NameCensus.

UK surname

Laxton

From a place name meaning "town of lakes" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 911 people recorded with the Laxton surname, ranking it #4,206 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 663, ranked #8,048, down from #4,206 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Warham All Saints and St Mary and Peterborough St John the Baptist. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Northamptonshire, Tameside and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Laxton is 1,036 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 27.2%.

1881 census count

911

Ranked #4,206

Modern count

663

2016, ranked #8,048

Peak year

1911

1,036 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Laxton had 911 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,206 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 663 in 2016, ranked #8,048.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,036 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Laxton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Laxton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Laxton 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 510 #4,903
1861 historical 517 #5,061
1881 historical 911 #4,206
1891 historical 868 #4,730
1901 historical 920 #5,063
1911 historical 1,036 #4,432
1997 modern 711 #7,165
1998 modern 736 #7,212
1999 modern 728 #7,302
2000 modern 750 #7,101
2001 modern 716 #7,233
2002 modern 726 #7,299
2003 modern 701 #7,381
2004 modern 690 #7,498
2005 modern 678 #7,534
2006 modern 681 #7,534
2007 modern 675 #7,659
2008 modern 664 #7,782
2009 modern 680 #7,823
2010 modern 698 #7,797
2011 modern 707 #7,645
2012 modern 686 #7,717
2013 modern 688 #7,838
2014 modern 682 #7,941
2015 modern 673 #7,965
2016 modern 663 #8,048

Geography

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Where Laxtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Warham All Saints and St Mary, Peterborough St John the Baptist and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Northamptonshire, Tameside, Bradford, Great Yarmouth and Broadland. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Warham All Saints and St Mary Norfolk
4 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Northamptonshire 002 East Northamptonshire
2 Tameside 016 Tameside
3 Bradford 001 Bradford
4 Great Yarmouth 006 Great Yarmouth
5 Broadland 006 Broadland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Laxton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Laxton

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Laxton is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Laxton 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

Laxton falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Laxton

The surname Laxton has its origins in England, dating back to at least the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the village of Laxton in Nottinghamshire. The name is thought to come from the Old English words "leac" meaning leek and "tun" meaning enclosure or settlement, suggesting it was originally a place where leeks were grown.

The earliest known record of the surname Laxton appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where a William de Laxington is mentioned. In the Subsidy Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1327, a Robert de Laxyngton is recorded. These early spellings indicate the evolution of the name from its locational origins.

The Domesday Book of 1086 does not mention Laxton directly, but it does reference the nearby village of Muskham, which was later known as Muskham-and-Laxton. This suggests the Laxton settlement existed before the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Laxton was John Laxton (c.1370-c.1456), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1443 to 1456.

Another notable figure was William Laxton (c.1556-1616), an English horticulturist and clergyman who is credited with introducing several new varieties of apples and pears to England, including the Laxton Superb apple.

In the 17th century, Thomas Laxton (1617-1688) was an English Baptist minister and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Watchman's Call" and "The Anabaptists' Congregational Way Vindicated."

A prominent figure in the 19th century was Edward Laxton (1797-1871), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Polytechnic Institution and the Greenwich Royal Observatory.

Finally, one of the most famous individuals with the surname Laxton in more recent times was Thomas Laxton (1830-1893), an English horticulturist and plant breeder who developed several new varieties of fruits and vegetables, including the Laxton's Superb pea and the Laxton's Noble strawberry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Laxton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Laxton 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. Middlesex leads with 148 Laxtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.66x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 148 1.66x
Lincolnshire 97 6.82x
Northamptonshire 74 8.84x
Huntingdonshire 65 36.80x
Leicestershire 64 6.49x
Yorkshire 62 0.70x
Lancashire 60 0.57x
Surrey 57 1.31x
Nottinghamshire 39 3.25x
Norfolk 35 2.56x
Warwickshire 30 1.34x
Derbyshire 23 1.65x
Bedfordshire 22 4.78x
Cambridgeshire 21 3.73x
Devon 20 1.08x
Essex 18 1.03x
Staffordshire 16 0.53x
Cheshire 8 0.41x
Gloucestershire 8 0.46x
Buckinghamshire 7 1.30x
Worcestershire 7 0.60x
Durham 6 0.23x
Rutland 5 7.65x
Hertfordshire 4 0.65x
Berkshire 3 0.45x
Hampshire 3 0.16x
Cumberland 2 0.26x
Dorset 2 0.34x
Kent 2 0.07x
Somerset 2 0.14x
Wiltshire 2 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Peterborough in Northamptonshire leads with 28 Laxtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.22x.

