NameCensus.

UK surname

Langton

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the various places called Langton in England.

In the 1881 census there were 2,376 people recorded with the Langton surname, ranking it #1,875 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,682, ranked #1,853, up from #1,875 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newbury, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Liverpool and Bolsover.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Langton is 3,855 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.0%.

1881 census count

2,376

Ranked #1,875

Modern count

3,682

2016, ranked #1,853

Peak year

2000

3,855 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Langton had 2,376 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,875 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,682 in 2016, ranked #1,853.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,268 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Langton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Langton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Langton 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 1,477 #1,940
1861 historical 1,395 #2,058
1881 historical 2,376 #1,875
1891 historical 2,351 #1,998
1901 historical 2,948 #1,901
1911 historical 3,268 #1,598
1997 modern 3,680 #1,761
1998 modern 3,792 #1,778
1999 modern 3,842 #1,769
2000 modern 3,855 #1,749
2001 modern 3,739 #1,762
2002 modern 3,796 #1,786
2003 modern 3,667 #1,810
2004 modern 3,658 #1,810
2005 modern 3,629 #1,799
2006 modern 3,618 #1,802
2007 modern 3,680 #1,788
2008 modern 3,674 #1,801
2009 modern 3,766 #1,811
2010 modern 3,787 #1,840
2011 modern 3,731 #1,841
2012 modern 3,693 #1,825
2013 modern 3,747 #1,831
2014 modern 3,734 #1,853
2015 modern 3,670 #1,864
2016 modern 3,682 #1,853

Geography

Back to top

Where Langtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newbury, London parishes, Manchester and Alfreton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Liverpool and Bolsover. 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 Newbury Berkshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Alfreton Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 003 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 004 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Liverpool 044 Liverpool
4 Liverpool 059 Liverpool
5 Bolsover 010 Bolsover

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Langton

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Langton

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

Langton 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

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

Meaning and origin of Langton

The surname Langton has its origins in England, originating from the Old English words "lang" meaning long and "tun" meaning farm or settlement. It likely referred to someone who lived at or near a long farm or settlement.

The name can be traced back to the 11th century and the time of the Norman Conquest. It appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. There are references to several places called Langton, including in Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is Walter de Langton, who was born around 1155 and served as Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield from 1215 to 1228. Another notable historical figure was John Langton, a theologian and Chancellor of the University of Paris, who lived from around 1235 to 1315.

In the 14th century, there was a prominent family of Langtons who held lands in Leicestershire. William Langton was born around 1330 and served as a Member of Parliament for Leicestershire in 1362 and 1365. His son, Thomas Langton, was born around 1357 and was also a Member of Parliament for Leicestershire in 1395 and 1399.

The name Langton continued to be prominent in England throughout the medieval and early modern periods. In the 16th century, there was a John Langton who was a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London and served as Master of the Company in 1578.

Another notable bearer of the name was Bennet Langton, born in 1736, who was a scholar, writer, and a close friend of Samuel Johnson. He was a member of Johnson's literary club and helped compile the famous writer's biography after his death.

