NameCensus.

UK surname

Beaton

A Scottish habitational surname derived from a place near Inverness or from the Gaelic word meaning "life."

In the 1881 census there were 3,448 people recorded with the Beaton surname, ranking it #1,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,238, ranked #1,600, down from #1,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Kilfinichen and Iona and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Skye North West, Skye North East and Barra and South Uist.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beaton is 4,266 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.9%.

1881 census count

3,448

Ranked #1,324

Modern count

4,238

2016, ranked #1,600

Peak year

2010

4,266 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beaton had 3,448 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,238 in 2016, ranked #1,600.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,964 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Beaton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beaton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beaton 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 2,134 #1,364
1861 historical 2,346 #1,252
1881 historical 3,448 #1,324
1891 historical 3,693 #1,294
1901 historical 3,964 #1,422
1911 historical 1,199 #3,920
1997 modern 4,001 #1,621
1998 modern 4,115 #1,639
1999 modern 4,166 #1,634
2000 modern 4,179 #1,619
2001 modern 4,042 #1,639
2002 modern 4,143 #1,634
2003 modern 4,055 #1,629
2004 modern 3,995 #1,654
2005 modern 4,045 #1,605
2006 modern 4,012 #1,619
2007 modern 4,050 #1,617
2008 modern 4,090 #1,618
2009 modern 4,214 #1,609
2010 modern 4,266 #1,620
2011 modern 4,197 #1,625
2012 modern 4,096 #1,639
2013 modern 4,162 #1,645
2014 modern 4,225 #1,629
2015 modern 4,223 #1,612
2016 modern 4,238 #1,600

Geography

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Where Beatons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Kilfinichen and Iona, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Old Machar and Fyvie. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Skye North West, Skye North East, Barra and South Uist, Skye South and Benbecula and North Uist. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Kilfinichen and Iona Argyll
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Aberdeen and Old Machar Aberdeen
5 Fyvie Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Skye North West Highland
2 Skye North East Highland
3 Barra and South Uist Na h-Eileanan Siar
4 Skye South Highland
5 Benbecula and North Uist Na h-Eileanan Siar

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beaton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beaton

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Beaton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Beaton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Beaton is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Beaton 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

Beaton falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Beaton

The surname Beaton has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic name "Beathán" or "Beatton," which means "life" or "vigor." The name was particularly prominent in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the counties of Inverness and Nairn.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which list individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "Bethon" in these records.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the Beatons were an influential family in the Western Isles of Scotland. They served as physicians and advisors to the Lords of the Isles, a powerful clan that held significant power in the region.

A notable member of the Beaton family was James Beaton (c. 1473-1539), who served as Archbishop of St Andrews and Lord Chancellor of Scotland. He played a prominent role in the political and religious affairs of Scotland during the reign of King James V.

Another noteworthy figure was David Beaton (1494-1546), who succeeded his uncle James as Archbishop of St Andrews. He was a staunch opponent of the Protestant Reformation in Scotland and was eventually assassinated by a group of Protestant reformers.

In the 16th century, a branch of the Beaton family settled in France, where they became known as the Béton family. One member, Robert Béton (c. 1580-1640), was a renowned architect and engineer who worked on several significant projects, including the construction of the Luxembourg Palace in Paris.

The Beaton surname has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Beaton's Mill in Inverness-shire and Beaton's Burn in Nairn. Additionally, there are alternative spellings of the name, including Beaton, Betton, and Beton.

Other notable individuals with the surname Beaton throughout history include:

1. Ewan Beaton (1876-1913), a Scottish-Canadian poet and journalist. 2. Joseph Beaton (1909-1996), a Canadian painter and artist known for his landscape paintings. 3. William Beaton (1898-1989), a Scottish writer and journalist who wrote extensively about the Highlands. 4. Roderick Beaton (born 1949), a Scottish scholar and writer who has published works on Greek literature and culture. 5. Mary Anne Beaton (1835-1919), a Scottish-Canadian author and educator who wrote about the experiences of Scottish immigrants in Canada.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beaton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beaton 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. Inverness-shire leads with 565 Beatons recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.33x.

