NameCensus.

UK surname

Eggleston

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Ecgwulf's town."

In the 1881 census there were 698 people recorded with the Eggleston surname, ranking it #5,198 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 972, ranked #5,937, down from #5,198 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Gateshead and Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Eden, Melton and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Eggleston is 1,010 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.3%.

1881 census count

698

Ranked #5,198

Modern count

972

2016, ranked #5,937

Peak year

2000

1,010 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Eggleston had 698 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,198 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 972 in 2016, ranked #5,937.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 968 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Eggleston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Eggleston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Eggleston 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 439 #5,600
1861 historical 481 #5,426
1881 historical 698 #5,198
1891 historical 760 #5,241
1901 historical 813 #5,549
1911 historical 968 #4,673
1997 modern 969 #5,633
1998 modern 1,000 #5,674
1999 modern 1,003 #5,701
2000 modern 1,010 #5,641
2001 modern 959 #5,780
2002 modern 996 #5,710
2003 modern 951 #5,830
2004 modern 961 #5,790
2005 modern 937 #5,845
2006 modern 922 #5,928
2007 modern 919 #5,996
2008 modern 923 #6,018
2009 modern 945 #6,023
2010 modern 978 #5,978
2011 modern 972 #5,944
2012 modern 957 #5,939
2013 modern 995 #5,850
2014 modern 1,004 #5,840
2015 modern 986 #5,880
2016 modern 972 #5,937

Geography

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Where Egglestons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Gateshead, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton, Sheffield and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Eden, Melton, County Durham, South Kesteven and Harborough. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Eden 006 Eden
2 Melton 001 Melton
3 County Durham 016 County Durham
4 South Kesteven 002 South Kesteven
5 Harborough 010 Harborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Eggleston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Eggleston

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Eggleston, 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 Eggleston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Eggleston 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, Eggleston 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

Eggleston 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

Eggleston falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Eggleston

The surname Eggleston is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the place name Eggleston, which is situated in the county of Durham in northeastern England. The place name itself is believed to be derived from the Old English words "ęcg" meaning "ridge" and "tun" meaning "farm" or "settlement," suggesting that the original bearers of this surname likely came from a settlement located on a ridge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Eggleston can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Durham, a record of financial accounts kept by the Durham Priory, dating back to the 13th century. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region during that time.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no direct references to the surname Eggleston. However, the place name Eggleston is mentioned, indicating that the settlement existed before the Norman Conquest.

An early notable bearer of the Eggleston surname was John Eggleston, who served as a member of the Parliament of England in 1429 during the reign of Henry VI. Another prominent figure was Sir John Eggleston, a landowner and military commander who fought in the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, several individuals with the Eggleston surname played roles in English history. One such person was Ambrose Eggleston, born in 1565, who was a Protestant minister and author known for his religious works. Additionally, Edward Eggleston (1637-1701) was an English author and translator who published works on theology and philosophy.

In the 18th century, a notable bearer of the Eggleston surname was John Eggleston (1703-1784), an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on religious topics. Later, in the 19th century, Edward Eggleston (1837-1902) was an American author and historian who is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the realistic fiction genre.

While the surname Eggleston has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America, where it was likely brought by early English settlers and immigrants.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Eggleston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Eggleston 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. Durham leads with 184 Egglestons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.02x.

