NameCensus.

UK surname

Yates

Derived from Middle English "yate," meaning a gate, and likely referred to someone who lived near a gate.

In the 1881 census there were 20,593 people recorded with the Yates surname, ranking it #177 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 25,908, ranked #219, down from #177 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackburn with Darwen, Wigan and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Yates is 27,150 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.8%.

1881 census count

20,593

Ranked #177

Modern count

25,908

2016, ranked #219

Peak year

1999

27,150 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Yates had 20,593 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #177 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 25,908 in 2016, ranked #219.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 27,017 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Yates surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Yates surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Yates 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 12,660 #190
1861 historical 12,513 #195
1881 historical 20,593 #177
1891 historical 21,723 #179
1901 historical 25,698 #178
1911 historical 27,017 #152
1997 modern 26,009 #207
1998 modern 27,012 #208
1999 modern 27,150 #208
2000 modern 26,976 #208
2001 modern 26,371 #207
2002 modern 26,879 #207
2003 modern 26,219 #207
2004 modern 26,048 #212
2005 modern 25,486 #215
2006 modern 25,440 #214
2007 modern 25,623 #214
2008 modern 25,727 #214
2009 modern 26,308 #214
2010 modern 26,723 #215
2011 modern 26,156 #217
2012 modern 25,620 #218
2013 modern 26,173 #219
2014 modern 26,362 #218
2015 modern 26,016 #219
2016 modern 25,908 #219

Geography

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Where Yates' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Preston and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackburn with Darwen, Wigan, Bolton and Salford. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackburn with Darwen 016 Blackburn with Darwen
2 Blackburn with Darwen 014 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Wigan 013 Wigan
4 Bolton 017 Bolton
5 Salford 030 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Yates

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Yates

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

Yates is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Yates 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 Yates 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 Yates, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Yates

The surname Yates has its origins in England and dates back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "geat," meaning a gate or opening, and was likely an occupational name for a gatekeeper or someone who lived near a gate. The name is also closely associated with various place names in England, such as Yate in Gloucestershire and Yateley in Hampshire.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Iete" and "Iet." In the 13th century, variations like "atte Yate" and "de la Yate" were common, reflecting the influence of Norman French on English surnames.

The earliest known bearer of the surname Yates was John atte Yate, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275. Another early example is Richard del Yate, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1285.

Over the centuries, the surname Yates has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the most famous was Sir Robert Yates (1599-1679), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament who played a significant role in the English Civil War. Another prominent figure was Edmund Yates (1831-1894), a British novelist and journalist who co-founded the popular magazine The World.

Other notable individuals with the surname Yates include:

1. Walter Yates (1646-1718), an English seaman and explorer known for his voyages to the West Indies and South America. 2. Robert Yates (1738-1801), an American revolutionary and one of the signers of the United States Constitution. 3. Edmund Hodgson Yates (1831-1894), a British novelist, playwright, and journalist best known for his novel "Black Sheep." 4. Frances Amelia Yates (1899-1981), an English historian and scholar of Renaissance studies, known for her work on the Hermetic tradition. 5. Christopher Yates (1786-1848), an English actor and playwright who wrote several successful comedies in the early 19th century.

