NameCensus.

UK surname

Featherston

A locational surname referring to someone from a town in Northumberland, England, likely derived from Old English for "feather stone."

In the 1881 census there were 288 people recorded with the Featherston surname, ranking it #9,988 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 119, ranked #27,704, down from #9,988 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes and Warsop. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hinckley and Bosworth, East Riding of Yorkshire and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Featherston is 575 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 58.7%.

1881 census count

288

Ranked #9,988

Modern count

119

2016, ranked #27,704

Peak year

1861

575 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Featherston had 288 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,988 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016, ranked #27,704.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 575 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Featherston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Featherston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Featherston 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 419 #5,808
1861 historical 575 #4,585
1881 historical 288 #9,988
1891 historical 429 #8,359
1901 historical 355 #10,329
1911 historical 297 #11,524
1997 modern 125 #23,567
1998 modern 126 #24,094
1999 modern 119 #25,095
2000 modern 123 #24,585
2001 modern 121 #24,493
2002 modern 124 #24,616
2003 modern 118 #25,146
2004 modern 114 #25,870
2005 modern 111 #26,260
2006 modern 106 #27,332
2007 modern 105 #27,868
2008 modern 106 #28,016
2009 modern 103 #29,127
2010 modern 96 #30,854
2011 modern 95 #30,877
2012 modern 113 #28,016
2013 modern 110 #29,028
2014 modern 116 #28,253
2015 modern 112 #28,809
2016 modern 119 #27,704

Geography

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Where Featherstons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes, Warsop, Gateshead and Alston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hinckley and Bosworth, East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull and Rochdale. 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 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Warsop Nottinghamshire
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Alston Cumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hinckley and Bosworth 014 Hinckley and Bosworth
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 008 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 006 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Rochdale 021 Rochdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Featherston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Featherston

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Featherston is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Featherston is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Featherston falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Featherston

The surname Featherston has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the village of Featherstone in Yorkshire, or Featherston in Northumberland. The name likely originated from the Old English words "feother," meaning feather, and "stan," meaning stone or rock, suggesting a connection to a place with a notable rock formation or a landscape feature resembling a feather.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Featherston can be found in the Yorkshire Parish Records of 1594, which mention a Thomas Featherston. Additionally, the Hearth Tax returns of 1673 list several Featherston families residing in the village of Featherstone, Yorkshire.

The Featherston surname has historical ties to the noble families of England. In the 17th century, Sir Thomas Featherston was a prominent landowner and Justice of the Peace in Staffordshire. His son, Sir William Featherston, played a significant role in the English Civil War, serving as a colonel in the Parliamentarian army.

Another notable figure bearing the Featherston surname was Sir Harry Featherston (1755-1828), a British Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became a Member of Parliament. He was also appointed as the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man in 1804.

In the 19th century, Isaac Featherston (1813-1876) was a New Zealand politician and surveyor. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the city of Wellington and served as a member of the New Zealand Parliament.

The Featherston surname has also been associated with various place names throughout history. For example, the town of Featherston in New Zealand's Wairarapa region was named after Isaac Featherston, the former Superintendent of the Wellington Province.

Other notable individuals with the Featherston surname include George Featherston (1788-1855), an English architect known for his work on the Birmingham Town Hall, and John Featherston (1840-1920), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a Member of Parliament in the late 19th century.

While the Featherston surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, with descendants of the original Featherston families now residing in various countries, including New Zealand, Canada, and the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Featherston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Featherston 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. Yorkshire leads with 105 Featherstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.82x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 105 3.82x
Durham 76 9.22x
Lancashire 26 0.79x
Northumberland 22 5.34x
Kent 12 1.27x
Surrey 8 0.59x
Derbyshire 7 1.61x
Devon 6 1.04x
Middlesex 6 0.22x
Essex 5 0.91x
Lincolnshire 3 0.68x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.80x
Cheshire 2 0.33x
Hampshire 1 0.18x
Leicestershire 1 0.33x
Peeblesshire 1 7.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stanhope in Durham leads with 30 Featherstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 352.53x.

