UK surname
A locational surname referring to someone from a place name containing the Old English word "tib" meaning a small clearing or meadow.
In the 1881 census there were 27 people recorded with the Tibbitt surname, ranking it #29,793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 48, ranked #35,004, down from #29,793 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Acton, Audlem and Willingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tibbitt is 104 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 77.8%.
1881 census count
27
Ranked #29,793
Modern count
48
2016, ranked #35,004
Peak year
1901
104 bearers
Map years
1
1901 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Tibbitt surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Tibbitt surname density by area, 1901 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 | 40 | #26,118 |
| 1861 | historical | 35 | #29,571 |
| 1881 | historical | 27 | #29,793 |
| 1891 | historical | 64 | #28,781 |
| 1901 | historical | 104 | #22,310 |
| 1911 | historical | 66 | #26,249 |
| 1997 | modern | 61 | #31,526 |
| 1998 | modern | 62 | #31,735 |
| 1999 | modern | 60 | #32,078 |
| 2000 | modern | 53 | #32,805 |
| 2001 | modern | 50 | #32,957 |
| 2002 | modern | 55 | #32,831 |
| 2003 | modern | 45 | #33,803 |
| 2004 | modern | 51 | #33,478 |
| 2005 | modern | 48 | #33,932 |
| 2006 | modern | 50 | #34,077 |
| 2007 | modern | 53 | #34,115 |
| 2008 | modern | 52 | #34,381 |
| 2009 | modern | 52 | #34,544 |
| 2010 | modern | 49 | #34,886 |
| 2011 | modern | 52 | #34,688 |
| 2012 | modern | 52 | #34,709 |
| 2013 | modern | 51 | #34,834 |
| 2014 | modern | 53 | #34,753 |
| 2015 | modern | 53 | #34,726 |
| 2016 | modern | 48 | #35,004 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Acton, Audlem, Willingham, Preston and St Pancras. 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 | Acton | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 2 | Audlem | Cheshire |
| 3 | Willingham | Cambridgeshire |
| 4 | Preston | Sussex |
| 5 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Tibbitt 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 Tibbitt, 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 Tibbitt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Tibbitt 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, Tibbitt 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 Tibbitt is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Tibbitt, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Tibbitt has its origins in England and can be traced back to the late 11th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English personal name "Theobald", which means "bold people". The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Tiebbode".
The name was initially concentrated in the counties of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, where several villages and hamlets bore variations of the name, such as Tebbworth and Tebberidge. These place names likely influenced the development of the surname Tibbitt.
One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir John Tibbitt, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. Another notable figure was William Tibbitt, a wealthy merchant from Colchester, Essex, who lived in the early 15th century and was known for his extensive trade with the Low Countries.
In the 16th century, the name was well-established in the county of Somerset, where a family of Tibbitts owned lands and properties in the village of Curry Rivel. One member of this family, Thomas Tibbitt (1542-1609), was a renowned scholar and linguist who served as a tutor to the children of King James I.
During the English Civil War, Captain Richard Tibbitt (1615-1679) was a staunch Royalist who fought for King Charles I. After the Restoration, he was rewarded with lands in Wiltshire for his loyalty.
Another notable bearer of the name was Sir George Tibbitt (1737-1812), a prominent politician and businessman from Yorkshire who served as a Member of Parliament for the city of York from 1784 to 1796.
These examples illustrate the long and distinguished history of the surname Tibbitt in England, with bearers of the name making significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tibbitt 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 12 Tibbitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 71.99x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridgeshire | 12 | 71.99x |
| Sussex | 9 | 20.28x |
| Middlesex | 2 | 0.76x |
| Essex | 1 | 1.92x |
| Huntingdonshire | 1 | 19.12x |
| Surrey | 1 | 0.78x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.38x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Willingham in Cambridgeshire leads with 11 Tibbitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 7857.14x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Willingham | 11 | 7857.14x |
| Preston | 9 | 1168.83x |
| Bermondsey | 1 | 12.76x |
| Clerkenwell London | 1 | 16.10x |
| Cloughton | 1 | 2000.00x |
| Ramsey | 1 | 238.10x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 7.12x |
| St Peter Cambridge | 1 | 1666.67x |
| West Ham | 1 | 8.72x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Tibbitt 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 Tibbitt 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 Tibbitt households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Laborer | 4 |
| Scholar | 3 |
| Barmaid | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Domestic House Boy | 1 |
| General Servant Out of Employ | 1 |
| House Carpenter | 1 |
| Parlour Maid | 1 |
| Platelayer | 1 |
| Retired Butcher | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 27 people were recorded with the Tibbitt surname. That placed it at #29,793 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 48 in 2016. That gives Tibbitt a modern rank of #35,004.
A locational surname referring to someone from a place name containing the Old English word "tib" meaning a small clearing or meadow.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tibbitt 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.