UK surname
An English locational surname derived from residency near an ancient fort or town.
In the 1881 census there were 38 people recorded with the Forton surname, ranking it #28,285 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 56, ranked #34,562, down from #28,285 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Hull Holy Trinity and Leeds. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Forton is 249 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.4%.
1881 census count
38
Ranked #28,285
Modern count
56
2016, ranked #34,562
Peak year
1861
249 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Forton surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Forton surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 53 | #23,739 |
| 1861 | historical | 249 | #9,904 |
| 1881 | historical | 38 | #28,285 |
| 1891 | historical | 89 | #25,542 |
| 1901 | historical | 67 | #26,703 |
| 1911 | historical | 92 | #23,580 |
| 1997 | modern | 56 | #32,004 |
| 1998 | modern | 60 | #31,931 |
| 1999 | modern | 59 | #32,174 |
| 2000 | modern | 53 | #32,805 |
| 2001 | modern | 52 | #32,764 |
| 2002 | modern | 60 | #32,388 |
| 2003 | modern | 57 | #32,704 |
| 2004 | modern | 53 | #33,336 |
| 2005 | modern | 55 | #33,349 |
| 2006 | modern | 54 | #33,780 |
| 2007 | modern | 59 | #33,634 |
| 2008 | modern | 58 | #33,918 |
| 2009 | modern | 62 | #33,832 |
| 2010 | modern | 60 | #34,205 |
| 2011 | modern | 59 | #34,265 |
| 2012 | modern | 57 | #34,452 |
| 2013 | modern | 61 | #34,317 |
| 2014 | modern | 64 | #34,141 |
| 2015 | modern | 59 | #34,407 |
| 2016 | modern | 56 | #34,562 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Hull Holy Trinity, Leeds, Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos and Ripon. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Halifax | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 2 | Hull Holy Trinity | Yorkshire, East Riding |
| 3 | Leeds | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| 4 | Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos | Norfolk |
| 5 | Ripon | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Forton surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Forton, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Forton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Forton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Forton is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Forton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Forton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname FORTON has its roots in the rural countryside of northern England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is believed to have originated as a place name, referring to a settlement or village near a ford or crossing point over a river or stream. The earliest known spelling of the name was Fortun, which appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror.
The name is derived from the Old English words "ford" and "tun," which together mean "a settlement or enclosure near a ford." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the FORTON name likely lived in a small village or hamlet situated near a river crossing, a strategic location for trade and travel in medieval times.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the FORTON name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mention a William de Fortun. This document provides evidence of the surname's existence in the 12th century and its association with the Yorkshire region.
As the name spread across England, variations in spelling emerged, including Fortone, Fortune, and Forton. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded the name in official documents.
Notable individuals with the FORTON surname throughout history include:
1. John Forton (c. 1350 - 1414), an English cleric who served as the Bishop of Bangor and the Bishop of Durham in the late 14th and early 15th centuries.
2. William Forton (c. 1480 - 1547), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament who represented the borough of Southwark in the Parliament of 1542-1544.
3. Elizabeth Forton (c. 1570 - 1647), an English landowner and philanthropist who founded a charitable school for poor children in the village of Forton, Lancashire.
4. Robert Forton (1624 - 1697), an English merchant and trader who established successful trading ventures with the American colonies, particularly in the Chesapeake Bay region.
5. Samuel Forton (1701 - 1776), a British military officer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in several naval engagements during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War.
While the FORTON surname has its roots in northern England, it has since spread worldwide, carried by generations of emigrants and travelers. However, its origins remain firmly tied to the rural settlements and river crossings of medieval Britain, where the name first emerged as a marker of location and place.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Forton surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 15 Fortons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.09x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 15 | 4.09x |
| Northumberland | 9 | 16.33x |
| Lancashire | 7 | 1.59x |
| Staffordshire | 3 | 2.40x |
| Kent | 2 | 1.58x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 1.55x |
| Lincolnshire | 1 | 1.69x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Longbenton in Northumberland leads with 9 Fortons recorded in 1881 and an index of 386.27x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Longbenton | 9 | 386.27x |
| Bishop Thornton | 7 | 11666.67x |
| Ovenden | 5 | 306.75x |
| Chorley | 4 | 161.94x |
| Stoke Upon Trent | 3 | 22.62x |
| Aldington | 2 | 2222.22x |
| Holy Trinity | 2 | 22.65x |
| Cardiff St Mary | 1 | 28.17x |
| Gorton | 1 | 24.21x |
| Haworth | 1 | 114.94x |
| Marton | 1 | 344.83x |
| Oswaldtwistle | 1 | 64.52x |
| St Mary Magdalen Lincoln | 1 | 1250.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Forton surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Forton surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Forton households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 5 |
| Worsted Mill Hand | 2 |
| AB Seaman | 1 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Ag Lab Wife | 1 |
| Bricklayers Labourer | 1 |
| Coal Driver | 1 |
| Cotton Cloth Weaver | 1 |
| Cotton Spinner | 1 |
| Factory Hand(Half Timer School ?) | 1 |
| Farmer 22 Acres | 1 |
| Farmer Of 56 Acres | 1 |
| Farmers Wife | 1 |
| Household Duties | 1 |
| Housmaid | 1 |
| Pauper | 1 |
| Riveter (Boiler Maker) | 1 |
| Riviter Shipyard | 1 |
| Shipwright | 1 |
| Silk Dresser | 1 |
| Silk Tiller | 1 |
| Stoker | 1 |
| Worsted Weaver | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 38 people were recorded with the Forton surname. That placed it at #28,285 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 56 in 2016. That gives Forton a modern rank of #34,562.
An English locational surname derived from residency near an ancient fort or town.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Forton bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.