NameCensus.

UK surname

Hunton

An English habitational surname derived from place names meaning "high town".

In the 1881 census there were 378 people recorded with the Hunton surname, ranking it #8,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 540, ranked #9,422, down from #8,288 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Stranton and Helmsley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hambleton, Ryedale and Stockton-on-Tees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hunton is 669 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.9%.

1881 census count

378

Ranked #8,288

Modern count

540

2016, ranked #9,422

Peak year

1861

669 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hunton had 378 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,288 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 540 in 2016, ranked #9,422.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 669 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hunton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hunton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hunton 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 375 #6,361
1861 historical 669 #4,009
1881 historical 378 #8,288
1891 historical 550 #6,881
1901 historical 531 #7,717
1911 historical 643 #6,497
1997 modern 563 #8,516
1998 modern 588 #8,510
1999 modern 589 #8,548
2000 modern 580 #8,597
2001 modern 547 #8,833
2002 modern 560 #8,856
2003 modern 545 #8,902
2004 modern 561 #8,736
2005 modern 544 #8,859
2006 modern 543 #8,903
2007 modern 558 #8,802
2008 modern 565 #8,780
2009 modern 575 #8,866
2010 modern 571 #9,096
2011 modern 549 #9,281
2012 modern 550 #9,167
2013 modern 560 #9,196
2014 modern 562 #9,226
2015 modern 562 #9,141
2016 modern 540 #9,422

Geography

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Where Huntons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Stranton, Helmsley, Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hambleton, Ryedale and Stockton-on-Tees. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 Stranton Durham
3 Helmsley Yorkshire, North Riding
4 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hambleton 010 Hambleton
2 Ryedale 003 Ryedale
3 Hambleton 001 Hambleton
4 Hambleton 009 Hambleton
5 Stockton-on-Tees 014 Stockton-on-Tees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hunton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hunton

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

Hunton 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

Hunton falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hunton

The surname Hunton originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "hun" meaning a hill or mound, and "tun" meaning a town or settlement. The name likely referred to someone who lived in a town located on or near a hill.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century. In 1273, a William de Hunton was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records kept during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Lay Subsidy Rolls for Wiltshire in 1332 as Huneton. This variation in spelling was common during this era before standardized spelling became more widespread.

One notable bearer of the name was Sir Philip Hunton (1604-1682), an English writer and politician who served as a member of Parliament during the English Civil War. He was a staunch Royalist and supporter of King Charles I.

Another individual of note was William Hunton (1635-1698), an English Puritan minister and author. He wrote several religious works, including a treatise titled "A Vindication of the Moral Perfections of God" published in 1697.

In the 18th century, Thomas Hunton (1700-1779) was a prominent English silversmith and maker of fine cutlery based in London. His work was highly regarded and can be found in various museum collections.

The name also has connections to places in England. There is a village called Hunton in Kent, which may have contributed to the surname's origins. Additionally, Hunton Bridge in Hertfordshire is an area that likely derived its name from the same Old English roots.

During the 19th century, James Hunton (1819-1898) was a notable American businessman and politician who served as the 50th Governor of Virginia from 1870 to 1874. He was a prominent figure during the Reconstruction era following the American Civil War.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hunton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hunton 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 152 Huntons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.17x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 152 4.17x
Durham 82 7.50x
Middlesex 30 0.82x
Norfolk 25 4.42x
Northumberland 18 3.29x
Lancashire 16 0.37x
Cumberland 11 3.47x
Derbyshire 7 1.22x
Surrey 7 0.39x
Carmarthenshire 6 3.87x
Essex 6 0.83x
Devon 2 0.26x
Hampshire 2 0.27x
Staffordshire 2 0.16x
Suffolk 2 0.45x
Wiltshire 2 0.62x
Bedfordshire 1 0.53x
Cheshire 1 0.12x
Peeblesshire 1 5.78x
Shropshire 1 0.31x
Sussex 1 0.16x
Warwickshire 1 0.11x
Worcestershire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stockton On Tees in Durham leads with 37 Huntons recorded in 1881 and an index of 70.16x.