Place Total Index
Stanhope 30 352.53x
Holy Trinity 13 19.69x
Wallsend 13 99.46x
West Ella 13 11818.18x
Chorlton On Medlock 9 17.23x
Monk Hesleden 9 391.30x
Greenwich 8 18.14x
Ruswarp 8 262.30x
Brandesburton 7 972.22x
Hurworth 7 486.11x
Muggleswick 7 875.00x
Stapleton 7 5000.00x
Elloughton Cum Brough 6 714.29x
Bermondsey 5 6.06x
Bewholme Nunkeeling 5 1923.08x
Byers Green 5 214.59x
East Stamford Bridge 5 1315.79x
Exeter St Thomas The 5 85.03x
Knapton 5 1515.15x
Romford 5 57.87x
Staveley 5 64.94x
Tynemouth 5 22.66x
West Heslerton 5 1515.15x
Brandon Byshottles 4 38.72x
Broughton In Salford 4 13.31x
Liverpool 4 2.00x
Manchester 4 2.71x
Stockton On Tees 4 10.07x
Swanland 4 952.38x
Boughton Aluph 3 555.56x
Evenwood Barony 3 107.14x
Jesmond 3 51.72x
Lambeth 3 1.24x
Middlesbrough 3 8.39x
Pickering 3 86.71x
Rotherham 3 19.38x
Wales 3 138.25x
Whickham 3 39.58x
Billingham 2 140.85x
Great Driffield 2 35.52x
Hulme 2 2.91x
Islington London 2 0.74x
Kearsley 2 28.90x
Scarborough 2 8.02x
Warsop 2 202.02x
Altrincham 1 9.35x
Borrowby In Whitby 1 1250.00x
Brightside Bierlow 1 1.86x
Buxton 1 27.25x
Cheadle 1 8.56x
Chelsea London 1 1.20x
Cramlington 1 18.35x
Everton 1 0.95x
Gosberton 1 50.76x
Hackney London 1 0.64x
Hartington Middle 1 312.50x
Horton In Bradford 1 2.33x
Kensington London 1 0.65x
Langtoft 1 169.49x
Leicester St Mary 1 4.03x
Manningham 1 2.96x
Middridge 1 121.95x
Newton Upon Trent 1 333.33x
Northallerton 1 28.57x
Oulston 1 588.24x
Peebles 1 25.97x
Portsea 1 0.90x
Rudston 1 175.44x
Sculcoates 1 2.30x
South Bedburn Hamsterley 1 303.03x
South Milford 1 100.00x
St Pancras London 1 0.45x
Stamford St George 1 50.25x
Stoke Damerel 1 2.48x
Swanscombe 1 23.53x
Thixendale 1 416.67x
Worksop 1 9.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Sarah 11
Hannah 10
Jane 10
Elizabeth 8
Ann 7
Emma 5
Ellen 4
Isabella 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Anne 3
Catherine 3
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Margaret 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Charlotte 2
Eva 2
Priscilla 2
Barbara 1
Beatrice 1
Bothene 1
Catharine 1
Christana 1
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Eleanor 1
Emily 1
Emm 1
Florence 1
Franciss 1
Gertie 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Levena 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Maggy 1
Margart 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Mildred 1
Pheobe 1
Rachel 1
Rosannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 19
John 18
Charles 14
George 12
Thomas 12
James 8
Joseph 7
Peter 5
Robert 5
Henry 4
Samuel 3
Alfred 2
Emerson 2
Isaac 2
Obadiah 2
Ralph 2
Richard 2
Albert 1
Benjamin 1
Benjimin 1
C. 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Edward 1
Harrald 1
Harry 1
J.W. 1
Jacob 1
Major 1
Marshall 1
Matthew 1
Obaded 1
Patrick 1
Reginald 1
Stephen 1
Timothy 1
Wm 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Featherston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Featherston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 288 people were recorded with the Featherston surname. That placed it at #9,988 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Featherston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016. That gives Featherston a modern rank of #27,704.

What does the Featherston surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a town in Northumberland, England, likely derived from Old English for "feather stone."

What does the Featherston map show?

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