NameCensus.

UK surname

Horton

From a place name meaning "muddy town" or "town on the dirt" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 11,118 people recorded with the Horton surname, ranking it #386 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 14,054, ranked #450, down from #386 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlaston, London parishes and Walsall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell, North Warwickshire and South Staffordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Horton is 15,126 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.4%.

1881 census count

11,118

Ranked #386

Modern count

14,054

2016, ranked #450

Peak year

1911

15,126 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Horton had 11,118 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #386 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 14,054 in 2016, ranked #450.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 15,126 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Horton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Horton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Horton 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 6,535 #421
1861 historical 6,284 #444
1881 historical 11,118 #386
1891 historical 11,780 #381
1901 historical 13,878 #379
1911 historical 15,126 #321
1997 modern 14,288 #423
1998 modern 14,840 #422
1999 modern 14,889 #424
2000 modern 14,823 #426
2001 modern 14,523 #425
2002 modern 14,715 #427
2003 modern 14,322 #428
2004 modern 14,236 #430
2005 modern 14,003 #432
2006 modern 13,935 #434
2007 modern 14,050 #435
2008 modern 14,072 #437
2009 modern 14,462 #435
2010 modern 14,575 #444
2011 modern 14,394 #441
2012 modern 14,158 #441
2013 modern 14,410 #443
2014 modern 14,399 #444
2015 modern 14,219 #445
2016 modern 14,054 #450

Geography

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Where Hortons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlaston, London parishes, Walsall and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell, North Warwickshire and South Staffordshire. 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 Darlaston Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Walsall Staffordshire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 022 Sandwell
2 North Warwickshire 003 North Warwickshire
3 South Staffordshire 004 South Staffordshire
4 Sandwell 032 Sandwell
5 South Staffordshire 005 South Staffordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Horton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Horton

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Horton 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

Horton is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Horton 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 Horton 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 Horton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Horton

The surname HORTON is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is derived from the Old English word 'hort' meaning a small wood or grove, and the Old English word 'tun' meaning an enclosure or farmstead. It is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the counties of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, during the early medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name HORTON can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as a place name in Buckinghamshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name HORTON began to appear more frequently in various historical records and documents, such as the Hundred Rolls and the Pipe Rolls. This indicates that the name was becoming more widespread across England.

Notable individuals who bore the surname HORTON include Sir Robert Horton (c. 1570-1623), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Buckinghamshire; Thomas Horton (1600-1649), an English merchant and colonist who was one of the founders of the Charlestown, Massachusetts settlement; and Mary Horton (1688-1769), an English-born American midwife and folk healer who was accused of witchcraft during the Salem witch trials.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, several places in England were named after the HORTON surname, such as Horton-in-Ribblesdale, a village in North Yorkshire, and Horton-cum-Studley, a village in Oxfordshire. This further reinforces the association between the name and certain locations in England.

Other notable individuals with the surname HORTON include Samuel Horton (1768-1806), an English naval officer who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars; and James Horton (1807-1869), an English-born Australian politician and businessman who served as the Mayor of Adelaide, South Australia.

The surname HORTON has also been associated with several notable individuals in more recent history, such as the American author and illustrator Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel, 1904-1991), who created the character of an elephant named Horton in his books "Horton Hatches the Egg" and "Horton Hears a Who!"

