NameCensus.

UK surname

Carlton

A locational surname referring to someone from Carlton, derived from Old English for "settlement of free peasants."

In the 1881 census there were 1,537 people recorded with the Carlton surname, ranking it #2,735 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,538, ranked #2,605, up from #2,735 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Darlington and Halifax. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Calderdale, Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall and Ashford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carlton is 2,637 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.1%.

1881 census count

1,537

Ranked #2,735

Modern count

2,538

2016, ranked #2,605

Peak year

2000

2,637 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Carlton had 1,537 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,735 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,538 in 2016, ranked #2,605.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,109 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Carlton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Carlton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Carlton 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 956 #2,903
1861 historical 1,190 #2,383
1881 historical 1,537 #2,735
1891 historical 1,822 #2,521
1901 historical 2,082 #2,577
1911 historical 2,109 #2,370
1997 modern 2,555 #2,480
1998 modern 2,607 #2,511
1999 modern 2,631 #2,508
2000 modern 2,637 #2,494
2001 modern 2,556 #2,511
2002 modern 2,607 #2,524
2003 modern 2,518 #2,550
2004 modern 2,511 #2,561
2005 modern 2,504 #2,534
2006 modern 2,506 #2,542
2007 modern 2,518 #2,552
2008 modern 2,502 #2,580
2009 modern 2,578 #2,576
2010 modern 2,624 #2,591
2011 modern 2,572 #2,602
2012 modern 2,541 #2,587
2013 modern 2,603 #2,573
2014 modern 2,594 #2,594
2015 modern 2,549 #2,609
2016 modern 2,538 #2,605

Geography

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Where Carltons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Darlington, Halifax and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Calderdale, Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall, Ashford, Swale and Johnstone South East. 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 Darlington Durham
3 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
4 London parishes London 3
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Calderdale 013 Calderdale
2 Dunterlie, East Arthurlie and Dovecothall East Renfrewshire
3 Ashford 012 Ashford
4 Swale 015 Swale
5 Johnstone South East Renfrewshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Carlton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Carlton

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Carlton is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Carlton is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Carlton falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Carlton

The surname Carlton originated in England. It is a habitational name derived from any of several places named Carlton, which means "the settlement or farm of the free peasants" in Old English. The name comes from the Old English words "cær" meaning free peasant, and "tun" meaning settlement or farm.

Carlton is an old surname that can be traced back to the 11th century. It is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists landowners and tenants in England after the Norman conquest. Some of the earliest known bearers of the name include William de Carlton, mentioned in records from Yorkshire in 1166, and Ranulph de Carlton, recorded in Oxfordshire in 1273.

Over the centuries, the surname Carlton has been spelled in various ways, including Carleton, Carylton, and Charlton. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

One notable bearer of the surname was Sir Dudley Carlton (1573-1631), an English diplomat and courtier who served as Ambassador to the Netherlands and Venice during the reign of King James I.

Another prominent figure was Guy Carlton (1605-1685), an English Puritan minister and writer who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1638 and later became the minister of the First Church in Boston.

Sir Guy Carleton (1724-1808), later known as Lord Dorchester, was a British Army officer who served as the Governor of Quebec during the American Revolutionary War. He played a significant role in the defense of Canada against the Continental Army's invasion attempts.

George Carlton (1796-1870) was an English industrialist who founded the Carlton Club, a famous gentlemen's club in London that became a gathering place for members of the Conservative Party.

Arthur Carlton (1833-1905) was a British architect best known for designing the Carlton Hotel in London, one of the most prestigious hotels in the city, which opened in 1899.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Carlton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carlton 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. Yorkshire leads with 374 Carltons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.52x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 374 2.52x
Kent 160 3.13x
Middlesex 137 0.91x
Lincolnshire 117 4.88x
Durham 115 2.58x
Lancashire 110 0.62x
Surrey 76 1.04x
Lanarkshire 63 1.30x
Norfolk 62 2.69x
Cambridgeshire 57 6.00x
Cumberland 42 3.25x
Essex 27 0.91x
Northumberland 22 0.99x
Renfrewshire 21 1.81x
Westmorland 21 6.37x
Suffolk 18 0.99x
Midlothian 16 0.80x
Shropshire 14 1.08x
Cheshire 11 0.33x
Gloucestershire 9 0.31x
Hampshire 7 0.23x
Ayrshire 6 0.53x
Huntingdonshire 6 2.02x
Monmouthshire 6 0.55x
Sussex 6 0.24x
Wiltshire 6 0.45x
Angus 5 0.36x
Northamptonshire 4 0.28x
Staffordshire 4 0.08x
Dunbartonshire 3 0.74x
Derbyshire 2 0.09x
Buteshire 1 1.10x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.16x
Channel Islands 1 0.23x
Dorset 1 0.10x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.30x
Leicestershire 1 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.29x
West Lothian 1 0.44x
Worcestershire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Halifax in Yorkshire leads with 38 Carltons recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.42x.

