NameCensus.

UK surname

Eddington

A locational surname derived from places in England meaning "Ēadda's town" or "settlement associated with Ēadda."

In the 1881 census there were 302 people recorded with the Eddington surname, ranking it #9,673 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 300, ranked #14,738, down from #9,673 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Edinburgh and Middlezoy, Weston Zoyland, Woolavington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ross and Cromarty North West, East Lindsey and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Eddington is 353 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.7%.

1881 census count

302

Ranked #9,673

Modern count

300

2016, ranked #14,738

Peak year

1891

353 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Eddington had 302 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,673 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 300 in 2016, ranked #14,738.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 353 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Eddington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Eddington surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Eddington 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 275 #8,150
1861 historical 261 #9,481
1881 historical 302 #9,673
1891 historical 353 #9,760
1901 historical 335 #10,782
1911 historical 222 #13,992
1997 modern 312 #13,182
1998 modern 345 #12,649
1999 modern 338 #12,922
2000 modern 319 #13,391
2001 modern 302 #13,668
2002 modern 326 #13,241
2003 modern 321 #13,218
2004 modern 310 #13,589
2005 modern 305 #13,689
2006 modern 310 #13,603
2007 modern 311 #13,703
2008 modern 311 #13,800
2009 modern 317 #13,899
2010 modern 315 #14,223
2011 modern 306 #14,410
2012 modern 298 #14,565
2013 modern 305 #14,577
2014 modern 308 #14,571
2015 modern 302 #14,687
2016 modern 300 #14,738

Geography

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Where Eddingtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Edinburgh, Middlezoy, Weston Zoyland, Woolavington and Thornbury, Rockhampton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ross and Cromarty North West, East Lindsey, South Somerset, North East Lincolnshire and Joppa. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Middlezoy, Weston Zoyland, Woolavington Somerset
5 Thornbury, Rockhampton Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ross and Cromarty North West Highland
2 East Lindsey 002 East Lindsey
3 South Somerset 009 South Somerset
4 North East Lincolnshire 019 North East Lincolnshire
5 Joppa City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Eddington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Eddington

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Eddington surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Eddington household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Eddington 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

Eddington is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Eddington 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 Eddington is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Eddington

The surname Eddington is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from a place name, specifically an old Anglo-Saxon term "Eadinga tun," which translates to "the farmstead or village of Eada's people."

Eddington is a locational surname, meaning it originated from a particular town or village where the earliest bearers of the name resided. The name is associated with various places in England, such as the village of Eddington in Berkshire, as well as locations in Wiltshire, Lincolnshire, and Somerset.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Eddington can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dated 1273, which mentions a person named William de Edynton. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 include an entry for a John de Edyngton.

In the 14th century, the Eddington surname appears in the Feet of Fines records for Essex, dated 1349, referencing a John Edyngton. These early records demonstrate the various spellings and variations of the name throughout history.

Notable individuals with the surname Eddington include:

1. Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington (1882-1944), an English astronomer, physicist, and mathematician, known for his work on the theory of relativity and the study of stars. 2. William Eddington (1872-1951), an English cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club and the English national team. 3. Robert Eddington (1905-1982), an English actor and film director, best known for his roles in British films of the 1940s and 1950s. 4. William Henry Eddington (1855-1941), a British engineer and inventor, known for his contributions to the development of early aircraft designs. 5. John Eddington (1640-1717), an English Puritan minister and theologian, who served as the rector of Haverhill in Suffolk.

