NameCensus.

UK surname

Lorton

An English toponymic surname referring to someone from any of several places called Lorton.

In the 1881 census there were 128 people recorded with the Lorton surname, ranking it #17,079 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 137, ranked #25,254, down from #17,079 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Marylebone, Enfield and Cranfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rugby, Vale of White Horse and Rother.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lorton is 196 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.0%.

1881 census count

128

Ranked #17,079

Modern count

137

2016, ranked #25,254

Peak year

1901

196 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lorton had 128 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,079 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016, ranked #25,254.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 196 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lorton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lorton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lorton 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 68 #21,302
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 128 #17,079
1891 historical 170 #16,816
1901 historical 196 #15,329
1911 historical 189 #15,488
1997 modern 131 #22,927
1998 modern 135 #23,118
1999 modern 131 #23,709
2000 modern 128 #24,015
2001 modern 121 #24,493
2002 modern 132 #23,680
2003 modern 129 #23,783
2004 modern 129 #24,019
2005 modern 130 #23,848
2006 modern 131 #23,942
2007 modern 128 #24,632
2008 modern 128 #24,901
2009 modern 127 #25,564
2010 modern 124 #26,582
2011 modern 125 #26,220
2012 modern 126 #26,148
2013 modern 137 #25,149
2014 modern 142 #24,734
2015 modern 140 #24,836
2016 modern 137 #25,254

Geography

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Where Lortons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Marylebone, Enfield, Cranfield, Walsall and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rugby, Vale of White Horse, Rother, Milton Keynes and Maidstone. 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 Marylebone London (North Districts)
2 Enfield Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 Cranfield Bedfordshire
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rugby 010 Rugby
2 Vale of White Horse 001 Vale of White Horse
3 Rother 009 Rother
4 Milton Keynes 019 Milton Keynes
5 Maidstone 019 Maidstone

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lorton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lorton

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

Lorton is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Lorton falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Lorton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Lorton

The surname Lorton has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "lor" meaning a track or path, and "tun" meaning a farm or settlement. This suggests that the name may have originated from a specific locality or settlement situated along a well-trodden path or track.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century. In 1273, a William de Lorton was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Westmorland. This historical document was a census-like record of landowners and their holdings, commissioned by King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various forms such as Lortun, Lortune, and Lortoun. These variations likely reflect the regional dialects and spellings of the time. One notable entry is that of John de Lortoun, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379.

The name Lorton is closely associated with the village of Lorton in Cumbria, England. It is believed that the surname may have originated from this place, or that early bearers of the name may have hailed from this area. The village itself is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Lortun."

Among the notable historical figures bearing the surname Lorton, one can mention:

1. William Lorton (c. 1480 - 1549), an English priest and academic who served as the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.

2. John Lorton (c. 1530 - 1603), an English clergyman who was appointed as the Archdeacon of Nottingham in 1599.

3. Thomas Lorton (c. 1570 - 1624), an English playwright and poet, best known for his satirical work "The University Courante."

4. Margaret Lorton (c. 1620 - 1685), a prominent figure in the English Civil War, known for her involvement in the defense of Lathom House during the Siege of Lathom in 1644.

5. Edward Lorton (c. 1675 - 1738), an English merchant and philanthropist who funded the construction of several schools and almshouses in London.

Throughout its history, the surname Lorton has maintained a strong presence in various regions of England, particularly in the north and northwest counties. While not among the most common surnames, it has left an indelible mark on the historical records and local communities of the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lorton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lorton 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. Warwickshire leads with 50 Lortons recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.88x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 50 15.88x
Middlesex 19 1.52x
Staffordshire 19 4.51x
Buckinghamshire 7 9.27x
Lancashire 6 0.41x
Monmouthshire 6 6.65x
Glamorgan 5 2.30x
Bedfordshire 4 6.19x
Yorkshire 4 0.32x
Cheshire 2 0.73x
Worcestershire 2 1.23x
Durham 1 0.27x
Hertfordshire 1 1.16x
Oxfordshire 1 1.30x
Surrey 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 30 Lortons recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.59x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 30 28.59x
Aston 18 20.76x
Enfield 13 158.73x
Harborne 10 74.02x
Walsall Foreign 7 32.15x
Woughton On Green 7 7000.00x
St Woollos 6 59.58x
Cranfield 4 645.16x
Cwmdu 3 113.21x
Openshaw 3 43.23x
Shoreditch London 3 5.54x
St Marylebone London 3 4.50x
Birkenhead 2 9.10x
Cardiff St Mary 2 16.69x
Coleshill 2 198.02x
Hunslet 2 10.37x
Kidderminster Borough 2 20.96x
Barnsley 1 7.84x
Camberwell 1 1.25x
Cannock 1 13.61x
Henley On Thames 1 63.29x
Hitchin 1 25.77x
Kirkdale 1 4.01x
Rotherham 1 14.33x
Salford 1 2.29x
Stockton On Tees 1 5.58x
West Derby 1 2.31x
Wolstanton Knutton 1 38.91x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Lorton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lorton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 128 people were recorded with the Lorton surname. That placed it at #17,079 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lorton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016. That gives Lorton a modern rank of #25,254.

What does the Lorton surname mean?

An English toponymic surname referring to someone from any of several places called Lorton.

What does the Lorton map show?

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