UK surname
An English habitational surname derived from a place called Culton in Somerset.
In the 1881 census there were 33 people recorded with the Culton surname, ranking it #28,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 44, ranked #35,224, down from #28,965 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Kelton, Crossmichael and Bourn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Culton is 142 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.3%.
1881 census count
33
Ranked #28,965
Modern count
44
2016, ranked #35,224
Peak year
1861
142 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Culton surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Culton surname density by area, 1861 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 | 33 | #27,390 |
| 1861 | historical | 142 | #15,982 |
| 1881 | historical | 33 | #28,965 |
| 1891 | historical | 60 | #29,204 |
| 1901 | historical | 76 | #25,734 |
| 1911 | historical | 40 | #28,913 |
| 1997 | modern | 58 | #31,831 |
| 1998 | modern | 62 | #31,735 |
| 1999 | modern | 58 | #32,268 |
| 2000 | modern | 55 | #32,609 |
| 2001 | modern | 53 | #32,674 |
| 2002 | modern | 49 | #33,377 |
| 2003 | modern | 52 | #33,160 |
| 2004 | modern | 51 | #33,478 |
| 2005 | modern | 52 | #33,619 |
| 2006 | modern | 50 | #34,077 |
| 2007 | modern | 51 | #34,272 |
| 2008 | modern | 51 | #34,439 |
| 2009 | modern | 49 | #34,728 |
| 2010 | modern | 46 | #35,062 |
| 2011 | modern | 49 | #34,868 |
| 2012 | modern | 45 | #35,105 |
| 2013 | modern | 47 | #35,071 |
| 2014 | modern | 45 | #35,201 |
| 2015 | modern | 44 | #35,212 |
| 2016 | modern | 44 | #35,224 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Kelton, Crossmichael, Bourn, West Derby and Semer, Whatfield. 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 | Kelton | Kirkcudbright |
| 2 | Crossmichael | Kirkcudbright |
| 3 | Bourn | Cambridgeshire |
| 4 | West Derby | Lancashire |
| 5 | Semer, Whatfield | Suffolk |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Culton 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 Culton, 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 Culton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Culton 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, Culton 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 Culton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Culton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Culton is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a now-lost or unidentified place, possibly in Lincolnshire or Yorkshire. Some scholars suggest that the name may be related to the Old English words "cul" or "cull," meaning a "hill" or "ridge," and "tun," meaning a "farm" or "settlement."
One of the earliest known references to the name Culton can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, a collection of financial records from the late 12th century. These rolls mention a certain "Willelmus de Cultun," indicating the presence of the name in that region during that period.
The Culton surname also appears in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries, including the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which recorded the names of landowners and their holdings. These records mention individuals with the name Culton residing in counties like Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
An early notable figure bearing the Culton name was Sir William Culton, a knight who lived in the late 13th century and held lands in Lincolnshire. He is mentioned in the Calendars of Inquisitions Post Mortem, a series of records documenting the transfer of property after an individual's death.
In the 16th century, the name Culton appears in the parish records of several English villages, suggesting its continued presence in various regions of the country. One such record from 1568 mentions the baptism of a child named Alice Culton in the parish of Kirton, Lincolnshire.
Another noteworthy individual was John Culton, born in 1602 in Yorkshire. He was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of York, and his name can be found in various records and documents from that period, including the York Freemen's Roll and the Yorkshire Parish Register.
As the centuries progressed, the Culton surname continued to be found in various parts of England, with some individuals migrating to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to other parts of the world. However, the name's origins remain firmly rooted in the historical regions of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Culton 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. Kirkcudbrightshire leads with 15 Cultons recorded in 1881 and an index of 321.89x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Kirkcudbrightshire | 15 | 321.89x |
| Wigtownshire | 7 | 163.93x |
| Yorkshire | 4 | 1.25x |
| Stirlingshire | 3 | 25.30x |
| Middlesex | 2 | 0.62x |
| Midlothian | 1 | 2.32x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 1.23x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kelton in Kirkcudbrightshire leads with 7 Cultons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1842.11x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Kelton | 7 | 1842.11x |
| Troqueer | 7 | 1147.54x |
| Whithorn | 7 | 2121.21x |
| Middlesbrough | 4 | 96.39x |
| Alva | 3 | 526.32x |
| St Pancras London | 2 | 7.73x |
| Aston | 1 | 4.48x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 1 | 5.77x |
| Kells | 1 | 909.09x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Culton 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 Culton 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 Culton households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Painter | 2 |
| Agent For Sewing Machines | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 33 people were recorded with the Culton surname. That placed it at #28,965 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 44 in 2016. That gives Culton a modern rank of #35,224.
An English habitational surname derived from a place called Culton in Somerset.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Culton 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.