UK surname
A locational surname derived from Duston, a place near Northampton, England.
In the 1881 census there were 64 people recorded with the Duston surname, ranking it #24,561 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 35, ranked #35,703, down from #24,561 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Wigginton and Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Duston is 191 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 45.3%.
1881 census count
64
Ranked #24,561
Modern count
35
2016, ranked #35,703
Peak year
1861
191 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Duston surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Duston surname density by area, 1891 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 | 50 | #24,274 |
| 1861 | historical | 191 | #12,467 |
| 1881 | historical | 64 | #24,561 |
| 1891 | historical | 132 | #19,976 |
| 1901 | historical | 79 | #25,363 |
| 1911 | historical | 50 | #27,806 |
| 1997 | modern | 47 | #32,975 |
| 1998 | modern | 37 | #34,149 |
| 1999 | modern | 32 | #34,717 |
| 2000 | modern | 32 | #34,705 |
| 2001 | modern | 27 | #35,041 |
| 2002 | modern | 30 | #34,950 |
| 2003 | modern | 28 | #35,200 |
| 2004 | modern | 28 | #35,354 |
| 2005 | modern | 28 | #35,510 |
| 2006 | modern | 29 | #35,605 |
| 2007 | modern | 29 | #35,725 |
| 2008 | modern | 25 | #36,072 |
| 2009 | modern | 30 | #35,871 |
| 2010 | modern | 33 | #35,794 |
| 2011 | modern | 32 | #35,831 |
| 2012 | modern | 30 | #35,929 |
| 2013 | modern | 35 | #35,697 |
| 2014 | modern | 32 | #35,896 |
| 2015 | modern | 33 | #35,803 |
| 2016 | modern | 35 | #35,703 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Wigginton, Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), Huntington and St Austell. 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 | Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff | Gloucestershire |
| 2 | Wigginton | Yorkshire, East Riding |
| 3 | Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) | Devon |
| 4 | Huntington | Yorkshire, East Riding |
| 5 | St Austell | Cornwall |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Duston 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 Duston, 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 Duston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Duston 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, Duston 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 Duston is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Duston, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Duston is of English origin, deriving from the place name Duston, a village located in Northamptonshire, England. The name is believed to have originated in the Anglo-Saxon period, with the earliest recorded spelling being "Dustone" in the Domesday Book of 1086.
The name Duston is thought to be derived from the Old English words "dun" meaning hill, and "tun" meaning enclosure or settlement. This suggests that the original place name referred to a settlement situated on a hill or elevated ground.
In the 13th century, records show the name spelled as "Dunestone" and "Donestone," reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that time period. By the 14th century, the spelling had settled closer to the modern form, appearing as "Duston" in various records and manuscripts.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Duston was William de Duston, who was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Northamptonshire in 1272. Another notable figure was John Duston, born around 1540 in Duston, who served as a member of the Parliament of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
In the 17th century, a famous bearer of the name was Hannah Duston, an English colonist in Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1697, she was captured by Abenaki Native Americans during King William's War and later gained fame for her daring escape and the controversial killing of her captors.
Other notable individuals with the surname Duston include:
1. Sir William Duston (1588-1665), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Northampton. 2. Thomas Duston (1615-1683), an English clergyman and writer who served as the Dean of Peterborough Cathedral. 3. Elizabeth Duston (1723-1798), an English author and playwright known for her works on education and morality. 4. John Duston (1796-1872), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas. 5. William Duston (1842-1918), an English businessman and philanthropist who founded the Duston School for Girls in Northamptonshire.
While the name Duston has its roots in a specific village in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by individuals and families who emigrated from their ancestral homeland.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Duston 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. Yorkshire leads with 19 Dustons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.07x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 19 | 3.07x |
| Warwickshire | 12 | 7.62x |
| Cornwall | 9 | 12.73x |
| Middlesex | 9 | 1.44x |
| Devon | 6 | 4.62x |
| Suffolk | 5 | 6.58x |
| Gloucestershire | 2 | 1.63x |
| Midlothian | 1 | 1.20x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 1.08x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 12 Dustons recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.87x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 12 | 22.87x |
| Huntington | 10 | 7692.31x |
| Hackney London | 7 | 20.00x |
| Wigginton | 7 | 7777.78x |
| Gorleston | 5 | 259.07x |
| East Stonehouse | 4 | 156.25x |
| St Michael Carhayes | 4 | 13333.33x |
| Veryan | 4 | 1481.48x |
| Bristol St James St Paul | 2 | 49.02x |
| Plymouth St Andrew | 2 | 19.98x |
| Alnwick | 1 | 62.50x |
| Edinburgh Tron Church | 1 | 256.41x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.65x |
| St Austell | 1 | 41.32x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 3.00x |
| York All Sts North | 1 | 322.58x |
| York St Giles In | 1 | 172.41x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Duston 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 Duston 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 Duston households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 10 |
| Market Gardener | 5 |
| Ag Lab | 2 |
| General Servant | 2 |
| Housekeeper | 2 |
| Ag Lab (Unemployed) | 1 |
| Brass Tube Bender | 1 |
| Brass Tube Drawer | 1 |
| Carrier | 1 |
| Clerks | 1 |
| Comml Traveler (Sugar) | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Farm Laborer | 1 |
| Farm Labourer Outdoor | 1 |
| Gardeners Wife | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| Joiner And Wheelwright | 1 |
| Laborer Printers | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Letter Press Printer | 1 |
| Needle Woman | 1 |
| Nurse Monthly | 1 |
| Pensioner HM Dockyard | 1 |
| Servant | 1 |
| Wife Of Labourer | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 64 people were recorded with the Duston surname. That placed it at #24,561 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 35 in 2016. That gives Duston a modern rank of #35,703.
A locational surname derived from Duston, a place near Northampton, England.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Duston 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.