NameCensus.

UK surname

Flinton

A locational surname derived from a place name containing the Old English elements "flint" and "tun" (town or village).

In the 1881 census there were 111 people recorded with the Flinton surname, ranking it #18,597 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 191, ranked #20,194, down from #18,597 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ordsall, Mansfield Woodhouse and Bottesford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ryedale and Scarborough.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Flinton is 201 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 72.1%.

1881 census count

111

Ranked #18,597

Modern count

191

2016, ranked #20,194

Peak year

1998

201 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Flinton had 111 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,597 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016, ranked #20,194.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 176 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Flinton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Flinton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Flinton 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 94 #17,837
1861 historical 119 #18,393
1881 historical 111 #18,597
1891 historical 157 #17,778
1901 historical 141 #18,718
1911 historical 176 #16,185
1997 modern 192 #18,103
1998 modern 201 #18,047
1999 modern 198 #18,343
2000 modern 195 #18,494
2001 modern 195 #18,215
2002 modern 190 #18,889
2003 modern 191 #18,628
2004 modern 193 #18,622
2005 modern 184 #19,117
2006 modern 181 #19,466
2007 modern 183 #19,553
2008 modern 189 #19,315
2009 modern 191 #19,592
2010 modern 187 #20,309
2011 modern 183 #20,425
2012 modern 190 #19,864
2013 modern 192 #20,067
2014 modern 197 #19,903
2015 modern 195 #19,909
2016 modern 191 #20,194

Geography

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Where Flintons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ordsall, Mansfield Woodhouse, Bottesford, Willerby and Scarborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ryedale and Scarborough. 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 Ordsall Nottinghamshire
2 Mansfield Woodhouse Nottinghamshire
3 Bottesford Lincolnshire
4 Willerby Yorkshire, North Riding
5 Scarborough Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ryedale 004 Ryedale
2 Scarborough 008 Scarborough
3 Scarborough 009 Scarborough
4 Scarborough 005 Scarborough
5 Scarborough 007 Scarborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Flinton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Flinton

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

Flinton 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

Flinton falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Flinton

The surname Flinton originated in England, with its earliest known records dating back to the late 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "flint" and "tun," meaning a town or village where flint was quarried or abundant. This suggests that the name initially referred to people who lived in such a settlement or were involved in the flint industry.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name appears in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1327, where a Roger de Flyntone is mentioned. The "de" prefix indicates a place of origin, further reinforcing the connection between the name and a specific location.

The Flinton surname is also found in several historical records from the 14th and 15th centuries, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1385, which mentions a John Flyntone, and the Hearth Tax Returns for Yorkshire in 1672, which lists a William Flinton.

Variations in spelling were common during those times, and the name has appeared in various forms, including Flyntone, Flynton, and Flynten. Some of these variations may have been influenced by the place names from which the surname originated, such as Flinton in Northamptonshire or Flint in Flintshire, Wales.

Notable individuals with the Flinton surname include:

1. Sir William Flinton (c. 1390-1462), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Sussex. 2. Thomas Flinton (1564-1646), an English clergyman and scholar who was appointed as the Dean of Winchester Cathedral in 1629. 3. Mary Flinton (1688-1772), a British playwright and poet whose works include "The Stratagem" and "The Masquerade." 4. George Flinton (1801-1878), a Scottish-born merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Glasgow. 5. Catherine Flinton (1862-1941), an American author and feminist activist known for her works advocating women's rights and suffrage.

While the Flinton surname may have originated from specific locations in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by individuals and families who migrated or resettled over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Flinton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Flinton 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 46 Flintons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.29x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 46 4.29x
Lincolnshire 31 17.91x
Surrey 11 2.09x
Lancashire 6 0.47x
Durham 5 1.55x
Essex 5 2.34x
Nottinghamshire 4 2.74x
Hertfordshire 1 1.34x
Warwickshire 1 0.37x
Worcestershire 1 0.71x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Scarborough in Yorkshire leads with 21 Flintons recorded in 1881 and an index of 215.38x.

Place Total Index
Scarborough 21 215.38x
Ashby 7 1296.30x
Muckton 7 17500.00x
Newby In Scarborough 7 17500.00x
Southwark Christchurch 6 118.34x
Willerby In Scarborough 6 4000.00x
Springthorpe 5 6250.00x
West Ham 5 10.60x
Weybridge 5 442.48x
Bishopwearmouth 4 14.47x
Clarborough 4 366.97x
East Barkwith 4 3076.92x
Kirkdale 4 18.51x
Louth 3 75.57x
Selby 3 133.93x
Burringham 2 1000.00x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 9.17x
Leeds 2 3.30x
Scalby In Scarborough 2 909.09x
Aston 1 1.33x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 9.80x
Falsgrave 1 63.29x
Hartlepool 1 21.83x
Henderskelf 1 2000.00x
Lebberston 1 1666.67x
Manchester 1 1.73x
North Hyckeham 1 588.24x
Redbourne 1 714.29x
Tring 1 50.25x
Withern 1 588.24x
Yardley 1 27.62x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Flinton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Flinton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 111 people were recorded with the Flinton surname. That placed it at #18,597 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Flinton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 191 in 2016. That gives Flinton a modern rank of #20,194.

What does the Flinton surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name containing the Old English elements "flint" and "tun" (town or village).

What does the Flinton map show?

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