County Total Index
Inverness-shire 565 56.33x
Aberdeenshire 362 11.64x
Lanarkshire 331 3.05x
Ross-shire 273 29.60x
Argyllshire 166 17.76x
Renfrewshire 162 6.22x
Middlesex 157 0.47x
Angus 142 4.56x
Midlothian 124 2.76x
Somerset 109 2.02x
Hampshire 84 1.22x
Dunbartonshire 71 7.87x
Surrey 66 0.40x
Lancashire 59 0.15x
Ayrshire 56 2.23x
Banffshire 56 8.04x
Sussex 43 0.76x
Durham 42 0.42x
Yorkshire 40 0.12x
Perthshire 38 2.52x
Stirlingshire 31 2.50x
East Lothian 27 6.07x
Cambridgeshire 26 1.22x
Dorset 25 1.13x
Fife 24 1.21x
Staffordshire 24 0.21x
Kent 23 0.20x
Northumberland 19 0.38x
Montgomeryshire 18 2.34x
Morayshire 18 3.45x
West Lothian 16 3.16x
Roxburghshire 15 2.47x
Derbyshire 14 0.27x
Sutherland 14 5.42x
Cheshire 13 0.18x
Kincardineshire 12 2.93x
Warwickshire 12 0.14x
Cumberland 11 0.38x
Essex 11 0.17x
Worcestershire 9 0.21x
Cornwall 8 0.21x
Glamorgan 8 0.14x
Buteshire 7 3.44x
Clackmannanshire 7 2.52x
Northamptonshire 7 0.22x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.15x
Suffolk 7 0.17x
Huntingdonshire 6 0.90x
Kinross-shire 6 7.07x
Peeblesshire 6 3.80x
Shropshire 6 0.21x
Caithness 5 1.09x
Devon 5 0.07x
Nairnshire 5 4.88x
Selkirkshire 5 1.65x
Gloucestershire 4 0.06x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 0.82x
Monmouthshire 4 0.16x
Wiltshire 4 0.13x
Anglesey 3 0.50x
Merionethshire 3 0.49x
Oxfordshire 3 0.14x
Royal Navy 3 0.75x
Bedfordshire 2 0.12x
Berkshire 1 0.04x
Berwickshire 1 0.25x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.05x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.07x
Channel Islands 1 0.10x
Isle of Man 1 0.16x
Orkney 1 0.27x
Westmorland 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. Snizort in Inverness-shire leads with 137 Beatons recorded in 1881 and an index of 547.56x.

Place Total Index
Snizort 137 547.56x
Govan 118 4.39x
Inverness 103 40.83x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 77 13.23x
Barony 77 2.80x
Fyvie 77 151.69x
Duirinish 73 142.77x
Glasgow 73 3.78x
Kilfinichen 66 285.34x
Applecross 60 231.39x
South Uist 56 80.02x
West Greenock 53 11.34x
Dundee 51 4.39x
Portree 49 132.04x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 45 2.49x
Aberdeen Old Machar 42 6.47x
Abbey 39 9.82x
Stornoway 36 29.95x
Portsea 34 2.52x
Gairloch 33 62.08x
Sleat 33 138.25x
East Greenock 31 12.61x
Kilmuir 31 105.12x
Kilninian Kilmore 30 104.68x
Methlick 29 116.47x
Kilmore Kilbride 26 43.81x
South Leith 26 5.14x
Dumbarton 24 19.11x
New Deer 22 39.07x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 20 4.62x
Shoreditch London 20 1.37x
Kilmorack 19 62.48x
Monifieth 19 17.29x
Inverurie 17 48.32x
Islington London 17 0.52x
Blantyre 16 14.15x
Milborne Port 16 73.94x
Montrose 16 8.48x
Camberwell 15 0.70x
Lochcarron 15 89.50x
Petty 15 85.23x
Whittlesey St Mary St 15 20.19x
Lochbroom 14 29.08x
St Marylebone London 14 0.78x
Bracadale 13 119.38x
Brechin 13 10.63x
Cardross 13 12.00x
Fodderty 13 55.72x
Kilmarnock 13 4.35x
Lambeth 13 0.44x
Llanidloes 13 22.79x
Resolis 13 78.98x
Cromarty 12 48.62x
Havant 12 34.42x
Mains 12 45.39x
Monquhitter 12 37.27x
St Pancras London 12 0.44x
Haddington 11 16.75x
Kilmallie 11 22.87x
Kirkhill 11 64.59x
Mortlach 11 32.33x
Newton On Ayr 11 14.61x
Row 11 9.42x
Carstairs 10 44.44x
Elgin 10 9.85x
Kensington London 10 0.54x
Lamyatt 10 348.43x
New Machar 10 57.24x
Shettleston 10 10.28x
Toxteth Park 10 0.74x
Alyth 9 22.18x
Carnwath 9 13.40x
Combe St Nicholas 9 68.86x
Dunbar 9 14.43x
Minster In Sheppey 9 4.74x
Mirfield 9 4.93x
Mitcham 9 8.70x
Sherborne 9 13.86x
St Fergus 9 51.14x
St Ninians 9 7.33x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Beaton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beaton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,448 people were recorded with the Beaton surname. That placed it at #1,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beaton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,238 in 2016. That gives Beaton a modern rank of #1,600.

What does the Beaton surname mean?

A Scottish habitational surname derived from a place near Inverness or from the Gaelic word meaning "life."

What does the Beaton map show?

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