NameCensus.

UK surname

Middleton

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the various places called Middleton, meaning "middle town."

In the 1881 census there were 15,713 people recorded with the Middleton surname, ranking it #255 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 22,095, ranked #267, down from #255 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Sheffield and Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, Craven and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Middleton is 22,881 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.6%.

1881 census count

15,713

Ranked #255

Modern count

22,095

2016, ranked #267

Peak year

1999

22,881 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Middleton had 15,713 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #255 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 22,095 in 2016, ranked #267.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 19,864 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Middleton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Middleton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Middleton 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 9,973 #256
1861 historical 10,919 #227
1881 historical 15,713 #255
1891 historical 17,365 #232
1901 historical 19,864 #244
1911 historical 18,925 #243
1997 modern 21,635 #265
1998 modern 22,737 #261
1999 modern 22,881 #263
2000 modern 22,641 #263
2001 modern 22,136 #263
2002 modern 22,633 #264
2003 modern 21,970 #265
2004 modern 21,809 #265
2005 modern 21,506 #265
2006 modern 21,514 #264
2007 modern 21,496 #267
2008 modern 21,537 #269
2009 modern 22,091 #269
2010 modern 22,520 #267
2011 modern 22,188 #268
2012 modern 21,734 #269
2013 modern 22,303 #268
2014 modern 22,428 #268
2015 modern 22,222 #268
2016 modern 22,095 #267

Geography

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Where Middletons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Sheffield 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 Derbyshire Dales, Craven, Sunderland and South Lakeland. 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 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Hellesdon, St Mary in the Marsh, St Clement, St Martin at Oak, St Mary at Coslany, St Michael at Cos Norfolk
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 001 Derbyshire Dales
2 Craven 003 Craven
3 Sunderland 004 Sunderland
4 South Lakeland 009 South Lakeland
5 Craven 001 Craven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Middleton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Middleton

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

Middleton is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Middleton

The surname Middleton originated in England and has its roots in the Old English words 'middel' meaning middle and 'tun' meaning a farm or settlement. It was a locational name given to families who lived in or near the middle town or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Middleton surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Mideltun' and 'Midelton'. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the late 11th century.

In the 12th century, the name was recorded as 'Middeltun' in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1195. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 listed a William de Middelton in Cambridgeshire, indicating the surname's spread across various regions of England.

The Middleton surname is also linked to several place names across England, including Middleton in Northamptonshire, Middleton in Warwickshire, and Middleton in Lancashire. These locations likely played a role in the dissemination of the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Middleton throughout history include Sir Hugh Middleton (c. 1555-1631), an English businessman and engineer best known for overseeing the construction of the New River, a man-made waterway that supplied fresh water to London. Thomas Middleton (c. 1580-1627) was a prominent English Jacobean playwright and poet, while Thomas Fanshaw Middleton (1769-1822) was a celebrated English bishop and author.

Other notable Middletons include Sir Charles Middleton (1726-1813), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars, and Albert Middleton (1885-1960), an English cricketer who played for Yorkshire and England in the early 20th century.

The Middleton surname has remained prevalent throughout the centuries, appearing in various historical records and contributing to the rich tapestry of English history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Middleton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Middleton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 15,713 people were recorded with the Middleton surname. That placed it at #255 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Middleton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 22,095 in 2016. That gives Middleton a modern rank of #267.

What does the Middleton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the various places called Middleton, meaning "middle town."

What does the Middleton map show?

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