NameCensus.

UK surname

Masterton

A locational surname derived from a place in Scotland or England bearing that name.

In the 1881 census there were 958 people recorded with the Masterton surname, ranking it #4,044 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 922, ranked #6,187, down from #4,044 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Forfar, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tweeddale West Area, North Devon and The Grange.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Masterton is 1,128 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.8%.

1881 census count

958

Ranked #4,044

Modern count

922

2016, ranked #6,187

Peak year

1901

1,128 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Masterton had 958 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,044 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 922 in 2016, ranked #6,187.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,128 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Masterton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Masterton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Masterton 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 644 #4,032
1861 historical 724 #3,759
1881 historical 958 #4,044
1891 historical 1,003 #4,135
1901 historical 1,128 #4,297
1911 historical 277 #12,067
1997 modern 883 #6,051
1998 modern 921 #6,043
1999 modern 928 #6,059
2000 modern 921 #6,074
2001 modern 907 #6,051
2002 modern 937 #6,003
2003 modern 913 #6,015
2004 modern 922 #5,967
2005 modern 938 #5,837
2006 modern 933 #5,873
2007 modern 931 #5,931
2008 modern 940 #5,930
2009 modern 918 #6,157
2010 modern 938 #6,179
2011 modern 928 #6,180
2012 modern 908 #6,212
2013 modern 932 #6,181
2014 modern 941 #6,171
2015 modern 931 #6,173
2016 modern 922 #6,187

Geography

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Where Mastertons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Forfar, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and Biggar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tweeddale West Area, North Devon, The Grange, Isle of Wight and Dalmeny, Kirkliston and Newbridge. 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 Forfar Forfar
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Biggar Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tweeddale West Area Scottish Borders
2 North Devon 005 North Devon
3 The Grange City of Edinburgh
4 Isle of Wight 003 Isle of Wight
5 Dalmeny, Kirkliston and Newbridge City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Masterton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Masterton

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Masterton is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Masterton is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Masterton

The surname Masterton is believed to have originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the combination of the Old English words "maester" meaning "master" and "tun" meaning "town" or "settlement." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who held a position of authority or worked as a master craftsman in a particular town or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Masterton can be found in the records of the Scottish Parliament in 1467, where a John Masterton is mentioned as a representative for the burgh of Jedburgh. This provides evidence that the name was already established in Scotland by the 15th century.

The Masterton surname is also associated with the town of the same name located in the Scottish Borders region. The town's name is derived from the same Old English roots, indicating that the surname may have originated from this specific location.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Walter Masterton (c. 1520-1590) was a Scottish Protestant reformer and one of the founders of the University of Edinburgh. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland.

Another prominent individual with the Masterton surname was Sir Richard Masterton (1590-1657), who served as a Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed in the early 17th century. He was also a military commander during the English Civil War and fought for the Royalist cause.

In the late 17th century, a family by the name of Masterton emigrated from Scotland to Ireland, where they settled in County Fermanagh. This branch of the family contributed to the spread of the surname in Ireland and the establishment of Masterton as an Irish surname as well.

In the 18th century, a notable figure named Charles Masterton (1739-1805) was a Scottish lawyer and writer. He authored several works on Scottish legal history and served as a judge in the Court of Session, the highest civil court in Scotland.

The surname Masterton has also been found in various historical records and documents throughout the centuries, including parish registers, census records, and military rolls, further attesting to its long-standing presence in Scotland and its subsequent spread to other parts of the British Isles and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Masterton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Masterton 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. Fife leads with 195 Mastertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.99x.