While the surname Langton has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and has taken on various spellings and variations over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Langton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Langton 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 445 Langtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.62x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 445 1.62x
Middlesex 334 1.44x
Yorkshire 297 1.29x
Leicestershire 183 7.12x
Derbyshire 178 4.91x
Surrey 158 1.40x
Lincolnshire 95 2.56x
Cheshire 90 1.76x
Durham 82 1.19x
Berkshire 64 3.68x
Nottinghamshire 62 1.98x
Staffordshire 59 0.75x
Kent 55 0.70x
Hampshire 30 0.63x
Buckinghamshire 29 2.07x
Northamptonshire 26 1.19x
Essex 22 0.48x
Lanarkshire 22 0.29x
Sussex 17 0.44x
Devon 16 0.33x
Norfolk 12 0.34x
Oxfordshire 10 0.70x
Caernarfonshire 9 0.96x
Northumberland 9 0.26x
Warwickshire 9 0.15x
Westmorland 8 1.57x
Cumberland 7 0.35x
Glamorgan 6 0.15x
Dumfriesshire 5 0.98x
Somerset 5 0.13x
Gloucestershire 4 0.09x
Hertfordshire 4 0.25x
Roxburghshire 4 0.95x
Bedfordshire 3 0.25x
Isle of Man 3 0.70x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.27x
Royal Navy 2 0.72x
Worcestershire 2 0.07x
Anglesey 1 0.24x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.07x
Channel Islands 1 0.15x
Herefordshire 1 0.11x
Midlothian 1 0.03x
Orkney 1 0.39x
Rutland 1 0.59x
Shropshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 70 Langtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.17x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 70 11.17x
Alfreton 68 61.68x
Codnor Loscoe 46 160.06x
Kensington London 43 3.34x
Newbury 41 73.57x
Bethnal Green London 38 3.77x
Chorley 37 23.97x
St Pancras London 36 1.93x
Lambeth 35 1.73x
Toxteth Park 34 3.65x
Islington London 32 1.42x
Dukinfield 31 13.11x
Bishopwearmouth 29 4.90x
Battersea 25 2.93x
Manchester 25 2.02x
Bridlington 23 43.73x
Kirkdale 22 4.76x
Leicester St Mary 22 10.60x
Camberwell 21 1.42x
Heaton Norris 21 13.42x
Lathom 20 60.22x
Newington 19 2.22x
Holy Trinity 18 3.26x
Hunslet 18 5.03x
Oldham 17 1.92x
Horsley 16 73.29x
Cosby 15 188.21x
Heston 15 19.49x
Leicester All Sts 15 29.72x
Belgrave 14 24.14x
Bulwell 14 20.61x
Ince In Makerfield 14 10.94x
Nottingham St Mary 14 1.73x
Wakefield 14 7.94x
Hackney London 13 1.00x
Hammersmith London 13 2.28x
Winterton 13 102.12x
Chelsea London 12 1.72x
Flamborough 12 107.91x
Wigan 12 3.12x
Basford 11 7.64x
Cannock 11 8.06x
Deptford St Paul 11 1.80x
Gillingham 11 6.75x
Leyland 11 22.99x
Paddington London 11 1.29x
Parbold 11 257.61x
Salford 11 1.36x
Sculcoates 11 3.02x
St Marylebone London 11 0.89x
Accrington 10 4.00x
Armley 10 9.87x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 10 4.67x
Birkenhead 10 2.45x
Denham 10 100.00x
Langton By Spilsby 10 574.71x
Portsea 10 1.07x
Radford 10 6.30x
Scunthorpe 10 59.99x
Shoreditch London 10 1.00x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 1.50x
Garston 9 11.09x
Govan 9 0.49x
Great Driffield 9 19.10x
Guisbrough 9 17.93x
Hoole 9 46.54x
Lanark 9 14.92x
Llanbeblig 9 9.46x
Monks Coppenhall 9 4.66x
Openshaw 9 6.99x
Ravensthorpe 9 228.43x
Reading St Giles 9 5.27x
St George Martyr London 9 19.17x
Wandsworth 9 4.03x
Wombwell 9 13.44x
Worksop 9 9.71x
Caterham 8 16.03x
Whitchurch 8 94.34x
Winteringham 8 150.38x
Worlaby 8 173.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 161
Elizabeth 101
Sarah 61
Jane 50
Ellen 48
Ann 45
Alice 37
Annie 36
Margaret 34
Martha 27
Eliza 26
Emma 25
Florence 23
Harriet 18
Hannah 16
Maria 15
Emily 14
Fanny 14
Charlotte 13
Clara 13
Catherine 12
Lucy 12
Ada 11
Edith 11
Kate 11
Caroline 10
Louisa 10
Frances 9
Isabella 9
Anne 8
Gertrude 8
Amelia 7
Ethel 7
Rebecca 7
Sophia 7
Elizth. 6
Julia 6
Laura 6
Agnes 5
Amy 5
Dorothy 5
Esther 5
Harriett 5
Rose 5
Beatrice 4
Dinah 4
Flora 4
Jessie 4
Mabel 4
Ruth 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 145
William 121
George 85
Thomas 80
James 62
Henry 47
Charles 41
Edward 38
Joseph 38
Robert 31
Arthur 24
Samuel 24
Alfred 18
Walter 17
Albert 15
Harry 15
Edwin 14
Stephen 14
David 11
Richard 11
Ernest 10
Francis 10
Frank 10
Ralph 9
Wm. 9
Benjamin 8
Frederick 8
Herbert 7
Tom 7
Michael 6
Edmund 5
Fred 4
Matthew 4
Oliver 4
Sydney 4
Willie 4
Aaron 3
Aurther 3
Christopher 3
Infant 3
Moses 3
Percy 3
Philip 3
Phillip 3
Reginald 3
Abel 2
Allinson 2
Chas. 2
Martin 2
Patrick 2

FAQ

Langton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Langton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,376 people were recorded with the Langton surname. That placed it at #1,875 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Langton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,682 in 2016. That gives Langton a modern rank of #1,853.

What does the Langton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the various places called Langton in England.

What does the Langton map show?

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