NameCensus.

UK surname

Exton

From a place named Exton in Rutlandshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,006 people recorded with the Exton surname, ranking it #3,894 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,105, ranked #5,318, down from #3,894 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Malmesbury St Paul, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Melton, York and South Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Exton is 1,377 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.8%.

1881 census count

1,006

Ranked #3,894

Modern count

1,105

2016, ranked #5,318

Peak year

1911

1,377 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Exton had 1,006 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,894 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,105 in 2016, ranked #5,318.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,377 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Exton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Exton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Exton 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 654 #3,972
1861 historical 540 #4,864
1881 historical 1,006 #3,894
1891 historical 1,124 #3,778
1901 historical 1,320 #3,791
1911 historical 1,377 #3,493
1997 modern 1,158 #4,866
1998 modern 1,181 #4,944
1999 modern 1,200 #4,933
2000 modern 1,185 #4,958
2001 modern 1,159 #4,959
2002 modern 1,195 #4,920
2003 modern 1,135 #5,044
2004 modern 1,127 #5,080
2005 modern 1,098 #5,132
2006 modern 1,100 #5,145
2007 modern 1,080 #5,260
2008 modern 1,087 #5,273
2009 modern 1,096 #5,338
2010 modern 1,106 #5,412
2011 modern 1,116 #5,311
2012 modern 1,124 #5,193
2013 modern 1,151 #5,180
2014 modern 1,145 #5,220
2015 modern 1,130 #5,230
2016 modern 1,105 #5,318

Geography

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Where Extons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Malmesbury St Paul, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Peterborough St John the Baptist and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Melton, York and South Kesteven. 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 Malmesbury St Paul Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Melton 006 Melton
2 York 023 York
3 South Kesteven 015 South Kesteven
4 South Kesteven 011 South Kesteven
5 South Kesteven 006 South Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Exton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Exton

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Exton is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Exton is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Exton

The surname EXTON is of English origin, derived from the place name Exton, found in various locations across England. The name is believed to have originated in the late Anglo-Saxon period, around the 10th or 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name EXTON can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conqueror. The book mentions an individual named Godric de Exton, who held land in the village of Exton in Rutland.

The name EXTON is thought to be derived from the Old English words "east" and "tun," meaning "east town" or "eastern farmstead." This suggests that the early bearers of the name likely resided in a settlement situated to the east of a larger town or village.

In the 13th century, a notable individual named William de Exton served as the Archdeacon of Leicester from 1253 to 1273. He was a prominent figure in the Church and was involved in several ecclesiastical disputes during his tenure.

During the 14th century, the EXTON surname appears in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which documented landowners and their holdings. One entry mentions a John de Exton who held land in the village of Exton in Rutland.

In the 15th century, a prominent figure bearing the EXTON surname was Sir Thomas Exton (c. 1410-1490), a English soldier and courtier who served under King Henry VI and King Edward IV. He played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses and was appointed the Lieutenant of the Tower of London in 1471.

Another notable individual with the EXTON surname was Sir John Exton (c. 1450-1520), who served as the Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1497 to 1507. He was a prominent lawyer and statesman during the reign of King Henry VII.

During the 16th century, the EXTON surname was well-established in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Rutland, Leicestershire, and Lincolnshire. Records from this period mention individuals such as Robert Exton (c. 1520-1580), a landowner in Rutland, and William Exton (c. 1560-1630), a merchant and alderman in the city of Leicester.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Exton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Exton 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. Lancashire leads with 177 Extons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.52x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 177 1.52x
Lincolnshire 170 10.87x
Leicestershire 92 8.48x
Kent 71 2.13x
Middlesex 64 0.65x
Wiltshire 58 6.70x
Yorkshire 54 0.56x
Northamptonshire 47 5.11x
Herefordshire 41 10.22x
Nottinghamshire 36 2.73x
Hampshire 30 1.50x
Surrey 23 0.48x
Monmouthshire 22 3.11x
Glamorgan 21 1.23x
Somerset 18 1.14x
Warwickshire 17 0.69x
Rutland 13 18.10x
Gloucestershire 12 0.63x
Derbyshire 11 0.72x
Essex 5 0.26x
Sussex 5 0.30x
Worcestershire 4 0.31x
Staffordshire 3 0.09x
Berkshire 2 0.27x
Cheshire 2 0.09x
Devon 2 0.10x
Hertfordshire 1 0.15x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.51x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westport St Mary in Wiltshire leads with 52 Extons recorded in 1881 and an index of 829.35x.

