NameCensus.

UK surname

Dalton

Habitational surname referring to someone from a town or settlement named Dalton, meaning "valley town" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 6,850 people recorded with the Dalton surname, ranking it #620 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10,836, ranked #597, up from #620 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrogate, County Durham and Chorley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Dalton is 11,198 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.2%.

1881 census count

6,850

Ranked #620

Modern count

10,836

2016, ranked #597

Peak year

2010

11,198 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Dalton had 6,850 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #620 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 10,836 in 2016, ranked #597.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,797 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Dalton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Dalton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Dalton 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 4,405 #642
1861 historical 4,671 #610
1881 historical 6,850 #620
1891 historical 7,252 #621
1901 historical 8,264 #649
1911 historical 8,797 #557
1997 modern 10,505 #590
1998 modern 10,929 #588
1999 modern 10,963 #589
2000 modern 10,916 #589
2001 modern 10,642 #589
2002 modern 10,890 #590
2003 modern 10,622 #590
2004 modern 10,597 #591
2005 modern 10,510 #586
2006 modern 10,532 #589
2007 modern 10,527 #593
2008 modern 10,656 #592
2009 modern 10,979 #591
2010 modern 11,198 #594
2011 modern 11,036 #592
2012 modern 10,843 #590
2013 modern 11,051 #591
2014 modern 11,072 #594
2015 modern 10,937 #594
2016 modern 10,836 #597

Geography

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Where Daltons are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Harrogate, County Durham, Chorley, Middlesbrough and Pembrokeshire. 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 3
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrogate 004 Harrogate
2 County Durham 042 County Durham
3 Chorley 007 Chorley
4 Middlesbrough 007 Middlesbrough
5 Pembrokeshire 006 Pembrokeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Dalton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Dalton

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Dalton 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

Dalton is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Dalton

The surname Dalton is of English origin, derived from a place name. It is believed to have originated from the town of Dalton in Lancashire, England. The name is thought to have evolved from the Old English words "dael" meaning valley and "tun" meaning enclosure or settlement, thus translating to "valley settlement."

During the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, many people took on surnames derived from the locations they lived in or came from. The surname Dalton is believed to have emerged during this period, as people from the town of Dalton adopted it as a means of identification.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Dalton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Dalton." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and resources in England at the time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as "de Dalton" and "de Daltone," reflecting the Norman French influence on English language and naming conventions at the time.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname Dalton include John Dalton (1766-1844), an English chemist, physicist, and meteorologist best known for his groundbreaking work on atomic theory and the laws of partial pressures in gases. Another prominent individual was Michael Dalton (1564-1642), an English lawyer and judge who served as a Baron of the Exchequer.

Thomas Dalton (1759-1841) was an English priest and renowned mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of atmospheric refraction. Elizabeth Dalton (1815-1888) was a British pioneer in the education of the deaf, founding several schools and advocating for improved teaching methods.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Sir Samuel Dalton (1598-1668) was a notable Royalist commander who fought alongside King Charles I against the Parliamentarians.

