NameCensus.

UK surname

Eccleston

A habitational name from a place so named in Lancashire, derived from the Old English 'ecclestun' meaning "church town".

In the 1881 census there were 1,500 people recorded with the Eccleston surname, ranking it #2,793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,445, ranked #2,695, up from #2,793 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Wigan and Standish. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Craven, St. Helens and Shropshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Eccleston is 2,596 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.0%.

1881 census count

1,500

Ranked #2,793

Modern count

2,445

2016, ranked #2,695

Peak year

2010

2,596 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Eccleston had 1,500 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,793 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,445 in 2016, ranked #2,695.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,154 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Eccleston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Eccleston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Eccleston 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 772 #3,459
1861 historical 878 #3,161
1881 historical 1,500 #2,793
1891 historical 1,578 #2,810
1901 historical 1,740 #2,980
1911 historical 2,154 #2,331
1997 modern 2,354 #2,650
1998 modern 2,494 #2,620
1999 modern 2,526 #2,610
2000 modern 2,563 #2,554
2001 modern 2,485 #2,575
2002 modern 2,566 #2,556
2003 modern 2,496 #2,569
2004 modern 2,497 #2,574
2005 modern 2,428 #2,605
2006 modern 2,432 #2,603
2007 modern 2,484 #2,579
2008 modern 2,466 #2,619
2009 modern 2,562 #2,586
2010 modern 2,596 #2,613
2011 modern 2,562 #2,613
2012 modern 2,463 #2,660
2013 modern 2,484 #2,682
2014 modern 2,510 #2,673
2015 modern 2,467 #2,689
2016 modern 2,445 #2,695

Geography

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Where Ecclestons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Wigan, Standish, Preston and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Craven, St. Helens, Shropshire and Wyre. 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 Wigan Lancashire
3 Standish Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Craven 003 Craven
2 St. Helens 022 St. Helens
3 St. Helens 020 St. Helens
4 Shropshire 003 Shropshire
5 Wyre 009 Wyre

Forenames

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First names often paired with Eccleston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Eccleston

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Eccleston, 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 Eccleston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Eccleston 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, Eccleston 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

Eccleston is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Eccleston 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 Eccleston is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Eccleston, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Eccleston

The surname Eccleston is an English locational name derived from the place name Eccleston, which is found in Lancashire and other parts of northern England. The name is believed to have originated in the 12th century, deriving from the Old English words "ecclesia" meaning church and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement.

The earliest recorded instance of the Eccleston surname can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Eclestone" in Lancashire. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the area by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the medieval period, the Ecclestons were a prominent landowning family in Lancashire, with their ancestral home located in the village of Eccleston near Chorley. Several members of the family held important positions in the local government and church throughout the centuries.

One notable figure was Sir Henry Eccleston, who served as the Sheriff of Lancashire in the late 15th century. His son, also named Henry, was involved in the Wars of the Roses and fought alongside the Lancastrian forces at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.

Another prominent Eccleston was Thomas Eccleston, a 13th-century Franciscan friar and historian. He wrote a chronicle of the early years of the Franciscan Order, providing valuable insights into the life and teachings of St. Francis of Assisi.

In the 17th century, the Ecclestons played a role in the English Civil War, with some members supporting the Royalist cause and others siding with the Parliamentarians. One such figure was Richard Eccleston, a Parliamentarian colonel who fought in several battles during the conflict.

The Eccleston surname also has connections to the village of Eccleston in Cheshire, which was once home to a branch of the family. This village was mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Eclestone," further cementing the name's historical roots.

Other notable individuals with the Eccleston surname include:

1. Christopher Eccleston (born 1964), an English actor known for his roles in films and television shows such as Doctor Who and The A Word. 2. Nirad C. Chaudhuri (1897-1999), an Indian writer and scholar born as Nirad Chandra Eccleston before changing his surname. 3. William Eccleston (1750-1809), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Wigan. 4. John Eccleston (1555-1616), an English Roman Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of King James I. 5. Thomas Eccleston (1802-1883), an English civil engineer and surveyor who worked on several railway projects in the 19th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Eccleston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Eccleston 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 803 Ecclestons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.62x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 803 4.62x
Staffordshire 262 5.30x
Shropshire 76 6.01x
Cheshire 75 2.32x
Warwickshire 73 1.98x
Yorkshire 35 0.24x
Middlesex 30 0.20x
Durham 19 0.44x
Worcestershire 19 0.99x
Surrey 15 0.21x
Essex 10 0.35x
Gloucestershire 9 0.31x
Hampshire 9 0.30x
Kent 9 0.18x
Flintshire 8 2.03x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.41x
Angus 7 0.52x
Denbighshire 7 1.27x
Cumberland 6 0.48x
Leicestershire 4 0.25x
Devon 3 0.10x
Suffolk 3 0.17x
Lincolnshire 2 0.09x
Northumberland 2 0.09x
Cardiganshire 1 0.28x
Derbyshire 1 0.04x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Norfolk 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 0.57x
Westmorland 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 112 Ecclestons recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.09x.

