NameCensus.

UK surname

Chilton

A locational surname referring to various places in England meaning "town by a spring or stream."

In the 1881 census there were 2,404 people recorded with the Chilton surname, ranking it #1,852 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,488, ranked #1,942, down from #1,852 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Dawley, Magna and Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Richmondshire, Dudley and Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Chilton is 3,831 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.1%.

1881 census count

2,404

Ranked #1,852

Modern count

3,488

2016, ranked #1,942

Peak year

1999

3,831 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Chilton had 2,404 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,852 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,488 in 2016, ranked #1,942.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,591 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Chilton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Chilton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Chilton 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 1,356 #2,118
1861 historical 1,374 #2,081
1881 historical 2,404 #1,852
1891 historical 2,586 #1,838
1901 historical 3,235 #1,727
1911 historical 3,591 #1,455
1997 modern 3,580 #1,809
1998 modern 3,817 #1,769
1999 modern 3,831 #1,771
2000 modern 3,784 #1,783
2001 modern 3,689 #1,788
2002 modern 3,754 #1,806
2003 modern 3,698 #1,790
2004 modern 3,658 #1,810
2005 modern 3,545 #1,846
2006 modern 3,498 #1,869
2007 modern 3,509 #1,877
2008 modern 3,514 #1,890
2009 modern 3,609 #1,889
2010 modern 3,660 #1,904
2011 modern 3,565 #1,930
2012 modern 3,504 #1,927
2013 modern 3,576 #1,912
2014 modern 3,609 #1,903
2015 modern 3,557 #1,917
2016 modern 3,488 #1,942

Geography

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Where Chiltons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Dawley, Magna, Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Dudley and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Richmondshire, Dudley, Sandwell, Newcastle upon Tyne and South Staffordshire. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Dawley, Magna Shropshire
3 Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors Shropshire
4 Dudley Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Richmondshire 006 Richmondshire
2 Dudley 018 Dudley
3 Sandwell 022 Sandwell
4 Newcastle upon Tyne 021 Newcastle upon Tyne
5 South Staffordshire 007 South Staffordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Chilton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Chilton

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Chilton is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Chilton is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Chilton falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Chilton

The surname Chilton is of English origin and can be traced back to the 11th century. It is a locational name derived from any of several places called Chilton, found in various counties across England, such as Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Suffolk. The name is a combination of the Old English words "cild" meaning "child" and "tun" meaning "town" or "settlement", suggesting it was originally a place inhabited by children or young people.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Chilton appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Cilitone" in Buckinghamshire. This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides a comprehensive record of landholdings and settlements throughout England at the time.

In the 13th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir Roger de Chilton, a knight from Oxfordshire who fought in the Crusades. He is recorded in the Roll of Arms of the 13th century, a collection of heraldic arms used by knights and nobles during that period.

Another significant figure was Sir Thomas Chilton (c.1500-1566), a Member of Parliament for Devizes in Wiltshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He played a role in the establishment of the Church of England and was a prominent landowner in the region.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in various spellings, including Chelton, Chylton, and Chillington. One such individual was John Chilton (1614-1692), an English Puritan minister and author who emigrated to New England and served as a pastor in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

Moving into the 18th century, a notable bearer of the name was James Chilton (1723-1796), an English engraver and artist known for his landscape and architectural etchings. His works documented many historical buildings and sites in England during that era.

As the name spread across different parts of England, it also became associated with various place names, such as Chilton Candover in Hampshire, Chilton Polden in Somerset, and Chilton Trinity in Bridgwater, Somerset.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Chilton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Chilton 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 309 Chiltons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.90x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 309 3.90x
Middlesex 253 1.08x
Buckinghamshire 222 15.65x
Durham 211 3.02x
Yorkshire 203 0.87x
Shropshire 135 6.66x
Lancashire 127 0.46x
Worcestershire 102 3.33x
Surrey 100 0.87x
Northumberland 95 2.72x
Nottinghamshire 81 2.56x
Kent 58 0.72x
Oxfordshire 46 3.17x
Warwickshire 40 0.68x
Gloucestershire 37 0.80x
Lincolnshire 37 0.99x
Essex 35 0.76x
Hertfordshire 33 2.04x
Leicestershire 32 1.23x
Derbyshire 31 0.84x
Berkshire 29 1.65x
Brecknockshire 27 5.75x
Wiltshire 25 1.20x
Cheshire 19 0.37x
Cumberland 17 0.84x
Bedfordshire 13 1.07x
Denbighshire 13 1.47x
Hampshire 13 0.27x
Northamptonshire 12 0.54x
Sussex 11 0.28x
Devon 8 0.16x
Lanarkshire 6 0.08x
Monmouthshire 6 0.35x
Pembrokeshire 6 0.80x
Flintshire 5 0.79x
Somerset 3 0.08x
Midlothian 2 0.06x
Norfolk 2 0.06x
Cornwall 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 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. Dudley in Worcestershire leads with 71 Chiltons recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.05x.

