NameCensus.

UK surname

Ayrton

A habitational surname referring to someone from Ayrton in Devon or Yorkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 493 people recorded with the Ayrton surname, ranking it #6,848 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 548, ranked #9,309, down from #6,848 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Lancaster Borough and Halifax. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lancaster, Craven and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Ayrton is 658 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.2%.

1881 census count

493

Ranked #6,848

Modern count

548

2016, ranked #9,309

Peak year

1911

658 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Ayrton had 493 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,848 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 548 in 2016, ranked #9,309.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 658 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Ayrton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Ayrton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Ayrton 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 301 #7,626
1861 historical 324 #7,860
1881 historical 493 #6,848
1891 historical 561 #6,767
1901 historical 615 #6,942
1911 historical 658 #6,384
1997 modern 567 #8,475
1998 modern 574 #8,631
1999 modern 583 #8,605
2000 modern 567 #8,733
2001 modern 563 #8,654
2002 modern 572 #8,723
2003 modern 559 #8,725
2004 modern 559 #8,764
2005 modern 564 #8,641
2006 modern 568 #8,626
2007 modern 567 #8,703
2008 modern 547 #9,011
2009 modern 558 #9,066
2010 modern 575 #9,052
2011 modern 581 #8,908
2012 modern 552 #9,138
2013 modern 562 #9,162
2014 modern 562 #9,226
2015 modern 551 #9,294
2016 modern 548 #9,309

Geography

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Where Ayrtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Lancaster Borough, Halifax, Skipton and Giggleswick. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lancaster, Craven, Doncaster and Selby. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
3 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Skipton Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Giggleswick Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lancaster 019 Lancaster
2 Craven 004 Craven
3 Doncaster 031 Doncaster
4 Craven 007 Craven
5 Selby 010 Selby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Ayrton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Ayrton

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Ayrton is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Ayrton is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Ayrton falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Ayrton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Ayrton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Ayrton

The surname AYRTON is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "ēa" meaning "river" and "tūn" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement". It is believed to have originated as a locational name, referring to someone who lived near a river settlement or enclosure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Airetone" in Yorkshire. This entry suggests that the name was already established in northern England by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Ayreton" in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire, indicating its presence in the East Midlands region of England during that time.

By the 14th century, the name had evolved into its modern spelling of "AYRTON". One notable bearer of the name from this period was John AYRTON, a member of the Guild of Corpus Christi in York, who was recorded in 1399.

The name AYRTON is also associated with several place names in England, such as Ayrton in West Yorkshire and Ayrton Hall in Lincolnshire. These place names likely derived from the same Old English roots as the surname itself.

In the 17th century, Edward AYRTON (1602-1670) was a prominent English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1656-1657. His son, Edmund AYRTON (1630-1700), was a successful businessman and landowner.

Another notable bearer of the name was William AYRTON (1777-1858), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for several constituencies in the early 19th century.

In the field of science, William Edward AYRTON (1847-1908) was a distinguished English physicist and electrical engineer. He made significant contributions to the understanding of electrical phenomena and was a pioneer in the development of electrical instruments.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the name AYRTON was also associated with the automotive industry. Englishman John AYRTON (1823-1890) was a renowned coachbuilder and carriage maker, while his grandson, Hubert AYRTON (1886-1957), was a successful racing driver and automotive engineer.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Ayrton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Ayrton 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. Yorkshire leads with 235 Ayrtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.93x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 235 4.93x
Lancashire 204 3.57x
Middlesex 32 0.67x
Derbyshire 6 0.80x
Cheshire 4 0.38x
Cumberland 2 0.48x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.31x
Surrey 2 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.34x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.33x
Hampshire 1 0.10x
Herefordshire 1 0.51x
Norfolk 1 0.14x
Sussex 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ovenden in Yorkshire leads with 31 Ayrtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 146.16x.

