NameCensus.

UK surname

Chatburn

A locational surname originating from a place in Lancashire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 359 people recorded with the Chatburn surname, ranking it #8,614 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 457, ranked #10,690, down from #8,614 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ribble Valley, Rochdale and South Ribble.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chatburn is 504 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.3%.

1881 census count

359

Ranked #8,614

Modern count

457

2016, ranked #10,690

Peak year

1911

504 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chatburn had 359 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,614 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 457 in 2016, ranked #10,690.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 504 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Chatburn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chatburn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chatburn 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 254 #8,683
1861 historical 215 #11,316
1881 historical 359 #8,614
1891 historical 404 #8,802
1901 historical 471 #8,420
1911 historical 504 #7,787
1997 modern 457 #9,957
1998 modern 464 #10,169
1999 modern 473 #10,069
2000 modern 486 #9,837
2001 modern 472 #9,873
2002 modern 475 #10,014
2003 modern 470 #9,924
2004 modern 456 #10,188
2005 modern 458 #10,077
2006 modern 454 #10,180
2007 modern 464 #10,113
2008 modern 466 #10,162
2009 modern 473 #10,269
2010 modern 468 #10,550
2011 modern 464 #10,524
2012 modern 440 #10,849
2013 modern 438 #11,071
2014 modern 440 #11,107
2015 modern 451 #10,801
2016 modern 457 #10,690

Geography

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Where Chatburns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Bradford, Keighley and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ribble Valley, Rochdale and South Ribble. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ribble Valley 003 Ribble Valley
2 Ribble Valley 002 Ribble Valley
3 Rochdale 022 Rochdale
4 Rochdale 018 Rochdale
5 South Ribble 008 South Ribble

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chatburn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chatburn

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Chatburn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Chatburn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Chatburn is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Chatburn 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

Chatburn falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Chatburn

The surname Chatburn has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from a place name in Lancashire, England. The name is thought to come from the Old English words "cet" meaning a rough hut or cottage, and "burna" meaning a stream or brook.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Chatburn can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1246, where a Robert de Chetteburn is mentioned. This suggests that the name was likely derived from a place called "Chetteburn" or "Chetburn" in Lancashire, which may have referred to a settlement near a stream or brook with a rough hut or cottage nearby.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in several historical documents, including the Court Rolls of the Manor of Tottington in Lancashire, where a Henry de Chetburn is recorded in 1322. The Chatburn family is also mentioned in the Whalley Coucher Book, a cartulary of the Cistercian abbey of Whalley in Lancashire, dating from the same period.

Notable individuals with the surname Chatburn include Thomas Chatburn (c. 1590-1654), an English clergyman and author who served as Rector of Harpley in Norfolk. Another notable figure is John Chatburn (1642-1687), a Quaker minister and writer from Lancashire, who was imprisoned for his religious beliefs during the reign of Charles II.

In the 18th century, James Chatburn (1720-1787) was a prominent English antiquarian and collector from Yorkshire. He amassed a significant collection of manuscripts, books, and antiquities, which were later acquired by the British Museum.

During the 19th century, William Chatburn (1807-1877) was a notable English architect and surveyor from Lancashire. He designed several churches and public buildings in the region, including the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Bury, Lancashire.

Throughout its history, the surname Chatburn has maintained a strong presence in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, reflecting its origins as a locational name from that region of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chatburn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chatburn 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. Lancashire leads with 192 Chatburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.62x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 192 4.62x
Yorkshire 154 4.44x
Lincolnshire 5 0.89x
Essex 2 0.29x
Northumberland 2 0.38x
Cumberland 1 0.33x
Hampshire 1 0.14x
Warwickshire 1 0.11x
Worcestershire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chatburn in Lancashire leads with 43 Chatburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 4623.66x.

Place Total Index
Chatburn 43 4623.66x
Keighley 26 70.29x
Clitheroe 21 171.71x
Stansfield 21 164.45x
Erringden 15 669.64x
Blackburn 14 12.66x
Preston 14 12.59x
Northowram 12 49.32x
Horton In Bradford 11 20.30x
Newchurch 11 32.36x
Todmorden Walsden 11 98.83x
Manchester 9 4.82x
Radcliffe 9 44.93x
Shelf 9 271.90x
Heptonstall 7 143.74x
Ovenden 7 45.34x
Rishton 7 143.74x
Royton 7 55.07x
Wiswell 7 786.52x
Clayton 6 70.67x
Idle 6 37.29x
Langfield 6 98.85x
Elton 5 34.82x
Great Grimsby 5 14.07x
Rastrick 5 51.87x
Burnley 4 11.43x
Hipperholme Cum 4 26.23x
Little Lever 4 75.33x
Atherton 3 19.83x
Bradford 3 3.57x
Clayton Le Moors 3 37.22x
Liverpool 3 1.19x
Lockwood 3 24.04x
Thornton In Bradford 3 25.97x
Toxteth Park 3 2.13x
Bellingham 2 229.89x
Bowling 2 5.82x
Great Harwood 2 26.63x
Great Little Marsden 2 10.50x
Oldham 2 1.49x
Oswaldtwistle 2 13.62x
Pendleton In Clitheroe 2 127.39x
Wadsworth 2 35.40x
Wardleworth 2 8.42x
West Ham 2 1.31x
Aldershot 1 4.16x
Brampton 1 24.21x
Eccleshill 1 11.85x
Gargrave 1 64.52x
Leeds 1 0.51x
Manningham 1 2.34x
Newton 1 3.12x
Nuneaton 1 9.78x
Padiham 1 9.96x
South Crosland 1 27.40x
Southowram 1 9.44x
Yardley 1 8.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Sarah 21
Ellen 14
Alice 13
Ann 10
Jane 9
Elizabeth 8
Hannah 6
Margaret 5
Betty 4
Catherine 4
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Esther 3
Fanny 3
Grace 3
Harriet 3
Martha 3
Susannah 3
Clara 2
Matilda 2
Ruth 2
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Anice 1
Appelonia 1
B.Jane 1
Beatrice 1
Betcy 1
Betsy 1
Charlot 1
Charlotte 1
Christanna 1
Emily 1
Francis 1
Harriot 1
Helena 1
Ida 1
Isabella 1
Isabellsa 1
Janey 1
Julia 1
Louisa 1
Margret 1
Nora 1
Rhoda 1
Rosalie 1
Rosie 1
Violetta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 27
Thomas 17
William 17
James 15
George 6
Joseph 6
Sam 6
Albert 5
Arthur 4
Harry 4
Richard 4
David 3
Edward 3
Fred 3
Henry 3
Jonas 3
Martin 3
Robert 3
Ambrose 2
Benjamin 2
Bramwell 2
Enoch 2
Joshua 2
Willie 2
Zimri 2
Alfred 1
Bartle 1
Charles 1
Edith 1
Eli 1
Ellis 1
Ezra 1
Foster 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Humphrey 1
J.W. 1
Jno.E. 1
Math. 1
Nathan 1
Peter 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Squire 1
Sutcliffe 1
Walker 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Chatburn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chatburn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 359 people were recorded with the Chatburn surname. That placed it at #8,614 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chatburn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 457 in 2016. That gives Chatburn a modern rank of #10,690.

What does the Chatburn surname mean?

A locational surname originating from a place in Lancashire, England.

What does the Chatburn map show?

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