NameCensus.

UK surname

Borton

Derived from a place name meaning "town or settlement by a fort or hill" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 298 people recorded with the Borton surname, ranking it #9,765 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 381, ranked #12,317, down from #9,765 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Aynho and Barton-in-the-Street. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Milton Keynes, Cannock Chase and Cotswold.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Borton is 698 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.9%.

1881 census count

298

Ranked #9,765

Modern count

381

2016, ranked #12,317

Peak year

1861

698 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Borton had 298 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,765 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 381 in 2016, ranked #12,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 698 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Borton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Borton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Borton 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 409 #5,929
1861 historical 698 #3,875
1881 historical 298 #9,765
1891 historical 545 #6,931
1901 historical 449 #8,717
1911 historical 561 #7,180
1997 modern 395 #11,106
1998 modern 413 #11,092
1999 modern 399 #11,463
2000 modern 392 #11,564
2001 modern 376 #11,753
2002 modern 356 #12,449
2003 modern 358 #12,208
2004 modern 355 #12,326
2005 modern 359 #12,143
2006 modern 369 #11,965
2007 modern 359 #12,356
2008 modern 370 #12,182
2009 modern 392 #11,908
2010 modern 404 #11,902
2011 modern 395 #11,966
2012 modern 378 #12,216
2013 modern 381 #12,360
2014 modern 380 #12,449
2015 modern 371 #12,567
2016 modern 381 #12,317

Geography

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Where Bortons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Aynho, Barton-in-the-Street and Cropredy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Milton Keynes, Cannock Chase, Cotswold and South Northamptonshire. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Aynho Northamptonshire
4 Barton-in-the-Street Yorkshire, North Riding
5 Cropredy Oxfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Milton Keynes 002 Milton Keynes
2 Cannock Chase 005 Cannock Chase
3 Cotswold 002 Cotswold
4 South Northamptonshire 009 South Northamptonshire
5 Cannock Chase 007 Cannock Chase

Forenames

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First names often paired with Borton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Borton

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

Borton 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

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

Meaning and origin of Borton

The surname Borton is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from a place called Boreton or Boreaton, which was located in Shropshire. The name itself is composed of two elements: "bore," meaning a small hill or mound, and "tun," meaning a farm or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Borton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry mentions a place called "Boretone," which is believed to be the origin of the surname.

In the 13th century, records show a John de Boreton, who was a landowner in Shropshire. This indicates that the name was well-established in the region by that time. Over the centuries, various spellings of the name emerged, such as Boreaton, Boreton, and Borton.

During the 16th century, the name Borton appeared in the records of the Church of St. Mary in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. One notable entry from 1560 mentions the marriage of Johanna Borton to Thomas Cliffe.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure with the surname Borton was John Borton, a Puritan minister who was born in Shropshire in 1617. He later emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635 and became a prominent figure in the establishment of the church in Warwick, Rhode Island.

Another notable individual with the surname Borton was Sir Arthur Borton (1668-1738), who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1725. He was a successful merchant and played a significant role in the city's governance during his tenure.

In the 18th century, the Borton family had a presence in Staffordshire, as evidenced by the birth records of William Borton (1746-1820) and his brother Thomas Borton (1748-1812), who were both born in the village of Eccleshall.

During the 19th century, the name Borton continued to be found in various parts of England, with records showing individuals bearing the surname in counties such as Shropshire, Staffordshire, and Warwickshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Borton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Borton 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. Warwickshire leads with 51 Bortons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.05x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 51 7.05x
Northamptonshire 50 18.54x
Middlesex 45 1.57x
Oxfordshire 30 16.94x
Kent 16 1.64x
Lincolnshire 10 2.18x
Herefordshire 9 7.65x
Cheshire 8 1.26x
Yorkshire 8 0.28x
Buckinghamshire 7 4.04x
Essex 7 1.24x
Lancashire 7 0.21x
Wiltshire 7 2.76x
Berkshire 6 2.79x
Hampshire 6 1.02x
Staffordshire 6 0.62x
Sussex 5 1.03x
Surrey 4 0.29x
Bedfordshire 3 2.02x
Durham 3 0.35x
Gloucestershire 1 0.18x
Hertfordshire 1 0.51x
Leicestershire 1 0.31x
Royal Navy 1 2.93x
Shropshire 1 0.40x
Suffolk 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aynho in Northamptonshire leads with 28 Bortons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5090.91x.

