UK surname
A French surname derived from the staff or baton carried by an official.
In the 1881 census there were 78 people recorded with the Baton surname, ranking it #22,500 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 16, ranked #36,998, down from #22,500 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Lambeth and Doddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Baton is 287 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 79.5%.
1881 census count
78
Ranked #22,500
Modern count
16
2016, ranked #36,998
Peak year
1861
287 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Baton surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Baton surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 56 | #23,235 |
| 1861 | historical | 287 | #8,773 |
| 1881 | historical | 78 | #22,500 |
| 1891 | historical | 106 | #23,105 |
| 1901 | historical | 39 | #29,799 |
| 1911 | historical | 34 | #29,600 |
| 1997 | modern | 35 | #34,174 |
| 1998 | modern | 29 | #34,948 |
| 1999 | modern | 29 | #35,031 |
| 2000 | modern | 23 | #35,588 |
| 2001 | modern | 15 | #36,265 |
| 2002 | modern | 13 | #36,570 |
| 2003 | modern | 18 | #36,115 |
| 2004 | modern | 16 | #36,439 |
| 2005 | modern | 19 | #36,247 |
| 2006 | modern | 17 | #36,517 |
| 2007 | modern | 19 | #36,450 |
| 2008 | modern | 19 | #36,534 |
| 2009 | modern | 20 | #36,534 |
| 2010 | modern | 20 | #36,599 |
| 2011 | modern | 21 | #36,502 |
| 2012 | modern | 11 | #37,394 |
| 2013 | modern | 13 | #37,224 |
| 2014 | modern | 14 | #37,161 |
| 2015 | modern | 14 | #37,157 |
| 2016 | modern | 16 | #36,998 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Lambeth, Doddington, Harwich St Nicholas and Childwall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 2 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 3 | Doddington | Cambridgeshire |
| 4 | Harwich St Nicholas | Essex |
| 5 | Childwall | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Baton surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Baton, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Baton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Baton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Baton is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Baton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Baton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Baton is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "baston," meaning a staff or stick. It is believed to have emerged as a surname in the northern regions of France during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Baton can be found in the Cartulaire de Saint-Denis, a collection of medieval charters from the Abbey of Saint-Denis near Paris, dating back to the late 12th century. This document mentions a certain "Robertus Baton" as a witness to a land transaction.
In the 13th century, the name appears in records from the County of Champagne, such as the Livre des Fiefs de la Prévôté de Reims, which lists several individuals with the surname Baton holding fiefs or land grants from the local nobility.
The name Baton may have originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who carried a staff or baton as part of their occupation, such as a constable, bailiff, or messenger. Alternatively, it could have been derived from a place name containing the word "baton" or a similar term.
One notable figure bearing the surname Baton was Jean Baton (c. 1510-1570), a French composer and music theorist from the Renaissance period, known for his contributions to the development of polyphonic music and his treatises on music theory.
Another historical figure was Guillaume Baton (c. 1590-1650), a French architect and engineer who worked on several notable construction projects in Paris, including the Pont Neuf bridge and the Palais du Luxembourg.
In the 17th century, the name Baton appeared in records from the British Isles, likely as a result of French immigration or trade connections. One example is John Baton (c. 1625-1699), an English merchant and parliamentarian who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1692.
As the name spread across Europe and beyond, variations in spelling emerged, such as Batten, Batton, and Baton. One notable bearer of this variant was William Batten (1604-1667), an English naval officer who served as a Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy during the Anglo-Dutch Wars.
Another figure worth mentioning is Henri Baton (1853-1924), a French astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to celestial mechanics and the study of comets and asteroids.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Baton surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Surrey leads with 13 Batons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.30x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Surrey | 13 | 3.30x |
| Derbyshire | 10 | 7.89x |
| Middlesex | 9 | 1.11x |
| Ayrshire | 8 | 13.21x |
| Somerset | 7 | 5.37x |
| Roxburghshire | 6 | 40.93x |
| Staffordshire | 6 | 2.20x |
| Channel Islands | 5 | 20.84x |
| Warwickshire | 5 | 2.45x |
| Durham | 4 | 1.66x |
| Midlothian | 3 | 2.77x |
| Essex | 2 | 1.25x |
| Berwickshire | 1 | 10.20x |
| Devon | 1 | 0.59x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.60x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.80x |
| Worcestershire | 1 | 0.95x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Galston in Ayrshire leads with 8 Batons recorded in 1881 and an index of 481.93x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Galston | 8 | 481.93x |
| Combe Florey | 7 | 7777.78x |
| Newington | 7 | 23.41x |
| Ashkirk | 6 | 4285.71x |
| Clowne | 6 | 1200.00x |
| Penge | 6 | 116.05x |
| Aston | 5 | 8.90x |
| St Helier | 5 | 64.02x |
| Tipton | 5 | 59.74x |
| Dawdon | 4 | 135.14x |
| Dronfield | 4 | 246.91x |
| Shoreditch London | 3 | 8.55x |
| Islington London | 2 | 2.55x |
| Rainham | 2 | 571.43x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 4.63x |
| Clerkenwell London | 1 | 5.23x |
| Ditchingham | 1 | 333.33x |
| Inveresk | 1 | 34.01x |
| Kidderminster Foreign | 1 | 67.11x |
| Lauder | 1 | 185.19x |
| North Leith | 1 | 19.92x |
| Plymouth Charles The | 1 | 13.48x |
| South Leith | 1 | 8.20x |
| South Warnborough | 1 | 1111.11x |
| Stoke Newington London | 1 | 15.85x |
| Stoke Upon Trent | 1 | 3.45x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Baton surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Baton surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Baton households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 9 |
| Ag Lab | 2 |
| Agricultural Laborer | 2 |
| General Servant | 2 |
| Agri Laborer | 1 |
| Carman | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Chemical Blacksmith | 1 |
| Coachman | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| General Domestic | 1 |
| Goldsmiths Porter | 1 |
| Joiner | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Laundry Man | 1 |
| Miller | 1 |
| Railway Porter | 1 |
| Solicitors Apprentice | 1 |
| Steel Planer | 1 |
| Telegraph Boy (C S M) | 1 |
| Warehousewoman (P) | 1 |
| Wire Drawer | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 78 people were recorded with the Baton surname. That placed it at #22,500 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 16 in 2016. That gives Baton a modern rank of #36,998.
A French surname derived from the staff or baton carried by an official.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Baton bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.