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Horton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Horton 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. Staffordshire leads with 1,864 Hortons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.09x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 1,864 5.09x
Warwickshire 1,296 4.74x
Kent 948 2.56x
Middlesex 876 0.81x
Yorkshire 749 0.70x
Lancashire 744 0.58x
Worcestershire 619 4.37x
Surrey 507 0.96x
Lincolnshire 465 2.68x
Cheshire 366 1.53x
Devon 290 1.28x
Gloucestershire 244 1.15x
Nottinghamshire 178 1.22x
Leicestershire 160 1.33x
Shropshire 152 1.62x
Buckinghamshire 130 1.98x
Sussex 130 0.71x
Wiltshire 127 1.32x
Derbyshire 123 0.72x
Hampshire 120 0.54x
Essex 94 0.44x
Bedfordshire 92 1.64x
Durham 90 0.28x
Monmouthshire 86 1.10x
Somerset 75 0.43x
Glamorgan 71 0.38x
Oxfordshire 56 0.84x
Hertfordshire 51 0.68x
Northumberland 46 0.29x
Lanarkshire 40 0.11x
Herefordshire 37 0.83x
Northamptonshire 37 0.36x
Berkshire 34 0.42x
Cambridgeshire 23 0.33x
Montgomeryshire 22 0.89x
Denbighshire 21 0.51x
Norfolk 18 0.11x
Suffolk 15 0.11x
Brecknockshire 14 0.65x
Dorset 13 0.18x
Renfrewshire 11 0.13x
Rutland 11 1.38x
Channel Islands 10 0.31x
Flintshire 10 0.34x
Aberdeenshire 8 0.08x
Royal Navy 7 0.54x
Midlothian 5 0.03x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.09x
Cornwall 4 0.03x
Anglesey 3 0.16x
Cardiganshire 3 0.11x
Cumberland 3 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.09x
Angus 1 0.01x
Ayrshire 1 0.01x
Berwickshire 1 0.08x
Merionethshire 1 0.05x
Perthshire 1 0.02x
Stirlingshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 471 Hortons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.17x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 471 5.17x
Aston 447 5.94x
West Bromwich 232 11.07x
Darlaston 136 26.89x
Walsall Foreign 125 6.61x
Harborne 117 9.97x
Oldbury 114 16.36x
Wolverhampton 113 4.02x
Dudley 109 6.33x
Lambeth 95 1.00x
Maidstone 95 8.62x
Cornwood 92 213.31x
Handsworth 89 9.87x
Sedgley 89 6.55x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 88 4.40x
Camberwell 80 1.16x
Stoke Upon Trent 70 1.80x
Islington London 68 0.65x
Wednesbury 68 7.43x
Yardley 67 18.49x
Rowley Regis 63 6.18x
Ecclesall Bierlow 62 2.84x
Tipton 60 5.35x
Kings Norton 59 4.65x
Shenstone 58 62.33x
St Pancras London 58 0.66x
West Ham 56 1.19x
Bethnal Green London 52 1.10x
Hackney London 50 0.82x
Hulme 50 1.86x
Liverpool 49 0.63x
Leicester St Margaret 48 1.64x
Portsea 48 1.10x
Arnold 47 22.03x
Edgbaston 47 5.54x
Folkestone 46 6.41x
Leeds 45 0.74x
Manchester 45 0.78x
Clerkenwell London 43 1.68x
Great Grimsby 43 3.91x
Luton 43 4.42x
Salford 42 1.11x
Shoreditch London 39 0.83x
Coventry St Michael 38 4.33x
Plumstead 38 3.08x
Toxteth Park 38 0.87x
Wolstanton 38 3.42x
Bromsgrove 37 7.76x
Cannock 37 5.79x
Willenhall 37 5.40x
Bow London 36 2.61x
Sheffield 36 1.05x
Burntwood Edial 35 14.97x
Deptford St Paul 35 1.23x
Haslington 35 51.98x
Pendleton In Salford 35 2.28x
Bromley London 34 1.43x
Kensington London 34 0.56x
Oldham 34 0.82x
Tetbury 34 28.20x
Bilston 33 4.65x
Congleton 33 7.98x
Kingswinford 33 2.48x
Loose 33 60.73x
Polesworth 33 25.42x
Croydon 31 1.06x
Greenwich 31 1.80x
Newington 31 0.77x
Tottenham 31 1.80x
Mile End Old Town London 30 1.30x
Newcastle Under Lyme 30 4.63x
Dartford 29 7.67x
Southwark St George Martyr 29 1.33x
Margate St John Baptist 28 4.13x
St Marylebone London 28 0.48x
Tettenhall 28 12.51x
Birkenhead 27 1.42x
Canterbury St Mildred 27 30.76x
Hythe St Leonard 27 20.65x
Willesden 26 2.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 704
Sarah 423
Elizabeth 416
Ann 246
Jane 198
Emma 189
Eliza 173
Annie 160
Alice 155
Ellen 140
Emily 127
Martha 108
Hannah 105
Harriet 101
Fanny 89
Louisa 84
Ada 81
Caroline 80
Maria 74
Charlotte 73
Florence 72
Clara 70
Edith 69
Margaret 63
Lucy 57
Kate 50
Catherine 49
Frances 46
Rose 44
Anne 43
Sophia 36
Harriett 34
Agnes 28
Amy 27
Amelia 26
Elizth. 26
Esther 26
Isabella 24
Matilda 24
Susannah 24
Beatrice 23
Betsy 23
Helen 23
Phoebe 23
Susan 22
Gertrude 21
Selina 21
Lydia 20
Julia 19
Minnie 19

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 753
John 586
Thomas 404
George 361
Henry 264
James 258
Joseph 257
Charles 240
Samuel 143
Arthur 139
Edward 138
Alfred 130
Frederick 121
Albert 107
Richard 102
Harry 83
Robert 73
Walter 67
Benjamin 61
Frank 53
Ernest 38
Herbert 37
Edwin 31
Fred 31
Isaac 31
Francis 29
David 26
Daniel 25
Wm. 25
Thos. 18
Stephen 15
Chas. 14
Fredrick 14
Percy 14
Sidney 14
Elijah 12
Peter 12
Ralph 12
Abraham 11
Philip 11
Sydney 11
Edgar 10
Jacob 10
Joshua 10
Enoch 9
Fredk. 9
Tom 9
Alexander 8
Jno. 8
Solomon 8

FAQ

Horton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Horton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11,118 people were recorded with the Horton surname. That placed it at #386 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Horton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 14,054 in 2016. That gives Horton a modern rank of #450.

What does the Horton surname mean?

From a place name meaning "muddy town" or "town on the dirt" in Old English.

What does the Horton map show?

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