Place Total Index
Aynho 28 5090.91x
Kensington London 13 8.15x
Ramsgate 11 68.88x
Hillingdon 9 98.47x
Thornbury 9 3913.04x
Bourton 8 1632.65x
Newhall In Nantwich 8 1142.86x
Ufton 8 4000.00x
Badby 7 1320.75x
Dogdyke 7 3333.33x
Wanstead 7 70.64x
Aston 6 3.01x
Malmesbury St Paul 6 275.23x
Shoreditch London 6 4.83x
Tilehurst 6 137.93x
Worsley 6 28.60x
Chipping Warden 5 1282.05x
Coventry Holy Trinity 5 23.15x
Hanwell 5 2000.00x
Northampton St Sepulchre 5 36.44x
Portsea 5 4.34x
Sherington 5 847.46x
St George Bloomsbury 5 30.40x
Barton Le Street 4 2500.00x
Birmingham 4 1.66x
Caversham 4 112.99x
Chelsea London 4 4.63x
Dunchurch 4 404.04x
Eastbourne 4 17.98x
Polesworth 4 116.62x
Warwick St Nicholas 4 75.47x
Wigginton 4 487.80x
Carlton 3 638.30x
Coventry St Michael 3 12.91x
Cropredy 3 555.56x
Croughton 3 508.47x
Foleshill 3 39.42x
Harbrough Magna 3 882.35x
Skirbeck 3 116.73x
Stoke Lyne 3 555.56x
Faversham 2 21.44x
Hook Norton 2 165.29x
Lambeth 2 0.80x
Monks Kirby 2 125.79x
Neithrop 2 33.61x
Oxford St Ebbe 2 38.39x
Paddington London 2 1.90x
Stockton On Tees 2 4.86x
Alcester 1 41.84x
Brighton 1 1.03x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 1 15.24x
Camberwell 1 0.55x
Canterbury Christchurch 1 454.55x
Canterbury St Andrew 1 243.90x
Condover 1 57.47x
Cottingham 1 16.34x
E Adderbury 1 112.36x
East Barnet 1 25.51x
Fenny Compton 1 172.41x
Hammersmith London 1 1.42x
Hampstead London 1 2.24x
Horninglow 1 21.93x
Islington London 1 0.36x
Leicester St Mary 1 3.89x
Lower Boddington 1 434.78x
Ludgershall 1 208.33x
Northowram 1 5.02x
Oundle 1 33.11x
Pittington 1 41.67x
Portsmouth 1 7.39x
Royal Navy 1 3.42x
Skelton In York 1 322.58x
Stroud 1 9.13x
Swinton Broughton In 1 222.22x
Twickenham 1 8.13x
Warwick St Mary 1 15.92x
Westminster St Margaret 1 7.23x
Withnell 1 47.85x
Wooburn 1 41.84x
Wycombe 1 7.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 20
Henry 14
Charles 11
James 11
John 9
Frederick 7
George 7
Thomas 7
Edward 6
Herbert 5
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Joseph 4
Albert 3
Richard 3
Ernest 2
Matthew 2
Walter 2
Alfd. 1
Allan 1
Anthony 1
Daniel 1
Edmund 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.C. 1
Fredrick 1
Hannah 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Hebden 1
Horace 1
Jame 1
Jas. 1
Joe 1
Lawrance 1
Neville 1
Oliver 1
Philip 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Borton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Borton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 298 people were recorded with the Borton surname. That placed it at #9,765 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Borton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 381 in 2016. That gives Borton a modern rank of #12,317.

What does the Borton surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "town or settlement by a fort or hill" in Old English.

What does the Borton map show?

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