NameCensus.

UK surname

Clifton

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a cliff or ford.

In the 1881 census there were 4,221 people recorded with the Clifton surname, ranking it #1,064 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,888, ranked #1,144, down from #1,064 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cherwell, Shropshire and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clifton is 6,338 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.5%.

1881 census count

4,221

Ranked #1,064

Modern count

5,888

2016, ranked #1,144

Peak year

1999

6,338 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clifton had 4,221 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,064 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,888 in 2016, ranked #1,144.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,577 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Clifton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clifton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clifton 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 2,829 #1,031
1861 historical 2,983 #964
1881 historical 4,221 #1,064
1891 historical 4,603 #1,018
1901 historical 5,095 #1,103
1911 historical 5,577 #940
1997 modern 5,996 #1,093
1998 modern 6,306 #1,080
1999 modern 6,338 #1,081
2000 modern 6,288 #1,082
2001 modern 6,126 #1,086
2002 modern 6,276 #1,086
2003 modern 6,042 #1,100
2004 modern 6,020 #1,101
2005 modern 5,859 #1,116
2006 modern 5,769 #1,132
2007 modern 5,818 #1,133
2008 modern 5,851 #1,134
2009 modern 6,001 #1,129
2010 modern 6,142 #1,127
2011 modern 6,096 #1,121
2012 modern 5,962 #1,123
2013 modern 6,030 #1,125
2014 modern 6,060 #1,128
2015 modern 5,977 #1,133
2016 modern 5,888 #1,144

Geography

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Where Cliftons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Pancras and Bloxham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cherwell, Shropshire, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, South Holland and Cannock Chase. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Bloxham Oxfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cherwell 009 Cherwell
2 Shropshire 014 Shropshire
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 017 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 South Holland 008 South Holland
5 Cannock Chase 007 Cannock Chase

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clifton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clifton

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

Clifton 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

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

Meaning and origin of Clifton

The surname Clifton originates from England and dates back to the late 11th century after the Norman Conquest. It is a habitation name derived from any of the several places named Clifton, such as those found in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire. The name is derived from the Old English words "clif" meaning a cliff or steep slope, and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Clifton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Cliftone". This important record compiled by William the Conqueror provides valuable insights into the distribution of land and population in England at the time.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records as "de Cliftone" and "de Clyfton", reflecting the Norman influence on English surnames. Some notable early bearers of the name include Walter de Clyfton, who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1272, and Richard de Clyfton, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Derbyshire in 1327.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname Clifton became more widespread across England. One prominent figure from this period was Sir Gervase Clifton (c. 1330-1391), a knight and landowner from Nottinghamshire. Another notable individual was Sir William Clifton (c. 1480-1557), a Member of Parliament and High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.

In the 16th century, the name Clifton appeared in various forms, including "Clyfton", "Clyffton", and "Clyfeton". One notable bearer was Sir Gervase Clifton (1516-1588), an English politician and landowner from Nottinghamshire. Another was George Clifton (c. 1558-1605), an English Jesuit priest and writer.

The 17th century saw the rise of several notable individuals with the surname Clifton. Sir William Clifton (1623-1670) was an English royalist and Member of Parliament from Nottinghamshire. Richard Clifton (1670-1749) was a prominent merchant and landowner in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the founders of the city.

In the 18th century, the name Clifton continued to be well-represented, with individuals such as William Clifton (1700-1788), an English painter and engraver, and John Clifton (1768-1837), an English poet and playwright.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clifton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clifton 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. Middlesex leads with 632 Cliftons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.53x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 632 1.53x
Kent 328 2.33x
Lancashire 319 0.65x
Surrey 267 1.33x
Lincolnshire 254 3.84x
Nottinghamshire 249 4.47x
Oxfordshire 231 9.05x
Warwickshire 217 2.08x
Yorkshire 195 0.48x
Northamptonshire 148 3.81x
Sussex 143 2.05x
Huntingdonshire 119 14.50x
Worcestershire 110 2.04x
Staffordshire 98 0.70x
Devon 96 1.12x
Buckinghamshire 76 3.04x
Leicestershire 69 1.51x
Derbyshire 54 0.83x
Cambridgeshire 53 2.03x
Cornwall 52 1.11x
Hampshire 50 0.59x
Bedfordshire 47 2.20x
Hertfordshire 46 1.62x
Durham 41 0.33x
Gloucestershire 39 0.48x
Berkshire 32 1.03x
Essex 32 0.39x
Norfolk 28 0.44x
Cheshire 27 0.30x
Fife 26 1.06x
Midlothian 23 0.42x
Dorset 17 0.63x
Northumberland 16 0.26x
Suffolk 15 0.30x
Royal Navy 10 2.03x
Shropshire 10 0.28x
Herefordshire 8 0.47x
Somerset 8 0.12x
Flintshire 7 0.63x
Westmorland 7 0.77x
Lanarkshire 6 0.04x
Channel Islands 5 0.41x
Rutland 5 1.65x
Wiltshire 5 0.14x
Glamorgan 3 0.04x
Monmouthshire 3 0.10x
Cumberland 2 0.06x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.21x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.15x
Brecknockshire 1 0.12x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.06x
Denbighshire 1 0.06x
Radnorshire 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Greasley in Nottinghamshire leads with 76 Cliftons recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.48x.

