NameCensus.

UK surname

Baston

A habitational surname indicating someone who came from an area with a bastide (small town).

In the 1881 census there were 635 people recorded with the Baston surname, ranking it #5,588 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 600, ranked #8,721, down from #5,588 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, North East Derbyshire and West Oxfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Baston is 1,105 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.5%.

1881 census count

635

Ranked #5,588

Modern count

600

2016, ranked #8,721

Peak year

1891

1,105 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Baston had 635 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,588 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 600 in 2016, ranked #8,721.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,105 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Baston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Baston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Baston 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 552 #4,585
1861 historical 983 #2,831
1881 historical 635 #5,588
1891 historical 1,105 #3,834
1901 historical 909 #5,107
1911 historical 1,008 #4,514
1997 modern 686 #7,359
1998 modern 706 #7,425
1999 modern 707 #7,457
2000 modern 672 #7,730
2001 modern 645 #7,844
2002 modern 650 #7,942
2003 modern 618 #8,139
2004 modern 626 #8,077
2005 modern 620 #8,064
2006 modern 614 #8,140
2007 modern 618 #8,174
2008 modern 619 #8,210
2009 modern 641 #8,158
2010 modern 641 #8,336
2011 modern 612 #8,546
2012 modern 587 #8,746
2013 modern 597 #8,782
2014 modern 603 #8,769
2015 modern 602 #8,712
2016 modern 600 #8,721

Geography

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Where Bastons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Gateshead, Bampton (Brighthamton, Shifford, Aston and Cote, Bampton, Weald, Chimney), Witney (Lew), Blackbourto and Stanton Harcourt, South Leigh, Northmoor. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, North East Derbyshire, West Oxfordshire and The Vale of Glamorgan. 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 London parishes London 3
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Bampton (Brighthamton, Shifford, Aston and Cote, Bampton, Weald, Chimney), Witney (Lew), Blackbourto Oxfordshire
5 Stanton Harcourt, South Leigh, Northmoor Oxfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 005 Northumberland
3 North East Derbyshire 009 North East Derbyshire
4 West Oxfordshire 010 West Oxfordshire
5 The Vale of Glamorgan 014 Vale of Glamorgan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Baston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Baston

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Baston is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Baston is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Baston falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Baston

The surname BASTON is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "bæstan," which means "a beaten path" or "a road." It is likely that the name was initially given as a descriptive surname to someone who lived near a well-trodden path or road.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname BASTON can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bastun." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in various parts of England.

During the Middle Ages, the surname BASTON was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire. The name was sometimes spelled differently, such as "Bastonne" or "Bastone," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common in those times.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Baston (c. 1310-1385) was a Carmelite friar and theologian from Warwickshire. He wrote several treatises on religious and philosophical subjects and was highly regarded for his scholarship.

Another individual of note was Sir Edward Baston (c. 1450-1518), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of Henry VIII. He played a significant role in local affairs and served as Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1505.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the BASTON surname was associated with several prominent families in the counties of Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. Among them were the Bastons of Gloucestershire, who owned estates in the village of Stanway, and the Bastons of Worcestershire, who held lands in the town of Inkberrow.

In the 18th century, a notable figure was Sir Robert Baston (1726-1802), a successful merchant and politician from Bristol. He served as Mayor of Bristol and represented the city in Parliament for several years.

Another notable bearer of the BASTON surname was William Baston (1788-1856), a prominent architect from Gloucestershire. He was responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in the county, including the Gloucester Shire Hall.

Throughout its history, the surname BASTON has maintained a strong connection to the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire, where it originated and flourished over the centuries. While the name has spread to other parts of England and beyond, its roots can be traced back to the ancient English countryside and the well-trodden paths that inspired its origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Baston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Baston 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. Oxfordshire leads with 114 Bastons recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.66x.

