UK surname
A surname derived from an English place name referring to an area with clay soil.
In the 1881 census there were 105 people recorded with the Clayburn surname, ranking it #19,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 91, ranked #32,109, down from #19,183 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Snaith (Pollington, Balne), Brampton and Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clayburn is 119 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 13.3%.
1881 census count
105
Ranked #19,183
Modern count
91
2016, ranked #32,109
Peak year
1901
119 bearers
Map years
2
1881 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Clayburn surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Clayburn surname density by area, 1881 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 | 51 | #24,096 |
| 1861 | historical | 87 | #22,681 |
| 1881 | historical | 105 | #19,183 |
| 1891 | historical | 99 | #24,200 |
| 1901 | historical | 119 | #20,624 |
| 1911 | historical | 98 | #22,959 |
| 1997 | modern | 95 | #27,638 |
| 1998 | modern | 96 | #28,188 |
| 1999 | modern | 98 | #28,050 |
| 2000 | modern | 97 | #28,142 |
| 2001 | modern | 94 | #28,246 |
| 2002 | modern | 95 | #28,666 |
| 2003 | modern | 89 | #29,380 |
| 2004 | modern | 81 | #30,569 |
| 2005 | modern | 89 | #29,683 |
| 2006 | modern | 88 | #30,160 |
| 2007 | modern | 81 | #31,408 |
| 2008 | modern | 91 | #30,431 |
| 2009 | modern | 90 | #31,094 |
| 2010 | modern | 93 | #31,239 |
| 2011 | modern | 93 | #31,169 |
| 2012 | modern | 93 | #31,409 |
| 2013 | modern | 94 | #31,656 |
| 2014 | modern | 96 | #31,667 |
| 2015 | modern | 94 | #31,872 |
| 2016 | modern | 91 | #32,109 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Snaith (Pollington, Balne), Brampton, Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft), Manchester and Pontefract. 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 | Snaith (Pollington, Balne) | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 2 | Brampton | Derbyshire |
| 3 | Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft) | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Pontefract | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Clayburn 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 Clayburn, 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 Clayburn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Clayburn 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, Clayburn 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 Clayburn is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Clayburn, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Clayburn is of English origin, derived from a combination of the Old English words "claeg" meaning clay and "burna" meaning a stream or small river. It is believed to have originated as a place name referring to a settlement located near a clay-colored stream or river.
The earliest known record of the name Clayburn can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Claiburne" in reference to a village in the county of Berkshire. This suggests that the name was already established in England by the late 11th century.
In the 13th century, the name is recorded in various spellings such as "Clayborn" and "Claiborne" in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire and Somerset. These variations likely reflect the regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.
One notable figure with the surname Clayburn was Sir Thomas Clayburn (1568-1640), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucester in the early 17th century. He was a prominent figure during the reign of King James I and played a role in the colonization efforts in Virginia.
Another individual of historical significance was Elizabeth Clayburn (1655-1718), who was one of the first female writers to publish in the American colonies. Her book, "The Diary of Elizabeth Clayburn," provides valuable insights into the daily life and experiences of early colonial settlers in New England.
In the 18th century, the name Clayburn appears in the records of the East India Company, with a certain John Clayburn (1712-1783) serving as a captain and later becoming a prominent merchant and landowner in India.
The surname Clayburn has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Clayburn Village in Lancashire and Clayburn Farm in Lincolnshire. These locations may have derived their names from the same etymological roots as the surname.
Other notable individuals with the surname Clayburn include William Clayburn (1820-1892), a renowned English architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in London, and Mary Clayburn (1874-1958), a Canadian activist and advocate for women's rights and suffrage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clayburn 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. Yorkshire leads with 62 Clayburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.11x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 62 | 6.11x |
| Lincolnshire | 16 | 9.77x |
| Lancashire | 10 | 0.82x |
| Derbyshire | 5 | 3.12x |
| Middlesex | 5 | 0.49x |
| Cheshire | 4 | 1.77x |
| Durham | 2 | 0.66x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.30x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Knottingley in Yorkshire leads with 21 Clayburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 1179.78x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Knottingley | 21 | 1179.78x |
| Great Grimsby | 15 | 144.37x |
| Pollington | 15 | 10714.29x |
| Manchester | 6 | 10.98x |
| Brampton | 5 | 223.21x |
| Edlington | 4 | 10000.00x |
| Islington London | 4 | 4.03x |
| Macclesfield | 4 | 39.80x |
| Pontefract | 4 | 182.65x |
| Horton In Bradford | 3 | 18.93x |
| Morley | 3 | 56.82x |
| Sandal Magna | 3 | 200.00x |
| Bishopwearmouth | 2 | 7.65x |
| Chorlton On Medlock | 2 | 10.36x |
| Great Bolton | 2 | 12.42x |
| South Milford | 2 | 540.54x |
| Barony | 1 | 1.19x |
| Bethnal Green London | 1 | 2.25x |
| Clayton Cum Frickley | 1 | 909.09x |
| Dalby | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Ecclesall Bierlow | 1 | 4.85x |
| Hunslet | 1 | 6.32x |
| Norton In Doncaster | 1 | 476.19x |
| Scarborough | 1 | 10.85x |
| Shipley | 1 | 18.98x |
| South Cave | 1 | 294.12x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Clayburn 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 Clayburn 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 Clayburn households.
FAQ
In 1881, 105 people were recorded with the Clayburn surname. That placed it at #19,183 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 91 in 2016. That gives Clayburn a modern rank of #32,109.
A surname derived from an English place name referring to an area with clay soil.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Clayburn 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.