NameCensus.

UK surname

Edgerton

From a place name meaning "farmstead by an oak tree," derived from Old English words ecg and tun.

In the 1881 census there were 428 people recorded with the Edgerton surname, ranking it #7,587 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 667, ranked #8,009, down from #7,587 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolstanton, London parishes and Wem. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Edgerton is 688 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.8%.

1881 census count

428

Ranked #7,587

Modern count

667

2016, ranked #8,009

Peak year

2014

688 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Edgerton had 428 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,587 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 667 in 2016, ranked #8,009.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 485 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Edgerton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Edgerton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Edgerton 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 349 #6,747
1861 historical 328 #7,771
1881 historical 428 #7,587
1891 historical 373 #9,367
1901 historical 450 #8,700
1911 historical 485 #8,012
1997 modern 596 #8,188
1998 modern 638 #8,020
1999 modern 649 #7,950
2000 modern 648 #7,951
2001 modern 627 #8,005
2002 modern 642 #8,032
2003 modern 647 #7,852
2004 modern 650 #7,838
2005 modern 633 #7,947
2006 modern 631 #7,983
2007 modern 630 #8,056
2008 modern 637 #8,033
2009 modern 657 #8,006
2010 modern 675 #7,995
2011 modern 656 #8,094
2012 modern 682 #7,772
2013 modern 676 #7,960
2014 modern 688 #7,887
2015 modern 673 #7,965
2016 modern 667 #8,009

Geography

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Where Edgertons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolstanton, London parishes, Wem, Leamington Priors and Ellesmere (Ellesmere), Welshampton, Whittington, Halston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire and Liverpool. 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 Wolstanton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Wem Shropshire
4 Leamington Priors Warwickshire
5 Ellesmere (Ellesmere), Welshampton, Whittington, Halston Shropshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 001 Shropshire
2 Shropshire 008 Shropshire
3 Shropshire 010 Shropshire
4 Shropshire 004 Shropshire
5 Liverpool 014 Liverpool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Edgerton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Edgerton

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Edgerton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Edgerton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Edgerton is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Edgerton 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

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

Meaning and origin of Edgerton

The surname Edgerton has its origins in England, stemming from the village of Edgerton, located in the county of Lancashire. The name itself is derived from Old English, with "Edger" meaning "dweller by the edge" and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement. This suggests that the name was originally used to identify those who lived on the outskirts or borders of a particular area.

Historically, the name Edgerton can be traced back to the 13th century, with records indicating its presence in various documents from that period onwards. One notable mention is in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from 1332, which lists an individual named Richard de Edgerton. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region by that time.

In the 16th century, the Edgerton family gained prominence in Lancashire, with several members holding positions of influence in the local community. One such individual was Sir Richard Edgerton (1554-1623), who served as a Member of Parliament and was knighted by King James I in 1617.

Moving forward to the 17th century, the name appears in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Lancashire from 1663, further cementing its presence in the region. During this period, the spelling variation "Egerton" also emerged, as seen in the case of Thomas Egerton (1540-1617), who served as Lord Chancellor of England under Queen Elizabeth I and King James I.

The 18th century saw the spread of the Edgerton name to other parts of England and beyond. One notable figure from this era was Richard Edgerton (1720-1769), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and played a role in the capture of the French island of Guadeloupe.

In the 19th century, the Edgerton name continued to be prominent, with individuals like Joseph Edgerton (1818-1893), a British industrialist and founder of the Edgerton Colliery in Yorkshire, contributing to the economic development of the region. Another notable figure was Sir Edward Ridley Colborne Edgerton (1842-1910), a British colonial administrator who served as Governor of British Guiana (now Guyana) from 1904 to 1909.

As the Edgerton name spread across the globe, individuals bearing this surname have made their mark in various fields. One such example is Harold Eugene Edgerton (1903-1990), an American engineer and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, renowned for his pioneering work in the field of stroboscopic photography and ultra-high-speed cinematography.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Edgerton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Edgerton 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. Shropshire leads with 89 Edgertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.62x.

County Total Index
Shropshire 89 24.62x
Staffordshire 71 5.03x
Warwickshire 45 4.26x
Hampshire 38 4.43x
Middlesex 25 0.60x
Cheshire 24 2.60x
Lancashire 23 0.46x
Surrey 19 0.93x
Flintshire 15 13.33x
Yorkshire 14 0.34x
Berkshire 10 3.18x
Kent 10 0.70x
Cambridgeshire 8 3.02x
Buckinghamshire 7 2.77x
Worcestershire 7 1.28x
Denbighshire 6 3.80x
Durham 4 0.32x
Essex 3 0.36x
Montgomeryshire 3 3.13x
Northumberland 3 0.48x
Derbyshire 2 0.31x
Cornwall 1 0.21x
Leicestershire 1 0.22x
Oxfordshire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wem in Shropshire leads with 25 Edgertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 464.68x.

