NameCensus.

UK surname

Deaton

Derived from a place name meaning "valley town" in Old English, referring to someone who lived there.

In the 1881 census there were 125 people recorded with the Deaton surname, ranking it #17,335 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 259, ranked #16,393, up from #17,335 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Moulton, Whittington and Eckington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrogate, South Holland and South Oxfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Deaton is 269 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 107.2%.

1881 census count

125

Ranked #17,335

Modern count

259

2016, ranked #16,393

Peak year

2015

269 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Deaton had 125 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,335 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 259 in 2016, ranked #16,393.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 196 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Deaton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Deaton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Deaton 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 122 #14,966
1861 historical 188 #12,628
1881 historical 125 #17,335
1891 historical 196 #15,163
1901 historical 168 #16,886
1911 historical 172 #16,408
1997 modern 229 #16,168
1998 modern 230 #16,607
1999 modern 241 #16,179
2000 modern 240 #16,186
2001 modern 228 #16,525
2002 modern 239 #16,332
2003 modern 232 #16,447
2004 modern 243 #16,004
2005 modern 241 #16,036
2006 modern 238 #16,288
2007 modern 239 #16,449
2008 modern 241 #16,481
2009 modern 244 #16,706
2010 modern 249 #16,837
2011 modern 248 #16,735
2012 modern 254 #16,328
2013 modern 256 #16,506
2014 modern 262 #16,380
2015 modern 269 #15,955
2016 modern 259 #16,393

Geography

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Where Deatons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Moulton, Whittington, Eckington, Pinchbeck, Cowbit and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrogate, South Holland and South Oxfordshire. 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 Moulton Lincolnshire
2 Whittington Derbyshire
3 Eckington Derbyshire
4 Pinchbeck, Cowbit Lincolnshire
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrogate 010 Harrogate
2 Harrogate 014 Harrogate
3 South Holland 007 South Holland
4 South Oxfordshire 020 South Oxfordshire
5 South Holland 004 South Holland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Deaton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Deaton

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Deaton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Deaton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Deaton is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Deaton is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Deaton

The surname Deaton is of English origin and is believed to have originated in the 13th century. It is a locational name derived from the place name Deighton, which was found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, and Gloucestershire.

The name Deighton itself is thought to have evolved from the Old English words "deag" meaning "dye" and "tun" meaning "farm" or "settlement." This suggests that the name may have been associated with a settlement or area where dyeing activities took place.

Early records of the name can be found in various historical documents. For instance, the Deaton surname appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a John de Deyton is mentioned. In the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, a Thomas de Deghton is recorded.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Deaton surname can be found in the Calendars of Wills and Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, where a William Deyton from Coventry is mentioned in 1486.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Deaton. One such person was Sir Thomas Deighton (1628-1689), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of York from 1683 to 1684.

Another notable figure was Richard Deaton (1610-1655), an English clergyman and academic who served as Master of Pembroke College, Oxford, from 1642 to 1655.

In the literary world, there was John Deighton (1830-1875), an English writer and journalist who published several novels and works of non-fiction in the mid-19th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Deaton spelling can be found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1334, where a John Deyaton is mentioned.

In the United States, one notable individual with the Deaton surname was Phillip R. Deaton (1918-1997), a chemist and educator who served as the 15th president of Kansas State University from 1975 to 1986.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Deaton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Deaton 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 47 Deatons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.86x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 47 3.86x
Yorkshire 22 1.82x
Kent 13 3.13x
Derbyshire 11 5.76x
Durham 11 3.03x
Surrey 5 0.84x
Cheshire 4 1.49x
Lancashire 4 0.28x
Cumberland 3 2.86x
Staffordshire 2 0.49x
Essex 1 0.42x
Northamptonshire 1 0.87x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 16 Deatons recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.21x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 16 30.21x
Pembury 13 2203.39x
St Martin In Fields 9 123.29x
Eckington 8 172.41x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 50.92x
Ormesby 6 184.62x
Pudsey 6 92.88x
St Anne Soho London 5 71.84x
St Marylebone London 5 7.68x
Accrington 4 30.42x
Camblesforth 4 3333.33x
Clapham 4 26.25x
Monks Coppenhall 4 39.41x
St Paul Covent Garden 4 327.87x
Bradford 3 10.26x
Islington London 3 2.54x
Penrith 3 77.32x
South Mimms 3 179.64x
Stockton On Tees 3 17.16x
Whittington 3 113.64x
Kingswinford 2 13.39x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 24.21x
Hackney London 1 1.46x
Holy Trinity 1 3.44x
Isleworth 1 18.45x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.35x
Peterborough 1 12.05x
Prittlewell 1 29.94x
Streatham 1 11.06x
Worsbrough 1 28.25x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 14
George 10
Charles 4
Henry 4
Thomas 4
William 4
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Joseph 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Frank 1
Geo.Wm. 1
Harry 1
James 1
Jonathan 1
Leonard 1
Matthew 1
Owen 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Deaton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Deaton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 125 people were recorded with the Deaton surname. That placed it at #17,335 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Deaton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 259 in 2016. That gives Deaton a modern rank of #16,393.

What does the Deaton surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "valley town" in Old English, referring to someone who lived there.

What does the Deaton map show?

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