NameCensus.

UK surname

Heaton

From a place name meaning "high town" or "town on a hill" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 7,174 people recorded with the Heaton surname, ranking it #590 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,391, ranked #904, down from #590 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bingley, Wigan and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan and Burnley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Heaton is 9,242 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.0%.

1881 census count

7,174

Ranked #590

Modern count

7,391

2016, ranked #904

Peak year

1911

9,242 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Heaton had 7,174 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #590 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,391 in 2016, ranked #904.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,242 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Heaton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Heaton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Heaton 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 4,567 #619
1861 historical 4,803 #589
1881 historical 7,174 #590
1891 historical 7,580 #597
1901 historical 8,465 #632
1911 historical 9,242 #529
1997 modern 7,593 #847
1998 modern 7,635 #878
1999 modern 7,852 #860
2000 modern 7,794 #867
2001 modern 7,582 #869
2002 modern 7,737 #870
2003 modern 7,536 #873
2004 modern 7,498 #872
2005 modern 7,377 #878
2006 modern 7,332 #886
2007 modern 7,353 #892
2008 modern 7,342 #899
2009 modern 7,554 #898
2010 modern 7,673 #900
2011 modern 7,608 #893
2012 modern 7,396 #896
2013 modern 7,563 #895
2014 modern 7,533 #903
2015 modern 7,471 #900
2016 modern 7,391 #904

Geography

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Where Heatons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bingley, Wigan, Manchester, Preston and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan and Burnley. 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 Bingley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 013 Wigan
2 Wigan 018 Wigan
3 Wigan 032 Wigan
4 Wigan 003 Wigan
5 Burnley 010 Burnley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Heaton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Heaton

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Heaton, 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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Heaton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Heaton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Heaton is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Heaton is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Heaton falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Heaton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Heaton

The surname Heaton originates from England and can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon era, where it was derived from the Old English words "hēa" meaning "high" and "tūn" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement". It is believed to have been a locational name, referring to someone who lived in or came from a high or elevated town or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Heaton appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and property holders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Hetun", referring to a settlement in the county of Lancashire.

During the Middle Ages, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as Heton, Heyton, and Heytown, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling at the time. The name was also associated with several place names, including Heaton Norris in Cheshire, Heaton Moor in Greater Manchester, and Heaton in Newcastle upon Tyne.

One notable individual with the surname Heaton was John Heaton (1497-1573), an English Catholic priest who served as the Archbishop of York from 1555 to 1573. He played a significant role in the Catholic Reformation during the reign of Queen Mary I.

Another prominent figure was Sir Benjamin Heaton (1808-1876), a British industrialist and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry. He was a prominent supporter of education and was involved in the establishment of several schools and colleges.

In the literary world, James Heaton (1809-1876) was a notable English poet and writer. He is best known for his collection of poems titled "Lays of the Loom", which depicted the lives and struggles of textile workers in Lancashire.

Mary Heaton Vorse (1874-1966) was an American writer and journalist known for her works on labor issues and social justice. She was a prominent figure in the literary scene during the early 20th century and was a co-founder of the Provincetown Players, a renowned theater group.

Finally, Sir John Heaton (1899-1967) was a British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Governor of Cyprus from 1956 to 1957, during a turbulent period of the island's history when it was transitioning from British rule to independence.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Heaton, which has its roots in the Anglo-Saxon era and has been associated with various place names and settlements across England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Heaton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Heaton 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 3,639 Heatons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.39x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 3,639 4.39x
Yorkshire 2,257 3.26x
Warwickshire 168 0.95x
Cheshire 154 1.00x
Durham 134 0.64x
Lincolnshire 132 1.18x
Staffordshire 127 0.54x
Middlesex 98 0.14x
Derbyshire 75 0.69x
Nottinghamshire 46 0.49x
Surrey 46 0.14x
Essex 28 0.20x
Kent 26 0.11x
Westmorland 24 1.56x
Leicestershire 20 0.26x
Worcestershire 20 0.22x
Denbighshire 18 0.68x
Buteshire 17 4.01x
Flintshire 17 0.90x
Gloucestershire 16 0.12x
Northamptonshire 15 0.23x
Northumberland 14 0.13x
Shropshire 9 0.15x
Wiltshire 9 0.15x
Suffolk 7 0.08x
Sussex 6 0.05x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.11x
Hampshire 5 0.03x
Isle of Man 5 0.39x
Stirlingshire 5 0.19x
Bedfordshire 3 0.08x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.07x
Fife 3 0.07x
Berkshire 2 0.04x
Glamorgan 2 0.02x
Angus 1 0.02x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.04x
Channel Islands 1 0.05x
Devon 1 0.01x
Dorset 1 0.02x
Herefordshire 1 0.03x
Hertfordshire 1 0.02x
Lanarkshire 1 0.00x
Monmouthshire 1 0.02x
Royal Navy 1 0.12x
Somerset 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keighley in Yorkshire leads with 222 Heatons recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.07x.

