UK surname
In the 1881 census there were 35 people recorded with the Wats surname, ranking it #28,715 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 29, ranked #36,059, down from #28,715 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Devonport Stonehouse, East, Mitcham and Comb Hay. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wats is 145 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 17.1%.
1881 census count
35
Ranked #28,715
Modern count
29
2016, ranked #36,059
Peak year
1861
145 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Wats surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Wats surname density by area, 1861 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 | 96 | #17,594 |
| 1861 | historical | 145 | #15,715 |
| 1881 | historical | 35 | #28,715 |
| 1891 | historical | 81 | #26,632 |
| 1901 | historical | 18 | #32,032 |
| 1911 | historical | 44 | #28,454 |
| 1997 | modern | 12 | #36,785 |
| 1998 | modern | 9 | #37,189 |
| 1999 | modern | 8 | #37,367 |
| 2000 | modern | 6 | #37,624 |
| 2001 | modern | 4 | #37,862 |
| 2002 | modern | 3 | #38,152 |
| 2003 | modern | 4 | #37,951 |
| 2004 | modern | 2 | #38,464 |
| 2005 | modern | 4 | #38,078 |
| 2006 | modern | 3 | #38,334 |
| 2007 | modern | 6 | #37,837 |
| 2008 | modern | 4 | #38,216 |
| 2009 | modern | 10 | #37,446 |
| 2010 | modern | 9 | #37,654 |
| 2011 | modern | 8 | #37,737 |
| 2012 | modern | 16 | #36,897 |
| 2013 | modern | 22 | #36,477 |
| 2014 | modern | 23 | #36,417 |
| 2015 | modern | 28 | #36,106 |
| 2016 | modern | 29 | #36,059 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Devonport Stonehouse, East, Mitcham, Comb Hay, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood 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 | Devonport Stonehouse, East | Devon |
| 2 | Mitcham | Surrey |
| 3 | Comb Hay | Somerset |
| 4 | Sutton-in-Ashfield, Fulwood | Nottinghamshire |
| 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 Wats 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 Wats, 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 Wats surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Wats 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, Wats 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 Wats is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Wats, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wats 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. Glamorgan leads with 5 Wats' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.42x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Glamorgan | 5 | 8.42x |
| Oxfordshire | 5 | 23.73x |
| Derbyshire | 4 | 7.49x |
| Somerset | 4 | 7.28x |
| Cardiganshire | 2 | 24.04x |
| Hertfordshire | 2 | 8.50x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.49x |
| Worcestershire | 2 | 4.49x |
| Cornwall | 1 | 2.59x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 1.43x |
| Lincolnshire | 1 | 1.83x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.29x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 1.91x |
| Northamptonshire | 1 | 3.12x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 2.17x |
| Pembrokeshire | 1 | 9.23x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.87x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nettlebed in Oxfordshire leads with 5 Wats' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6250.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Nettlebed | 5 | 6250.00x |
| Glossop Dale | 3 | 120.00x |
| Berkhampstead | 2 | 377.36x |
| Llandygwydd | 2 | 1818.18x |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 2 | 35.03x |
| Burnley | 1 | 29.33x |
| Chelsea London | 1 | 9.73x |
| Chorlton On Medlock | 1 | 15.55x |
| Clase | 1 | 45.25x |
| Elkington | 1 | 10000.00x |
| Henstridge | 1 | 666.67x |
| Immingham | 1 | 3333.33x |
| Ladock | 1 | 909.09x |
| Little Dunham | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Llanfabon | 1 | 322.58x |
| Meare | 1 | 625.00x |
| North Curry | 1 | 526.32x |
| Portishead | 1 | 243.90x |
| Portsea | 1 | 7.29x |
| Rhyndwyclydach | 1 | 243.90x |
| Roch | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Snenton | 1 | 55.25x |
| Staveley | 1 | 105.26x |
| Suckley | 1 | 1428.57x |
| Tibberton | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Walsall Borough | 1 | 112.36x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Wats 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 Wats 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 Wats households.
FAQ
In 1881, 35 people were recorded with the Wats surname. That placed it at #28,715 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 29 in 2016. That gives Wats a modern rank of #36,059.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Wats 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.