County Total Index
Durham 184 9.02x
Yorkshire 131 1.93x
Nottinghamshire 106 11.47x
Westmorland 57 37.82x
Lancashire 42 0.52x
Middlesex 34 0.50x
Lincolnshire 32 2.92x
Derbyshire 30 2.79x
Cumberland 18 3.05x
Leicestershire 11 1.45x
Warwickshire 9 0.52x
Midlothian 8 0.87x
Surrey 7 0.21x
Bedfordshire 6 1.69x
Staffordshire 5 0.22x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.96x
Somerset 4 0.36x
Lanarkshire 3 0.14x
Montgomeryshire 3 1.91x
Hampshire 2 0.14x
Isle of Man 2 1.57x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.36x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Norfolk 1 0.09x
Northumberland 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 1.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 37 Egglestons recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.13x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 37 21.13x
Keyworth 29 1380.95x
Newark Upon Trent 23 69.24x
Holy Trinity 20 12.24x
Leeds 15 3.91x
Salford 15 6.27x
Wysall 15 2459.02x
Hetton Le Hole 14 54.16x
Wingate 14 100.07x
Monkwearmouth Shore 11 27.62x
Nottingham St Mary 11 4.60x
Appleby St Lawrence 10 291.55x
Appleby St Michael 9 265.49x
Bridlington 9 57.84x
Car Colston 9 1384.62x
Gringley On Hill 9 461.54x
Hedon 9 394.74x
Sunderland 9 24.98x
Barton Upon Irwell 8 13.06x
Middlesbrough 8 9.04x
Ratho 8 186.92x
St George Bloomsbury 8 20.34x
Aston 7 1.47x
Derby St Michael 7 311.11x
Hammersmith London 7 4.14x
Haswell 7 47.88x
Hayes 7 100.00x
Monk Hesleden 7 123.02x
Seaton With Slingley 7 1521.74x
St Giles 7 54.99x
Stranton 7 10.19x
Temple Sowerby 7 707.07x
Askham 6 500.00x
Barlborough 6 151.13x
Great Strickland 6 909.09x
Manningham 6 7.17x
Middleton St George 6 235.29x
Ormside 6 1200.00x
St Michael Lincoln 6 202.02x
Alrewas 5 223.21x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 7.90x
Brightside Bierlow 5 3.75x
Cleckheaton 5 19.98x
Cornforth 5 83.19x
Corringham 5 285.71x
Crook Billy Row 5 19.14x
Dewsbury 5 7.17x
Litchurch 5 11.57x
Penrith 5 22.93x
Pentrich 5 82.78x
Poddington 5 393.70x
Poplar London 5 3.86x
Shadforth 5 126.26x
Soothill 5 20.37x
St Cuthbert W O Carleton 5 308.64x
Stillington 5 354.61x
Wavertree 5 19.19x
Beswick 4 19.22x
Crossgate 4 44.84x
Croydon 4 2.16x
Framwellgate 4 33.09x
Gamblesby 4 634.92x
Lofthouse 4 39.41x
Monks Risborough 4 201.01x
Pittington 4 69.69x
Southowram 4 19.29x
Stainmore 4 344.83x
Theddlethorpe St Helen 4 412.37x
West Coker 4 177.78x
Weston 4 201.01x
Bentley Cum Arksey 3 84.51x
Churchstoke 3 101.35x
Derby St Alkmund 3 9.32x
Govan 3 0.55x
Halifax 3 3.01x
Morland 3 344.83x
Paddington London 3 1.19x
Stanhope 3 14.24x
Walton On Thames 3 19.56x
Wigston Magna 3 29.76x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 58
William 50
Thomas 41
Joseph 22
George 20
Robert 12
Henry 11
Charles 10
Benjamin 6
James 6
Samuel 6
Walter 6
Alfred 5
Francis 5
Harry 5
Matthew 5
Arthur 3
Fredrick 3
Richard 3
Albert 2
David 2
Edward 2
Frederick 2
Jno. 2
Jos. 2
Joshua 2
Ralph 2
Tom 2
Auther 1
Chas. 1
Christian 1
Christopher 1
Dorothy 1
Ellott 1
Enock 1
Ernest 1
Everett 1
Frances 1
Frank 1
Fred.G. 1
Fredr. 1
Geo.Wm. 1
Infant 1
J.J. 1
J.S. 1
Job 1
Jonathon 1
Louis 1
Mark 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Eggleston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Eggleston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 698 people were recorded with the Eggleston surname. That placed it at #5,198 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Eggleston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 972 in 2016. That gives Eggleston a modern rank of #5,937.

What does the Eggleston surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Ecgwulf's town."

What does the Eggleston map show?

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