NameCensus.

UK surname

Alton

Derived from a place name meaning "town at the source of a river" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 808 people recorded with the Alton surname, ranking it #4,617 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,137, ranked #5,181, down from #4,617 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Duffield, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North East Derbyshire, Amber Valley and Ashfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Alton is 1,280 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.7%.

1881 census count

808

Ranked #4,617

Modern count

1,137

2016, ranked #5,181

Peak year

1998

1,280 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Alton had 808 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,617 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,137 in 2016, ranked #5,181.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,097 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Alton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Alton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Alton 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 483 #5,157
1861 historical 744 #3,665
1881 historical 808 #4,617
1891 historical 900 #4,581
1901 historical 1,020 #4,679
1911 historical 1,097 #4,230
1997 modern 1,238 #4,587
1998 modern 1,280 #4,642
1999 modern 1,267 #4,705
2000 modern 1,253 #4,726
2001 modern 1,219 #4,741
2002 modern 1,233 #4,785
2003 modern 1,211 #4,771
2004 modern 1,211 #4,780
2005 modern 1,202 #4,752
2006 modern 1,201 #4,768
2007 modern 1,200 #4,813
2008 modern 1,174 #4,923
2009 modern 1,210 #4,905
2010 modern 1,227 #4,950
2011 modern 1,200 #4,978
2012 modern 1,162 #5,044
2013 modern 1,172 #5,095
2014 modern 1,177 #5,110
2015 modern 1,149 #5,159
2016 modern 1,137 #5,181

Geography

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Where Altons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Duffield, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, St Werburgh and Chesterfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North East Derbyshire, Amber Valley, Ashfield and Harrogate. 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 Duffield Derbyshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Werburgh Derbyshire
5 Chesterfield Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North East Derbyshire 009 North East Derbyshire
2 Amber Valley 010 Amber Valley
3 Ashfield 016 Ashfield
4 Amber Valley 011 Amber Valley
5 Harrogate 016 Harrogate

Forenames

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First names often paired with Alton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Alton

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Alton is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Alton 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

Alton falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Alton 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 Alton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Alton

The surname Alton originates from England, where it first appeared in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "ea" meaning stream or river, and "tun" meaning town or settlement. This suggests that the name was initially used to describe someone who lived near a stream or river.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Alton can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which list a Richard de Alton residing in Staffordshire. The Domesday Book of 1086 also mentions several places with similar names, such as Alton in Hampshire and Alton in Staffordshire.

During the Middle Ages, the name Alton was often associated with various place names in England, such as Alton in Hampshire, Alton in Staffordshire, and Alton in Oxfordshire. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Alton include Sir Thomas Alton (1450-1521), a renowned English lawyer and judge during the reign of King Henry VIII. Another prominent figure was Sir William Alton (1560-1634), a member of Parliament and landowner in Oxfordshire.

In the 17th century, John Alton (1612-1679) was a prominent English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Essex. His works included several religious treatises and sermons.

The 18th century saw the rise of Edward Alton (1723-1789), a British naval officer and explorer who made significant contributions to the mapping of the Pacific Ocean and the exploration of the Australian coastline.

In the 19th century, Samuel Alton (1811-1885) was a prominent British industrialist and entrepreneur who established several successful manufacturing companies in the Midlands region of England.

These examples highlight the long and rich history of the surname Alton, which has been associated with various notable figures throughout the centuries, particularly in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Alton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Alton 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 237 Altons recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.04x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 237 19.04x
Yorkshire 128 1.62x
Lancashire 104 1.10x
Durham 52 2.20x
Surrey 49 1.26x
Nottinghamshire 42 3.92x
Middlesex 37 0.47x
Leicestershire 25 2.84x
Lanarkshire 20 0.78x
Lincolnshire 13 1.02x
Devon 11 0.66x
Kent 10 0.37x
Worcestershire 10 0.96x
Warwickshire 9 0.45x
Renfrewshire 8 1.30x
Staffordshire 8 0.30x
Glamorgan 6 0.43x
Hampshire 6 0.37x
Northumberland 6 0.51x
Rutland 6 10.28x
Berkshire 5 0.84x
Royal Navy 5 5.28x
Cumberland 3 0.44x
Midlothian 3 0.28x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.40x
Somerset 2 0.16x
Suffolk 2 0.21x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.14x
Channel Islands 1 0.42x
Cheshire 1 0.06x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.47x
Gloucestershire 1 0.06x
Northamptonshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ripley in Derbyshire leads with 27 Altons recorded in 1881 and an index of 175.44x.

