NameCensus.

UK surname

Egerton

From an English place name derived from the Old English "ēa" meaning river and "tūn" meaning settlement.

In the 1881 census there were 1,468 people recorded with the Egerton surname, ranking it #2,844 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,077, ranked #3,116, down from #2,844 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Over, Manchester and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Shropshire and Staffordshire Moorlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Egerton is 2,230 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.5%.

1881 census count

1,468

Ranked #2,844

Modern count

2,077

2016, ranked #3,116

Peak year

1911

2,230 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Egerton had 1,468 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,844 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,077 in 2016, ranked #3,116.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,230 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Egerton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Egerton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Egerton 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 830 #3,260
1861 historical 941 #2,947
1881 historical 1,468 #2,844
1891 historical 1,651 #2,719
1901 historical 2,059 #2,602
1911 historical 2,230 #2,265
1997 modern 2,104 #2,933
1998 modern 2,206 #2,911
1999 modern 2,224 #2,912
2000 modern 2,197 #2,928
2001 modern 2,134 #2,944
2002 modern 2,206 #2,911
2003 modern 2,129 #2,946
2004 modern 2,108 #2,969
2005 modern 2,077 #2,972
2006 modern 2,091 #2,967
2007 modern 2,115 #2,965
2008 modern 2,111 #2,989
2009 modern 2,145 #3,022
2010 modern 2,192 #3,024
2011 modern 2,155 #3,039
2012 modern 2,130 #3,005
2013 modern 2,133 #3,055
2014 modern 2,135 #3,073
2015 modern 2,099 #3,095
2016 modern 2,077 #3,116

Geography

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Where Egertons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Over, Manchester, Portsmouth, Portsea, Middlewich 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 Cheshire West and Chester, Shropshire, Staffordshire Moorlands and Cheshire East. 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 Over Cheshire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 Middlewich Cheshire
5 Ellesmere (Ellesmere), Welshampton, Whittington, Halston Shropshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 035 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Shropshire 004 Shropshire
3 Staffordshire Moorlands 006 Staffordshire Moorlands
4 Cheshire East 020 Cheshire East
5 Cheshire West and Chester 021 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Egerton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Egerton

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Egerton 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

Egerton 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

Egerton falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Egerton 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 Egerton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Egerton

The surname Egerton is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is a habitation name derived from the town of Egerton in Cheshire, England. The town's name is composed of the Old English elements "aec" meaning oak and "tun" meaning farm or settlement, suggesting that it was originally an oak-tree settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Echereton". This entry refers to a place in Cheshire, which is likely the origin of the modern town and surname.

In the 13th century, the name appeared as "de Eggerton" in various records, indicating that it was used as a surname by individuals hailing from Egerton. Over time, the spelling evolved to its current form, Egerton.

One notable early bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Egerton (1540-1617), who served as Lord Keeper of the Great Seal under Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. He was also a prominent lawyer and held the position of Lord Chancellor of England from 1603 until his death.

Another significant figure was John Egerton, 2nd Earl of Bridgewater (1579-1649), a prominent English nobleman and patron of the arts. He was known for commissioning the Bridgewater Canal, one of the earliest industrial canals in England.

In the 18th century, Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater (1736-1803), was a pioneering industrialist and landowner. He is credited with revolutionizing inland transportation through his extensive system of canals, known as the Bridgewater Canal network.

The Egerton family also had a strong presence in the literary world. Thomas Egerton (1545-1616) was a prominent printer and publisher in London, responsible for publishing works by renowned authors like William Shakespeare and Edmund Spenser.

