NameCensus.

UK surname

Tott

A toponymic surname possibly indicating ancestral origins from the village of Toot in England.

In the 1881 census there were 109 people recorded with the Tott surname, ranking it #18,793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 178, ranked #21,160, down from #18,793 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Reed, Edmonton and Everton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Telford and Wrekin, Luton and Hart.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tott is 235 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.3%.

1881 census count

109

Ranked #18,793

Modern count

178

2016, ranked #21,160

Peak year

1911

235 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tott had 109 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,793 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 178 in 2016, ranked #21,160.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 235 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Tott surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tott surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tott 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 77 #19,998
1861 historical 127 #17,469
1881 historical 109 #18,793
1891 historical 135 #19,692
1901 historical 203 #14,969
1911 historical 235 #13,484
1997 modern 184 #18,580
1998 modern 194 #18,451
1999 modern 190 #18,797
2000 modern 177 #19,634
2001 modern 180 #19,161
2002 modern 180 #19,533
2003 modern 177 #19,549
2004 modern 183 #19,251
2005 modern 180 #19,395
2006 modern 182 #19,402
2007 modern 188 #19,204
2008 modern 197 #18,818
2009 modern 196 #19,274
2010 modern 191 #20,015
2011 modern 185 #20,288
2012 modern 180 #20,606
2013 modern 184 #20,643
2014 modern 184 #20,809
2015 modern 177 #21,220
2016 modern 178 #21,160

Geography

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Where Totts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Reed, Edmonton, Everton, Portsmouth, Portsea and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Telford and Wrekin, Luton, Hart, South Holland and Bracknell Forest. 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 Reed Hertfordshire
2 Edmonton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 Everton Huntingdonshire
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Telford and Wrekin 023 Telford and Wrekin
2 Luton 002 Luton
3 Hart 011 Hart
4 South Holland 007 South Holland
5 Bracknell Forest 006 Bracknell Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tott

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tott

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

Tott is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tott falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tott is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Tott

The surname TOTT has its roots in England, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "tot," meaning a small projection or a clump. This could suggest that the name was initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a distinctive physical feature or perhaps even a reference to their diminutive stature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a certain Robert Tott is mentioned. This suggests that the surname had already been established by the late 12th century, at least in that region of England.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records across different counties. For instance, the Curia Regis Rolls of Warwickshire from 1221 mention a William Tott, while the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1292 include a reference to a Thomas Tott.

The Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like survey conducted during the reign of King Edward I, provide several examples of the surname's variations, such as Totte and Tottes, indicating that spelling was not yet standardized during that period.

As for notable historical figures bearing the TOTT surname, one example is John Tott, a prominent merchant from Bristol who lived in the late 15th century. Records show that he was involved in trade with various European countries and played a role in the city's economic development.

Another individual of note is Edward Tott, born in 1580, who served as a Member of Parliament for Maldon in Essex during the early 17th century. He was known for his involvement in local politics and his advocacy for the rights of freeholders.

In the 18th century, we find Sir William Tott, a British naval officer who participated in several notable battles during the Seven Years' War. He was born in 1718 and died in 1792, having achieved the rank of Rear Admiral.

Moving into the 19th century, James Tott, born in 1825, was a renowned architect based in London. He designed several notable buildings, including the Royal Holloway College in Egham, which is now part of the University of London.

Finally, one cannot overlook the contribution of Emily Tott, a pioneering educator born in 1860. She established several schools in rural areas of England and was instrumental in promoting access to education for underprivileged children.

While the surname TOTT may not be among the most common in England today, its long history and the accomplishments of those who have carried it serve as a testament to its enduring legacy within the fabric of British society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tott families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tott 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. Middlesex leads with 39 Totts recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.67x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 39 3.67x
Hertfordshire 32 43.67x
Huntingdonshire 12 56.85x
Hampshire 6 2.75x
Buckinghamshire 4 6.22x
Devon 3 1.36x
Gloucestershire 3 1.44x
Lincolnshire 3 1.76x
Cambridgeshire 2 2.97x
Yorkshire 2 0.19x
Bedfordshire 1 1.82x
Derbyshire 1 0.60x
Essex 1 0.48x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edmonton in Middlesex leads with 22 Totts recorded in 1881 and an index of 256.71x.

Place Total Index
Edmonton 22 256.71x
Tetworth 12 17142.86x
Enfield 10 143.27x
Ashwell 7 1206.90x
Alverstoke 6 76.05x
Buckland 4 1290.32x
Great Hormead 4 2105.26x
Hackney London 4 6.71x
Reed 4 5714.29x
Bishop Stortford 3 122.45x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 15.28x
Great Hadham 3 638.30x
Hertford St Andrew 3 329.67x
Holbeach 3 158.73x
Little Hormead 3 6000.00x
Standon 3 400.00x
Bishops Tawton 2 289.86x
Gamlingay 2 285.71x
Sheffield 2 5.96x
Chelsea London 1 3.12x
Compton Gifford 1 144.93x
Great Chishall 1 666.67x
Hertford All Saints 1 243.90x
Poplar London 1 4.99x
Potton 1 136.99x
St George In East 1 13.83x
Ware 1 47.62x
Wessington 1 454.55x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Tott surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tott surname in 1881?

In 1881, 109 people were recorded with the Tott surname. That placed it at #18,793 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tott surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 178 in 2016. That gives Tott a modern rank of #21,160.

What does the Tott surname mean?

A toponymic surname possibly indicating ancestral origins from the village of Toot in England.

What does the Tott map show?

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