Place Total Index
Halifax 38 17.42x
Darlington 35 20.32x
Manchester 32 4.00x
Barony 19 1.55x
Great Massingham 19 417.58x
Whitstable 19 75.73x
Holy Trinity 17 4.76x
Horton In Bradford 17 7.33x
Govan 16 1.33x
Camberwell 15 1.57x
Lambeth 15 1.15x
Brandon Byshottles 14 25.05x
Nonington 14 343.98x
Hunslet 13 5.61x
Limehouse London 13 7.90x
Pointon 13 577.78x
Richmond 13 56.01x
St Marylebone London 13 1.62x
West Ham 13 1.99x
Glasgow 12 1.39x
Horseheath 12 428.57x
Leeds 12 1.43x
Penrith 12 25.16x
Barrow In Furness 11 4.55x
Sculcoates 11 4.67x
Sheffield 11 2.33x
Shoreditch London 11 1.69x
St Pancras London 11 0.91x
Stetchworth 11 352.56x
Eastry 10 141.04x
Horbury 10 38.48x
Hythe St Leonard 10 55.31x
Newchurch 10 598.80x
Oswestry Town 10 24.11x
Cotherston 9 274.39x
Islington London 9 0.62x
New Sealford 9 182.56x
Poulton Barre 9 44.47x
Sproxton 9 1058.82x
Thames Ditton 9 59.29x
Caldewgate 8 11.31x
Cambuslang 8 16.37x
Everton 8 1.41x
Gateshead 8 2.40x
Hernhill 8 207.25x
Middlesbrough 8 4.14x
Neilston 8 13.72x
Old Monkland 8 4.16x
Old Sleaford 8 296.30x
Shipley 8 10.38x
Spittlegate 8 24.13x
Sutton On Derwent 8 454.55x
Wanstead 8 15.44x
Bedlington 7 9.40x
Brightside Bierlow 7 2.40x
Castle Camps 7 153.51x
Cockerton 7 48.92x
Frieston 7 123.24x
Fulham London 7 3.22x
Guisbrough 7 21.56x
Hingham 7 87.72x
Newington 7 1.26x
Paddington London 7 1.27x
Portsea 7 1.16x
Sibertswold 7 260.22x
Tranmere 7 5.76x
Westminster St James 7 4.54x
Womenswould 7 598.29x
Armley 6 9.16x
Barfreston 6 1000.00x
Brougham 6 394.74x
Frampton 6 132.16x
Hampton London 6 24.35x
Helmington Row 6 28.87x
Houghton Le Spring 6 19.46x
Kings Meaburn 6 645.16x
Milton 6 212.01x
Sandwich St Clement 6 138.89x
St George Hanover Square 6 2.27x
Walmer 6 26.98x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 110
Elizabeth 57
Sarah 54
Jane 40
Ann 29
Annie 26
Margaret 25
Hannah 22
Eliza 21
Ellen 18
Alice 17
Emma 16
Edith 13
Maria 13
Emily 12
Charlotte 10
Louisa 10
Martha 10
Florence 9
Kate 9
Agnes 8
Anne 8
Catherine 8
Ada 7
Caroline 7
Harriet 7
Isabella 6
Betsy 5
Fanny 5
Julia 5
Susan 5
Susannah 5
Clara 4
Harriett 4
Matilda 4
Eleanor 3
Frances 3
Lizzie 3
Maud 3
Rose 3
Ruth 3
Cathrine 2
Elizh. 2
Elizth. 2
Elsie 2
Jemima 2
Judith 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Rachel 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 109
William 84
Thomas 68
George 52
James 33
Charles 31
Henry 28
Joseph 22
Robert 18
Edward 16
Samuel 15
Frederick 14
Richard 12
Alfred 10
Arthur 8
Walter 8
David 7
Francis 7
Stephen 7
Edwin 6
Herbert 6
Albert 5
Benjamin 5
Fred 5
Harry 5
Ernest 4
Matthew 4
Tom 4
Anthony 3
Christopher 3
Daniel 3
Martin 3
Peter 3
Ambrose 2
Edmund 2
Edwd. 2
Frank 2
Isaac 2
Jesse 2
Jno. 2
Mark 2
Philip 2
Saml. 2
Sydney 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Brigham 1
Emily 1
F. 1
Humphrey 1

FAQ

Carlton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Carlton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,537 people were recorded with the Carlton surname. That placed it at #2,735 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Carlton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,538 in 2016. That gives Carlton a modern rank of #2,605.

What does the Carlton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Carlton, derived from Old English for "settlement of free peasants."

What does the Carlton map show?

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