Place Total Index
Greasley 76 60.48x
Birmingham 75 2.16x
Islington London 68 1.70x
St Pancras London 63 1.89x
Lambeth 58 1.61x
Bloxham 55 219.82x
Godmanchester 47 151.47x
Bicester Market End 43 91.76x
Bethnal Green London 42 2.34x
Lancaster 42 14.40x
Gt Tew 40 589.97x
Long Buckby 37 102.95x
Tonbridge 37 7.28x
Aston 35 1.22x
Camberwell 33 1.25x
Hackney London 32 1.38x
Kensington London 31 1.35x
Shoreditch London 31 1.73x
Leicester St Margaret 30 2.69x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 30 15.77x
Liverpool 29 0.97x
Mile End Old Town London 29 3.30x
St Giles In Fields London 29 14.31x
Battersea 28 1.84x
St Marylebone London 28 1.27x
Nottingham St Mary 26 1.80x
Camborne 23 11.93x
Earls Barton 23 69.38x
Lewisham 23 3.06x
Misterton 23 133.41x
Wadhurst 23 50.28x
Ashwater 22 180.48x
Sutton St Mary 22 35.21x
West Bromwich 22 2.76x
Brightside Bierlow 21 2.61x
St George Hanover Square 21 2.88x
Sutton St James 21 263.82x
Tipton 21 4.92x
Holdenby 20 682.59x
Limehouse London 20 4.41x
Oldbury 20 7.53x
Ardwick 19 4.30x
Everton 18 1.15x
Lutton 18 164.99x
Toxteth Park 18 1.08x
Bexhill 17 48.96x
Eastwood 17 34.14x
Pembury 17 85.04x
Wemyss 17 16.43x
West Ham 17 0.94x
Leeds 16 0.69x
Reigate Foreign 16 7.34x
Sevenoaks 16 14.00x
Boughton Malherbe 15 238.47x
Charing 15 78.62x
Chatteris 15 22.46x
Chelsea London 15 1.20x
Gainsborough 15 9.63x
Gedney 15 55.62x
Houghton 15 208.04x
Northmoor 15 354.61x
Westminster St James 15 3.53x
Brailes 14 87.50x
Brighton 14 1.00x
Croydon 14 1.25x
Horsington 14 275.05x
Lenham 14 49.77x
Powick 14 37.46x
Salford 14 0.97x
Tottenham 14 2.13x
Walton Le Dale 14 10.63x
Appleford 13 266.39x
Hammersmith London 13 1.28x
Hanslope 13 57.91x
Hastings St Clement 13 19.83x
Warrington 13 2.24x
Olney 12 34.74x
Warboys 12 50.61x
Willesden 12 3.08x
Worksop 12 7.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 267
Elizabeth 166
Sarah 151
Jane 84
Ann 82
Annie 71
Eliza 71
Emma 71
Emily 67
Alice 66
Ellen 59
Hannah 36
Florence 35
Louisa 35
Fanny 33
Charlotte 28
Caroline 27
Margaret 27
Martha 26
Agnes 25
Edith 25
Maria 23
Catherine 22
Harriet 22
Lucy 22
Ada 20
Frances 20
Kate 20
Susan 18
Minnie 17
Rose 16
Clara 15
Harriett 15
Amy 14
Betsy 13
Esther 13
Jessie 13
Rebecca 12
Amelia 11
Bessie 11
Grace 11
Anne 10
Laura 10
Rachel 10
Lizzie 9
Ruth 9
Sophia 9
Ethel 8
Julia 8
Matilda 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 260
John 216
George 137
Thomas 129
Charles 112
James 105
Henry 89
Joseph 86
Harry 54
Arthur 53
Edward 51
Frederick 51
Robert 44
Alfred 40
Samuel 39
Albert 33
Richard 30
Walter 23
Frank 18
Herbert 18
Ernest 17
Benjamin 16
Stephen 14
Edwin 13
David 12
Daniel 11
Fred 9
Francis 8
Isaac 8
Percy 8
Thos. 7
Chas. 6
Jno. 6
Philip 6
Wm. 6
Amos 5
Edmund 5
Fredk. 5
Leonard 5
Tom 5
Willm. 5
Edgar 4
Frederic 4
Horace 4
Jesse 4
Job 4
Lewis 4
Phillip 4
Ralph 4
Jonas 3

FAQ

Clifton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clifton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,221 people were recorded with the Clifton surname. That placed it at #1,064 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clifton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,888 in 2016. That gives Clifton a modern rank of #1,144.

What does the Clifton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a cliff or ford.

What does the Clifton map show?

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