County Total Index
Oxfordshire 114 29.66x
Northumberland 83 8.96x
Middlesex 73 1.17x
Surrey 62 2.04x
Devon 34 2.62x
Yorkshire 33 0.54x
Lancashire 29 0.39x
Warwickshire 23 1.47x
Kent 22 1.04x
Berkshire 21 4.50x
Hampshire 18 1.41x
Gloucestershire 15 1.23x
Durham 13 0.70x
Lincolnshire 12 1.21x
Worcestershire 12 1.48x
Cheshire 10 0.73x
Cornwall 9 1.28x
Dorset 9 2.20x
Northamptonshire 9 1.54x
Derbyshire 8 0.82x
Staffordshire 7 0.33x
Glamorgan 3 0.28x
Midlothian 3 0.36x
Shropshire 3 0.56x
Somerset 3 0.30x
Channel Islands 2 1.08x
Essex 2 0.16x
Sussex 2 0.19x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.27x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.40x
Hertfordshire 1 0.23x
Leicestershire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bermondsey in Surrey leads with 20 Bastons recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.79x.

Place Total Index
Bermondsey 20 10.79x
Glanton 19 1775.70x
Aston Cote 13 860.93x
Clapham 12 15.42x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 12 98.60x
Oxford St Thomas 11 61.35x
Rock 11 338.46x
Alverstoke 9 19.49x
Cheltenham 9 9.56x
Islington London 9 1.49x
Kilmington 9 841.12x
Stanton Harcourt 9 775.86x
Tottington Lower End 9 25.65x
Winterborne Steepleton 9 2812.50x
Blackbourton 8 1777.78x
Gloster Hill 8 7272.73x
Raw 8 4210.53x
Birmingham 7 1.34x
Bromley London 7 5.11x
Buckland 7 454.55x
Camberwell 7 1.76x
Chesterfield 7 19.16x
East Budleigh 7 114.75x
Edgbaston 7 14.39x
Hornsey 7 8.89x
Kenwyn 7 38.00x
Leamington Priors 7 18.13x
Lewisham 7 6.18x
Lyneham 7 1521.74x
Monks Coppenhall 7 13.50x
Nettlestead 7 551.18x
Nuneham Courtenay 7 1250.00x
Reading St Mary 7 18.71x
Rothbury 7 263.16x
Westgate 7 12.21x
Witney 7 108.86x
Castleford 6 26.71x
Curbridge 6 465.12x
Lambeth 6 1.11x
Middleton In Oldham 6 27.10x
Newington 6 2.61x
Thorpe Le Fallows 6 4000.00x
Warkworth 6 402.68x
Abingdon St Helen 5 36.60x
Bampton 5 168.35x
Barnack 5 400.00x
Bethnal Green London 5 1.85x
Cadeleigh 5 980.39x
Dursley 5 99.60x
Hedleyhope 5 155.76x
Manchester 5 1.51x
Manningham 5 6.58x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 5 9.04x
Newton In Makerfield 5 22.11x
Shoreditch London 5 1.85x
Southampton All Sts 5 22.84x
St Luke London 5 5.01x
Stokenchurch 5 145.35x
Wolverhampton 5 3.10x
Alnwick 4 25.13x
Clanfield 4 377.36x
Eastdown 4 519.48x
Isleworth 4 14.46x
Kippax 4 73.80x
Maidstone 4 6.32x
Morwick 4 2000.00x
Newton Abbot St Mary 4 36.80x
Sheffield 4 2.04x
Shilton 4 655.74x
Southampton St Mary 4 4.99x
Swinbrook 4 1111.11x
Whitworth 4 29.50x
Chew Stoke 3 202.70x
Ewell 3 46.88x
Henley On Thames 3 38.12x
Keighley 3 4.56x
North Bierley 3 9.01x
St Marylebone London 3 0.90x
Westwell 3 1034.48x
Ystradyfodwg 3 3.16x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 42
William 40
George 31
Thomas 22
Henry 20
James 20
Charles 14
Edward 10
Alfred 9
Walter 9
Joseph 8
Robert 8
Arthur 7
Frederick 7
Richard 7
Albert 6
David 5
Tom 4
Wm. 4
Ernest 3
Sidney 3
Amos 2
Matthew 2
Aaron 1
Andrew 1
Archbold 1
Ben 1
Benjamin 1
Bernard 1
Chas.Edd. 1
Daniel 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
H. 1
Horace 1
Joe 1
Josph. 1
Josph.Henry 1
Leonard 1
Montagu 1
Moses 1
Stephen 1
Valintine 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Baston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Baston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 635 people were recorded with the Baston surname. That placed it at #5,588 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Baston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 600 in 2016. That gives Baston a modern rank of #8,721.

What does the Baston surname mean?

A habitational surname indicating someone who came from an area with a bastide (small town).

What does the Baston map show?

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