County Total Index
Fife 195 34.99x
Lanarkshire 148 4.86x
Angus 137 15.71x
Midlothian 109 8.64x
West Lothian 49 34.57x
Lancashire 47 0.42x
Stirlingshire 43 12.39x
Middlesex 27 0.29x
Renfrewshire 26 3.56x
Northumberland 21 1.50x
Clackmannanshire 20 25.73x
Yorkshire 17 0.18x
Ayrshire 16 2.27x
Surrey 15 0.33x
Kent 13 0.40x
Perthshire 13 3.08x
Channel Islands 12 4.30x
East Lothian 8 6.42x
Worcestershire 8 0.65x
Dumfriesshire 6 2.89x
Peeblesshire 6 13.55x
Aberdeenshire 5 0.57x
Dunbartonshire 5 1.98x
Durham 3 0.11x
Suffolk 3 0.26x
Bedfordshire 2 0.41x
Berkshire 2 0.28x
Warwickshire 2 0.08x
Cheshire 1 0.05x
Devon 1 0.05x
Essex 1 0.05x
Gloucestershire 1 0.05x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.08x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x
Sussex 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 57 Mastertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.54x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 57 10.54x
Dunfermline 55 64.19x
Forfar 48 101.65x
Dundee 44 13.52x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 43 8.48x
Scoonie 27 223.70x
Barony 26 3.37x
South Leith 26 18.32x
Liff Benvie 21 15.86x
Tottington Lower End 20 37.68x
Biggar 19 276.16x
Falkirk 19 23.38x
Newburgh 17 240.11x
Aberdour 16 285.21x
Govan 16 2.13x
Kirkliston 15 181.38x
Bathgate 12 38.99x
Beath 12 68.14x
Galston 12 62.27x
Largo 12 165.75x
Liberton 12 61.63x
St Pancras London 12 1.58x
Alloa 11 29.18x
Leslie 11 77.96x
Larbert 10 48.19x
Newcastle On Tyne St 10 13.77x
Paisley High Church 10 17.22x
Carnwath 9 47.82x
Dalmeny 9 166.05x
Newchurch 9 9.85x
Perth East Church 9 22.60x
Abbey 8 7.19x
Burntisland 8 51.35x
Dalkeith 8 32.15x
Deptford St Paul 8 3.23x
Dysart 8 21.32x
Edinburgh Canongate 8 24.93x
Edinburgh St Andrews 8 76.85x
Great Malvern 8 31.19x
Monifieth 8 25.97x
Elswick 7 6.26x
Inverkeithing 7 83.33x
Liverpool 7 1.03x
St Sampson 7 55.69x
Torphichen 7 141.70x
Broughton 6 833.33x
Clackmannan 6 40.84x
Egham 6 21.31x
Gorbals 6 33.20x
Kirriemuir 6 27.88x
Lesmahagow 6 18.63x
Normanton 6 21.41x
Wemyss 6 25.45x
Alva 5 30.19x
Campsie 5 26.25x
Islington London 5 0.55x
Kilconquhar 5 75.41x
Kirkpatrick Fleming 5 105.26x
Penge 5 8.32x
St Peter Port 5 9.69x
West Greenock 5 3.82x
Hendon 4 11.81x
New Monkland 4 4.44x
St George In East 4 6.25x
Stenton 4 208.33x
Uphall 4 25.66x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 3 1.84x
Carnock 3 87.98x
Dollar 3 37.22x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 1.58x
Gladsmuir 3 53.96x
Heworth 3 5.44x
Inverkeillor 3 55.45x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 3 28.20x
Kinghorn 3 25.36x
Manningham 3 2.61x
Nether Hallam 3 2.38x
Old Kilpatrick 3 10.04x
Salford 3 0.91x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 2 22.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 9
Emily 8
Mary 7
Jane 6
Sarah 6
Alice 4
Isabella 3
Agnes 2
Ann 2
Betsy 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Ellen 2
Esther 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Christina 1
Edith 1
Elenor 1
Eliza 1
Elizath.S. 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Emeline 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Helen 1
Hellen 1
Henrietta 1
Janet 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Maud 1
Maydala 1
Norah 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
William 14
James 8
Thomas 6
Charles 5
Albert 4
Henry 3
Adam 2
David 2
Edward 2
Patrick 2
Peter 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Abel 1
Alfred 1
Allan 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Charly 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
George 1
June 1
Karl 1
Mitchell 1
Owen 1
Stephen 1
Tom 1
Wm 1

FAQ

Masterton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Masterton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 958 people were recorded with the Masterton surname. That placed it at #4,044 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Masterton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 922 in 2016. That gives Masterton a modern rank of #6,187.

What does the Masterton surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place in Scotland or England bearing that name.

What does the Masterton map show?

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