NameCensus.

UK surname

Claxton

From an English place name meaning "settlement by the clayey stone."

In the 1881 census there were 1,899 people recorded with the Claxton surname, ranking it #2,293 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,669, ranked #2,504, down from #2,293 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, London parishes and St Mary Islington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Norwich.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Claxton is 2,980 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.5%.

1881 census count

1,899

Ranked #2,293

Modern count

2,669

2016, ranked #2,504

Peak year

1999

2,980 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Claxton had 1,899 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,293 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,669 in 2016, ranked #2,504.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,711 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Claxton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Claxton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Claxton 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 1,198 #2,374
1861 historical 987 #2,820
1881 historical 1,899 #2,293
1891 historical 1,913 #2,408
1901 historical 2,422 #2,246
1911 historical 2,711 #1,909
1997 modern 2,878 #2,241
1998 modern 2,954 #2,281
1999 modern 2,980 #2,279
2000 modern 2,963 #2,276
2001 modern 2,868 #2,298
2002 modern 2,870 #2,340
2003 modern 2,825 #2,326
2004 modern 2,784 #2,359
2005 modern 2,741 #2,363
2006 modern 2,735 #2,369
2007 modern 2,755 #2,381
2008 modern 2,721 #2,417
2009 modern 2,787 #2,418
2010 modern 2,832 #2,427
2011 modern 2,785 #2,435
2012 modern 2,707 #2,452
2013 modern 2,745 #2,464
2014 modern 2,756 #2,477
2015 modern 2,704 #2,487
2016 modern 2,669 #2,504

Geography

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Where Claxtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, London parishes, St Mary Islington and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Norwich and Breckland. 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 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 042 Leeds
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 016 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 008 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 Norwich 005 Norwich
5 Breckland 014 Breckland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Claxton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Claxton

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Claxton 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

Claxton 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

Claxton 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 Claxton 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 Claxton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Claxton

The surname Claxton originated in England, with its earliest known records dating back to the 12th century. It is a locational name, derived from the place name Claxton, which is found in various counties across England, including Norfolk, Leicestershire, and Yorkshire. The name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "clā" meaning clay or mud, and "tūn" meaning a farm or settlement, indicating a clay farm or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Claxton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Radulfus de Clachestuna in Norfolk. This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

During the medieval period, the Claxton family held significant landholdings and positions of prominence. In 1284, Robert de Claxton was mentioned as a knight in Yorkshire, while in 1379, John de Claxton was recorded as the Rector of Claxton in Norfolk.

Several notable individuals have borne the surname Claxton throughout history. Sir William de Claxton (c. 1370 - c. 1440) was a prominent English knight who served under King Henry V during the Hundred Years' War. He fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 and was knighted for his bravery on the battlefield.

Another prominent figure was Robert Claxton (1498 - 1557), an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the Protestant Reformation for refusing to renounce his faith. He is recognized as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales by the Catholic Church.

In the 17th century, John Claxton (1615 - 1692) was an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, and later as the Bishop of St. Davids. He played a significant role in the intellectual and religious life of his time.

William Claxton (1776 - 1857) was a notable English landscape painter and engraver, known for his picturesque scenes of the English countryside. His works were highly regarded during the Romantic period and are now part of various art collections.

