Potts Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Potts Name Meaning: A patronymic variant of 'Pott',an aphetic form of 'Philpott',which is a diminutive of 'Phillip'.Greek from Philein 'to love' + hippos 'horse'. Secondly it has a topogarphical meaning for someone who lived by a sunken formation in the ground.

The name is of Anglo-Saxon origin.The first recorded spelling is that of 'Godwin pot',dated 1115.

Discover how your Potts ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Potts Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Potts family

Profession Census Frequency
Living On Own Means 106
General Labourer 96
Farmer 75
General Servant Domestic 74
Scholar 71
Dress Maker 69
Coal Miner Hewer 67
Cotton Weaver 66
Bricklayer 33
Domestic Servant 31
School 30
Charwoman 28
Laundress Wash 28
Dressmaker 26
Silk Weaver 25
Stone Mason 25
Cook Domestic 24
Housemaid Domestic 24
Blacksmith 24
Cotton Winder 23
Butcher 22
House Keeper Domestic 21
Coal Hewer 20
Joiner Carpenter 20
School Teacher 19

Potts Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Potts 100% 64,750
2 Pitts 80% 21,739
3 Petts 80% 6,842
4 Patts 80% 1,661
5 Pittis 67% 632
6 Pots 80% 409
7 Pottes 83% 266
8 Pettis 67% 250
9 Putts 80% 101

Did you know?

The surname Potts is the most popular version of all its varients

Search for the Potts family