Place Total Index
Westport St Mary 52 829.35x
Faversham 36 113.10x
Whalley 34 200.95x
Leicester St Margaret 24 9.07x
Preston 21 6.76x
Chelsea London 20 6.78x
Easton 17 512.05x
Portsea 17 4.33x
Birmingham 16 1.95x
Peterborough 16 24.01x
Rippingdale 15 810.81x
Bayards Leap 13 792.68x
Great Crosby 13 41.07x
Preston Next Faversham 13 165.61x
St Marylebone London 11 2.11x
Boughton Under Blean 10 178.89x
Harpurhey 10 62.07x
Out Rawcliffe 10 361.01x
Upper Broughton 10 909.09x
Belgrave 9 36.76x
Billington 9 189.87x
Edmondthorpe 9 1285.71x
Garway 9 502.79x
Kensington London 9 1.65x
St Pancras London 9 1.14x
Welby 9 687.02x
Dowsby 8 1454.55x
Liverton 8 357.14x
Manthorpe Cum Little 8 66.89x
Narborough 8 269.36x
Pembridge 8 181.00x
Read 8 258.06x
Boston 7 14.75x
Buckminster 7 823.53x
Deeping St Nicholas 7 152.84x
Gloucester Barton St 7 62.22x
Great Ponton 7 437.50x
Lambeth 7 0.82x
Little Bowden 7 217.39x
Llanthewy Skirrid 7 1750.00x
Ropsley 7 322.58x
Spalding 7 22.54x
Barnack 6 306.12x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.41x
Church Gresley 6 24.62x
Eglwysilan 6 20.30x
Fulstow 6 319.15x
Nottingham St Mary 6 1.76x
Oakham Lordshold 6 79.79x
Roath 6 7.75x
Ryde 6 13.93x
Simonstone 6 425.53x
Uphill 6 277.78x
Upper Rawcliffe With 6 289.86x
Wiswell 6 242.92x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 5.54x
Bedminster 5 3.38x
Clehonger 5 333.33x
Clifton In York 5 24.65x
Deeping St James 5 90.42x
Grantham 5 24.52x
Londonthorpe 5 819.67x
Malmesbury St Paul 5 67.20x
Manchester 5 0.96x
Nateby 5 378.79x
Oving 5 89.77x
Rawmarsh 5 14.60x
Rogerstone 5 114.68x
Skipton 5 16.39x
St Botolph Lincoln 5 44.44x
Withington 5 13.37x
Wonastow 5 1086.96x
Wymondham 5 226.24x
Clapham 4 3.27x
Farington 4 59.17x
Linthorpe 4 6.91x
Newington 4 14.98x
Osgodby 4 2500.00x
Wigan 4 2.47x
Wootton 4 206.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 78
John 59
George 43
Thomas 43
James 34
Edward 23
Henry 21
Charles 15
Arthur 14
Joseph 13
Richard 13
Robert 11
Oliver 7
Samuel 7
Walter 7
Albert 5
Alfred 5
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Frederick 4
Tom 4
David 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
Allen 2
Austin 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Exton 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Mark 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Alex 1
Amelia 1
Brindenell 1
Caleb 1
Dewey 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Enock 1
Horace 1
Jno. 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
Luke 1
Worthy 1

FAQ

Exton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Exton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,006 people were recorded with the Exton surname. That placed it at #3,894 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Exton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,105 in 2016. That gives Exton a modern rank of #5,318.

What does the Exton surname mean?

From a place named Exton in Rutlandshire, England.

What does the Exton map show?

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