Place Total Index
Keighley 222 30.07x
Wigan 169 14.58x
Leeds 148 3.78x
Pemberton 146 44.14x
Ashton In Makerfield 139 58.85x
Bingley 134 30.38x
Manchester 130 3.49x
Preston 125 5.63x
Salford 111 4.55x
Ince In Makerfield 110 28.50x
Westhoughton 89 40.21x
Aston 83 1.71x
Chorley 79 16.97x
Haworth 79 47.98x
Habergham Eaves 74 9.76x
Oldham 70 2.61x
Bradford 68 4.06x
Horton In Bradford 68 6.29x
Great Bolton 65 5.92x
Barton Upon Irwell 62 9.93x
Blackburn 61 2.76x
Birmingham 59 1.00x
Atherton 56 18.55x
Little Bolton 55 5.16x
Bury 52 5.49x
Parr 49 16.51x
Cleckheaton 48 18.81x
Manningham 47 5.51x
Batley 44 6.68x
Burnley 44 6.30x
Huddersfield 44 4.36x
Accrington 43 5.70x
Scarisbrick 43 44.66x
Everton 41 1.55x
North Meols 41 5.05x
Shipley 41 11.41x
Bowling 40 5.83x
Hindley 40 11.31x
Worsley 40 7.82x
Halifax 39 3.84x
Thornhill 39 19.30x
Rumworth 37 31.21x
Heckmondwike 36 16.16x
Windle 35 7.50x
Sheffield 34 1.54x
Farnworth 33 6.64x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 33 13.34x
West Derby 33 1.36x
Ashton Under Lyne 32 1.77x
Billinge Chapel End 32 68.76x
Middleton In Oldham 32 12.87x
Pudsey 32 8.64x
Stoke Upon Trent 32 1.28x
Sutton In Keighley 32 81.59x
Clayton 31 18.29x
Droylsden 31 11.46x
Gomersal 31 9.59x
Radcliffe 31 7.75x
Soothill 31 12.39x
Bickerstaffe 29 53.42x
Castleton 29 3.50x
Cheetham 29 4.69x
Warrington 29 2.95x
Lancaster 28 5.67x
Heaton 27 77.19x
Liverpool 27 0.54x
Birkenhead 26 2.11x
Chadderton 26 6.41x
Colne 26 10.52x
Idle 26 8.09x
Pendleton In Salford 26 2.63x
Pilkington 26 8.25x
Tonge 26 14.94x
Haydock 25 17.49x
Nether Hallam 25 2.67x
Toxteth Park 25 0.89x
Gorton 24 3.08x
Honley 24 19.79x
Dukinfield 23 3.23x
Skelmersdale 23 16.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 586
Elizabeth 295
Sarah 279
Ann 204
Alice 158
Jane 152
Ellen 138
Margaret 132
Hannah 119
Martha 107
Annie 92
Eliza 82
Emma 78
Emily 52
Catherine 44
Harriet 40
Ada 38
Maria 38
Clara 30
Edith 29
Kate 28
Esther 27
Betty 24
Frances 24
Nancy 24
Florence 23
Agnes 22
Anne 22
Isabella 21
Lucy 21
Susannah 21
Caroline 20
Fanny 20
Louisa 19
Betsy 18
Charlotte 17
Elizth. 17
Grace 17
Amelia 16
Rachel 15
Ruth 14
Eleanor 11
Rebecca 11
Rose 11
Bertha 10
Lilly 10
Lydia 9
Gertrude 8
Selina 8
Ethel 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 512
William 395
James 292
Thomas 261
Joseph 202
Robert 119
George 115
Henry 114
Richard 100
Charles 86
Samuel 66
Peter 65
Alfred 56
Edward 54
Arthur 45
Walter 39
Albert 33
Benjamin 31
Fred 30
Harry 28
Herbert 27
Frederick 26
Wm. 24
David 21
Edwin 21
Frank 18
Thos. 18
Ernest 17
Isaac 16
Matthew 14
Jonathan 12
Edmund 10
Michael 10
Daniel 9
Evan 9
Francis 9
Jesse 9
Stephen 9
Tom 9
Joshua 8
Moses 8
Ralph 8
Willie 8
Andrew 7
Eli 7
Elias 7
Geo. 7
Levi 7
Reuben 7
Sam 7

FAQ

Heaton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Heaton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,174 people were recorded with the Heaton surname. That placed it at #590 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Heaton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,391 in 2016. That gives Heaton a modern rank of #904.

What does the Heaton surname mean?

From a place name meaning "high town" or "town on a hill" in Old English.

What does the Heaton map show?

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