NameCensus.

UK surname

Boughton

A habitational surname derived from various places in England, likely referring to a settlement near a bow-shaped hill.

In the 1881 census there were 1,235 people recorded with the Boughton surname, ranking it #3,279 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,385, ranked #4,367, down from #3,279 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, London parishes and East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gloucester, St Edmundsbury and Chichester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boughton is 1,722 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.1%.

1881 census count

1,235

Ranked #3,279

Modern count

1,385

2016, ranked #4,367

Peak year

1911

1,722 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boughton had 1,235 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,279 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,385 in 2016, ranked #4,367.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,722 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Boughton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boughton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boughton 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 775 #3,450
1861 historical 1,048 #2,675
1881 historical 1,235 #3,279
1891 historical 1,403 #3,103
1901 historical 1,635 #3,155
1911 historical 1,722 #2,845
1997 modern 1,497 #3,914
1998 modern 1,546 #3,946
1999 modern 1,567 #3,934
2000 modern 1,526 #4,006
2001 modern 1,491 #4,005
2002 modern 1,520 #4,026
2003 modern 1,479 #4,047
2004 modern 1,490 #4,028
2005 modern 1,454 #4,065
2006 modern 1,420 #4,146
2007 modern 1,420 #4,184
2008 modern 1,445 #4,153
2009 modern 1,458 #4,205
2010 modern 1,465 #4,262
2011 modern 1,422 #4,316
2012 modern 1,395 #4,321
2013 modern 1,417 #4,327
2014 modern 1,400 #4,397
2015 modern 1,388 #4,380
2016 modern 1,385 #4,367

Geography

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Where Boughtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, London parishes, East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gloucester, St Edmundsbury, Chichester and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gloucester 009 Gloucester
2 St Edmundsbury 005 St Edmundsbury
3 Chichester 013 Chichester
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 002 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 St Edmundsbury 006 St Edmundsbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boughton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boughton

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Boughton 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

Boughton is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Boughton

The surname Boughton originates from England, where it first emerged as a habitational name in the medieval period. Derived from the Old English words "burg" meaning a fortified town or manor, and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement, the name refers to someone who hailed from one of the numerous places named Boughton across England.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions individuals bearing the name Boughton in various counties such as Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, and Kent. The name's prevalence in these areas suggests that it may have originated from settlements with the same name, such as Boughton in Northamptonshire or Boughton Malherbe in Kent.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various historical documents, including the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which lists a Richard de Boughton. Similarly, the Feet of Fines for Essex from 1292 mentions a John de Boughton, indicating the widespread distribution of the name across England during this period.

One of the earliest recorded individuals to bear the name was Sir John de Boughton (c. 1300-1365), a prominent English knight and landowner from Boughton in Northamptonshire. He served as the High Sheriff of Northamptonshire and Rutland in 1349 and held significant estates in the region.

Another notable figure was Sir William Boughton (c. 1411-1483), a member of the English gentry from Boughton Malherbe in Kent. He served as the High Sheriff of Kent in 1455 and played a role in the Wars of the Roses, supporting the Yorkist cause.

In the 16th century, Sir Thomas Boughton (c. 1480-1540) was a prominent English politician and landowner from Boughton Malherbe. He served as the High Sheriff of Kent in 1515 and was a member of Parliament for the constituency of Kent in 1529.

The name Boughton also has a connection to literary figures, such as the poet and courtier Sir John Boughton (c. 1555-1624), who was born in Boughton Malherbe and served as a member of Parliament for the constituency of Kent in 1597 and 1601.

