NameCensus.

UK surname

Emberton

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "town or enclosure where amber trees grow".

In the 1881 census there were 306 people recorded with the Emberton surname, ranking it #9,586 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 463, ranked #10,586, down from #9,586 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Wolstanton and Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Powys, Shropshire and Falkland and Freuchie.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Emberton is 513 in 2007. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.3%.

1881 census count

306

Ranked #9,586

Modern count

463

2016, ranked #10,586

Peak year

2007

513 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Emberton had 306 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,586 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 463 in 2016, ranked #10,586.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 451 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Emberton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Emberton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Emberton 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 151 #12,840
1861 historical 173 #13,553
1881 historical 306 #9,586
1891 historical 373 #9,367
1901 historical 413 #9,266
1911 historical 451 #8,489
1997 modern 436 #10,327
1998 modern 492 #9,715
1999 modern 498 #9,687
2000 modern 496 #9,689
2001 modern 481 #9,743
2002 modern 510 #9,500
2003 modern 509 #9,365
2004 modern 508 #9,404
2005 modern 501 #9,436
2006 modern 512 #9,319
2007 modern 513 #9,393
2008 modern 511 #9,485
2009 modern 507 #9,743
2010 modern 504 #10,002
2011 modern 487 #10,155
2012 modern 482 #10,131
2013 modern 480 #10,331
2014 modern 495 #10,145
2015 modern 479 #10,327
2016 modern 463 #10,586

Geography

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Where Embertons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Wolstanton, Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington, Cannock and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Powys, Shropshire and Falkland and Freuchie. 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 Wolstanton Staffordshire
3 Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington Staffordshire
4 Cannock Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Powys 002 Powys
2 Powys 003 Powys
3 Powys 005 Powys
4 Shropshire 019 Shropshire
5 Falkland and Freuchie Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Emberton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Emberton

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Emberton is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Emberton 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

Emberton falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Emberton

The surname Emberton is of English origin, derived from the place name Emberton, a village and civil parish in Buckinghamshire, England. The name is believed to have originated in the late Anglo-Saxon period, around the 10th or 11th century.

The place name Emberton is thought to be derived from the Old English words "embor" meaning "flat or level" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a settlement located on a flat or level area of land.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Emberton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Embritone" in this document, indicating its presence in the region at that time.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various records with spellings such as "Embretone" and "Embereton." This variation in spelling was common during this period, as standardized spellings had not yet been established.

Notable individuals with the surname Emberton throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas Emberton (c. 1450 - 1512), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Buckinghamshire in the early 16th century.

2. John Emberton (1621 - 1687), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

3. William Emberton (1643 - 1711), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of comets.

4. Mary Emberton (1782 - 1853), a British novelist and poet who wrote several popular novels in the early 19th century.

5. Sir Charles Emberton (1867 - 1941), a British businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to various charitable organizations.

The name Emberton has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Emberton Park, Emberton Hall, and Emberton Marsh, further highlighting its historical roots in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Emberton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Emberton 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. Staffordshire leads with 195 Embertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.29x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 195 19.29x
Lancashire 28 0.79x
Shropshire 18 6.96x
Cheshire 11 1.66x
Middlesex 11 0.37x
Montgomeryshire 11 16.03x
Devon 9 1.44x
Leicestershire 6 1.81x
Northamptonshire 5 1.78x
Kent 4 0.39x
Yorkshire 3 0.10x
Warwickshire 2 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.55x
Northumberland 1 0.22x
Royal Navy 1 2.80x
Worcestershire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stafford St Mary in Staffordshire leads with 74 Embertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 517.12x.

Place Total Index
Stafford St Mary 74 517.12x
Stoke Upon Trent 29 27.05x
Wolstanton 26 84.69x
Audley 22 220.00x
Salford 15 14.35x
Bilston 14 71.47x
Hammerwich 10 694.44x
Llanfair Caereinion 9 384.62x
Kirkdale 8 13.38x
Smallthorne 8 213.33x
Hunsterson 7 3500.00x
Shrewsbury St Mary 7 68.56x
St Marylebone London 7 4.38x
Leicester St Margaret 6 7.41x
Tiverton 6 55.87x
Wellington 6 41.27x
Everton 5 4.41x
St Pancras London 4 1.66x
Woolwich 4 10.60x
Haworth 3 42.55x
Tichmarsh 3 315.79x
Wolstanton Knutton 3 48.62x
Baschurch 2 112.99x
Devonport 2 27.93x
Ellesmere Kenwick 2 1666.67x
Lichfield St Michael 2 63.09x
Tranmere 2 8.23x
Aston 1 0.48x
Berkswich 1 161.29x
Burslem 1 3.45x
Castle Church 1 16.45x
East Stonehouse 1 8.14x
Llanfyllin 1 55.25x
Macclesfield 1 3.40x
Manafon 1 156.25x
Much Wenlock 1 41.84x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 4.33x
North Crawley 1 138.89x
Northampton Priory St 1 5.92x
Royal Navy 1 3.28x
Stone 1 7.73x
Sutton Coldfield 1 12.59x
Sutton In Macclesfield 1 14.58x
Tipton 1 3.23x
Upton 1 135.14x
Whittington 1 48.31x
Wolstanton Chesterton 1 19.34x
Yardley 1 9.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 18
Hannah 8
Ann 7
Eliza 7
Jane 7
Alice 6
Emma 6
Louisa 6
Martha 6
Sarah 5
Annie 4
Emily 4
Agnes 3
Ellen 3
Gertrude 3
Amelia 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Edna 2
Eliz. 2
Ethel 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Albert 1
Anne 1
B.Mary 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Betsey 1
Caroline 1
Delisha 1
Dorothy 1
Emiley 1
Estrudes 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Gwendoline 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Katy 1
Lizzee 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
Thomas 17
John 14
James 10
George 9
Daniel 7
Joseph 7
Henry 5
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Francis 3
Isaac 3
Noah 3
Samuel 3
Emanuel 2
Ernest 2
Thos. 2
Alfred 1
Charles 1
Clement 1
Danl. 1
David 1
Ed.Harry 1
Ed.John 1
Edwin 1
Ephraim 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frk. 1
Herbert 1
Leonard 1
Ralph 1
Robert 1
Sampson 1
Soloman 1
Vincent 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Emberton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Emberton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 306 people were recorded with the Emberton surname. That placed it at #9,586 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Emberton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 463 in 2016. That gives Emberton a modern rank of #10,586.

What does the Emberton surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "town or enclosure where amber trees grow".

What does the Emberton map show?

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