NameCensus.

UK surname

Clinton

A place name derived from Old English meaning "settlement on the summit or slope of a hill."

In the 1881 census there were 1,123 people recorded with the Clinton surname, ranking it #3,553 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,722, ranked #2,465, up from #3,553 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kilsyth East and Croy, South Staffordshire and Kilsyth Bogside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clinton is 2,753 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 142.4%.

1881 census count

1,123

Ranked #3,553

Modern count

2,722

2016, ranked #2,465

Peak year

2014

2,753 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clinton had 1,123 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,553 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,722 in 2016, ranked #2,465.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,535 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Clinton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clinton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clinton 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 640 #4,055
1861 historical 725 #3,756
1881 historical 1,123 #3,553
1891 historical 1,189 #3,609
1901 historical 1,535 #3,354
1911 historical 1,421 #3,397
1997 modern 2,507 #2,513
1998 modern 2,599 #2,519
1999 modern 2,604 #2,534
2000 modern 2,612 #2,512
2001 modern 2,559 #2,507
2002 modern 2,564 #2,557
2003 modern 2,529 #2,542
2004 modern 2,527 #2,549
2005 modern 2,553 #2,497
2006 modern 2,550 #2,501
2007 modern 2,564 #2,511
2008 modern 2,618 #2,479
2009 modern 2,668 #2,494
2010 modern 2,746 #2,482
2011 modern 2,716 #2,481
2012 modern 2,669 #2,481
2013 modern 2,714 #2,482
2014 modern 2,753 #2,478
2015 modern 2,747 #2,461
2016 modern 2,722 #2,465

Geography

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Where Clintons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Gateshead, Glasgow and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kilsyth East and Croy, South Staffordshire, Kilsyth Bogside, East Northamptonshire and Balmalloch. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kilsyth East and Croy North Lanarkshire
2 South Staffordshire 013 South Staffordshire
3 Kilsyth Bogside North Lanarkshire
4 East Northamptonshire 006 East Northamptonshire
5 Balmalloch North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clinton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clinton

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Clinton, 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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Clinton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Clinton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Clinton 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

Clinton is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Clinton falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Clinton

The surname Clinton is believed to have originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English words "clun" or "clin," which meant a hill or ridge, and "tun," meaning a town or settlement. Thus, the name Clinton originally referred to someone who lived in a town situated on a hill or ridge.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Clinton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book lists several individuals with the surname Clinton or variations like Clintone or Clyntone, indicating that the name was already established in various parts of England by the late 11th century.

The surname Clinton has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Roger de Clinton, a prominent nobleman and landowner who lived during the reign of King Henry II in the 12th century. Another early bearer of the name was John de Clinton, who served as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and fought in the Battle of Crecy during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century.

In the 16th century, Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln (1512-1585), was a prominent courtier and military commander who served under King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. His descendant, Henry Clinton (1730-1795), was a British army officer who played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War, serving as a commander in several major battles.

Another famous bearer of the surname was Sir Henry Clinton (1771-1829), a British politician and military officer who served as Governor of Gibraltar and later as Governor-General of British North America during the early 19th century.

George Clinton (1739-1812), an American soldier and statesman, was a founding father of the United States and served as the fourth Vice President under Presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. He also had a distinguished military career during the American Revolutionary War.

