NameCensus.

UK surname

Chelton

From an English place name referring to a town in Somerset.

In the 1881 census there were 45 people recorded with the Chelton surname, ranking it #27,314 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 205, ranked #19,250, up from #27,314 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tipton otherwise Tibington, Richmond and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barrow-in-Furness, Castle Point and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chelton is 237 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 355.6%.

1881 census count

45

Ranked #27,314

Modern count

205

2016, ranked #19,250

Peak year

1997

237 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chelton had 45 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,314 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 205 in 2016, ranked #19,250.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 217 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Chelton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chelton surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Chelton 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 103 #16,835
1861 historical 217 #11,220
1881 historical 45 #27,314
1891 historical 169 #16,885
1901 historical 131 #19,552
1911 historical 165 #16,808
1997 modern 237 #15,809
1998 modern 234 #16,404
1999 modern 236 #16,404
2000 modern 223 #16,978
2001 modern 204 #17,736
2002 modern 211 #17,696
2003 modern 207 #17,746
2004 modern 218 #17,230
2005 modern 210 #17,572
2006 modern 210 #17,718
2007 modern 215 #17,633
2008 modern 220 #17,544
2009 modern 220 #17,911
2010 modern 224 #18,047
2011 modern 220 #18,096
2012 modern 209 #18,659
2013 modern 206 #19,153
2014 modern 213 #18,883
2015 modern 208 #19,085
2016 modern 205 #19,250

Geography

Back to top

Where Cheltons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tipton otherwise Tibington, Richmond, London parishes, Ealing, Chiswick and Battersea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barrow-in-Furness, Castle Point and Wakefield. 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 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
2 Richmond Surrey
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 Battersea London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barrow-in-Furness 010 Barrow-in-Furness
2 Barrow-in-Furness 005 Barrow-in-Furness
3 Castle Point 009 Castle Point
4 Barrow-in-Furness 008 Barrow-in-Furness
5 Wakefield 010 Wakefield

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Chelton

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Chelton

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Chelton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Chelton 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Chelton 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

Chelton 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

Chelton falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Chelton

The surname Chelton is of English origin, and it can be traced back to the 14th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English words "celde" and "tun," which together mean "cold town" or "cold settlement." This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name referring to a village or hamlet situated in a cold or exposed area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Chelton can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, a historic record dating back to 1273. In this document, a person named William de Cheldington is mentioned, which is likely an early spelling variation of the surname Chelton.

The name also appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this record, the name is spelled as "Cheldintone," referring to a village in Bedfordshire.

During the 16th century, the surname Chelton emerged more prominently in various historical records. One notable figure from this era was Sir John Chelton (1515-1587), a renowned English lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench from 1578 until his death.

Another prominent individual with the surname Chelton was Richard Chelton (1635-1711), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of Eton College from 1689 to 1711. He was known for his contributions to education and his role in the development of the college's curriculum.

In the 18th century, the surname Chelton was associated with several notable figures in the arts and literature. One such individual was Thomas Chelton (1720-1781), an English poet and playwright who gained recognition for his satirical works and contributions to the literary scene of his time.

Additionally, the name Chelton has been linked to various place names throughout England, such as Chelton Croft in Warwickshire and Chelton Moor in Derbyshire. These place names may have derived from the same linguistic roots as the surname, further reinforcing its connection to geographical locations.

Chelton is a surname with a rich history and deep roots in England, particularly in the counties of Bedfordshire, Warwickshire, and Derbyshire. While its exact origins remain somewhat obscure, the name's association with place names and its appearance in historical records dating back centuries provide insights into its significant presence in English history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Chelton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chelton 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. Staffordshire leads with 10 Cheltons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.75x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 10 6.75x
Surrey 10 4.68x
Middlesex 8 1.82x
Glamorgan 6 7.85x
Lancashire 5 0.96x
Worcestershire 4 6.98x
Cheshire 2 2.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Battersea in Surrey leads with 8 Cheltons recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.54x.

Place Total Index
Battersea 8 49.54x
Ealing 6 153.06x
St Brides Minor 6 4285.71x
Salford 5 32.66x
Tipton 5 110.13x
Oldbury 4 141.84x
Wolstanton Chesterton 4 526.32x
Birkenhead 2 25.91x
Croydon 1 8.42x
Kingswinford 1 18.59x
Lambeth 1 2.61x
St Marylebone London 1 4.27x
Willesden 1 24.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 4
Sarah 4
Anne 2
Ellen 2
(Mrs) 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Ester 1
Georgina 1
Julia 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 7
John 3
James 2
William 2
David 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Frederick 1
Joseph 1
Walter 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Chelton households.

FAQ

Chelton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chelton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 45 people were recorded with the Chelton surname. That placed it at #27,314 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chelton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 205 in 2016. That gives Chelton a modern rank of #19,250.

What does the Chelton surname mean?

From an English place name referring to a town in Somerset.

What does the Chelton map show?

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