While the Eddington surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and other English-speaking countries, as a result of migration and settlement patterns over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Eddington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Eddington 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 60 Eddingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.05x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 60 2.05x
Midlothian 42 10.71x
Somerset 23 4.88x
Gloucestershire 16 2.79x
Fife 12 6.93x
Lancashire 12 0.35x
Yorkshire 12 0.41x
Cheshire 11 1.70x
Ayrshire 9 4.11x
Selkirkshire 9 34.00x
Glamorgan 8 1.57x
Surrey 8 0.56x
Dorset 7 3.64x
Kent 7 0.70x
Norfolk 7 1.56x
Warwickshire 6 0.81x
Durham 5 0.57x
Perthshire 4 3.05x
Worcestershire 4 1.05x
Argyllshire 3 3.68x
Essex 3 0.52x
Lincolnshire 3 0.64x
Northumberland 3 0.69x
Roxburghshire 3 5.66x
Westmorland 3 4.66x
East Lothian 2 5.16x
Hampshire 2 0.33x
Lanarkshire 2 0.21x
Peeblesshire 2 14.53x
Stirlingshire 2 1.85x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.37x
Angus 1 0.37x
Berkshire 1 0.46x
Buteshire 1 5.64x
Hertfordshire 1 0.50x
Inverness-shire 1 1.14x
Monmouthshire 1 0.47x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.25x
Ross-shire 1 1.24x
Staffordshire 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. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 21 Eddingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.31x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 21 13.31x
Bruton 12 648.65x
South Leith 11 24.94x
Clerkenwell London 9 13.03x
Galashiels 9 91.93x
St Pancras London 9 3.82x
St Anne Soho London 8 47.88x
Thornbury 8 204.08x
St Giles In Fields London 7 48.75x
Abbotshall 6 92.74x
Aston 6 2.95x
Dundonald 6 74.26x
Hanford 6 10000.00x
Islington London 6 2.12x
Ketteringham 6 3333.33x
Liscard 6 51.55x
Paddington London 6 5.58x
Barrow In Furness 5 10.59x
Kensington London 5 3.07x
North Leith 5 27.56x
St Luke London 5 10.65x
Stockton On Tees 5 11.91x
Battersea 4 3.71x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 7.40x
Claines 4 38.13x
Folkestone 4 20.65x
Hyde 4 20.99x
Kimberworth 4 24.86x
Meigle 4 408.16x
Pudsey 4 25.81x
Bridgewater 3 23.46x
Chelmsford 3 30.27x
Dalkeith 3 38.81x
Great Grimsby 3 10.10x
Henbury 3 107.14x
Kendal 3 25.49x
Kilmarnock 3 11.51x
Kirkdale 3 5.14x
Llanguick 3 32.86x
Longbenton 3 16.27x
Melrose 3 65.50x
Scoonie 3 80.00x
Bothwell 2 7.79x
Cardiff St Mary 2 7.13x
Congresbury 2 168.07x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 2 87.72x
Gladsmuir 2 115.61x
Holy Trinity 2 2.87x
Killean Kilchenzie 2 144.93x
Leeds 2 1.22x
Leslie 2 45.56x
Lewisham 2 3.76x
Middlezoy 2 344.83x
Mile End Old Town London 2 3.21x
Roath 2 8.64x
Toxteth Park 2 1.70x
Aberdeen Old Machar 1 1.77x
Aldershot 1 4.98x
Almondsbury 1 45.66x
Bilston 1 5.22x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 3.63x
Chelsea London 1 1.13x
Duirinish 1 22.47x
Eaton St Andrew 1 80.00x
Eddleston 1 138.89x
Frome 1 8.87x
Great Lever 1 27.17x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.92x
Kirkcaldy 1 11.64x
Lambeth 1 0.39x
Llanwonno 1 5.46x
Logie Easter 1 119.05x
Long Ashton 1 42.74x
Newark Upon Trent 1 7.05x
Newbury 1 14.20x
Newington 1 0.93x
Portsea 1 0.85x
Shoreditch London 1 0.79x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.94x
Stirling 1 7.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 12
Mary 10
Margaret 7
Jane 6
Amelia 4
Emily 4
Sarah 4
Susan 4
Catherine 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Helen 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Amy 2
Ann 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Jemima 2
Julia 2
Anne 1
Annie 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Christina 1
Cristina 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizebth 1
Esther 1
Euphomica 1
Fanny 1
Grace 1
Janet 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lawraty 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Madeline 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Rachal 1
Rhoda 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 22
John 10
Charles 8
George 7
James 5
Thomas 5
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Edwira 2
Francis 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Bertie 1
Dorgate 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Elwin 1
Harry 1
Jas. 1
M. 1
Michael 1
N. 1
Richd.John 1
Sylvanus 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Eddington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Eddington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 302 people were recorded with the Eddington surname. That placed it at #9,673 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Eddington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 300 in 2016. That gives Eddington a modern rank of #14,738.

What does the Eddington surname mean?

A locational surname derived from places in England meaning "Ēadda's town" or "settlement associated with Ēadda."

What does the Eddington map show?

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