NameCensus.

UK surname

Vant

A surname derived from the Dutch word "van" meaning "of" or "from."

In the 1881 census there were 197 people recorded with the Vant surname, ranking it #12,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 270, ranked #15,913, down from #12,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Westwell, Witchling, Otterden, Lenham and Challock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashford, Swale and Canterbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vant is 308 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.1%.

1881 census count

197

Ranked #12,955

Modern count

270

2016, ranked #15,913

Peak year

2011

308 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vant had 197 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 270 in 2016, ranked #15,913.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 266 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Vant surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vant surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vant 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 125 #14,700
1861 historical 134 #16,754
1881 historical 197 #12,955
1891 historical 209 #14,459
1901 historical 263 #12,717
1911 historical 266 #12,395
1997 modern 289 #13,859
1998 modern 298 #13,937
1999 modern 292 #14,204
2000 modern 286 #14,385
2001 modern 281 #14,329
2002 modern 283 #14,559
2003 modern 277 #14,577
2004 modern 268 #14,995
2005 modern 262 #15,182
2006 modern 256 #15,496
2007 modern 258 #15,554
2008 modern 274 #15,063
2009 modern 289 #14,809
2010 modern 294 #14,940
2011 modern 308 #14,356
2012 modern 284 #15,090
2013 modern 281 #15,487
2014 modern 282 #15,537
2015 modern 269 #15,955
2016 modern 270 #15,913

Geography

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Where Vants are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Westwell, Witchling, Otterden, Lenham, Challock, Ashford and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashford, Swale, Canterbury, Cheshire East and Tonbridge and Malling. 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 Westwell Kent
2 Witchling, Otterden, Lenham Kent
3 Challock Kent
4 Ashford Kent
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashford 014 Ashford
2 Swale 016 Swale
3 Canterbury 019 Canterbury
4 Cheshire East 010 Cheshire East
5 Tonbridge and Malling 003 Tonbridge and Malling

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vant

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Vant

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Vant, 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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Vant surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Vant household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Vant is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Vant is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Vant falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Vant is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Vant

The surname VANT is believed to have originated in the Netherlands during the 15th century. It is derived from the Dutch word "vant," which means "from the" or "of the." This prefix was often added to surnames to indicate a person's place of origin or association with a particular location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the VANT surname can be found in the Dutch town of Leiden, where a man named Jan van't Hoff was mentioned in a local record from 1492. This spelling variation, "van't," suggests that the surname may have initially been a contraction of the phrase "van het" (from the).

In the 16th century, the VANT surname appeared in various historical documents across the Netherlands, including tax records and parish registers. During this time, it was common for Dutch surnames to be written with different spellings, such as Vant, Vante, or Vants, depending on the scribe's interpretation or regional dialect.

One notable figure bearing the VANT surname was Hendrick Vant, a Dutch merchant and explorer who traveled to the East Indies in the early 1600s. His accounts of his voyages provided valuable insights into the trade routes and cultural practices of the region during that period.

Another significant individual with the VANT surname was Johannes Vant, a renowned Dutch theologian and philosopher who lived from 1618 to 1692. He was a prominent figure in the Dutch Reformed Church and authored several influential works on theology and ethics.

In the 18th century, the VANT surname gained further recognition with the birth of Jacob Vant (1720-1796), a Dutch painter known for his landscapes and genre scenes. His works are displayed in various museums across the Netherlands and are considered important examples of Dutch Golden Age painting.

As the VANT surname spread beyond the Netherlands, it also appeared in other parts of Europe and eventually made its way to the United States. One notable American with this surname was William Vant (1789-1865), a politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from New York in the 1830s.

While the VANT surname may have evolved over time and been subject to various spelling variations, its Dutch origins and association with the phrase "from the" have remained consistent throughout its history. The surname continues to be carried by individuals of Dutch descent and serves as a reminder of the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the Netherlands.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Vant families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vant 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. Kent leads with 108 Vants recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.47x.

County Total Index
Kent 108 16.47x
Yorkshire 49 2.57x
Middlesex 26 1.35x
Essex 3 0.79x
Hampshire 3 0.76x
Surrey 3 0.32x
Durham 1 0.17x
Glamorgan 1 0.30x
Norfolk 1 0.34x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.39x
Sussex 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westwell in Kent leads with 29 Vants recorded in 1881 and an index of 4393.94x.

Place Total Index
Westwell 29 4393.94x
Paddington London 13 18.40x
Stoke Newington London 9 60.12x
Otterden 8 7272.73x
Rochester St Margaret 8 115.77x
Charing 7 786.52x
Leeds 7 6.51x
Nunnington 7 2592.59x
Smeeth 7 1707.32x
Stalisfield 7 3181.82x
Wakefield 7 47.88x
West Malling 6 405.41x
Great Chart 5 1020.41x
Hovingham 5 1282.05x
Lower Halstow 5 1041.67x
Bardsey Cum Rigton 4 1904.76x
Ripon 4 90.50x
Sculcoates 4 13.25x
Lambeth 3 1.79x
Leyton Low 3 38.91x
Ashford 2 31.30x
Challock 2 869.57x
Folkestone 2 15.72x
Lewisham 2 5.72x
Minster In Sheppey 2 18.42x
Oulston 2 1666.67x
Potter Newton 2 59.52x
Queenborough 2 307.69x
Sevenoaks 2 37.59x
Stonegrave 2 2000.00x
Beadlam 1 1000.00x
Botley 1 140.85x
Brighton 1 1.53x
Canterbury St Augustine 1 416.67x
Chatham 1 5.54x
Clifton In York 1 25.13x
Dover St James 1 34.84x
Ferryhill 1 50.00x
Furnivals Inn London 1 909.09x
Giggleswick 1 156.25x
Hampstead London 1 3.34x
Harrow On The Hill 1 26.04x
Heigham 1 6.31x
Holy Trinity 1 2.18x
Hothfield 1 476.19x
Hound 1 37.45x
Hythe St Leonard 1 43.10x
Kennington 1 204.08x
Kingsnorth 1 250.00x
Margate St John Baptist 1 8.33x
Methley 1 37.31x
Ollerton 1 185.19x
Portsea 1 1.30x
St Alban Wood Street 1 833.33x
St Peters 1 33.00x
Strood 1 26.74x
Swansea Town 1 3.65x
Willesborough 1 56.82x
Woolwich 1 4.13x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Vant surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vant surname in 1881?

In 1881, 197 people were recorded with the Vant surname. That placed it at #12,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vant surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 270 in 2016. That gives Vant a modern rank of #15,913.

What does the Vant surname mean?

A surname derived from the Dutch word "van" meaning "of" or "from."

What does the Vant map show?

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