NameCensus.

UK surname

Watts

An occupational surname referring to a watchman, herdsman, or hunter.

In the 1881 census there were 25,021 people recorded with the Watts surname, ranking it #132 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 33,700, ranked #155, down from #132 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sedgemoor, North Norfolk and Wellingborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Watts is 35,787 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.7%.

1881 census count

25,021

Ranked #132

Modern count

33,700

2016, ranked #155

Peak year

1999

35,787 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Watts had 25,021 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #132 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 33,700 in 2016, ranked #155.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 34,775 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Watts surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Watts surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Watts 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 16,704 #126
1861 historical 15,455 #143
1881 historical 25,021 #132
1891 historical 26,186 #129
1901 historical 31,994 #127
1911 historical 34,775 #109
1997 modern 34,274 #142
1998 modern 35,670 #142
1999 modern 35,787 #143
2000 modern 35,383 #146
2001 modern 34,441 #145
2002 modern 35,035 #147
2003 modern 34,351 #147
2004 modern 34,241 #147
2005 modern 33,573 #148
2006 modern 33,403 #148
2007 modern 33,525 #148
2008 modern 33,610 #150
2009 modern 34,253 #150
2010 modern 34,757 #153
2011 modern 34,206 #153
2012 modern 33,633 #154
2013 modern 34,305 #154
2014 modern 34,439 #154
2015 modern 34,018 #154
2016 modern 33,700 #155

Geography

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Where Watts' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes 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 Sedgemoor, North Norfolk, Wellingborough and West Dorset. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sedgemoor 013 Sedgemoor
2 North Norfolk 010 North Norfolk
3 Wellingborough 010 Wellingborough
4 West Dorset 003 West Dorset
5 West Dorset 009 West Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Watts

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Watts

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Watts, 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 Watts surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Watts 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Watts is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Watts is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Watts falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Watts 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 Watts, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Watts

The surname Watts has its origins in England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "watt," which means a wood or forest. The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked in a wooded area.

Variations of the spelling include Watt, Watte, and Wat. The name is found in early records such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Watte." It is also present in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, listed as "Walter Watte."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Watts can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Wat." This entry refers to a landowner in Norfolk.

The name Watts has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. Isaac Watts (1674-1748) was an English Christian minister, hymn writer, and theologian, known for composing many famous hymns, including "Joy to the World" and "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross."

Another prominent figure was James Watt (1736-1819), the Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer who significantly improved the steam engine's design, contributing to the Industrial Revolution's advancement.

In literature, Alaric Alexander Watts (1797-1864) was an English poet and writer, known for his works such as "The Poetical Album" and "Lyrics of the Heart."

The name Watts has also been associated with the arts. Gilbert Watts (1596-1657) was an English portrait painter and the master of the Painter-Stainers' Company in London.

