NameCensus.

UK surname

Balderston

A locational surname derived from a place name in Lancashire, England, referring to someone from Balderston.

In the 1881 census there were 278 people recorded with the Balderston surname, ranking it #10,259 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 143, ranked #24,505, down from #10,259 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Halton Holegate. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheviot West, East Lindsey and Armadale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Balderston is 278 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 48.6%.

1881 census count

278

Ranked #10,259

Modern count

143

2016, ranked #24,505

Peak year

1881

278 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Balderston had 278 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,259 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016, ranked #24,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 278 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Balderston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Balderston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Balderston 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 195 #10,620
1861 historical 196 #12,223
1881 historical 278 #10,259
1891 historical 268 #12,087
1901 historical 247 #13,238
1911 historical 233 #13,560
1997 modern 171 #19,438
1998 modern 181 #19,229
1999 modern 189 #18,862
2000 modern 184 #19,190
2001 modern 181 #19,106
2002 modern 201 #18,236
2003 modern 195 #18,411
2004 modern 183 #19,251
2005 modern 165 #20,468
2006 modern 161 #20,972
2007 modern 162 #21,115
2008 modern 156 #21,862
2009 modern 153 #22,611
2010 modern 160 #22,487
2011 modern 158 #22,473
2012 modern 149 #23,372
2013 modern 150 #23,653
2014 modern 150 #23,864
2015 modern 147 #24,036
2016 modern 143 #24,505

Geography

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Where Balderstons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Halton Holegate, Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheviot West, East Lindsey, Armadale, Northumberland and Sedgemoor. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Halton Holegate Lincolnshire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheviot West Scottish Borders
2 East Lindsey 010 East Lindsey
3 Armadale West Lothian
4 Northumberland 035 Northumberland
5 Sedgemoor 006 Sedgemoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Balderston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Balderston

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Balderston, 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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Balderston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Balderston household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Balderston is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

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

Balderston is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Balderston 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 Balderston 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 Balderston, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Balderston

The surname Balderston originates from England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the place name Balderston, a village located near Blackburn in Lancashire. The name Balderston itself comes from the Old English words "bælder" meaning "prince" and "tun" meaning "farm" or "enclosure."

The earliest recorded instance of the name Balderston can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1176, where it appears as "Baldredeston." This variation in spelling was common during the Middle Ages, and the name evolved over time to its current form.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the village of Balderston is mentioned under the name "Baldreston." This valuable historical record provides insights into the settlement's size, population, and land ownership during the Norman conquest of England.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Balderston was William de Balderston, who was recorded as a landowner in Balderston in the 13th century. Another prominent figure was John Balderston (1558-1649), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Burton Latimer in Northamptonshire.

In the 17th century, the name Balderston began to spread beyond its place of origin as family members migrated to other parts of England and later to the American colonies. One such individual was James Balderston (1639-1704), an early Quaker settler who arrived in Pennsylvania in the 1680s and was granted land by William Penn.

In the literary world, John Balderston (1889-1954), an American playwright and screenwriter, gained recognition for his work on various films, including the 1931 version of "Frankenstein" and the 1935 adaptation of "The Bride of Frankenstein."

Another notable figure was Thomas Balderston (1820-1899), a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada and later as a member of the Canadian House of Commons.

Throughout its history, the surname Balderston has maintained its connection to its locational roots, with various spellings and variations emerging over time as families spread across different regions and continents.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Balderston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Balderston 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. Lincolnshire leads with 48 Balderstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.27x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 48 11.27x
Lancashire 46 1.46x
Yorkshire 41 1.55x
Kent 32 3.52x
Lanarkshire 21 2.44x
Renfrewshire 21 10.18x
Norfolk 10 2.44x
Stirlingshire 7 7.13x
Ayrshire 6 3.01x
Inverness-shire 6 7.55x
Surrey 6 0.46x
Middlesex 5 0.19x
Suffolk 4 1.23x
Westmorland 4 6.84x
Cumberland 3 1.31x
Midlothian 3 0.84x
Angus 2 0.81x
Durham 2 0.25x
Peeblesshire 2 15.97x
Hertfordshire 1 0.54x
Perthshire 1 0.84x
Royal Navy 1 3.15x
Warwickshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chatham in Kent leads with 25 Balderstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 100.04x.

Place Total Index
Chatham 25 100.04x
Abbey 15 47.63x
Govan 15 7.04x
Halton Holegate 15 3333.33x
Blackburn 12 14.27x
Preston 11 13.01x
Barnoldswick 10 271.74x
Clee With Weelsby 8 85.84x
Lewisham 7 14.45x
Silverdale 7 1555.56x
Hambleton 6 1714.29x
Huddersfield 6 15.61x
Little Steeping 6 2400.00x
Bainbridge 5 806.45x
Barony 5 2.29x
Lambeth 5 2.15x
Poringland 5 1162.79x
West Kilbride 5 263.16x
Willoughby 5 892.86x
Boleskine Abertarff 4 303.03x
Bowling 4 15.30x
East Kirkby 4 1333.33x
Falkirk 4 17.40x
Flitcham Cum Appleton 4 930.23x
Frithville Fishtoft 4 1290.32x
Hawes 4 231.21x
Paddington London 4 4.09x
Ravenstonedale 4 487.80x
Saxstead 4 1290.32x
Barton Upon Irwell 3 12.61x
Bothkennar 3 102.39x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 2.09x
Ingleton 3 202.70x
Lockwood 3 31.61x
Southcoates 3 20.48x
Whitbeck 3 1764.71x
Boston 2 15.48x
Dundee 2 2.17x
Erskine 2 133.33x
Horncastle 2 45.56x
Inverness 2 10.00x
Keighley 2 7.11x
Norton 2 68.73x
Paisley High Church 2 12.17x
Peebles 2 54.05x
Aldingham 1 94.34x
Ayr 1 10.63x
Baldock 1 57.80x
Beausale 1 555.56x
Congham 1 333.33x
Coulsdon 1 42.37x
Gosberton 1 52.91x
Great Little Marsden 1 6.91x
Little Bolton 1 2.46x
Logie 1 23.31x
New Monkland 1 3.93x
Padiham 1 13.11x
Paisley Low Church 1 15.31x
Ripon 1 16.34x
Scotforth 1 48.78x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 1 16.69x
West Greenock 1 2.70x
Westminster St John 1 3.08x
Wigan 1 2.26x
Woodplumpton 1 88.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Elizabeth 10
Sarah 7
Martha 5
Eliza 4
Jane 4
Ann 3
Annie 3
Emily 3
Hannah 3
Margaret 3
Alice 2
Charlotte 2
Emma 2
Harriet 2
Lavinia 2
Louisa 2
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Betsy 1
C. 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Christiana 1
Eleanor 1
Elizath. 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Etta 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Hariet 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
J. 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Leonora 1
Lesley 1
Lizzie 1
M.A. 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Violet 1
Zenobia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 17
James 13
John 12
Thomas 9
Robert 6
Arthur 3
David 3
George 3
Richard 3
Charles 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Richardson 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Allen 1
Anthony 1
Augustas 1
Benjamin 1
Brian 1
Christopher 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
G. 1
Harvey 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Jesse 1
Martin 1
Robt.R.M. 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Balderston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Balderston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 278 people were recorded with the Balderston surname. That placed it at #10,259 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Balderston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016. That gives Balderston a modern rank of #24,505.

What does the Balderston surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in Lancashire, England, referring to someone from Balderston.

What does the Balderston map show?

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