NameCensus.

UK surname

Arton

Of Middle English origin, meaning a meadow near a town or village.

In the 1881 census there were 104 people recorded with the Arton surname, ranking it #19,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 92, ranked #32,035, down from #19,296 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Packwood, Manchester and Lytham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ryedale, South Ribble and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Arton is 251 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.5%.

1881 census count

104

Ranked #19,296

Modern count

92

2016, ranked #32,035

Peak year

1891

251 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 1911

Key insights

  • Arton had 104 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,296 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 92 in 2016, ranked #32,035.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 251 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Arton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Arton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Arton 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 129 #14,406
1861 historical 237 #10,359
1881 historical 104 #19,296
1891 historical 251 #12,729
1901 historical 108 #21,836
1911 historical 184 #15,742
1997 modern 102 #26,638
1998 modern 94 #28,435
1999 modern 90 #29,056
2000 modern 82 #29,922
2001 modern 83 #29,617
2002 modern 84 #29,982
2003 modern 91 #29,121
2004 modern 88 #29,758
2005 modern 88 #29,831
2006 modern 87 #30,292
2007 modern 88 #30,515
2008 modern 83 #31,483
2009 modern 90 #31,094
2010 modern 89 #31,745
2011 modern 89 #31,659
2012 modern 85 #32,395
2013 modern 91 #32,020
2014 modern 89 #32,409
2015 modern 92 #32,075
2016 modern 92 #32,035

Geography

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Where Artons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Packwood, Manchester, Lytham, West Derby and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ryedale, South Ribble, Kingston upon Hull and Hartlepool. 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 Packwood Warwickshire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Lytham Lancashire
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ryedale 007 Ryedale
2 South Ribble 002 South Ribble
3 Ryedale 002 Ryedale
4 Kingston upon Hull 033 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 Hartlepool 011 Hartlepool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Arton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Arton

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Arton is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Arton is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Arton falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Arton

The surname Arton originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English words "eart" meaning "dweller" and "tun" meaning "town" or "settlement." This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived in a particular town or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. It mentions individuals with the surname Arton residing in various counties, including Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

In the 13th century, the surname Arton appeared in various forms such as Artone, Ertone, and Ertune, reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. These variations likely stemmed from the different dialects spoken in different parts of the country.

Notable individuals with the surname Arton include Sir John Arton (1480-1548), a prominent English landowner and member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. Another notable figure was William Arton (1602-1677), a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Provost of King's College, Cambridge.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Arton spread to other parts of Britain, including Scotland and Wales. One notable Scottish bearer of the name was Robert Arton (1670-1734), a successful merchant and philanthropist who founded several charitable institutions in Edinburgh.

In the 18th century, the surname Arton began appearing in records from the American colonies, as some members of the family immigrated to the New World in search of better opportunities. One such individual was Thomas Arton (1725-1798), a farmer and Revolutionary War soldier from Virginia.

Another influential figure with the surname Arton was Elizabeth Arton (1810-1892), a prominent leader in the women's suffrage movement in the United States. She actively campaigned for women's right to vote and played a crucial role in the passage of the 19th Amendment.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Arton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Arton 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 25 Artons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.10x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 25 2.10x
Yorkshire 18 1.81x
Warwickshire 11 4.34x
Hampshire 10 4.86x
Suffolk 8 6.54x
Lanarkshire 6 1.85x
Middlesex 6 0.60x
Durham 5 1.67x
Lincolnshire 3 1.87x
Cambridgeshire 2 3.14x
Midlothian 2 1.49x
Worcestershire 2 1.52x
Derbyshire 1 0.64x
Glamorgan 1 0.57x
Northumberland 1 0.67x
Somerset 1 0.62x
Sussex 1 0.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Packwood in Warwickshire leads with 9 Artons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9000.00x.

Place Total Index
Packwood 9 9000.00x
Everton 8 21.05x
Mendlesham 8 2051.28x
Portsea 8 19.82x
Leeds 7 12.45x
Govan 6 7.47x
Stockton On Tees 5 34.70x
West Derby 5 14.33x
Holy Trinity 4 16.70x
Hulme 4 16.07x
Preston 4 12.54x
Tydd St Mary 3 937.50x
Westminster St James 3 29.04x
Alton 2 129.03x
Market Weighton Arras 2 307.69x
Rawdon 2 170.94x
Tydd St Giles 2 666.67x
Aston 1 1.43x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 11.15x
Bath St James 1 59.17x
Bradford 1 4.15x
Colinton 1 66.67x
Dalkeith 1 37.59x
Edmonton 1 12.36x
Enfield 1 15.17x
Gelligaer 1 25.00x
Goodmanham 1 909.09x
Great Crosby 1 30.77x
Hove 1 13.46x
Layton With Warbreck 1 22.88x
Longbenton 1 15.80x
Manningham 1 8.16x
Rock 1 192.31x
Rugby 1 29.15x
Salford 1 2.85x
St Bride London 1 172.41x
Swarkeston 1 1428.57x
Yardley 1 29.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 6
Eliza 3
Harriet 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Elizabeth 2
Fanny 2
Helen 2
Martha 2
Ann 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bettia 1
Blanche 1
Catherine 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Joseph 1
Lavinia 1
Margaret 1
Mary 1
Rebecca 1
Sybil 1
Therese 1
Wesleyanna 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Arton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Arton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 104 people were recorded with the Arton surname. That placed it at #19,296 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Arton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 92 in 2016. That gives Arton a modern rank of #32,035.

What does the Arton surname mean?

Of Middle English origin, meaning a meadow near a town or village.

What does the Arton map show?

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