NameCensus.

UK surname

Motton

A habitational surname derived from a place named after a hill, knoll, or mound.

In the 1881 census there were 93 people recorded with the Motton surname, ranking it #20,593 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 110, ranked #29,225, down from #20,593 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Veep, London parishes and Duloe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tonbridge and Malling, Southend-on-Sea and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Motton is 150 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.3%.

1881 census count

93

Ranked #20,593

Modern count

110

2016, ranked #29,225

Peak year

1901

150 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Motton had 93 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,593 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016, ranked #29,225.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 150 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Motton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Motton surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Motton 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 120 #15,144
1861 historical 125 #17,678
1881 historical 93 #20,593
1891 historical 116 #21,766
1901 historical 150 #18,075
1911 historical 122 #20,245
1997 modern 130 #23,021
1998 modern 133 #23,308
1999 modern 133 #23,487
2000 modern 137 #23,048
2001 modern 134 #23,037
2002 modern 142 #22,687
2003 modern 135 #23,155
2004 modern 132 #23,625
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 117 #25,695
2007 modern 114 #26,491
2008 modern 116 #26,510
2009 modern 124 #25,957
2010 modern 123 #26,728
2011 modern 118 #27,192
2012 modern 107 #29,017
2013 modern 110 #29,028
2014 modern 112 #28,934
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 110 #29,225

Geography

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Where Mottons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Veep, London parishes, Duloe, Merthyr Dovan, Highlight and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tonbridge and Malling, Southend-on-Sea, Cornwall and The Vale of Glamorgan. 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 Veep Cornwall
2 London parishes London 3
3 Duloe Cornwall
4 Merthyr Dovan, Highlight Glamorganshire
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tonbridge and Malling 003 Tonbridge and Malling
2 Southend-on-Sea 010 Southend-on-Sea
3 Cornwall 031 Cornwall
4 The Vale of Glamorgan 007 Vale of Glamorgan
5 The Vale of Glamorgan 012 Vale of Glamorgan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Motton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Motton

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Motton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Motton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Motton 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

Motton is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Motton

The surname Motton originates from England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "mot," which means a small hill or mound. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to refer to someone who lived near a small hill or mound.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the earliest known record of surnames in England, there are several entries related to the name Motton or its variations, such as "Motun" and "Mottun." These entries are found in counties like Shropshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire, indicating that the name was prevalent in these regions during the Norman conquest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Motton is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a person named William Motton is mentioned as a landowner. Another early reference is in the Assize Rolls of Somerset from 1243, which lists a Robert Motton.

Over the centuries, the name has been associated with various places in England, such as Motton in Bedfordshire and Mutton Hall in Suffolk. It's possible that some individuals may have derived their surname from these place names or vice versa.

Notable individuals with the surname Motton include:

1. John Motton (c. 1480 - 1554), an English churchman who served as the Archdeacon of Stow from 1524 to 1554. 2. Thomas Motton (c. 1520 - 1590), an English clergyman and scholar who was the Rector of Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk. 3. William Motton (c. 1550 - 1612), a Member of Parliament for the borough of Beverley in Yorkshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 4. Richard Motton (c. 1590 - 1668), an English landowner and magistrate who served as the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1647. 5. Mary Motton (c. 1630 - 1706), an English diarist and writer known for her detailed accounts of life in 17th-century England.

While the surname Motton is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages, with ties to various regions and notable individuals who have borne the name over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Motton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Motton 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. Cornwall leads with 18 Mottons recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.16x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 18 17.16x
Devon 15 7.78x
Middlesex 11 1.19x
Lancashire 9 0.82x
Hampshire 8 4.21x
Essex 6 3.28x
Kent 6 1.90x
Surrey 4 0.89x
Somerset 3 2.01x
Suffolk 3 2.66x
Westmorland 3 14.73x
Wiltshire 3 3.66x
Cheshire 2 0.98x
Royal Navy 2 18.12x
Staffordshire 1 0.32x
Yorkshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Veep in Cornwall leads with 17 Mottons recorded in 1881 and an index of 10000.00x.

Place Total Index
St Veep 17 10000.00x
Everton 9 25.68x
Portsea 8 21.49x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 40.38x
Tormoham 6 73.53x
West Ham 6 14.86x
Paddington London 5 14.68x
Deptford St Paul 4 16.40x
Kingston 3 1000.00x
Mile End Old Town 3 20.51x
Patterdale 3 1304.35x
Southwark St John 3 106.01x
Wilton 3 517.24x
Devonport 2 90.09x
Ipswich St Clement 2 69.69x
Lewisham 2 11.86x
Royal Navy 2 21.19x
St Marylebone London 2 4.04x
Stockport 2 18.99x
Burslem 1 11.16x
Exeter St Mary Steps 1 227.27x
Great Waldingfield 1 526.32x
Lambeth 1 1.24x
Liskeard 1 56.82x
Sculcoates 1 6.87x
Stoke Newington London 1 13.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Elizabeth 6
Ada 3
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Sarah 3
Maria 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Elizbth. 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Grace 1
Jennett 1
Julian 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Maude 1
Winnefred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 11
William 10
John 8
Edmund 3
Henry 2
Samuel 2
Charley 1
David 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
James 1
Joseph 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Motton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Motton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 93 people were recorded with the Motton surname. That placed it at #20,593 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Motton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016. That gives Motton a modern rank of #29,225.

What does the Motton surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place named after a hill, knoll, or mound.

What does the Motton map show?

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