NameCensus.

UK surname

Hanton

Habitational name for someone from Hanton, a parish in Staffordshire.

In the 1881 census there were 526 people recorded with the Hanton surname, ranking it #6,513 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 610, ranked #8,601, down from #6,513 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tendring, North East Lincolnshire and Forres South West and Mannachie.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hanton is 1,041 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.0%.

1881 census count

526

Ranked #6,513

Modern count

610

2016, ranked #8,601

Peak year

1861

1,041 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hanton had 526 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,513 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 610 in 2016, ranked #8,601.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,041 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hanton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hanton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hanton 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 528 #4,753
1861 historical 1,041 #2,692
1881 historical 526 #6,513
1891 historical 948 #4,366
1901 historical 823 #5,492
1911 historical 690 #6,151
1997 modern 648 #7,671
1998 modern 665 #7,777
1999 modern 665 #7,807
2000 modern 657 #7,870
2001 modern 651 #7,785
2002 modern 648 #7,971
2003 modern 610 #8,223
2004 modern 607 #8,281
2005 modern 588 #8,396
2006 modern 590 #8,387
2007 modern 593 #8,433
2008 modern 584 #8,591
2009 modern 596 #8,640
2010 modern 611 #8,669
2011 modern 606 #8,623
2012 modern 594 #8,679
2013 modern 598 #8,775
2014 modern 610 #8,692
2015 modern 611 #8,619
2016 modern 610 #8,601

Geography

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Where Hantons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tendring, North East Lincolnshire, Forres South West and Mannachie, Eden and Great Yarmouth. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tendring 004 Tendring
2 North East Lincolnshire 001 North East Lincolnshire
3 Forres South West and Mannachie Moray
4 Eden 005 Eden
5 Great Yarmouth 009 Great Yarmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hanton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hanton

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Hanton is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hanton 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

Hanton falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hanton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Hanton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hanton

The surname Hanton has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "han" meaning a rocky hill and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement, possibly referring to a hamlet or village situated on a rocky hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hanton can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "John de Hantone." This suggests that the name may have initially been derived from a place name, as was common practice during that time period.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including "Haunton," "Hawnton," and "Hantoun," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common before the standardization of English orthography.

During the 15th century, the name Hanton can be found in various historical records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Dorset from 1428, which mention a "John Hanton." This suggests that the surname had spread to different regions of England by that time.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Hanton throughout history include: 1. Sir John Hanton (c. 1480-1547), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1536. 2. William Hanton (1587-1657), an English Puritan clergyman and author, known for his work "The Sinne of Blasphemie." 3. Thomas Hanton (1632-1697), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of comets. 4. Sarah Hanton (1701-1773), a renowned English painter and portraitist, known for her depictions of aristocratic families. 5. Edward Hanton (1812-1887), a British explorer and naturalist who documented the flora and fauna of the South Pacific islands.

While the surname Hanton is not among the most common in England, it has left its mark on various aspects of British history, from politics and religion to science and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hanton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hanton 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. Angus leads with 114 Hantons recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.21x.

County Total Index
Angus 114 24.21x
Norfolk 98 12.54x
Middlesex 48 0.94x
Suffolk 34 5.49x
Yorkshire 32 0.64x
Midlothian 28 4.11x
Surrey 25 1.01x
Aberdeenshire 23 4.89x
Lancashire 22 0.36x
Cheshire 19 1.69x
Lanarkshire 13 0.79x
Essex 11 1.10x
Kent 8 0.46x
Northumberland 7 0.93x
Warwickshire 7 0.55x
Shropshire 6 1.37x
Cambridgeshire 5 1.55x
Sussex 4 0.47x
Fife 3 1.00x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.65x
Hampshire 2 0.19x
Kincardineshire 2 3.23x
Dorset 1 0.30x
Hertfordshire 1 0.29x
Lincolnshire 1 0.12x
Perthshire 1 0.44x
Renfrewshire 1 0.25x
Royal Navy 1 1.65x
Shetland 1 1.93x
Somerset 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Beighton in Norfolk leads with 19 Hantons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4042.55x.

Place Total Index
Beighton 19 4042.55x
Dundee 19 10.81x
Barry 16 283.19x
Ipswich St Clement 16 101.65x
Aberdeen Old Machar 15 15.26x
Monifieth 15 90.20x
Reedham 14 939.60x
South Leith 13 16.97x
East Harling 12 648.65x
Forfar 11 43.14x
St Vigeans 11 43.27x
Paddington London 10 5.35x
Barnton 9 335.82x
Camberwell 9 2.77x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 8 2.92x
Farnell 8 740.74x
Glenmuick Tullich 8 235.99x
Great Yarmouth 8 12.36x
Limpenhoe 8 2285.71x
St Pancras London 8 1.96x
Barony 7 1.68x
Birmingham 7 1.64x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 7 70.42x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 6.84x
West Ham 7 3.16x
Barnsley 6 11.55x
Bolton In Bradford 6 185.76x
Cortachy Clova 6 6000.00x
Cranston 6 344.83x
Hopton 6 392.16x
Newington 6 43.26x
Snetterton 6 1714.29x
Ashley Cum Silverley 5 588.24x
Buxhall 5 602.41x
Cheetham 5 11.12x
Delamere 5 495.05x
Fulham London 5 6.78x
Inverkeillor 5 171.23x
Shrewsbury St Julian 5 46.04x
Swanscombe 5 64.18x
Brompton In 4 177.78x
Colchester St Leonard 4 123.84x
Glasgow 4 1.37x
Heigham 4 9.54x
Kimberworth 4 14.31x
Kirriemuir 4 34.42x
Langley 4 740.74x
Liff Benvie 4 5.60x
Middlesbrough 4 6.10x
Newington 4 2.13x
Quidenham 4 2000.00x
Runham 4 256.41x
Willesden 4 8.35x
Ardingly 3 110.29x
Carmyllie 3 149.25x
Chelsea London 3 1.96x
Liverpool 3 0.82x
Monikie 3 121.46x
St George Hanover Square 3 3.35x
Stowmarket 3 41.96x
Ulverston 3 17.07x
Upton By Birkenhead 3 277.78x
Walton On Hill 3 9.18x
West Derby 3 1.70x
Banham 2 100.50x
Besthorpe 2 235.29x
Bethnal Green London 2 0.91x
Brechin 2 10.81x
Ferry Port On Craig 2 40.40x
Fettercairn 2 76.05x
Govan 2 0.49x
Hockham 2 224.72x
Lambeth 2 0.45x
Lunan 2 476.19x
Newton Longville 2 243.90x
Old Buckenham 2 100.00x
Poplar London 2 2.09x
St George In East London 2 4.18x
St Giles In Fields London 2 8.02x
Thorpe Next Norwich 2 24.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 32
John 24
George 15
James 15
Charles 9
Robert 8
Thomas 8
Henry 7
Edward 5
Benjamin 3
Francis 3
Joseph 3
Michael 3
Samuel 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Jonathan 2
Wm. 2
Alexander 1
Anne 1
Arthur 1
Augustus 1
Ben 1
Booth 1
Chas. 1
Cicel 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Felix 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Issac 1
Louis 1
Richard 1
Thos.J. 1
Willm. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Hanton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hanton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 526 people were recorded with the Hanton surname. That placed it at #6,513 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hanton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 610 in 2016. That gives Hanton a modern rank of #8,601.

What does the Hanton surname mean?

Habitational name for someone from Hanton, a parish in Staffordshire.

What does the Hanton map show?

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