Place Total Index
Preston 112 24.09x
Willenhall 61 65.90x
Hindley 51 68.84x
Standish With Langtree 48 224.30x
Birmingham 46 3.74x
Windle 43 43.99x
Eccleston In Prescot 41 47.01x
Manchester 35 4.48x
Wolverhampton 32 8.42x
Toxteth Park 29 4.93x
Aston 25 2.46x
Blackburn 25 5.41x
Skelmersdale 24 82.90x
Wigan 24 9.88x
West Derby 23 4.52x
Bickerstaffe 22 193.49x
Everton 22 3.97x
Layton With Warbreck 22 34.50x
Wednesfield 20 27.50x
Stoke Upon Trent 19 3.63x
Liverpool 18 1.71x
Kings Norton 17 9.91x
Shrewsbury St Chad 16 36.04x
Bilston 14 14.62x
W Felton 14 260.71x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 13 9.62x
Dalton In Furness 13 19.38x
Sutton 13 22.31x
Barrow In Furness 12 5.08x
Little Bolton 12 5.37x
Stafford St Mary 12 17.15x
Camberwell 11 1.18x
Cannock 11 12.76x
Chorlton On Medlock 11 3.99x
Kirkdale 11 3.76x
Shrewsbury St Mary 11 22.04x
Tranmere 11 9.26x
Westleigh 11 27.88x
West Bromwich 10 3.53x
Anderton 9 552.15x
Barnoldswick 9 44.44x
Crook Billy Row 9 16.13x
Leyton Low 9 15.32x
Parr 9 14.48x
Rainhill 9 80.86x
Shrewsbury St Julian 9 28.76x
Witton 9 41.17x
Birkenhead 8 3.11x
Caverswall 8 31.14x
Hope 8 40.86x
Lymm 8 34.04x
Prees 8 51.91x
Spotland 8 4.14x
Walton On Hill 8 8.50x
Dundee 7 1.38x
Gateshead 7 2.15x
Great Little Marsden 7 8.80x
Haslingden 7 9.73x
Hulme 7 1.93x
Pemberton 7 10.10x
Radcliffe 7 8.36x
Seighford 7 178.12x
Tillington 7 518.52x
Whitchurch 7 28.51x
Worksop 7 11.96x
Wrexham Regis 7 17.04x
Acton Trussell 6 218.18x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 2.22x
Chester St Mary On Hill 6 21.64x
Newcastle Under Lyme 6 6.86x
North Meols 6 3.53x
Runcorn 6 8.05x
Cheslyn Hay 5 55.43x
Eccleshall 5 26.68x
Inskip With Sowerby 5 182.48x
Islington London 5 0.35x
Pendleton In Salford 5 2.42x
Sedgley 5 2.72x
Sevenoaks 5 12.35x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 5 10.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 129
Elizabeth 70
Sarah 55
Ann 39
Margaret 37
Ellen 33
Jane 33
Alice 25
Martha 23
Eliza 19
Emma 15
Emily 12
Hannah 12
Florence 10
Annie 9
Catherine 8
Harriet 8
Clara 7
Isabella 7
Susannah 7
Agnes 6
Esther 6
Ada 5
Fanny 5
Nancy 5
Caroline 4
Charlotte 4
Elizth. 4
Frances 4
Laura 4
Minnie 4
Rachel 4
Selina 4
Edith 3
Harriett 3
Louisa 3
Maggie 3
Margret 3
Maria 3
Mgt. 3
Phebe 3
Ruth 3
Sophia 3
Anne 2
Bridget 2
Grace 2
Lydia 2
Matilda 2
May 2
Nellie 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 103
William 102
James 81
Thomas 68
George 38
Henry 36
Joseph 36
Richard 29
Charles 20
Edward 17
Albert 11
Alfred 11
Arthur 11
Robert 10
Isaac 9
Samuel 9
Walter 8
Wm. 7
Thos. 6
Andrew 5
Ernest 5
Frederick 5
Job 5
Peter 5
Daniel 4
David 4
Benjamin 3
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Harry 3
Leonard 3
Percy 3
Roger 3
Terence 3
Adam 2
Chas. 2
Herbert 2
Israel 2
Laurence 2
Philip 2
Phillip 2
Ralph 2
Sampson 2
Elijah 1
Emanuel 1
Frank 1
Jasman 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Wm.Pringle 1

FAQ

Eccleston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Eccleston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,500 people were recorded with the Eccleston surname. That placed it at #2,793 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Eccleston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,445 in 2016. That gives Eccleston a modern rank of #2,695.

What does the Eccleston surname mean?

A habitational name from a place so named in Lancashire, derived from the Old English 'ecclestun' meaning "church town".

What does the Eccleston map show?

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