NameCensus.

UK surname

Claughton

A locational surname referring to someone from Claughton, England.

In the 1881 census there were 311 people recorded with the Claughton surname, ranking it #9,470 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 319, ranked #14,121, down from #9,470 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Leeds, Bradford and Guiseley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Leeds and Bassetlaw.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Claughton is 432 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.6%.

1881 census count

311

Ranked #9,470

Modern count

319

2016, ranked #14,121

Peak year

1901

432 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Claughton had 311 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,470 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 319 in 2016, ranked #14,121.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 432 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Claughton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Claughton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Claughton 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 147 #13,084
1861 historical 207 #11,687
1881 historical 311 #9,470
1891 historical 348 #9,873
1901 historical 432 #8,968
1911 historical 427 #8,843
1997 modern 373 #11,600
1998 modern 367 #12,121
1999 modern 375 #12,004
2000 modern 365 #12,196
2001 modern 363 #12,057
2002 modern 368 #12,168
2003 modern 354 #12,319
2004 modern 351 #12,422
2005 modern 347 #12,436
2006 modern 337 #12,810
2007 modern 332 #13,087
2008 modern 336 #13,095
2009 modern 346 #13,075
2010 modern 349 #13,280
2011 modern 336 #13,498
2012 modern 320 #13,868
2013 modern 324 #13,961
2014 modern 327 #13,976
2015 modern 325 #13,927
2016 modern 319 #14,121

Geography

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Where Claughtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Leeds, Bradford and Guiseley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, Leeds, Bassetlaw and Kirklees. 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 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Guiseley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 006 Barnsley
2 Leeds 028 Leeds
3 Leeds 008 Leeds
4 Bassetlaw 015 Bassetlaw
5 Kirklees 015 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Claughton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Claughton

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Claughton 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

Claughton is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Claughton falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Claughton

The surname Claughton has its origins in England, specifically in the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire. The name is derived from the Old English words "clacc" meaning a hill or cliff, and "tun" meaning a town or settlement. It likely originated as a place name referring to a settlement located near a hill or cliff.

Claughton is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Clactune," referring to a village in Lancashire. This early spelling variation highlights the name's connection to its geographical roots. Another early recorded spelling is "Clauton," found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1176.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Claughton was William de Claughton, who lived in Lancashire in the 13th century. Records show he held lands in the area during the reign of King Edward I (1272-1307).

In the 14th century, the name appears in various documents related to the County Palatine of Chester and the surrounding areas. For instance, a John de Claughton is mentioned in the Plea Rolls of Chester in 1359.

Over the centuries, the Claughton surname has been associated with several notable individuals. Sir Thomas Claughton (1488-1558) was a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament during the Tudor period. He served as a justice of the peace and held significant estates in Lancashire.

Another figure of note is Captain Gabriel Claughton (1612-1673), an English naval officer and explorer. He is best known for his expeditions to the East Indies and his role in the establishment of early English settlements in the region.

In the literary world, the name is associated with Thomas Claughton (1808-1892), an English poet and writer from Lancashire. He published several collections of verse and was influential in the local literary scene of his time.

The Claughton surname has also been connected to various place names in England, such as Claughton in Lancashire and Claughton in Cheshire. These locations likely derived their names from the same Old English roots as the surname itself.

It is worth noting that while the name Claughton has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and the dispersion of families over time. However, the historical records and earliest known bearers of the name can be traced back to the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Claughton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Claughton 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. Yorkshire leads with 238 Claughtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.92x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 238 7.92x
Middlesex 16 0.53x
Durham 12 1.33x
Surrey 9 0.61x
Cumberland 4 1.53x
Derbyshire 4 0.84x
Hampshire 4 0.64x
Lancashire 4 0.11x
Worcestershire 4 1.01x
Essex 3 0.50x
Lincolnshire 3 0.62x
Suffolk 3 0.81x
Cheshire 2 0.30x
Westmorland 2 3.00x
Berkshire 1 0.44x
East Lothian 1 2.49x
Herefordshire 1 0.80x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Yeadon in Yorkshire leads with 81 Claughtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1192.93x.

Place Total Index
Yeadon 81 1192.93x
Horsforth 29 440.06x
Leeds 24 14.14x
Holbeck 21 105.42x
Calverley Cum Farsley 12 140.52x
Rotherhithe 9 24.01x
Guiseley 8 207.79x
Eccleshill 7 95.63x
Idle 7 50.22x
Shipley 7 44.87x
Stoke Newington London 7 29.62x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 6 42.95x
Wolsingham 6 72.90x
Bramley In Bramley 5 43.44x
Castleford 5 45.66x
Hampstead London 5 10.58x
Hunslet 5 10.67x
Otley 5 68.49x
Allerton Bywater 4 245.40x
Headingley Cum Burley 4 20.67x
Kidderminster Foreign 4 71.43x
Preston Quarter 4 54.64x
Fornham St Martin 3 937.50x
Hasland 3 62.11x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 7.67x
Portsea 3 2.46x
Spalding 3 31.15x
St Marylebone London 3 1.85x
York St Mary 3 24.10x
Bishopwearmouth 2 2.58x
Danbury 2 196.08x
Horton In Bradford 2 4.26x
Spotland 2 5.00x
Walton Superior 2 769.23x
Adel Cum Eccup 1 80.65x
Athelstaneford 1 126.58x
Barbon 1 344.83x
Heversham With Milnthorpe 1 62.11x
Lyonshall 1 111.11x
Monkwearmouth 1 11.57x
Newall Cum Clifton 1 270.27x
Northwood 1 11.30x
Oldham 1 0.86x
Repton 1 55.56x
St Michael Wood Street 1 714.29x
Thornhill 1 11.40x
Toxteth Park 1 0.82x
Wallingford St Mary Le 1 77.52x
West Ham 1 0.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Sarah 18
Elizabeth 11
Hannah 8
Ann 6
Emma 6
Jane 5
Ada 4
Ellen 4
Margaret 4
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Harriet 3
Martha 3
Ruth 3
Alice 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Eva 2
Florence 2
Lily 2
Lois 2
Sophia 2
Brigit 1
Celia 1
Charlotte 1
Dora 1
Emiley 1
Esther 1
Evena 1
Fanny 1
Francis 1
Grace 1
Helena 1
Hilda 1
Isabel 1
Isabell 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Leah 1
Lilly 1
Lucetta 1
Lydia 1
M.D. 1
Maggie 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Zyel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 15
John 14
Joseph 13
Thomas 9
George 7
James 6
Nathaniel 5
Albert 4
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Henry 4
Samuel 4
Fred 3
Harry 3
Hugh 3
Walter 3
Abraham 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Jacob 2
Joshua 2
Reuben 2
Sidney 2
Thompson 2
Tom 2
Willie 2
Charles 1
Eilad 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Gilbert 1
Harris 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
J.Dawson 1
Jessie 1
Jonathan 1
Leonard 1
Mary 1
Robert 1
Saml. 1
Seth 1
Siers 1
Simeon 1
Smith 1
Stephen 1
W. 1
Wm.Smith 1

FAQ

Claughton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Claughton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 311 people were recorded with the Claughton surname. That placed it at #9,470 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Claughton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 319 in 2016. That gives Claughton a modern rank of #14,121.

What does the Claughton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from Claughton, England.

What does the Claughton map show?

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