NameCensus.

UK surname

Veater

A variant spelling of an English surname derived from the word "veter" meaning a veterinarian or cattle doctor.

In the 1881 census there were 42 people recorded with the Veater surname, ranking it #27,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 136, ranked #25,377, up from #27,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Sunderland and Bath and North East Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Veater is 150 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 223.8%.

1881 census count

42

Ranked #27,721

Modern count

136

2016, ranked #25,377

Peak year

2010

150 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Veater had 42 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016, ranked #25,377.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 97 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Veater surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Veater surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Veater 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 35 #27,037
1861 historical 34 #29,685
1881 historical 42 #27,721
1891 historical 74 #27,538
1901 historical 92 #23,800
1911 historical 97 #23,076
1997 modern 127 #23,352
1998 modern 136 #23,013
1999 modern 140 #22,789
2000 modern 141 #22,648
2001 modern 139 #22,541
2002 modern 132 #23,680
2003 modern 131 #23,553
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 133 #23,502
2006 modern 131 #23,942
2007 modern 132 #24,166
2008 modern 137 #23,883
2009 modern 143 #23,686
2010 modern 150 #23,482
2011 modern 146 #23,736
2012 modern 145 #23,780
2013 modern 144 #24,323
2014 modern 144 #24,504
2015 modern 130 #26,093
2016 modern 136 #25,377

Geography

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Where Veaters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Sunderland, Bath and North East Somerset and North Somerset. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 002 Doncaster
2 Sunderland 023 Sunderland
3 Sunderland 024 Sunderland
4 Bath and North East Somerset 023 Bath and North East Somerset
5 North Somerset 024 North Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Veater

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Veater

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Veater surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Veater household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Veater is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Veater is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Veater falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Veater is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Veater

The surname Veater is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "fetor," which means "fetter" or "shackle." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who made or worked with fetters or shackles, possibly a blacksmith or a jailer.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Veater can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where a person named Robertus le Veater is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already in use by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Veater, Veatour, and Veatere, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common during that time. The Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273 contain a reference to a Henry le Veatour, while the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275 mention a William le Veatere.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Veater was John Veater, a merchant from London who lived in the 15th century. He is mentioned in the records of the Worshipful Company of Mercers, one of the oldest livery companies in the City of London, in the year 1472.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Veater, a member of the English gentry who lived in the 16th century. He served as a justice of the peace in Warwickshire and is recorded in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Stratford-upon-Avon in 1589.

In the 17th century, a family of Veaters resided in the village of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. One of their members, William Veater (1622-1698), was a notable potter and is considered one of the pioneers of the Staffordshire pottery industry.

A notable figure from the 18th century was Reverend John Veater (1718-1792), an Anglican clergyman who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Lichfield, Staffordshire, for over 40 years.

In the 19th century, the name Veater was found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire. One of the most prominent individuals with this surname was Sir Alfred Veater (1835-1912), a businessman and philanthropist from Yorkshire who made his fortune in the textile industry.

While the surname Veater is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history dating back to the medieval period and has been associated with various professions and social classes over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Veater families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Veater 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. Somerset leads with 26 Veaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.44x.

County Total Index
Somerset 26 39.44x
Gloucestershire 7 8.71x
Glamorgan 5 7.01x
Durham 3 2.46x
Monmouthshire 1 3.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cameley in Somerset leads with 6 Veaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 8571.43x.

Place Total Index
Cameley 6 8571.43x
Aberdare 5 102.04x
Bristol St George 5 134.41x
Paulton 5 1666.67x
Midsomer Norton 4 645.16x
Clutton 3 2142.86x
Haswell 3 344.83x
West Harptree 3 4285.71x
Whitchurch 3 4285.71x
Bristol St Paul In 2 93.46x
Aberystruth 1 38.31x
High Littleton 1 909.09x
Twerton 1 147.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Ann 3
Charlotte 3
Jane 2
Amy 1
Effie 1
Harriett 1
Lily 1
Rebecca 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Joseph 4
William 3
James 2
Jonathan 2
Arthur 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1

Top occupations

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 Veater households.

FAQ

Veater surname: questions and answers

How common was the Veater surname in 1881?

In 1881, 42 people were recorded with the Veater surname. That placed it at #27,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Veater surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016. That gives Veater a modern rank of #25,377.

What does the Veater surname mean?

A variant spelling of an English surname derived from the word "veter" meaning a veterinarian or cattle doctor.

What does the Veater map show?

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