NameCensus.

UK surname

Charleton

Locational surname referring to someone from any of several places called Charlton.

In the 1881 census there were 171 people recorded with the Charleton surname, ranking it #14,212 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 166, ranked #22,140, down from #14,212 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Elsdon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, East Devon and Darlington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Charleton is 216 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.9%.

1881 census count

171

Ranked #14,212

Modern count

166

2016, ranked #22,140

Peak year

1851

216 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Charleton had 171 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,212 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 166 in 2016, ranked #22,140.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 216 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Charleton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Charleton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Charleton 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 216 #9,818
1861 historical 162 #14,310
1881 historical 171 #14,212
1891 historical 156 #17,842
1901 historical 153 #17,844
1911 historical 128 #19,664
1997 modern 153 #20,868
1998 modern 174 #19,729
1999 modern 187 #18,999
2000 modern 189 #18,860
2001 modern 179 #19,215
2002 modern 179 #19,598
2003 modern 176 #19,623
2004 modern 188 #18,919
2005 modern 182 #19,259
2006 modern 180 #19,526
2007 modern 173 #20,243
2008 modern 175 #20,311
2009 modern 176 #20,632
2010 modern 183 #20,586
2011 modern 176 #20,957
2012 modern 158 #22,460
2013 modern 169 #21,826
2014 modern 170 #21,914
2015 modern 166 #22,159
2016 modern 166 #22,140

Geography

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Where Charletons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Elsdon, Rothbury and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, East Devon, Darlington and Test Valley. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Elsdon Northumberland
4 Rothbury Northumberland
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 007 Northumberland
2 East Devon 003 East Devon
3 Darlington 005 Darlington
4 Test Valley 005 Test Valley
5 Darlington 013 Darlington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Charleton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Charleton

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Charleton is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Charleton 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

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

Meaning and origin of Charleton

The surname Charleton is derived from the Old English word "ceorl" meaning a freeman or husbandman, and the suffix "-tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement. It originated in England and was primarily found in the counties of Dorset and Somerset during the medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cerlentone" and refers to a settlement in Somerset. This suggests that the name was initially used as a place name before evolving into a surname.

In the 13th century, the name was further documented in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it was spelled "Cherletone" and "Cherleton." This reflects the variations in spelling that were common during that time.

Notable individuals with the surname Charleton throughout history include:

1. Sir John Charleton (c. 1292-1374), a prominent English military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He served under King Edward III and was knighted for his bravery in battle.

2. Walter Charleton (1619-1707), an English natural philosopher, physician, and writer. He was one of the first fellows of the Royal Society and published several works on various scientific subjects.

3. Robert Charleton (1809-1872), an English clergyman and author. He wrote extensively on theological and historical topics, including a biography of Oliver Cromwell.

4. Arthur Charleton (1856-1932), a British artist known for his landscape paintings and watercolors. He was a member of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours.

5. Walter Charleton (1866-1935), an English footballer who played as a forward for several clubs, including Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The name Charleton has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Charleton in Somerset, Charlton in Dorset, and Charlton in Kent. These place names likely contributed to the widespread use of the surname across different regions of the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Charleton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Charleton 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. Northumberland leads with 45 Charletons recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.13x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 45 18.13x
Durham 29 5.84x
Lanarkshire 20 3.71x
Lancashire 17 0.86x
Middlesex 9 0.54x
Midlothian 9 4.03x
Yorkshire 9 0.54x
East Lothian 5 22.63x
Cumberland 4 2.79x
Kent 4 0.70x
Hertfordshire 3 2.61x
Essex 2 0.61x
Gloucestershire 2 0.61x
Perthshire 2 2.67x
Shropshire 2 1.39x
Surrey 2 0.25x
Channel Islands 1 2.02x
Devon 1 0.29x
Fife 1 1.01x
Monmouthshire 1 0.83x
Northamptonshire 1 0.64x
Stirlingshire 1 1.63x
Sussex 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 21 Charletons recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.31x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 21 49.31x
Elswick 12 60.58x
Elsdon 11 9166.67x
Glencorse 9 1046.51x
Barony 8 5.86x
Glasgow 6 6.26x
St Pancras London 6 4.47x
Westgate 6 39.04x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 15.90x
Hamilton 5 33.24x
Leeds 5 5.36x
Liverpool 5 4.16x
Ormiston 5 847.46x
Staindrop 5 666.67x
Beckenham 4 53.76x
Coxlodge 4 211.64x
Monkridge 4 8000.00x
Barrow In Furness 3 11.14x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 13.96x
Little Berkhampstead 3 1250.00x
South Dissington 3 10000.00x
Cainham 2 298.51x
Clayton 2 49.51x
Islington London 2 1.24x
Lambeth 2 1.38x
Littleworth 2 625.00x
Muthill 2 204.08x
Ritton White House 2 20000.00x
Salford 2 3.44x
St Cuthbert W O 2 28.57x
Wanstead 2 34.66x
Ashburton 1 60.24x
Camerton 1 500.00x
Chollerton 1 142.86x
Elie 1 256.41x
Govan 1 0.75x
Hastings St Leonards 1 24.21x
Horton In Bradford 1 3.87x
Kensington London 1 1.08x
Kingwater 1 526.32x
Middle Hulton 1 85.47x
Nether Hallam 1 4.47x
Northampton St Giles 1 16.72x
Plashetts Tynehead 1 400.00x
St Helier 1 6.22x
St Woollos 1 7.43x
Stirling 1 12.89x
Tynemouth 1 7.52x
Walton Le Dale 1 18.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Elizabeth 6
Jane 4
Alice 3
Margaret 3
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Isabella 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Ariana 1
Barbara 1
Barbra 1
Cecily 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Ethol 1
Florence 1
H. 1
Hester 1
John 1
Lillian 1
Lilly 1
Lucy 1
Mable 1
Margt.J. 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Rhoda 1
Susan 1
Thomasina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
Thomas 6
Edward 4
George 4
Henry 4
John 4
Robert 3
C. 2
Frederick 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Thos. 2
Alexander 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Collingwood 1
F. 1
Francis 1
G. 1
G.B. 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Michael 1
Percy 1
Petter 1
Sam 1
W. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Charleton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Charleton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 171 people were recorded with the Charleton surname. That placed it at #14,212 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Charleton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 166 in 2016. That gives Charleton a modern rank of #22,140.

What does the Charleton surname mean?

Locational surname referring to someone from any of several places called Charlton.

What does the Charleton map show?

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