Place Total Index
Stockton On Tees 37 70.16x
Bilsdale Midcable 22 2588.24x
Gateshead 13 15.87x
Stranton 11 29.87x
Brompton In 10 613.50x
Shoreditch London 10 6.27x
Hovingham 9 1184.21x
Richmond 9 158.17x
Norwich St Margaret 8 909.09x
Alvaston 7 426.83x
Redmarshall Carlton 7 1842.11x
Barrow In Furness 6 10.11x
Elswick 6 13.74x
Leeds 6 2.92x
Llanelly 6 17.19x
St Cuthbert W O 6 38.89x
Ugthorpe 6 1935.48x
West Ham 6 3.74x
Brotton 5 105.04x
Chelsea London 5 4.51x
Crosscanonby 5 47.76x
Everton 5 3.60x
Farmanby 5 806.45x
Marske In Guisbrough 5 77.28x
North Bierley 5 25.41x
Old Byland 5 2500.00x
Pickhill With Roxby 5 1428.57x
Thornhill 5 47.04x
Westgate 5 14.76x
Westoe 5 8.06x
Wortley In Bramley 5 17.33x
Yearsley 5 2500.00x
Carbrooke 4 519.48x
Hampstead London 4 6.98x
St Pancras London 4 1.35x
Swaffham 4 86.96x
Watton 4 224.72x
Barnard Castle 3 55.45x
Bilsdale West Side 3 1578.95x
Camberwell 3 1.28x
Cowpen 3 23.81x
Newcastle On Tyne St 3 10.58x
Battersea 2 1.48x
Britford 2 93.02x
Cottingham 2 25.48x
Exning 2 88.50x
Guisbrough 2 25.13x
Haswell 2 25.51x
Headingley Cum Burley 2 8.53x
Hingham 2 102.04x
Honley 2 31.35x
Kingswinford 2 4.44x
Lambeth 2 0.62x
Middlesbrough 2 4.22x
Monkwearmouth Shore 2 9.36x
Northallerton 2 43.01x
Norwich St Clement 2 30.53x
Oldham 2 1.42x
Oswaldtwistle 2 12.97x
Potter Newton 2 31.10x
Rievaulx 2 689.66x
Ryde 2 12.35x
Sheffield 2 1.72x
St Botolph Aldgate London 2 26.42x
Tormoham 2 6.17x
Westminster St Margaret 2 11.27x
Whorlton 2 232.56x
Wolviston 2 263.16x
York St Giles In 2 58.14x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 8.03x
Broughton In Stokesley 1 140.85x
Cainham 1 68.03x
Danby 1 68.03x
Hornsey 1 2.15x
Leighton Buzzard 1 12.21x
Low Worsall 1 400.00x
Shipdham 1 52.08x
Slingsby 1 133.33x
South Holme 1 909.09x
West Harlsey 1 1250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Jane 17
Elizabeth 11
Sarah 11
Ann 9
Margaret 9
Hannah 7
Eliza 6
Eleanor 5
Isabella 5
Alice 4
Annie 4
Charlotte 4
Emily 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Elizth. 3
Laura 3
Christiana 2
Clara 2
Elisabeth 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Minnie 2
Amy 1
Annah 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Constance 1
Edith 1
Elen 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Eudora 1
Evelyn 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Hariette 1
Harriet 1
Harrietter 1
Hellena 1
Leonard 1
Lily 1
Lora 1
Tamar 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 38
William 29
George 12
Thomas 12
James 10
Robert 7
Henry 6
Alfred 5
Stephen 5
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Joseph 3
Walter 3
Edgar 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Samuel 2
Thos. 2
Wensley 2
Albert 1
Alpheus 1
Anthony 1
Benjamin 1
Cecil 1
Chas.J. 1
Christopher 1
Claude 1
Daniel 1
Fredric 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
Jas.A. 1
Jno.N. 1
Jonah 1
Josiah 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Nework 1
Norman 1
Osborn 1
Paul 1
Reuben 1
Richard 1
Ruben 1
Thos.John 1
Thos.W. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hunton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hunton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 378 people were recorded with the Hunton surname. That placed it at #8,288 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hunton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 540 in 2016. That gives Hunton a modern rank of #9,422.

What does the Hunton surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from place names meaning "high town".

What does the Hunton map show?

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