PUTNAM
Putnam is an English locational surname that originated in the British Isles, specifically within England. The first recorded appearance of the name dates to the early 13th century, with entries such as Ralph de Puteham found in the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1205. This early form hints at a place name that later evolved into the modern surname.
The etymology of Putnam is rooted in Old English. One prevailing explanation derives the name from the elements putta, meaning “dweller by a pit or hollow”, and ham, meaning “homestead” or “enclosure”. Thus, the surname can be interpreted as “dweller by the pit‑homestead”, indicating a person who lived near a natural depression or hollow in the landscape.
Another interpretation links the name to the Old English personal nickname Putta, a term that could mean “kite”, the bird of prey. Combined with ham, the result is “Putta’s ham”, denoting the homestead of a person named Putta. This derivation is supported by early place‑name records of villages called Puttenham, first recorded as Puteham in the Domesday Book of 1086.
The village of Puttenham in Hertfordshire is the more likely source for the surname, as it is documented earlier than the Surrey counterpart. While Puttenham in Surrey appears as Puteham in 1199, the Hertfordshire place was recorded more than a decade earlier, indicating a stronger genealogical link.
In addition to Puttenham, other topographical locations such as the village of Puttenham in Norfolk and a settlement of the same name in Sussex may also bear relevance, although the Hertfordshire and Surrey sites are the most widely recognised origins of the surname.
The surname has been recorded in a variety of forms over the centuries. Official church registers from the 17th century contain entries such as Edward Putman or Putnam in the Oxford University Register of 1621, and in the 18th century the marriage of Elizabeth Puttnam to Richard Stevens is documented in the Tring, Hertfordshire register of 1753. Such variations demonstrate the fluid orthography of the period.
In the United Kingdom, the distribution of the name has historically been concentrated in counties such as Suffolk, Norfolk, Yorkshire and Bedfordshire. The name is still present in these areas, with modern bearers occasionally retaining the original spelling.
Across the Atlantic, Putnam entered North America in the 17th century, where it became comparatively common. According to the United States Census Bureau, the surname ranks as the 594th most frequent in the country, with roughly one hundred thousand residents in the United States alone. The highest concentrations are found in the New England states of Massachusetts and Connecticut, and other regions such as New York, Vermont and Maine also report significant numbers.
In Canada, the surname is similarly present, predominantly in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, with smaller communities in Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, the Yukon Territory, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Although precise rankings are not documented, the name is recognisably common within these jurisdictions.
Cultural references to the name include the Putnam Broadcasting Network, founded by John Putnam in 1923, and the urban topography of places such as Putnam County in New York, Putnam in Connecticut and Putnam County in Indiana, all of which showcase the name’s penetration into American geographic nomenclature.
Notable individuals bearing the surname comprise the lexicographer Noah Putnam, the poet George Palmer Putnam, and other contributors to literature, scholarship and public life. Their achievements have helped preserve the name’s visibility in the public record.
In sum, Putnam is a surname with a firmly established English origin, rooted in Old English place‑name elements and early medieval records. Its evolution into various spelling versions reflects historical orthographic practices, while its migration to North America has given it a presence in contemporary demographic contexts.
Typical given names associated with the Putnam surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- David
- James
- John
- Kevin
- Mark
- Michael
- Nicholas
- Robert
- Stephen
- Thomas
Female
- Claire
- Deborah
- Doreen
- Fiona
- Gillian
- Helen
- Jacqueline
- Jayne
- Joanne
- Margaret
- Mary
- Rachel
- 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 Putnam in...
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There are approximately 659 people named Putnam in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around ten in a million people in Britain are named Putnam.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
