NameCensus.

UK surname

Willatt

In the 1881 census there were 131 people recorded with the Willatt surname, ranking it #16,824 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 162, ranked #22,512, down from #16,824 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Alkmund, Norton-in-the-Moors and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Bassetlaw.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Willatt is 227 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.7%.

1881 census count

131

Ranked #16,824

Modern count

162

2016, ranked #22,512

Peak year

1911

227 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Willatt had 131 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,824 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016, ranked #22,512.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 227 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Willatt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Willatt surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Willatt 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 83 #19,181
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 131 #16,824
1891 historical 197 #15,101
1901 historical 213 #14,563
1911 historical 227 #13,795
1997 modern 121 #24,019
1998 modern 171 #19,956
1999 modern 175 #19,798
2000 modern 173 #19,889
2001 modern 164 #20,279
2002 modern 170 #20,243
2003 modern 164 #20,483
2004 modern 169 #20,206
2005 modern 171 #19,985
2006 modern 170 #20,214
2007 modern 172 #20,321
2008 modern 170 #20,672
2009 modern 179 #20,418
2010 modern 184 #20,521
2011 modern 182 #20,495
2012 modern 171 #21,303
2013 modern 179 #21,028
2014 modern 174 #21,561
2015 modern 174 #21,449
2016 modern 162 #22,512

Geography

Back to top

Where Willatts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Alkmund, Norton-in-the-Moors, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Burslem. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Stoke-on-Trent and Bassetlaw. 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 St Alkmund Derbyshire
2 Norton-in-the-Moors Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 Burslem Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 005 Shropshire
2 Stoke-on-Trent 002 Stoke-on-Trent
3 Stoke-on-Trent 012 Stoke-on-Trent
4 Stoke-on-Trent 003 Stoke-on-Trent
5 Bassetlaw 015 Bassetlaw

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Willatt

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Willatt

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Willatt is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Willatt is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Willatt falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Willatt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Willatt 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. Derbyshire leads with 31 Willatts recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.50x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 31 15.50x
Staffordshire 28 6.49x
Nottinghamshire 20 11.61x
Middlesex 12 0.94x
Warwickshire 12 3.72x
Kent 8 1.83x
Lancashire 7 0.46x
Worcestershire 6 3.60x
Berkshire 3 3.13x
Lincolnshire 2 0.98x
Essex 1 0.40x
Surrey 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Smallthorne in Staffordshire leads with 24 Willatts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1500.00x.

Place Total Index
Smallthorne 24 1500.00x
Derby St Werburgh 14 121.21x
Derby St Alkmund 13 216.67x
Nottingham St Mary 13 29.18x
Birmingham 12 11.17x
Deptford St Paul 8 23.79x
Lenton 6 147.78x
St Martin In Fields 6 78.43x
Church Broughton 3 1153.85x
Finchley 3 61.22x
Kings Norton 3 20.05x
Walsall Borough 3 89.55x
Wokingham 3 136.99x
Wolverley 3 205.48x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 6.04x
Habergham Eaves 2 14.43x
Manchester 2 2.93x
St Pancras London 2 1.94x
Wrawby 2 363.64x
Camberwell 1 1.23x
Crumpsall 1 28.01x
Litchurch 1 12.42x
Maldon All Sts 1 200.00x
Radford 1 11.43x
St Marylebone London 1 1.47x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 2.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Ann 5
Annie 4
Emily 4
Louisa 4
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Frances 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Elizabeth 2
Letta 2
Martha 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Jessy 1
Laura 1
Mabel 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Nellie 1
Nelly 1
Priscilla 1
Rachael 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Selina 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
Charles 4
Edward 4
Isaac 4
William 4
Henry 3
Robert 3
Wm. 3
Arthur 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Jacob 2
Joseph 2
Anthony 1
Elijah 1
Fred 1
Geo.O. 1
Harry 1
Norris 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Thomas 1
W. 1

FAQ

Willatt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Willatt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 131 people were recorded with the Willatt surname. That placed it at #16,824 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Willatt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 162 in 2016. That gives Willatt a modern rank of #22,512.

What does the Willatt map show?

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