Place Total Index
Ripley 27 175.44x
Belper 26 107.75x
Heage 22 333.84x
Melbecks 21 662.46x
Carnwath 16 100.63x
Derby All Sts 16 153.85x
Lambeth 16 2.31x
Normanton 15 142.72x
Alfreton 13 34.38x
Stranton 13 16.33x
Bedale 12 418.12x
Derby St Werburgh 12 16.70x
Duffield 12 122.32x
High Abbotside 12 895.52x
Unstone 12 245.40x
Ardwick 11 12.93x
Brightside Bierlow 11 7.12x
Beswick 10 41.44x
Derby St Peter 10 25.22x
Chesterfield 9 19.29x
Darlington 9 9.86x
Leicester St Margaret 9 4.19x
North Bedburn 9 136.16x
Staveley 9 40.72x
Bishopwearmouth 8 3.94x
Brampton 8 45.98x
Bulwell 8 34.33x
Greasley 8 33.09x
Rotherhithe 8 8.14x
Spalding 8 31.71x
Stoke Damerel 8 6.91x
Withington 8 26.32x
Abbey 7 7.45x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 4.67x
Ellingtons 7 2916.67x
Eryholme 7 1400.00x
Linthorpe 7 14.89x
North Meols 7 7.58x
Battersea 6 2.05x
Bromley London 6 3.43x
Broughton In Salford 6 6.96x
Eckington 6 19.84x
Great Little Marsden 6 13.88x
Nottingham St Mary 6 2.16x
Paddington London 6 2.05x
Reedley Hallows 6 329.67x
St Andrew Holborn London 6 17.43x
Whalley 6 43.64x
Ashby De La Zouch 5 24.47x
Basford 5 10.12x
Heanor 5 26.87x
Hognaston 5 657.89x
Knaresdale 5 352.11x
Loddington 5 1250.00x
Mercaston 5 2173.91x
Newington 5 1.70x
Oakham Deanshold 5 192.31x
Oldbury 5 9.79x
Preston 5 1.98x
Rotherham 5 11.26x
Royal Navy 5 6.17x
Staunton 5 446.43x
Stillington 5 306.75x
West Ardsley 5 52.74x
West Bromwich 5 3.25x
Chatham 4 5.36x
Great Driffield 4 24.74x
Holbrook 4 142.86x
Horsley 4 53.40x
Killamarsh 4 51.68x
Leeds 4 0.90x
Manchester 4 0.94x
Merrington 4 87.91x
Morley 4 9.77x
Portsea 4 1.25x
Scarborough 4 5.59x
Selston 4 33.42x
Snenton 4 9.50x
St George Hanover Square 4 2.86x
St Marylebone London 4 0.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 73
Elizabeth 31
Sarah 30
Ann 19
Annie 16
Jane 14
Eliza 12
Emily 11
Hannah 11
Margaret 11
Ellen 10
Martha 9
Emma 8
Frances 7
Rebecca 7
Alice 6
Fanny 6
Esther 5
Harriet 5
Catherine 4
Edith 4
Elizth. 4
Isabella 4
Kate 4
Maria 4
Anne 3
Louisa 3
Ruth 3
Clara 2
Elenaor 2
Florence 2
Hilda 2
Julia 2
Nanny 2
Ada 1
Allica 1
Annis 1
Augusta 1
Augustus 1
Christiana 1
Christianna 1
Dora 1
Dorathy 1
E. 1
Elisa 1
Eliz.M. 1
Ester 1
Ethel 1
Grace 1
H. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 54
John 49
George 37
Thomas 26
James 21
Joseph 21
Charles 9
Thos. 9
Frederick 8
Francis 7
Richard 7
Herbert 6
Samuel 6
Albert 5
Frank 5
Harry 5
Henry 5
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Ernest 4
Wm. 4
Alexander 3
Alfred 3
David 3
Philip 3
Reuben 3
Robert 3
Daniel 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Elias 2
Frederic 2
Hepworth 2
Isaac 2
Jabez 2
Matthew 2
Phillip 2
Robt. 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Wingfield 2
Anthony 1
Derrick 1
Fras.C. 1
Fred 1
G. 1
Josiah 1
Martin 1
Mary 1
Wm.Thos.B. 1

FAQ

Alton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Alton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 808 people were recorded with the Alton surname. That placed it at #4,617 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Alton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,137 in 2016. That gives Alton a modern rank of #5,181.

What does the Alton surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "town at the source of a river" in Old English.

What does the Alton map show?

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