Over the centuries, the surname Clinton has been associated with various place names in England, such as Clinton in Oxfordshire, Clintone in Buckinghamshire, and Clynton in Nottinghamshire, among others. While the spelling has evolved over time, the name's connection to its Old English roots and its association with hilltop settlements remains evident.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clinton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clinton 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. Lancashire leads with 210 Clintons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.58x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 210 1.58x
Middlesex 127 1.13x
Yorkshire 95 0.85x
Worcestershire 75 5.12x
Lanarkshire 69 1.90x
Staffordshire 68 1.80x
Durham 66 1.98x
Warwickshire 49 1.73x
Shropshire 47 4.85x
Hertfordshire 42 5.43x
Surrey 38 0.70x
Isle of Man 28 13.44x
Northumberland 25 1.50x
Ayrshire 24 2.86x
Gloucestershire 24 1.09x
Cheshire 21 0.85x
Hampshire 20 0.87x
Renfrewshire 14 1.61x
Herefordshire 12 2.61x
Roxburghshire 10 4.92x
Cornwall 9 0.71x
Kent 9 0.24x
Lincolnshire 9 0.50x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.53x
Stirlingshire 7 1.69x
Angus 6 0.58x
Essex 5 0.23x
Cumberland 4 0.41x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.44x
Derbyshire 3 0.17x
Devon 3 0.13x
Midlothian 3 0.20x
Sussex 3 0.16x
Wigtownshire 3 2.01x
Channel Islands 2 0.60x
Somerset 2 0.11x
Anglesey 1 0.50x
Berwickshire 1 0.74x
Glamorgan 1 0.05x
Leicestershire 1 0.08x
Radnorshire 1 1.10x
Royal Navy 1 0.75x
Wiltshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 31 Clintons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.83x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 31 3.83x
Birmingham 30 3.18x
Salford 28 7.15x
Barony 25 2.72x
Govan 22 2.45x
Toxteth Park 18 3.99x
Bennington 17 765.77x
Everton 16 3.77x
West Derby 16 4.11x
Wolverhampton 16 5.50x
Ashton Under Lyne 15 5.16x
Dukinfield 15 13.11x
Gateshead 15 6.00x
Islington London 15 1.38x
Clerkenwell London 14 5.29x
German Peel 14 116.67x
Sheffield 14 3.96x
Cheetham 13 13.09x
Aston 12 1.54x
East Greenock 12 14.62x
Dalmellington 11 44.55x
Hampstead London 11 6.30x
St George Hanover Square 11 5.57x
Eckford 10 284.09x
Glasgow 10 1.55x
Houghton Le Spring 10 43.35x
Aldershot 9 11.68x
Hamilton 9 8.89x
Kempley 9 833.33x
Kingswinford 9 6.55x
St Quivox 9 31.70x
Sunderland 9 15.27x
Welland 9 267.86x
Wigan 9 4.84x
Bromsgrove 8 16.22x
Hulme 8 2.88x
Leigh 8 44.99x
Madeley 8 22.51x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 8.02x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 1.99x
Wakefield 8 9.37x
Willenhall 8 11.28x
Bradford 7 2.60x
Didsbury 7 39.59x
Kenwyn 7 21.08x
Kirkdale 7 3.13x
North Mimms 7 143.74x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 3.10x
Westerton 7 393.26x
Wickersley 7 227.27x
Alveley 6 156.25x
Barnsley 6 5.23x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.23x
Bowling 6 5.45x
Cromwell 6 1016.95x
Croydon 6 1.98x
Dundee 6 1.55x
Earsdon 6 44.18x
Elswick 6 4.50x
Hammersmith London 6 2.17x
Hampton London 6 32.54x
Heworth 6 9.12x
Isleworth 6 12.03x
Kidderminster Borough 6 7.00x
Kilsyth 6 22.74x
Kirkleatham 6 39.97x
Lambeth 6 0.61x
Newington 6 1.45x
Sculcoates 6 3.40x
Whitechapel London 6 5.43x
Barton Upon Irwell 5 4.99x
Binton 5 526.32x
Ledbury 5 31.65x
Michael 5 117.92x
Richmond 5 6.53x
St Marylebone London 5 0.83x
Stockton On Tees 5 3.11x
Sutton St Mary 5 29.48x
Walkern 5 153.85x
Wardleworth 5 6.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 77
Elizabeth 35
Sarah 34
Jane 24
Ann 20
Eliza 15
Catherine 14
Ellen 14
Emma 14
Margaret 14
Annie 12
Martha 10
Caroline 9
Emily 9
Fanny 9
Esther 8
Hannah 8
Susan 7
Alice 6
Bridget 6
Edith 6
Elizth. 6
Frances 6
Harriet 6
Maria 6
Ada 5
Louisa 5
Agnes 4
Harriett 4
Kate 4
Anne 3
Florence 3
Isabella 3
Matilda 3
Rhoda 3
Adelaide 2
Amy 2
Benedicta 2
Bertha 2
Elizh. 2
Elystra 2
Ethel 2
Jemima 2
Jessie 2
Katherine 2
Mabel 2
Margt. 2
Minnie 2
Priscilla 2
Rosa 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 83
William 62
James 46
Thomas 42
Charles 25
George 25
Henry 18
Robert 15
Joseph 13
Arthur 12
Samuel 11
Peter 10
Edward 9
Richard 9
Albert 7
Patrick 7
Francis 5
Michael 5
Benjamin 4
David 4
Alfred 3
Andrew 3
Bernard 3
Chas. 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Thos. 3
Barthomolew 2
Daniel 2
Edwd. 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Fredrick 2
Leonard 2
W.H. 2
Anne 1
Bennett 1
Berttey 1
C. 1
Dennis 1
E. 1
Ethelred 1
Hubert 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Leigh 1
Mary 1

FAQ

Clinton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clinton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,123 people were recorded with the Clinton surname. That placed it at #3,553 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clinton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,722 in 2016. That gives Clinton a modern rank of #2,465.

What does the Clinton surname mean?

A place name derived from Old English meaning "settlement on the summit or slope of a hill."

What does the Clinton map show?

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