Place Total Index
Peterborough 28 46.22x
Hackney London 25 5.01x
Shoreditch London 24 6.22x
Oundle 21 224.36x
Bourn 19 165.36x
Birmingham 17 2.27x
Greasley 17 62.85x
Kensington London 17 3.44x
Buckden 16 503.14x
Newington 16 4.87x
Bermondsey 15 5.66x
Islington London 14 1.62x
Pinchbeck 14 153.51x
Battersea 13 3.97x
Yaxley 13 314.77x
Leicester St Margaret 12 4.99x
Liverpool 12 1.87x
Spalding 10 35.42x
St Luke London 10 7.01x
St Marylebone London 10 2.11x
Melton Mowbray 9 50.73x
Oldham 9 2.64x
St Pancras London 9 1.26x
Warham All Sts 9 1216.22x
Holy Trinity 8 3.77x
Holy Trinity 8 205.66x
Huntingdon St John 8 156.25x
Little Bolton 8 5.89x
Paddington London 8 2.45x
South Shoebury 8 113.48x
Stamford All Sts 8 100.50x
Weston 8 310.08x
Wymondham 8 398.01x
Barrow In Furness 7 4.88x
Bedford St Paul 7 22.16x
Cockayne Hatley 7 2121.21x
Lillingstone Dayrell 7 833.33x
Litchurch 7 12.49x
Mexborough 7 40.00x
Rippingdale 7 416.67x
Sutton In Pontefract 7 5833.33x
Tugby 7 666.67x
Westminster St Margaret 7 16.31x
Whittlesey St Mary St 7 35.57x
Aston 6 0.97x
Biggleswade 6 39.76x
Billesdon Rolleston 6 2857.14x
Church Gresley 6 27.08x
Dalby Little 6 1276.60x
Eastwood 6 55.97x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 6 5.23x
Heeley 6 22.40x
Rugby 6 19.77x
Walthamstow 6 9.49x
Brington 5 925.93x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 2.98x
Clifton 5 5.67x
Doncaster 5 7.76x
Eston 5 26.04x
Exeter St Thomas The 5 26.48x
Hammersmith London 5 2.28x
Hopwood 5 36.23x
Huntingdon St Mary 5 113.12x
Lambeth 5 0.64x
North Bierley 5 10.50x
Quadring 5 182.48x
St George Bloomsbury 5 9.80x
Staveley 5 20.23x
Swinstead 5 471.70x
Thornby 5 769.23x
West Derby 5 1.62x
Willesden 5 5.96x
Colsterworth 4 132.89x
Lichfield St Chad 4 59.26x
Moulton 4 58.39x
North Weald Bassett 4 131.15x
Nottingham St Mary 4 1.29x
Paston 4 112.36x
St Andrewthe Less 4 6.21x
West Bromwich 4 2.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 59
Elizabeth 39
Sarah 35
Ann 22
Emma 20
Eliza 17
Annie 15
Martha 14
Alice 12
Fanny 11
Jane 11
Louisa 11
Ellen 10
Emily 8
Charlotte 7
Harriet 7
Florence 6
Maria 6
Edith 5
Frances 5
Hannah 5
Margaret 5
Ada 4
Anne 4
Bertha 4
Kate 4
Amelia 3
Caroline 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Harriett 3
Rose 3
Susannah 3
Amy 2
Beatrice 2
Catherine 2
Helena 2
Isabella 2
Jennie 2
Jessie 2
Lilian 2
Lizzie 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Mabel 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Rebecca 2
Sophia 2
Thurza 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 66
John 60
George 34
Thomas 32
James 28
Henry 20
Robert 19
Charles 18
Joseph 14
Samuel 13
Benjamin 11
Alfred 10
Edward 8
Arthur 7
Herbert 7
Albert 6
Frederick 6
David 5
Richard 5
Christopher 4
Frank 4
Tom 4
Francis 3
Fred 3
Fredk. 3
Harry 3
Stephen 3
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Noah 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Clement 1
Clements 1
Earnest 1
Ellis 1
F.G. 1
Frederic 1
Fredrick 1
Hargrave 1
Jabez 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Johnson 1
Joshua 1
M.J. 1
Matthew 1
Octavius 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Laxton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Laxton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 911 people were recorded with the Laxton surname. That placed it at #4,206 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Laxton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 663 in 2016. That gives Laxton a modern rank of #8,048.

What does the Laxton surname mean?

From a place name meaning "town of lakes" in Old English.

What does the Laxton map show?

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