Place Total Index
Ovenden 31 146.16x
Skipton 31 206.67x
Keighley 21 41.34x
Accrington 19 36.62x
Dewsbury 17 34.78x
Wath On Dearne 16 168.24x
Settle 15 410.96x
Chorlton On Medlock 14 15.44x
Colne 14 82.35x
Gargrave 13 613.21x
Habergham Eaves 12 23.01x
Wardleworth 12 36.80x
Carlton In Skipton 10 358.42x
Hipperholme Cum 10 47.76x
Martons Both 10 2564.10x
Preston 10 6.55x
Clitheroe 8 47.62x
Newchurch 8 17.14x
Claughton In Lunesdale 7 4375.00x
Horton In Clitheroe 7 4666.67x
Ingleton 7 261.19x
Livesey 7 69.86x
Ormskirk 7 64.10x
Rochdale 7 168.27x
St Pancras London 7 1.81x
Bolton Le Sands 6 465.12x
Farington 6 180.72x
Goldshaw Booth 6 1034.48x
Halton 6 495.87x
Horton In Bradford 6 8.06x
Manningham 6 10.22x
Normanton 6 94.34x
Shoreditch London 6 2.88x
Warton With Lindeth 6 251.05x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 4.01x
Bethnal Green London 5 2.39x
Kensington London 5 1.87x
Kirkby Malham 5 2083.33x
St George In East London 5 11.05x
Whalley 5 60.10x
Blackburn 4 2.63x
Chester St Oswald 4 20.81x
Lancaster 4 11.78x
Leck 4 888.89x
Litherland 4 33.53x
Malham 4 1666.67x
Padiham 4 29.01x
Thornton In Craven 4 104.71x
Ardwick 3 5.83x
Barrow In Furness 3 3.87x
Bradford 3 2.60x
High Low Bishopside 3 70.92x
Mile End Old Town London 3 2.93x
Skelton In Guisbrough 3 23.27x
Toxteth Park 3 1.55x
Burnley 2 4.16x
Burton In Lonsdale 2 194.17x
Liverpool 2 0.58x
Nottingham St Mary 2 1.19x
Rickergate 2 22.83x
Spotland 2 3.15x
Waddington 2 270.27x
Bentham 1 27.55x
Bermondsey 1 0.70x
Camberwell 1 0.33x
Clayton 1 8.58x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.03x
Great Crosby 1 6.43x
Hastings St Leonards 1 8.39x
Headingley Cum Burley 1 3.26x
Lea Ashton Ingol 1 26.39x
Ledbury 1 14.77x
Linton In Skipton 1 208.33x
Marske In Guisbrough 1 11.82x
Oldham 1 0.54x
Portsea 1 0.52x
Shipley 1 4.04x
St Andrewthe Less 1 2.87x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.18x
Urmston 1 27.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Sarah 24
Elizabeth 17
Annie 13
Jane 13
Ann 12
Ellen 11
Emma 11
Alice 9
Margaret 9
Hannah 7
Fanny 5
Isabella 5
Charlotte 4
Martha 4
Rose 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Betty 3
Grace 3
Agness 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Dorothy 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Maria 2
Phillis 2
Anna 1
Barbara 1
Bertha 1
Cathrine 1
Eleanor 1
Elenor 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizebeth 1
Ella 1
Emmie 1
Jennet 1
Jennett 1
Judith 1
Laura 1
Liley 1
Lizzie 1
Lord 1
Mabel 1
Maggie 1
Margret 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 33
William 33
Thomas 21
James 16
Henry 15
Richard 15
George 9
Joseph 9
Robert 9
Alfred 6
Charles 5
Wm. 5
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Anthony 3
Frank 3
Jonathan 3
Thos. 3
Albert 2
David 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Joshua 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Burley 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Eagan 1
Elijha 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Greenwood 1
Halstead 1
Ingus 1
Irvin 1
Lawrence 1
Luke 1
Mathew 1
Matthew 1
Maxwell 1
Oswald 1
Ralph 1
Randle 1
Richd. 1
Saml. 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Ayrton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Ayrton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 493 people were recorded with the Ayrton surname. That placed it at #6,848 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Ayrton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 548 in 2016. That gives Ayrton a modern rank of #9,309.

What does the Ayrton surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to someone from Ayrton in Devon or Yorkshire.

What does the Ayrton map show?

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