tibbits households.
FAQ
In 1881, 113 people were recorded with the Tibbits surname. That placed it at #18,412 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 72 in 2016. That gives Tibbits a modern rank of #33,585.
A surname potentially derived from the words "tib" or "tip" meaning a small piece of land or property.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tibbits bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.