Another notable individual was Edward Boughton (1590-1668), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Surrey from 1635 until his death. He wrote several religious works, including "A Prospective Glass for Christians" and "A Summe of the Christian Religion."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boughton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boughton 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. Middlesex leads with 171 Boughtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.42x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 171 1.42x
Surrey 127 2.16x
Gloucestershire 115 4.86x
Buckinghamshire 113 15.49x
Kent 107 2.60x
Norfolk 77 4.15x
Northamptonshire 71 6.26x
Warwickshire 61 2.00x
Staffordshire 47 1.15x
Worcestershire 45 2.86x
Suffolk 41 2.79x
Lancashire 36 0.25x
Lincolnshire 29 1.50x
Yorkshire 25 0.21x
Bedfordshire 22 3.52x
Sussex 22 1.08x
Devon 17 0.68x
Shropshire 13 1.25x
Leicestershire 12 0.90x
Durham 11 0.31x
Hampshire 11 0.44x
Hertfordshire 9 1.08x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.55x
Oxfordshire 8 1.07x
Glamorgan 7 0.33x
Berkshire 4 0.44x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.79x
Derbyshire 4 0.21x
Herefordshire 3 0.61x
Huntingdonshire 3 1.25x
Wiltshire 3 0.28x
Cheshire 2 0.08x
Radnorshire 2 2.05x
Rutland 2 2.26x
Dorset 1 0.13x
Essex 1 0.04x
Somerset 1 0.05x
Westmorland 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 35 Boughtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.45x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 35 3.45x
Lambeth 32 3.04x
Fulham London 24 13.71x
Westbury On Severn East 22 41.12x
Clent 18 434.78x
Pulham St Mary Magdalen 18 386.27x
St Pancras London 18 1.85x
Peterborough 16 19.47x
Stamford Baron St Martin 16 263.16x
Aston 15 1.79x
Islington London 15 1.28x
Kensington London 15 2.24x
Aylesbury 14 43.30x
Bury St Edmunds St James 13 33.11x
Fenny Stratford 13 188.41x
Great Ashfield 13 792.68x
Wotton St Mary 13 105.86x
Bow London 12 7.81x
Folkestone 12 15.03x
Luton 12 11.09x
St Martin Lincoln 12 67.04x
Challock 11 748.30x
Clapham 11 7.29x
East Claydon 11 780.14x
Lyminge 11 310.73x
Padbury 11 502.28x
Stoke 11 39.65x
Cobham 10 103.63x
Elmsted 10 558.66x
St Giles In Fields London 10 16.89x
Swanbourne 10 502.51x
Westbury On Severn 10 106.61x
Battersea 9 2.03x
Burnham Westgate 9 225.00x
Finchley 9 19.46x
Heigham 9 9.04x
Ince In Makerfield 9 13.51x
Kingswinford 9 6.09x
Shoreditch London 9 1.72x
Woolaston 9 251.40x
Adstock 8 551.72x
Caversham 8 53.66x
Hammersmith London 8 2.69x
Little Plumstead 8 588.24x
Loughton 8 597.01x
Newton In Makerfield 8 18.24x
Portsea 8 1.65x
Shrewsbury St Julian 8 31.02x
St George Hanover Square 8 3.76x
Camberwell 7 0.91x
Chartham 7 68.23x
Deptford St Paul 7 2.20x
Eastbourne 7 7.48x
Esher 7 85.05x
Great Yarmouth 7 4.55x
Guildford Holy Trinity 7 62.44x
Kings Cliffe 7 132.33x
Newton Longville 7 358.97x
Rickmansworth 7 30.57x
St Botolph Lincoln 7 50.47x
Stapleton 7 15.59x
Thames Ditton 7 57.33x
Wandsworth 7 6.03x
West Bromwich 7 3.00x
Wolverhampton 7 2.24x
Worcester St John 7 37.19x
Abthorpe 6 315.79x
Chelsea London 6 1.65x
Cheltenham 6 3.29x
Everdon 6 257.51x
Handsworth 6 5.98x
Kings Norton 6 4.25x
Mitcheldean 6 204.08x
Snenton 6 9.39x
Stony Stratford West 6 119.52x
Thetford St Cuthbert 6 89.42x
Brotton 5 32.03x
Leeds 5 0.74x
Westminster St John 5 3.40x
Wolstanton 5 4.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 66
Sarah 43
Elizabeth 32
Jane 31
Ellen 23
Ann 21
Alice 17
Annie 17
Emily 17
Emma 16
Caroline 13
Eliza 13
Louisa 12
Maria 11
Charlotte 10
Esther 10
Florence 10
Harriet 10
Kate 9
Ada 8
Lucy 8
Edith 7
Hannah 7
Catherine 6
Clara 6
Rose 6
Susan 6
Anne 5
Margaret 5
Amy 4
Harriett 4
Laura 4
Lizzie 4
Martha 4
Sophia 4
Agnes 3
Elizth. 3
Ethel 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Hellen 3
Minnie 3
Rosa 3
Susanna 3
Susannah 3
Violet 3
Amelia 2
Matilda 2
Nellie 2
Rebecca 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 81
William 68
Thomas 40
George 37
Charles 36
Henry 31
Joseph 24
Robert 23
James 20
Alfred 18
Arthur 17
Frederick 16
Edward 15
Richard 15
Harry 14
Walter 13
Ernest 12
Samuel 9
Albert 8
Herbert 7
Frank 6
Benjamin 5
Edmund 4
Francis 4
Stephen 4
Abraham 3
Cecil 3
David 3
Fred 3
Fredk. 3
Jesse 3
Sidney 3
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Harvey 2
Horace 2
Ivan 2
Jacob 2
Louis 2
Perridge 2
Richd. 2
T. 2
Thos. 2
Titus 2
Tom 2
Boughton 1
Caleb 1
Edmond 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1

FAQ

Boughton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boughton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,235 people were recorded with the Boughton surname. That placed it at #3,279 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boughton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,385 in 2016. That gives Boughton a modern rank of #4,367.

What does the Boughton surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from various places in England, likely referring to a settlement near a bow-shaped hill.

What does the Boughton map show?

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