Place Total Index
Wem 25 464.68x
Southampton St Mary 21 38.93x
Wolstanton 20 46.62x
Leamington Priors 19 73.16x
Aston 15 5.16x
Edgmond 12 301.51x
Hornsey 12 22.68x
Wolverhampton 12 11.05x
Bronington 11 1134.02x
Birmingham 9 2.56x
Newington 9 5.82x
Gamlingay 8 289.86x
Lyndhurst 8 340.43x
Ruyton Of Eleven Towns 8 500.00x
Wharton 8 159.05x
Bradford 7 30.12x
Heap 7 26.58x
Odd Rode 7 152.84x
West Bromwich 7 8.66x
Blockley 6 194.17x
Croydon 6 5.30x
Liverpool 6 1.99x
Pelsall 6 142.86x
Reading St Giles 6 19.47x
Ruabon 6 27.60x
South Stoneham 6 32.24x
Wolstanton Chatterly 6 413.79x
Burnham 5 155.28x
Caverswall 5 68.12x
Dawley 5 37.99x
Ellesmere 5 80.52x
Horton In Bradford 5 7.72x
Lewisham 5 6.57x
Over Whitley 5 1136.36x
Plumstead 5 10.51x
Wolstanton Ranscliffe 5 1000.00x
Boningale 4 1428.57x
Lambeth 4 1.10x
Prees 4 90.91x
Stanton Upon Hine Heath 4 421.05x
Whittington English 4 1739.13x
Burntwood Edial 3 33.26x
Byker 3 9.75x
Harborne 3 6.63x
Holywell 3 21.25x
Hunslet 3 4.64x
Meifod 3 131.58x
Mortimer 3 200.00x
Newport 3 68.81x
Shrewsbury St Mary 3 21.02x
St Dunstan In West London 3 230.77x
W Felton 3 196.08x
Wanstead 3 20.73x
Halifax 2 3.29x
Hammersmith London 2 1.94x
Loppington 2 259.74x
Shrewsbury St Julian 2 22.37x
Stanton Newhall 2 95.24x
Wellington 2 9.84x
Westoe 2 2.83x
Wolstanton Oldcott 2 39.06x
Wrockwardine 2 25.16x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 1 2.59x
Basingstoke 1 10.14x
Burslem 1 2.47x
Darlington 1 2.08x
Dawdon 1 6.53x
Falmouth 1 5.96x
Great Lever 1 18.98x
Holy Trinity Less London 1 94.34x
Kensington London 1 0.43x
Layton With Warbreck 1 5.49x
Leamington 1 14.31x
Oxton 1 19.16x
Paddington London 1 0.65x
Rushall 1 12.03x
Stockport 1 2.10x
Stratfieldsaye 1 121.95x
Westminster St James 1 2.32x
Wooburn 1 28.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 31
Sarah 29
Elizabeth 18
Emma 9
Ann 8
Annie 6
Eliza 5
Harriet 5
Jane 5
Lydia 5
Hannah 4
Lucy 4
Margaret 4
Martha 4
Agnes 3
Charlotte 3
Elizth. 3
Alice 2
Bertha 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Florance 2
Mabel 2
Maria 2
Matilda 2
Selina 2
Beatrice 1
Christina 1
Daisey 1
Emley 1
Emmentine 1
Ethel 1
Evangeline 1
Florence 1
Henrietta 1
Jemimah 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
June 1
Kate 1
Keziah 1
Lettisha 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
M.E. 1
Vida 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 38
William 27
Thomas 14
James 13
Joseph 12
Samuel 10
George 8
Henry 8
Frederick 6
Harry 6
Edward 5
Richard 5
Alfred 4
Philip 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Walter 3
Benjamin 2
Bertie 2
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Job 2
Noah 2
Thos. 2
Albert 1
Authur 1
Benj. 1
Charlie 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Ed. 1
Eli 1
Emanuel 1
Enock 1
G. 1
Henery 1
Horace 1
Jas. 1
Lewis 1
Lionel 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Sydney 1
Victor 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Edgerton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Edgerton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 428 people were recorded with the Edgerton surname. That placed it at #7,587 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Edgerton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 667 in 2016. That gives Edgerton a modern rank of #8,009.

What does the Edgerton surname mean?

From a place name meaning "farmstead by an oak tree," derived from Old English words ecg and tun.

What does the Edgerton map show?

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