POTTS
Potts is a surname of English origin, deriving from the Middle English word pot, meaning a cooking vessel or container. It originally denoted an individual who made or sold pots, hence it is classified as an occupational surname.
The surname is first recorded in the early thirteenth century in Yorkshire, with entries such as Petronilla Potes (1311), Roger Potte (1352) and William Pottes (1540). These early attestations establish the name in a northern context, although it was subsequently found throughout England and in its overseas settlements.
In addition to its occupational interpretation, Potts can also be a patronymic of Pott, itself of Anglo‑Saxon origin. Two plausible derivations are recognised: first, an aphetic form of Philpott, a diminutive of Philip (from the Greek Philippos, meaning “lover of horses”); second, a topographical reference to a depression or pit in the ground, from the Old English pott. The name may therefore also be locational, as suggested by its presence in minor place‑names that incorporate the same element.
Variations of the surname include Pott, Potts, Potkins, and the diminutives Potkin, Potte and Potell. The earliest recorded spelling is that of Godwin Pot, dated 1115 and noted in the Book of Winton in Hampshire, during the reign of King Henry I (1100–1135).
During the early seventeenth century the name appears in trans‑Atlantic migration records. In July 1635 an Anthony Potts (age 27) departed London aboard the Paule, bound for Virginea. Later that year, on 9 April 1646, the marriage of Charles Potts and Susannah Wright was recorded at St. Olave’s, Hart Street in London, reflecting the surname’s continued presence in the capital.
The surname Potts has since evolved into a fairly common English surname, found in numerous regions across England and within the former British colonies. Its etymological roots in both occupation and geography highlight the diverse pathways through which English surnames developed. The name survives today in both its original form and in its various derivatives, maintaining a link to its early medieval origins.
Typical given names associated with the Potts surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
- William
Female
- Amanda
- Deborah
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jane
- Jean
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Maureen
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Potts in...
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Potts are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Milk Chocolate Digestive.
There are approximately 17,387 people named Potts in the UK. That makes it the 507th most common surname in Britain. Around 267 in a million people in Britain are named Potts.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Potts
- Paul Potts - Tenor
- Sarah-Jane Potts - Actress
- Andrew-Lee Potts - Actor
- Annie Potts - Actress
- Bryson Lashun Potts - American rapper and songwriter
- Mariama Potts - Singer
- David Potts - Businessman
- Dan Potts - Football player
- Michael Potts - Football player
- Brad Potts - Football player
- David Potts - Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist
- Harry Potts - Football player and manager (1920 to 1996)
- Malcolm Potts - American physician
- Fred Potts - Recipient of the Victoria Cross (1892 to 1943)
- Reg Potts - Football player (1927 to 1996)
- Eric Potts - Actor
- David M. Potts - Professor
- Arnold Potts - Australian brigadier (1896 to 1968)
- Elizabeth Potts - Executed murderer (1846 to 1890)
- Arthur Edward Potts - Canadian general (1890 to 1983)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.