NameCensus.

UK surname

Huston

Derived from a place name meaning "Hugh's town" in Old English, referring to a settlement founded by someone named Hugh.

In the 1881 census there were 212 people recorded with the Huston surname, ranking it #12,373 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 366, ranked #12,690, down from #12,373 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Newcastle All Saints and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wirral, Northumberland and Walsall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Huston is 389 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 72.6%.

1881 census count

212

Ranked #12,373

Modern count

366

2016, ranked #12,690

Peak year

1998

389 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Huston had 212 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,373 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 366 in 2016, ranked #12,690.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 355 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Huston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Huston surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Huston 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 216 #9,818
1861 historical 355 #7,198
1881 historical 212 #12,373
1891 historical 272 #11,957
1901 historical 224 #14,091
1911 historical 255 #12,719
1997 modern 387 #11,275
1998 modern 389 #11,594
1999 modern 382 #11,843
2000 modern 374 #11,976
2001 modern 357 #12,205
2002 modern 370 #12,121
2003 modern 373 #11,857
2004 modern 363 #12,131
2005 modern 344 #12,521
2006 modern 346 #12,539
2007 modern 346 #12,689
2008 modern 358 #12,485
2009 modern 352 #12,918
2010 modern 359 #12,975
2011 modern 357 #12,915
2012 modern 373 #12,344
2013 modern 377 #12,449
2014 modern 374 #12,598
2015 modern 363 #12,793
2016 modern 366 #12,690

Geography

Back to top

Where Hustons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Newcastle All Saints, Toxteth Park, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wirral, Northumberland, Walsall and Lewisham. 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 3
2 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wirral 003 Wirral
2 Northumberland 027 Northumberland
3 Walsall 027 Walsall
4 Lewisham 018 Lewisham
5 Wirral 007 Wirral

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Huston

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Huston

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Huston, 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 Huston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Huston 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, Huston 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

Huston is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Huston

The surname Huston originated in Scotland during the 14th century. It is derived from the Old English words "hus" meaning house and "tun" meaning settlement or town. The name likely referred to someone who lived in a particular house or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a record of Scottish nobles who swore fealty to King Edward I of England in 1296. The name appears as "Huston" in these rolls. It is also found in the records of the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in the 15th century.

The Huston surname is closely associated with the Scottish county of Renfrewshire, particularly the area around the town of Houston. This town was originally known as "Hugh's Town" or "Hugonis Villa" in Latin, named after the founder, a man named Hugh. Over time, the spelling evolved to the modern "Houston" and "Huston".

In the 16th century, a notable figure with this surname was Sir John Huston (c. 1537-1598), a Scottish theologian and writer who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1586.

Another prominent individual was Sir Robert Huston (1590-1668), a Scottish baronet and landowner who played a significant role in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.

In the 18th century, John Huston (1720-1779) was a Scottish-American surveyor and landowner who helped establish the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Moving into the 19th century, James Huston (1812-1895) was a Scottish-born American businessman and politician who served as the 12th Governor of Texas from 1859 to 1863.

In the 20th century, the name gained further recognition through the American film director and actor John Huston (1906-1987), best known for directing classics such as "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre".

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Huston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Huston 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 61 Hustons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.30x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 61 2.30x
Durham 30 4.51x
Northumberland 18 5.42x
Channel Islands 17 25.68x
Middlesex 16 0.72x
Kent 13 1.71x
Lanarkshire 13 1.80x
Staffordshire 8 1.06x
Ayrshire 6 3.59x
Worcestershire 6 2.06x
Midlothian 5 1.67x
Surrey 5 0.46x
Fife 4 3.03x
Hampshire 4 0.87x
Warwickshire 4 0.71x
Devon 3 0.65x
Wigtownshire 3 10.11x
Sussex 2 0.53x
Yorkshire 2 0.09x
Brecknockshire 1 2.24x
Cheshire 1 0.20x
Clackmannanshire 1 5.42x
Derbyshire 1 0.29x
Hertfordshire 1 0.65x
Leicestershire 1 0.40x
Lincolnshire 1 0.28x
Monmouthshire 1 0.62x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 19 Hustons recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.17x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 19 21.17x
Westgate 18 87.46x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 15 52.12x
St Helier 14 64.97x
Brancepeth 9 743.80x
Ormskirk 8 157.79x
Paddington London 7 8.52x
Wolverhampton 7 12.08x
Woolwich 7 24.86x
Bootle Cum Linacre 6 28.50x
Dudley 6 16.92x
Govan 6 3.36x
Manchester 6 5.03x
Great Crosby 5 69.16x
Kilmarnock 5 25.13x
Sunderland 5 42.59x
Westminster St Margaret 5 46.43x
Barony 4 2.19x
Castleton 4 15.11x
Everton 4 4.73x
Falkland 4 192.31x
Lewisham 4 9.84x
North Leith 4 28.88x
Birmingham 3 1.60x
St Anne 3 254.24x
Whithorn 3 132.74x
Dalton In Furness 2 19.55x
Glasgow 2 1.56x
Hove 2 12.11x
Liverpool 2 1.24x
Newington 2 2.42x
South Stoneham 2 20.14x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 4.45x
St Pancras London 2 1.11x
Stoke Damerel 2 6.15x
West Derby 2 2.58x
Aldershot 1 6.52x
Alloa 1 11.17x
Barrow In Furness 1 2.77x
Chepstow 1 36.36x
Christchurch 1 10.07x
Covington 1 294.12x
Croydon 1 1.66x
Devonport 1 18.73x
Dreghorn 1 33.00x
Fairfield 1 2500.00x
Hitchin 1 14.39x
Hopton Coton 1 93.46x
Leicester St Mary 1 5.00x
Llangunider 1 35.97x
Lower Bebington 1 34.13x
Much Woolton 1 27.78x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.28x
Old Stratford 1 31.35x
Ramsgate 1 8.04x
Sculcoates 1 2.85x
Seaham 1 41.32x
Sheffield 1 1.42x
St Giles In Fields London 1 9.12x
St Martin Lincoln 1 30.21x
Twickenham 1 10.44x
Walton On Hill 1 6.96x
West Calder 1 16.95x
Willington 1 256.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Ellen 7
Margaret 5
Ann 4
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 4
Isabella 4
Jane 4
Caroline 3
Emma 3
Frances 3
Annie 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Fanny 2
Harriet 2
Maria 2
Maude 2
Sarah 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Anne 1
Annebel 1
Barbara 1
Charlotte 1
Eliz. 1
Ella 1
Emily 1
Esilda 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Imogene 1
Julia 1
Margery 1
Margret 1
Marie 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Matthew 1
Meggie 1
Patience 1
Rachal 1
Rachel 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Huston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Huston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 212 people were recorded with the Huston surname. That placed it at #12,373 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Huston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 366 in 2016. That gives Huston a modern rank of #12,690.

What does the Huston surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "Hugh's town" in Old English, referring to a settlement founded by someone named Hugh.

What does the Huston map show?

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