The surname Yates has maintained its presence throughout history, with numerous variations and spellings emerging over time, such as Yate, Yeats, and Yeates. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread across the globe, carried by generations of individuals with diverse backgrounds and achievements.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Yates families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Yates 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. Lancashire leads with 9,171 Yates' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.85x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 9,171 3.85x
Staffordshire 1,870 2.76x
Yorkshire 1,740 0.87x
Middlesex 1,175 0.59x
Warwickshire 842 1.66x
Cheshire 675 1.52x
Derbyshire 578 1.84x
Surrey 479 0.49x
Worcestershire 355 1.35x
Kent 315 0.46x
Leicestershire 273 1.23x
Shropshire 243 1.40x
Gloucestershire 235 0.60x
Durham 232 0.39x
Nottinghamshire 209 0.77x
Hampshire 187 0.45x
Berkshire 164 1.09x
Northamptonshire 162 0.86x
Wiltshire 156 0.88x
Lincolnshire 152 0.47x
Lanarkshire 135 0.21x
Buckinghamshire 133 1.10x
Essex 79 0.20x
Oxfordshire 79 0.64x
Sussex 78 0.23x
Midlothian 68 0.25x
Devon 59 0.14x
Herefordshire 53 0.64x
Northumberland 51 0.17x
Monmouthshire 49 0.34x
Somerset 45 0.14x
Glamorgan 40 0.11x
Cornwall 34 0.15x
Cambridgeshire 32 0.25x
Huntingdonshire 32 0.80x
Cumberland 30 0.17x
Denbighshire 29 0.38x
Hertfordshire 28 0.20x
Dorset 27 0.20x
Westmorland 26 0.59x
Bedfordshire 25 0.24x
Ayrshire 17 0.11x
Norfolk 17 0.06x
Stirlingshire 15 0.20x
Dunbartonshire 14 0.26x
Fife 14 0.12x
Brecknockshire 11 0.27x
Buteshire 11 0.90x
Royal Navy 11 0.46x
Wigtownshire 11 0.41x
Perthshire 10 0.11x
Renfrewshire 10 0.06x
Rutland 10 0.68x
Shetland 10 0.49x
Caernarfonshire 9 0.11x
West Lothian 9 0.30x
Carmarthenshire 8 0.09x
Suffolk 8 0.03x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.04x
Angus 7 0.04x
Anglesey 6 0.17x
Channel Islands 6 0.10x
Flintshire 5 0.09x
Peeblesshire 3 0.32x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.05x
Argyllshire 1 0.02x
Isle of Man 1 0.03x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.02x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.02x
Radnorshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 463 Yates' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.30x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 463 7.30x
Birmingham 394 2.33x
Preston 350 5.49x
Aston 316 2.27x
Oswaldtwistle 314 37.30x
Manchester 296 2.76x
Over Darwen 291 15.29x
Great Bolton 265 8.40x
Salford 234 3.34x
Bury 204 7.50x
Worsley 181 12.33x
Little Bolton 172 5.62x
Radcliffe 163 14.19x
Wolverhampton 162 3.11x
Pendleton In Salford 157 5.53x
Stoke Upon Trent 157 2.18x
West Derby 148 2.12x
Atherton 142 16.38x
Walsall Foreign 142 4.06x
Wigan 142 4.27x
Bedford 140 28.10x
Accrington 135 6.23x
Liverpool 133 0.92x
Tottington Lower End 132 11.66x
Farnworth 130 9.11x
Barton Upon Irwell 128 7.14x
Sheffield 124 1.96x
Toxteth Park 123 1.52x
Little Lever 115 37.75x
Everton 114 1.50x
Pilkington 114 12.60x
Leeds 106 0.94x
Cannock 103 8.71x
St Pancras London 101 0.63x
Hulme 96 1.93x
Oldham 95 1.24x
Hindley 93 9.16x
West Bromwich 91 2.35x
Broughton In Salford 88 4.04x
Elton 86 10.45x
Kensington London 83 0.74x
Chorlton On Medlock 82 2.17x
Windle 82 6.12x
Ashton Under Lyne 81 1.56x
Islington London 81 0.42x
Battersea 74 1.00x
Lambeth 74 0.42x
Nottingham St Mary 73 1.04x
Pennington In Leigh 72 15.75x
Warrington 72 2.55x
Burslem 71 3.66x
Mile End Old Town 71 2.24x
Habergham Eaves 68 3.12x
Bethnal Green London 67 0.77x
Darlaston 67 7.15x
Haslingden 67 6.79x
Heap 66 5.22x
Wednesbury 66 3.90x
Chorley 62 4.64x
Gomersal 62 6.68x
Halliwell 62 7.15x
Newton 62 3.38x
Hackney London 61 0.54x
Camberwell 59 0.46x
Eastchurch 59 87.34x
Kirkdale 59 1.47x
Leicester St Margaret 59 1.09x
Middle Hulton 58 41.11x
Denton 57 10.80x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 55 8.02x
Cheetham 54 3.04x
Congleton 54 7.05x
Ecclesall Bierlow 53 1.31x
Kearsley 53 10.57x
Lower Darwen 52 16.63x
Runcorn 50 4.89x
St Marylebone London 50 0.47x
Walton Le Dale 49 7.65x
Tonge With Haulgh 48 10.35x
Shoreditch London 47 0.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,560
Elizabeth 806
Sarah 745
Ann 515
Alice 504
Jane 452
Ellen 396
Margaret 304
Annie 293
Emma 268
Eliza 250
Hannah 234
Martha 223
Emily 206
Maria 148
Harriet 133
Catherine 104
Ada 98
Fanny 97
Louisa 96
Florence 92
Edith 82
Charlotte 79
Clara 74
Betsy 72
Esther 71
Anne 66
Caroline 65
Lucy 64
Frances 63
Betty 62
Isabella 56
Agnes 53
Elizth. 52
Nancy 49
Rachel 46
Susan 46
Susannah 46
Amelia 43
Rebecca 43
Matilda 41
Harriett 40
Lydia 39
Amy 36
Minnie 35
Rose 35
Gertrude 34
Kate 31
Selina 31
Sophia 31

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1,295
William 1,278
Thomas 834
James 819
George 616
Joseph 460
Henry 334
Charles 306
Robert 265
Richard 207
Samuel 198
Edward 178
Alfred 161
Arthur 160
Frederick 124
Walter 123
Albert 121
Harry 99
Peter 84
Edwin 75
Wm. 75
David 73
Frank 70
Benjamin 66
Herbert 63
Ernest 56
Francis 56
Fred 49
Thos. 47
Daniel 42
Edmund 36
Isaac 32
Tom 30
Ralph 27
Geo. 23
Levi 22
Christopher 20
Abraham 19
Matthew 19
Chas. 17
Fredrick 17
Saml. 17
Hugh 16
Moses 16
Alexander 15
Philip 15
Willie 15
Eli 14
Enoch 14
Jas. 14

FAQ

Yates surname: questions and answers

How common was the Yates surname in 1881?

In 1881, 20,593 people were recorded with the Yates surname. That placed it at #177 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Yates surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 25,908 in 2016. That gives Yates a modern rank of #219.

What does the Yates surname mean?

Derived from Middle English "yate," meaning a gate, and likely referred to someone who lived near a gate.

What does the Yates map show?

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