UK surname
Derived from the Old English word "twicga," meaning a fork or branch in a road.
In the 1881 census there were 81 people recorded with the Twitty surname, ranking it #22,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 38, ranked #35,537, down from #22,082 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Tardebigg and Easington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Twitty is 123 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 53.1%.
1881 census count
81
Ranked #22,082
Modern count
38
2016, ranked #35,537
Peak year
1911
123 bearers
Map years
2
1901 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Twitty surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Twitty surname density by area, 1911 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 | 32 | #27,570 |
| 1861 | historical | 31 | #30,058 |
| 1881 | historical | 81 | #22,082 |
| 1891 | historical | 84 | #26,229 |
| 1901 | historical | 112 | #21,382 |
| 1911 | historical | 123 | #20,128 |
| 1997 | modern | 46 | #33,077 |
| 1998 | modern | 47 | #33,197 |
| 1999 | modern | 48 | #33,233 |
| 2000 | modern | 45 | #33,526 |
| 2001 | modern | 42 | #33,658 |
| 2002 | modern | 47 | #33,548 |
| 2003 | modern | 49 | #33,456 |
| 2004 | modern | 50 | #33,566 |
| 2005 | modern | 39 | #34,652 |
| 2006 | modern | 40 | #34,854 |
| 2007 | modern | 40 | #35,037 |
| 2008 | modern | 38 | #35,262 |
| 2009 | modern | 35 | #35,545 |
| 2010 | modern | 37 | #35,566 |
| 2011 | modern | 33 | #35,777 |
| 2012 | modern | 33 | #35,767 |
| 2013 | modern | 36 | #35,643 |
| 2014 | modern | 34 | #35,784 |
| 2015 | modern | 38 | #35,526 |
| 2016 | modern | 38 | #35,537 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Tardebigg, Easington, Stoke Prior and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. 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 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 2 | Tardebigg | Worcestershire |
| 3 | Easington | Durham |
| 4 | Stoke Prior | Worcestershire |
| 5 | Birmingham Town: Birmingham | Warwickshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Twitty 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 Twitty, 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 Twitty surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Twitty 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, Twitty 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 Twitty is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Twitty, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Twitty is an English surname that originated in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "twitor," which referred to someone who was a restless or fidgety person. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century in various English records and manuscripts.
One of the earliest known references to the name Twitty can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where a person named William Twytour was recorded. Another early record is the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279, which mentions a Johannes Twitere.
During the medieval period, the name Twitty was primarily concentrated in the counties of Worcestershire, Cambridgeshire, and Oxfordshire. It is believed that the name may have been associated with certain occupations or trades that required restless or fidgety movements, such as weaving or metalworking.
Over the centuries, the surname Twitty has undergone various spelling variations, including Twitty, Twitye, Twitere, Twytor, and Twitor. These variations often reflected regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.
One notable historical figure with the surname Twitty was Sir William Twitty, a member of the English gentry who lived in the late 16th century. He was a prominent landowner and served as a Justice of the Peace in Oxfordshire.
In the 17th century, a family of Twittys settled in the village of Long Compton in Warwickshire. One of their descendants, John Twitty (1663-1738), became a respected local figure and served as the village's parish clerk.
Another notable Twitty was Thomas Twitty (1735-1804), a British soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He served in the British Army and was captured by the Continental forces during the Battle of Saratoga in 1777.
Moving into the 19th century, the name Twitty gained prominence in the United States. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Conway Twitty (1933-1993), an American country music singer and songwriter. He had numerous hit songs and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Other notable individuals with the surname Twitty include William Twitty (1909-1993), an American baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox in the 1930s, and Charles Twitty (1932-2007), an American football player who played for the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams in the 1950s.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Twitty 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 26 Twittys recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.05x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Warwickshire | 26 | 13.05x |
| Lancashire | 25 | 2.67x |
| Worcestershire | 21 | 20.36x |
| Durham | 6 | 2.55x |
| Staffordshire | 2 | 0.75x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.13x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 20 Twittys recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.13x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 20 | 30.13x |
| Moss Side | 15 | 304.26x |
| Hulme | 10 | 51.10x |
| Stoke Prior | 10 | 1562.50x |
| Tardebigg | 7 | 4375.00x |
| Aston | 6 | 10.94x |
| Hetton Le Hole | 5 | 167.79x |
| Harborne | 2 | 23.39x |
| Tutnall Cobley | 2 | 1538.46x |
| Cornforth | 1 | 144.93x |
| Feckenham | 1 | 84.75x |
| Redditch | 1 | 47.85x |
| St George Hanover | 1 | 9.70x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Twitty 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 Twitty 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 Twitty households.
FAQ
In 1881, 81 people were recorded with the Twitty surname. That placed it at #22,082 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 38 in 2016. That gives Twitty a modern rank of #35,537.
Derived from the Old English word "twicga," meaning a fork or branch in a road.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Twitty 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.