Another notable figure was Michael Egerton (1635-1692), a British theologian and author who served as the Bishop of Hereford. He was known for his controversial writings on religious topics and his involvement in the Glorious Revolution of 1688.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals who have borne the surname Egerton throughout history, reflecting its long-standing presence and significance in various fields, particularly in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Egerton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Egerton 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. Cheshire leads with 404 Egertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.75x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 404 12.75x
Lancashire 354 2.08x
Middlesex 96 0.67x
Staffordshire 81 1.67x
Hampshire 80 2.72x
Shropshire 77 6.21x
Surrey 77 1.10x
Warwickshire 65 1.80x
Flintshire 29 7.52x
Oxfordshire 27 3.05x
Kent 20 0.41x
Yorkshire 19 0.13x
Gloucestershire 18 0.64x
Sussex 15 0.62x
Northamptonshire 10 0.74x
Derbyshire 8 0.36x
Devon 7 0.23x
Northumberland 7 0.33x
Renfrewshire 7 0.63x
Denbighshire 6 1.11x
Norfolk 6 0.27x
Worcestershire 6 0.32x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.58x
Montgomeryshire 5 1.52x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.26x
Midlothian 4 0.21x
Somerset 4 0.17x
Ayrshire 3 0.28x
Cumberland 3 0.24x
Durham 3 0.07x
Leicestershire 3 0.19x
Royal Navy 3 1.75x
Angus 2 0.15x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.34x
Merionethshire 2 0.76x
Berkshire 1 0.09x
Cardiganshire 1 0.29x
Essex 1 0.04x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.35x
Monmouthshire 1 0.10x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.22x
Rutland 1 0.95x
Suffolk 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 53 Egertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.92x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 53 6.92x
Over 43 133.58x
Salford 38 7.59x
Portsea 30 5.20x
Birmingham 25 2.07x
Ashton Under Lyne 24 6.45x
Oldham 24 4.37x
Ellesmere 23 108.08x
Lambeth 21 1.68x
Sandbach 21 77.72x
Aston 18 1.81x
Castle Northwich 17 162.21x
Newton In Northwich 17 176.35x
Bicester Market End 16 98.34x
St George Hanover Square 16 6.33x
Bronington 15 450.45x
Hulme 15 4.22x
Islington London 15 1.08x
Monks Coppenhall 15 12.55x
Wharton 15 86.96x
Mobberley 14 193.64x
Studley 14 90.50x
Birkenhead 13 5.15x
Congleton 13 23.75x
Bollington In 12 42.57x
Middlewich 12 184.05x
Shifnal 12 35.65x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 2.34x
Stone 12 19.37x
Betchton 11 270.94x
Broughton In Salford 11 7.07x
Hackney London 11 1.37x
Kensington London 11 1.38x
Paddington London 11 2.08x
South Stoneham 11 17.24x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 11 39.02x
Brackley St Peter 10 107.99x
Cotton 10 4761.90x
Minstead 10 236.41x
Tonge 10 28.00x
Toxteth Park 10 1.73x
West Derby 10 2.01x
Wolstanton 10 6.80x
Wolverhampton 10 2.69x
Bradford 9 11.29x
Bury 9 4.63x
Castle Church 9 30.92x
Croydon 9 2.32x
Erith 9 18.66x
Moss Side 9 10.04x
Newton 9 6.86x
Worsley 9 8.57x
Antrobus 8 368.66x
Faddiley 8 695.65x
Liverpool 8 0.77x
Thursley 8 159.36x
Warrington 8 3.96x
Ardwick 7 4.56x
Bloxham 7 80.55x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 2.59x
Ellesmere Criftins 7 693.07x
Everton 7 1.29x
Glossop Dale 7 6.65x
Newington 7 1.32x
Odd Rode 7 44.61x
Paisley Low Church 7 19.89x
Pendleton In Salford 7 3.45x
Runcorn 7 9.59x
Southampton St Mary 7 3.78x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 2.42x
Trentham 7 16.99x
Whitchurch 7 29.09x
Burwardsley 6 273.97x
Burwash 6 53.48x
Chester St Oswald 6 10.46x
Elton 6 10.20x
Mold 6 17.15x
Sproston 6 869.57x
St Mary Extra 6 25.35x
Walton On Hill 6 6.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 93
Sarah 66
Elizabeth 49
Ann 37
Alice 28
Martha 27
Jane 26
Eliza 23
Emma 21
Ellen 20
Emily 20
Catherine 14
Hannah 14
Margaret 14
Annie 13
Charlotte 12
Harriet 12
Caroline 9
Edith 8
Kate 8
Maria 8
Fanny 7
Florence 7
Louisa 7
Anne 6
Helen 6
Agnes 5
Clara 5
Frances 5
Julia 5
Lucy 5
Ada 4
Amelia 4
Anna 4
Francis 4
Isabella 4
Lydia 4
Maud 4
Rosa 4
Rose 4
Amy 3
Beatrice 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Georgina 3
Jessie 3
Fanney 2
Katharine 2
Katherine 2
Mabel 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 98
John 94
Thomas 56
James 49
Joseph 41
George 40
Charles 38
Samuel 20
Frederick 19
Alfred 17
Arthur 17
Henry 13
Robert 11
Edward 10
Richard 10
Harry 9
Walter 8
Albert 7
Fred 7
Wm. 7
Philip 6
Francis 5
Frank 5
Abraham 4
Benjamin 4
Daniel 4
Edwin 4
Herbert 4
Thos. 4
Alexander 3
Edmund 3
Ernest 3
Hugh 3
Peter 3
Reginald 3
Bertie 2
Elizabeth 2
Emmanuel 2
Enoch 2
Geo. 2
Gilbert 2
Hubert 2
Isaac 2
Jame 2
Jas. 2
R. 2
Rowland 2
Squire 2
Stanley 2
Stephen 2

FAQ

Egerton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Egerton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,468 people were recorded with the Egerton surname. That placed it at #2,844 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Egerton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,077 in 2016. That gives Egerton a modern rank of #3,116.

What does the Egerton surname mean?

From an English place name derived from the Old English "ēa" meaning river and "tūn" meaning settlement.

What does the Egerton map show?

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