In the 20th century, Andre Watts (born 1946) is a renowned American classical pianist and professor of music at Indiana University.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the surname Watts throughout history, reflecting its long-standing presence and significance across various fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Watts families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Watts 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 3,762 Watts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.54x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 3,762 1.54x
Surrey 1,695 1.42x
Somerset 1,329 3.37x
Gloucestershire 1,277 2.66x
Warwickshire 1,059 1.71x
Yorkshire 1,042 0.43x
Kent 1,012 1.21x
Hampshire 996 1.98x
Norfolk 962 2.55x
Lancashire 922 0.32x
Devon 834 1.64x
Wiltshire 815 3.76x
Essex 804 1.66x
Northamptonshire 733 3.18x
Glamorgan 623 1.46x
Berkshire 548 2.98x
Leicestershire 520 1.91x
Dorset 508 3.16x
Staffordshire 490 0.59x
Oxfordshire 477 3.15x
Sussex 442 1.07x
Derbyshire 437 1.14x
Cambridgeshire 372 2.40x
Worcestershire 285 0.89x
Suffolk 276 0.93x
Bedfordshire 253 1.99x
Monmouthshire 247 1.39x
Durham 229 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 226 0.68x
Pembrokeshire 216 2.77x
Hertfordshire 207 1.23x
Cornwall 205 0.74x
Buckinghamshire 191 1.29x
Lincolnshire 176 0.45x
Cheshire 133 0.25x
Huntingdonshire 132 2.71x
Carmarthenshire 102 0.99x
Northumberland 82 0.23x
Herefordshire 66 0.66x
Shropshire 43 0.20x
Midlothian 41 0.12x
Channel Islands 38 0.52x
Brecknockshire 36 0.73x
Royal Navy 32 1.10x
Lanarkshire 27 0.03x
Aberdeenshire 25 0.11x
Isle of Man 21 0.46x
Denbighshire 20 0.22x
Radnorshire 18 0.91x
Montgomeryshire 17 0.30x
Cumberland 16 0.08x
Westmorland 15 0.28x
Caernarfonshire 13 0.13x
Cardiganshire 10 0.17x
Roxburghshire 8 0.18x
Merionethshire 7 0.16x
Renfrewshire 6 0.03x
Berwickshire 5 0.17x
Rutland 5 0.28x
Flintshire 4 0.06x
East Lothian 3 0.09x
Shetland 3 0.12x
Anglesey 1 0.02x
Ayrshire 1 0.01x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.02x
Fife 1 0.01x
Inverness-shire 1 0.01x
Perthshire 1 0.01x
Ross-shire 1 0.01x
West Lothian 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 325 Watts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.65x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 325 1.65x
Islington London 320 1.35x
Camberwell 307 1.96x
Lambeth 269 1.26x
Aston 240 1.41x
Kensington London 206 1.51x
St Marylebone London 206 1.58x
Birmingham 201 0.98x
Paddington London 195 2.17x
West Ham 194 1.82x
Bethnal Green London 185 1.74x
Chelsea London 174 2.36x
Hackney London 165 1.20x
Shoreditch London 163 1.54x
Brighton 159 1.91x
Battersea 153 1.70x
Leicester St Margaret 135 2.04x
Portsea 131 1.33x
St George Hanover 119 3.72x
Bermondsey 118 1.62x
Deptford St Paul 111 1.72x
Clerkenwell London 109 1.89x
Newington 102 1.13x
Hampstead London 99 2.60x
Ramsbury 93 47.40x
Hammersmith London 88 1.46x
Bristol St George 86 3.87x
Bromley London 84 1.56x
Frome 84 8.91x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 83 1.84x
Nottingham St Mary 83 0.97x
Merthyr Tydfil 79 1.93x
Wellingborough 78 6.73x
Great Yarmouth 74 2.37x
Mile End Old Town 71 1.84x
Cheltenham 68 1.83x
Bedminster 67 1.81x
Poplar London 66 1.43x
Sheffield 66 0.85x
Walcot 66 3.14x
St Woollos 65 3.29x
Westbury 64 12.66x
Holy Trinity 63 1.08x
Westminster St John 62 2.08x
Fulham London 61 1.72x
Hawkesbury 61 37.31x
Liverpool 60 0.34x
Manchester 60 0.46x
St Luke London 59 1.50x
Bristol St James St Paul 58 3.62x
Swansea Town 58 1.66x
Bow London 57 1.83x
Plymouth St Andrew 56 1.43x
Alverstoke 54 2.97x
Northampton Priory St 54 3.91x
Scilly Islands St Mary 54 49.88x
Westbury On Trym 54 3.32x
Ecclesall Bierlow 53 1.07x
Middlesbrough 53 1.68x
Rotherhithe 53 1.75x
Swindon 53 3.15x
Woolwich 53 1.72x
Roath 52 2.68x
Stoke Damerel 52 1.46x
Wednesbury 51 2.47x
Willesden 51 2.21x
Croydon 49 0.74x
Southwark St George Martyr 49 0.99x
St George In East 49 2.94x
Trowbridge 49 5.12x
Barrow In Furness 47 1.19x
Enfield 47 2.92x
Llandaff 47 3.31x
Biddenden 46 40.22x
Edmonton 46 2.33x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 45 1.99x
Bradford On Avon 45 6.49x
Leamington Priors 45 2.96x
Reading St Giles 45 2.49x
Ystradyfodwg 45 1.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,405
Elizabeth 1,002
Sarah 880
Ann 471
Eliza 461
Jane 432
Emma 427
Alice 393
Annie 380
Emily 366
Ellen 364
Hannah 225
Louisa 214
Martha 207
Maria 176
Charlotte 171
Edith 169
Florence 167
Fanny 157
Harriet 154
Kate 149
Ada 145
Caroline 145
Margaret 137
Clara 125
Harriett 120
Lucy 111
Catherine 108
Susan 101
Anne 95
Amelia 91
Frances 83
Rose 79
Agnes 71
Rebecca 65
Sophia 64
Minnie 63
Matilda 61
Amy 56
Julia 56
Esther 55
Gertrude 48
Anna 47
Ethel 47
Laura 44
Lydia 43
Ruth 43
Susannah 41
Elizth. 40
Isabella 40

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 1,617
John 1,220
George 989
James 784
Thomas 739
Henry 659
Charles 562
Alfred 367
Joseph 342
Arthur 274
Robert 272
Edward 259
Walter 259
Frederick 250
Albert 218
Samuel 177
Richard 157
Ernest 135
Harry 128
Frank 127
Herbert 123
Edwin 106
David 102
Francis 99
Isaac 82
Wm. 79
Benjamin 72
Fred 58
Geo. 49
Sidney 45
Thos. 39
Daniel 38
Fredk. 38
Tom 38
Stephen 36
Edmund 32
Fredrick 32
Mark 28
Chas. 27
Andrew 26
Edgar 23
Job 22
Percy 21
Philip 21
Alexander 20
Horace 18
Earnest 17
Josiah 17
Peter 17
Willie 17

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 Watts households.

FAQ

Watts surname: questions and answers

How common was the Watts surname in 1881?

In 1881, 25,021 people were recorded with the Watts surname. That placed it at #132 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Watts surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 33,700 in 2016. That gives Watts a modern rank of #155.

What does the Watts surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a watchman, herdsman, or hunter.

What does the Watts map show?

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