Place Total Index
Dudley 71 19.05x
Dawley 56 75.90x
Princes Risborough 47 247.24x
Wolverhampton 47 7.72x
Cannock 45 32.55x
Stone 38 37.50x
Wycombe 36 34.03x
Stoke Upon Trent 30 3.57x
St Marylebone London 28 2.23x
Lambeth 27 1.32x
Darlington 26 9.64x
Paddington London 24 2.78x
Wellington 24 21.06x
Llanelly 23 40.95x
Dawdon 20 23.29x
Hughenden 20 138.03x
Knockholt 19 297.34x
Heston 18 23.09x
West Ham 17 1.66x
Ford 16 76.48x
St Pancras London 16 0.85x
Newburn Hall 15 227.96x
Oldbury 15 9.95x
Battersea 14 1.62x
Bedlington 14 12.01x
Hayes 14 58.46x
Manchester 14 1.12x
Middlesbrough 14 4.62x
West Bromwich 14 3.09x
Barrow In Furness 13 3.43x
Basford 13 8.92x
Birmingham 13 0.66x
Chenies 13 416.67x
Chorlton On Medlock 13 2.94x
Leicester St Margaret 13 2.05x
Stockton On Tees 13 3.86x
Dearham 12 45.01x
Lilleshall 12 38.71x
Reading St Giles 12 6.94x
Tenbury 12 71.51x
Wednesbury 12 6.06x
Berkhampstead 11 30.24x
Chesham 11 21.04x
Elswick 11 3.95x
Gateshead 11 2.10x
Hammersmith London 11 1.90x
Norton 11 42.85x
Rickmansworth 11 24.70x
Southwark St George Martyr 11 2.33x
Tunstall 11 31.65x
Aldershot 10 6.21x
Aston 10 0.61x
Bishopwearmouth 10 1.67x
Bow London 10 3.35x
Burntwood Edial 10 19.76x
Burton Upon Trent 10 5.40x
Charlton Next Woolwich 10 11.97x
Croydon 10 1.58x
Jesmond 10 20.35x
Liverpool 10 0.59x
Pelsall 10 42.44x
St George Hanover Square 10 2.42x
Tipton 10 4.12x
Banbury 9 31.00x
Barningham 9 428.57x
Billingham 9 74.88x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 9 2.08x
Chalfont St Giles 9 88.58x
East Kennet 9 1323.53x
Gresford 9 106.76x
Leamington Priors 9 6.18x
Little Marlow 9 114.80x
Monkwearmouth Shore 9 6.60x
Normanby In 9 14.47x
Penn 9 101.81x
Rawmarsh 9 10.95x
Reading St Mary 9 6.38x
Saunderton 9 263.93x
Shildon 9 16.04x
Wolstanton Chesterton 9 22.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 188
Sarah 95
Elizabeth 93
Jane 51
Emma 45
Ann 44
Ellen 42
Eliza 38
Alice 30
Hannah 29
Annie 28
Emily 26
Martha 24
Margaret 23
Harriet 18
Louisa 18
Maria 16
Edith 14
Florence 14
Charlotte 13
Ada 12
Clara 11
Fanny 11
Kate 11
Lucy 11
Rebecca 11
Isabella 10
Sophia 10
Anne 9
Catherine 9
Caroline 8
Agnes 7
Amelia 6
Julia 6
Lydia 6
Matilda 6
Rose 6
Ruth 6
Susan 6
Beatrice 5
Esther 5
Gertrude 5
Mercy 5
Amy 4
Betsy 4
Elizth. 4
Harriett 4
May 4
Rachel 4
Jemima 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 164
John 153
Thomas 122
George 91
James 75
Henry 56
Joseph 54
Charles 34
Robert 29
Alfred 28
Richard 26
Edward 21
Samuel 20
Frederick 18
Arthur 16
Albert 14
Harry 12
Benjamin 11
Edwin 10
Frank 10
Walter 10
Herbert 9
Thos. 8
Daniel 6
Ernest 6
Peter 6
Wm. 6
Francis 5
Fredrick 5
Ralph 5
David 4
Enoch 4
Stephen 4
Wilson 4
Amos 3
Frances 3
Fredk. 3
Geo. 3
Horace 3
Jacob 3
Matthew 3
Philip 3
Solomon 3
Tom 3
Edmund 2
Elijah 2
Free 2
Levi 2
Noah 2
Roland 2

FAQ

Chilton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Chilton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,404 people were recorded with the Chilton surname. That placed it at #1,852 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Chilton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,488 in 2016. That gives Chilton a modern rank of #1,942.

What does the Chilton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to various places in England meaning "town by a spring or stream."

What does the Chilton map show?

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