UK surname
Derived from a place name meaning "settlement on the River Glyme" in Old English.
In the 1881 census there were 29 people recorded with the Clanton surname, ranking it #29,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3, ranked #38,594, down from #29,484 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Ingrave, Caistor and Belgrave. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clanton is 130 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 89.7%.
1881 census count
29
Ranked #29,484
Modern count
3
2016, ranked #38,594
Peak year
1861
130 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Clanton surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Clanton surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 2 | #33,133 |
| 1861 | historical | 130 | #17,164 |
| 1881 | historical | 29 | #29,484 |
| 1891 | historical | 76 | #27,290 |
| 1901 | historical | 14 | #32,506 |
| 1911 | historical | 7 | #33,083 |
| 1997 | modern | 3 | #38,317 |
| 1998 | modern | 3 | #38,304 |
| 1999 | modern | 3 | #38,318 |
| 2000 | modern | 3 | #38,248 |
| 2001 | modern | 3 | #38,091 |
| 2002 | modern | 4 | #37,921 |
| 2003 | modern | 5 | #37,750 |
| 2004 | modern | 1 | #38,771 |
| 2005 | modern | 2 | #38,532 |
| 2006 | modern | 3 | #38,334 |
| 2007 | modern | 4 | #38,169 |
| 2008 | modern | 5 | #38,027 |
| 2009 | modern | 6 | #37,953 |
| 2010 | modern | 6 | #38,024 |
| 2011 | modern | 8 | #37,737 |
| 2012 | modern | 7 | #37,854 |
| 2013 | modern | 3 | #38,526 |
| 2014 | modern | 3 | #38,552 |
| 2015 | modern | 3 | #38,558 |
| 2016 | modern | 3 | #38,594 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Ingrave, Caistor, Belgrave, St Dunstan Stepney and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ingrave | Essex |
| 2 | Caistor | Lincolnshire |
| 3 | Belgrave | Leicestershire |
| 4 | St Dunstan Stepney | London (East Districts) |
| 5 | Nottingham St Mary | Nottinghamshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Clanton surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Clanton, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Clanton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Clanton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Clanton is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Clanton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Clanton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Clanton is believed to have originated in England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is thought to have derived from a place name, specifically Claughton, a village in Lancashire. The Old English word "cloh" meaning "ravine" or "valley" may have been the source of the name.
In historical records, the name appears with various spellings such as Claughton, Cloughton, and Clowton. One of the earliest known references to the surname is in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire from 1246, where a Roger de Claughton is mentioned.
During the 14th century, the Clanton surname began to spread beyond Lancashire. In the Feet of Fines for Suffolk from 1366, a Thomas de Cloughton is recorded. This suggests that the name had started to establish itself in other parts of England by this time.
The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Clanton surname. However, it does mention the village of Claughton in Lancashire, indicating that the place name, from which the surname is derived, existed during the Norman era.
One notable figure with the Clanton surname was Sir Thomas Clanton (c.1490-1545), a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire during the reign of Henry VIII. Another was John Clanton (1621-1690), an English Puritan minister who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 17th century.
In the United States, the Clanton surname has been present since the colonial era. William Clanton (1734-1817), a Revolutionary War soldier from Virginia, is considered one of the earliest recorded bearers of the name in America.
Other prominent individuals with the Clanton surname include:
1. Benjamin Clanton (1856-1907), an American outlaw and member of the Clanton Gang in the Old West. 2. Ralph Clanton (1829-1904), an American lawyer and Confederate officer during the Civil War. 3. John Clanton (1786-1858), a U.S. Representative from Georgia in the early 19th century. 4. Edward Clanton (1924-2014), an American jazz saxophonist and bandleader. 5. William Clanton (1768-1839), an early American settler and Indian fighter in Mississippi Territory.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clanton surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Nottinghamshire leads with 8 Clantons recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.36x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Nottinghamshire | 8 | 24.36x |
| Middlesex | 6 | 2.46x |
| Warwickshire | 6 | 9.76x |
| Hampshire | 2 | 4.00x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.69x |
| Kent | 1 | 1.20x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 8 Clantons recorded in 1881 and an index of 94.23x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Nottingham St Mary | 8 | 94.23x |
| Birmingham | 6 | 29.30x |
| Westminster St John | 4 | 134.68x |
| Portsmouth | 2 | 173.91x |
| Eccleston In Prescot | 1 | 68.97x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 7.38x |
| Lydd | 1 | 555.56x |
| Prestwich | 1 | 138.89x |
| St George Hanover Square | 1 | 23.31x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Clanton surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Clanton surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Clanton households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 5 |
| Billiard Marker | 1 |
| Cabinet Maker | 1 |
| Coachman | 1 |
| Engine Fitter | 1 |
| Fireman | 1 |
| Gen Ser | 1 |
| General Lab | 1 |
| General Laborer | 1 |
| Gloster Painter (M F) | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 29 people were recorded with the Clanton surname. That placed it at #29,484 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 3 in 2016. That gives Clanton a modern rank of #38,594.
Derived from a place name meaning "settlement on the River Glyme" in Old English.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Clanton bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.