Thomas Claxton (1809 - 1879) was a British landscape painter and etcher, celebrated for his detailed and realistic depictions of rural landscapes and architectural subjects. His etchings were particularly acclaimed and are considered among the finest works of their kind from the Victorian era.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Claxton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Claxton 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. Norfolk leads with 706 Claxtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.81x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 706 24.81x
Middlesex 231 1.25x
Yorkshire 214 1.17x
Surrey 108 1.20x
Suffolk 96 4.26x
Essex 73 2.00x
Durham 66 1.20x
Hampshire 53 1.40x
Lancashire 46 0.21x
Lincolnshire 39 1.32x
Cambridgeshire 25 2.13x
Leicestershire 23 1.12x
Kent 22 0.35x
Northamptonshire 22 1.26x
Northumberland 20 0.73x
Hertfordshire 16 1.25x
Dorset 15 1.24x
Warwickshire 14 0.30x
Gloucestershire 13 0.36x
Devon 12 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.48x
Worcestershire 11 0.46x
Sussex 9 0.29x
Cheshire 7 0.17x
Pembrokeshire 7 1.19x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.80x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.45x
Derbyshire 5 0.17x
Midlothian 5 0.20x
Stirlingshire 5 0.73x
Somerset 3 0.10x
Bedfordshire 2 0.21x
Staffordshire 2 0.03x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.20x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.45x
Shropshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 42 Claxtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.34x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 42 2.34x
Heigham 35 22.92x
Camberwell 33 2.79x
Shoreditch London 32 3.99x
East Dereham 31 86.23x
Great Yarmouth 30 12.73x
St Marylebone London 28 2.83x
Portsea 25 3.36x
Lowestoft 24 22.54x
Lambeth 22 1.36x
Brisley 20 913.24x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 20 23.41x
Peterborough 20 15.87x
Saltby 19 1104.65x
Wighton 19 586.42x
Grindall 16 1415.93x
Bridlington 15 35.73x
East Tuddenham 15 522.65x
West Ham 15 1.86x
Dagenham 14 64.40x
Docking 14 156.42x
Norwich St Clement 14 42.45x
Norwich St George Colegate 14 135.27x
Sculcoates 14 4.82x
Emneth 13 205.05x
Roughton 13 467.63x
Wendling 13 567.69x
Battersea 12 1.76x
Blakeney 12 235.76x
Kenninghall 12 153.65x
Kensington London 12 1.17x
Newington 12 23.76x
St Pancras London 12 0.81x
Tottenham 12 4.07x
Ecclesall Bierlow 11 2.95x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 11 21.52x
Little Walsingham 11 170.81x
Amble 10 79.81x
Beeston With Bittering 10 313.48x
Burnham Norton 10 1136.36x
Crook Billy Row 10 14.18x
Croydon 10 2.00x
Hampstead London 10 3.47x
Harpley 10 371.75x
Kirkby In Ashfield 10 37.48x
Watton 10 111.86x
Westoe 10 3.20x
Aston 9 0.70x
Bale 9 608.11x
Brandon 9 58.86x
Burnham Westgate 9 146.58x
Bury St Edmunds St James 9 14.95x
Chelsea London 9 1.61x
Dunton Cum Doughton 9 841.12x
Guisbrough 9 22.46x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 9 51.99x
Norwich St Mary At Coslany 9 110.57x
Portsmouth 9 10.31x
Tilney St Lawrence 9 196.51x
Abbotsbury 8 129.03x
Belton 8 202.53x
Binham 8 264.03x
Bradwell 8 227.27x
Langham 8 394.09x
Mile End Old Town London 8 2.03x
Newchurch 8 4.45x
Newington 8 1.17x
North Elmham 8 115.94x
Southcoates 8 7.86x
St Michael Winchester 8 103.49x
Stourbridge 8 12.87x
Tilney All Sts 8 222.84x
Attleborough 7 48.71x
Fincham 7 139.72x
Skeyton 7 353.54x
Southwold 7 52.47x
St Clement Danes London 7 18.28x
Stockton On Tees 7 2.64x
West Lynn 7 191.78x
Wortley In Bramley 7 4.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 103
Elizabeth 77
Sarah 60
Alice 33
Emma 33
Jane 33
Eliza 29
Ann 28
Martha 25
Emily 24
Ellen 22
Hannah 22
Susan 17
Annie 16
Charlotte 16
Louisa 15
Edith 14
Frances 13
Harriet 12
Harriett 12
Lucy 12
Maria 12
Ada 11
Caroline 11
Fanny 11
Margaret 11
Agnes 10
Clara 10
Florence 9
Anna 8
Susannah 8
Amy 7
Catherine 7
Kate 7
Rebecca 7
Sophia 7
Gertrude 6
Esther 5
Georgina 5
Helen 5
Minnie 5
Ethel 4
Isabella 4
Laura 4
Lydia 4
Rose 4
Ruth 4
A. 3
Jessie 3
Matilda 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 112
John 102
James 73
George 65
Robert 56
Charles 54
Thomas 42
Henry 37
Edward 31
Alfred 26
Arthur 24
Walter 24
Frederick 16
Samuel 13
Harry 12
Richard 11
David 9
Albert 8
Frank 7
Geo. 7
Herbert 7
Wm. 7
Benjamin 6
Noah 5
Elijah 4
Ernest 4
Fredrick 4
Joseph 4
Robt. 4
Chas. 3
Christopher 3
Edmund 3
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Fred 3
Harold 3
Mark 3
Percy 3
Ambrose 2
Anthony 2
Ecroyde 2
Edwd. 2
Freddy 2
Jas. 2
Jno. 2
Matthew 2
Matthias 2
Stephen 2
Amos 1
Daniel 1

FAQ

Claxton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Claxton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,899 people were recorded with the Claxton surname. That placed it at #2,293 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Claxton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,669 in 2016. That gives Claxton a modern rank of #2,504.

What does the Claxton surname mean?

From an English place name meaning "settlement by the clayey stone."

What does the Claxton map show?

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