NameCensus.

UK surname

Lathan

Habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "barn on the hill" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 120 people recorded with the Lathan surname, ranking it #17,756 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 302, ranked #14,660, up from #17,756 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Monkwearmouth and Colerne. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Stockton-on-Tees and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lathan is 327 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 151.7%.

1881 census count

120

Ranked #17,756

Modern count

302

2016, ranked #14,660

Peak year

1997

327 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lathan had 120 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,756 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 302 in 2016, ranked #14,660.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 256 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Lathan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lathan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lathan 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 161 #12,288
1861 historical 256 #9,667
1881 historical 120 #17,756
1891 historical 250 #12,762
1901 historical 251 #13,102
1911 historical 244 #13,127
1997 modern 327 #12,784
1998 modern 323 #13,211
1999 modern 314 #13,556
2000 modern 308 #13,685
2001 modern 297 #13,816
2002 modern 301 #13,962
2003 modern 274 #14,680
2004 modern 271 #14,883
2005 modern 270 #14,822
2006 modern 276 #14,700
2007 modern 285 #14,527
2008 modern 283 #14,724
2009 modern 296 #14,557
2010 modern 311 #14,345
2011 modern 300 #14,591
2012 modern 298 #14,565
2013 modern 304 #14,614
2014 modern 309 #14,533
2015 modern 305 #14,579
2016 modern 302 #14,660

Geography

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Where Lathans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Monkwearmouth, Colerne, Hambledon and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Stockton-on-Tees and Sunderland. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 Monkwearmouth Durham
3 Colerne Wiltshire
4 Hambledon Oxfordshire
5 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 038 Northumberland
2 Stockton-on-Tees 007 Stockton-on-Tees
3 Stockton-on-Tees 008 Stockton-on-Tees
4 Stockton-on-Tees 019 Stockton-on-Tees
5 Sunderland 003 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lathan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lathan

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Lathan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Lathan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Lathan 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

Lathan is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lathan falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lathan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lathan

The surname LATHAN is believed to have originated in England, where it first appeared in the late 12th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "lathe," which referred to a district or administrative division, particularly in the counties of Kent and Sussex. This suggests that the name may have been locational, indicating a person's place of origin or residence.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LATHAN can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Essex from 1195, where a certain Robert de Lathon is mentioned. This suggests that the name may have initially been spelled as "Lathon" or "Laton" before evolving into its current form.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which list individuals with the surname LATHAN residing in various counties across England. One notable example is William de Lathon, who was recorded as holding lands in Oxfordshire during this period.

The LATHAN surname may also be associated with certain place names, such as Lathom in Lancashire, which was once spelled as "Lathun" or "Lathon." This connection could indicate that some bearers of the name may have originated from or resided in this area.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the LATHAN surname. One example is John Lathan (c. 1554-1598), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Remenham in Berkshire. Another is Robert Lathan (c. 1625-1689), an English mathematician and astronomer who made contributions to the study of optics and the construction of telescopes.

In the 18th century, Sir Thomas Lathan (1701-1781) was a prominent British naval officer who served as the Governor of Grenada from 1771 to 1775. During the same period, William Lathan (1726-1787) was a notable English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.

In the 19th century, Edward Lathan (1837-1914) was a British architect and surveyor who worked on various projects in London and the surrounding areas. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

The LATHAN surname has a rich history that can be traced back to its English origins and locational associations. While its precise derivation remains uncertain, the name has been borne by numerous individuals throughout the centuries, including clergymen, scholars, naval officers, and architects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lathan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lathan 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. Durham leads with 27 Lathans recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.82x.

County Total Index
Durham 27 7.82x
Middlesex 14 1.21x
Northumberland 14 8.11x
Lancashire 11 0.80x
Aberdeenshire 9 8.37x
Buckinghamshire 9 12.83x
Staffordshire 7 1.79x
Surrey 6 1.06x
Kent 5 1.26x
Wiltshire 4 3.90x
Hertfordshire 3 3.75x
Lanarkshire 3 0.80x
Cheshire 2 0.78x
Somerset 2 1.07x
Cornwall 1 0.76x
Gloucestershire 1 0.44x
Suffolk 1 0.71x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Southwick in Durham leads with 16 Lathans recorded in 1881 and an index of 489.30x.

Place Total Index
Southwick 16 489.30x
Aberdeen Old Machar 9 40.11x
Hambleden 9 1500.00x
Bilston 7 92.23x
Greenwich 5 27.06x
Haydock 5 210.97x
Lambeth 5 4.94x
Mickley 5 925.93x
Silksworth 5 3125.00x
St Pancras London 5 5.35x
Colerne 4 952.38x
Bethnal Green London 3 5.95x
Hertford St Andrew 3 303.03x
Lesmahagow 3 75.57x
Monkwearmouth Shore 3 44.51x
Ovingham Whittle Spital 3 1153.85x
Prudhoe 3 250.00x
Shoreditch London 3 5.96x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 19.29x
Birkenhead 2 9.79x
Bishopwearmouth 2 6.75x
Mile End Old Town London 2 8.10x
Stocksfield Hall 2 5000.00x
Warrington 2 12.25x
Weston Super Mare 2 42.37x
Beccles 1 43.86x
Bristol St Paul In 1 16.50x
Camberwell 1 1.35x
Elswick 1 7.26x
Falmouth 1 21.51x
Hulme 1 3.48x
Kyo 1 61.35x
North Meols 1 7.42x
St Stephen Coleman Street 1 243.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 6
Annie 5
Margaret 4
Alice 3
Sarah 3
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Hannah 2
Martha 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Charlott 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Jemina 1
Lilly 1
Rosana 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Lathan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lathan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 120 people were recorded with the Lathan surname. That placed it at #17,756 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lathan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 302 in 2016. That gives Lathan a modern rank of #14,660.

What does the Lathan surname mean?

Habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "barn on the hill" in Old English.

What does the Lathan map show?

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