The surname Dalton has a rich history, with its origins dating back to the Norman Conquest and its ties to the town of Dalton in Lancashire. Throughout the centuries, individuals with this surname have made significant contributions across various fields, leaving a lasting impact on history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Dalton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Dalton 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. Yorkshire leads with 1,405 Daltons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.11x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,405 2.11x
Lancashire 1,158 1.46x
Middlesex 708 1.06x
Surrey 477 1.46x
Kent 436 1.91x
Cumberland 328 5.68x
Warwickshire 284 1.68x
Lincolnshire 266 2.48x
Durham 257 1.29x
Cheshire 151 1.02x
Staffordshire 115 0.51x
Nottinghamshire 96 1.06x
Norfolk 92 0.89x
Derbyshire 87 0.83x
Essex 87 0.66x
Northumberland 81 0.81x
Sussex 72 0.64x
Westmorland 65 4.41x
Hampshire 53 0.39x
Worcestershire 49 0.56x
Devon 41 0.29x
Bedfordshire 40 1.15x
Lanarkshire 40 0.18x
Cambridgeshire 31 0.73x
Oxfordshire 31 0.75x
Northamptonshire 30 0.48x
Glamorgan 29 0.25x
Gloucestershire 24 0.18x
Berkshire 22 0.44x
Renfrewshire 21 0.40x
Suffolk 20 0.24x
Buckinghamshire 19 0.47x
Hertfordshire 18 0.39x
Leicestershire 18 0.24x
Ayrshire 17 0.34x
Midlothian 17 0.19x
Pembrokeshire 16 0.75x
Carmarthenshire 14 0.50x
Channel Islands 14 0.70x
Flintshire 14 0.78x
Monmouthshire 14 0.29x
Royal Navy 13 1.63x
Somerset 13 0.12x
Argyllshire 12 0.64x
Angus 11 0.18x
Cornwall 9 0.12x
Perthshire 9 0.30x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.22x
Herefordshire 6 0.22x
Isle of Man 6 0.48x
Stirlingshire 5 0.20x
Dorset 4 0.09x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.05x
Caithness 3 0.33x
Denbighshire 3 0.12x
Dumfriesshire 3 0.20x
Wiltshire 3 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.15x
Brecknockshire 1 0.07x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.06x
Fife 1 0.03x
Rutland 1 0.20x
Shropshire 1 0.02x
West Lothian 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. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 101 Daltons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.93x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 101 3.93x
Manchester 82 2.29x
Liverpool 79 1.63x
Sheffield 73 3.45x
Birmingham 72 1.28x
Camberwell 70 1.63x
Croston 65 158.11x
Leeds 63 1.68x
Sculcoates 63 5.98x
Holy Trinity 58 3.63x
Lambeth 58 0.99x
Broughton In Salford 57 7.83x
Brightside Bierlow 54 4.14x
Stanhope 48 23.30x
Gateshead 47 3.15x
Coventry Holy Trinity 46 9.11x
Chelsea London 45 2.23x
Ecclesall Bierlow 44 3.26x
Hammersmith London 44 2.66x
Croydon 43 2.37x
Salford 43 1.84x
St Pancras London 43 0.80x
Islington London 42 0.65x
Southwark St George Martyr 40 2.96x
Foleshill 39 21.92x
Toxteth Park 39 1.45x
Coventry St Michael 34 6.26x
Skelmanthorpe 34 47.40x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 33 3.82x
Kensington London 33 0.89x
West Derby 33 1.42x
Woolwich 32 3.79x
Everton 31 1.22x
Penrith 31 14.53x
Widnes 31 5.40x
Hampstead London 30 2.87x
Hunslet 30 2.90x
Tettenhall 30 21.68x
Bootle Cum Linacre 29 4.59x
Bermondsey 28 1.40x
Hulme 28 1.69x
Ripon 28 18.16x
Ashton Under Lyne 27 1.55x
Bradford 27 1.68x
Westoe 27 2.39x
Bow London 26 3.05x
Ealing 26 4.34x
Kirkdale 26 1.94x
West Ham 26 0.89x
Battersea 25 1.01x
Hackney London 25 0.67x
Hornsey 25 2.95x
Lewisham 25 2.05x
Scarborough 25 4.14x
St Marylebone London 25 0.70x
Radford 24 5.23x
Reigate Foreign 24 6.78x
Spalding 24 11.28x
Fulham London 23 2.37x
Nottingham St Mary 23 0.98x
Brighton 22 0.96x
Huddersfield 22 2.27x
Limehouse London 22 2.99x
Preston 22 1.03x
Deptford St Paul 21 1.19x
Gorton 21 2.81x
Newton 21 3.42x
St George Hanover Square 21 1.78x
Strood 21 16.09x
Mile End Old Town London 20 1.40x
St Cuthbert W O 20 7.11x
Tottenham 20 1.87x
Aston 19 0.41x
Bingley 19 4.49x
Bletchingley 19 44.58x
Caldewgate 19 6.01x
Linthwaite 19 13.61x
Tonbridge 19 2.30x
Westgate 19 3.08x
Maidstone 18 2.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 520
Elizabeth 235
Sarah 233
Jane 160
Ann 139
Ellen 125
Emma 112
Annie 105
Margaret 102
Alice 92
Hannah 88
Eliza 83
Emily 67
Catherine 46
Martha 46
Charlotte 43
Fanny 42
Louisa 41
Maria 41
Frances 40
Harriet 39
Edith 38
Ada 37
Clara 36
Caroline 32
Kate 32
Florence 30
Agnes 29
Anne 28
Amy 27
Isabella 27
Eleanor 21
Lucy 21
Rebecca 20
Amelia 19
Esther 18
Susan 18
Julia 17
Rose 17
Susannah 17
Sophia 16
Bridget 15
Harriett 14
Betsy 13
Ethel 13
Jessie 12
Lizzie 12
Margt. 12
Matilda 12
Rachel 10

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 418
William 379
Thomas 262
James 232
George 168
Henry 133
Charles 118
Joseph 116
Robert 100
Edward 92
Richard 82
Alfred 62
Frederick 51
Samuel 50
Albert 45
Arthur 42
Walter 38
Frank 36
Harry 36
Herbert 32
Michael 31
Francis 27
Patrick 25
David 23
Daniel 20
Ernest 20
Tom 20
Wm. 20
Peter 16
Isaac 15
Thos. 15
Benjamin 14
Edwin 13
Jacob 9
Matthew 9
Robt. 9
Geo. 8
Jas. 7
Saml. 7
Chas. 6
Christopher 6
Edmund 6
Frederic 6
Luke 6
Mark 6
Oliver 6
Percy 6
Willie 6
Abraham 5
Stephen 5

FAQ

Dalton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Dalton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,850 people were recorded with the Dalton surname. That placed it at #620 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Dalton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 10,836 in 2016. That gives Dalton a modern rank of #597.

What does the Dalton surname mean?

Habitational surname referring to someone from a town or settlement named Dalton, meaning "valley town" in Old English.

What does the Dalton map show?

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