NameCensus.

UK surname

Mutton

An occupational surname referring to someone who raised or sold sheep.

In the 1881 census there were 1,077 people recorded with the Mutton surname, ranking it #3,683 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,035, ranked #5,635, down from #3,683 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Warkton, London parishes and Kettering. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, North Dorset and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mutton is 1,297 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.9%.

1881 census count

1,077

Ranked #3,683

Modern count

1,035

2016, ranked #5,635

Peak year

1901

1,297 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mutton had 1,077 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,683 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,035 in 2016, ranked #5,635.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,297 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Mutton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mutton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mutton 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 862 #3,157
1861 historical 650 #4,130
1881 historical 1,077 #3,683
1891 historical 1,043 #4,009
1901 historical 1,297 #3,842
1911 historical 1,286 #3,702
1997 modern 1,062 #5,227
1998 modern 1,105 #5,239
1999 modern 1,134 #5,166
2000 modern 1,097 #5,279
2001 modern 1,084 #5,234
2002 modern 1,121 #5,209
2003 modern 1,057 #5,355
2004 modern 1,049 #5,391
2005 modern 1,032 #5,404
2006 modern 1,017 #5,482
2007 modern 1,028 #5,485
2008 modern 1,033 #5,503
2009 modern 1,047 #5,566
2010 modern 1,064 #5,590
2011 modern 1,054 #5,570
2012 modern 1,052 #5,484
2013 modern 1,077 #5,480
2014 modern 1,078 #5,507
2015 modern 1,042 #5,612
2016 modern 1,035 #5,635

Geography

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Where Muttons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Warkton, London parishes, Kettering, Hemel Hempstead and Liskeard, St Cleer. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, North Dorset and Northumberland. 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 Warkton Northamptonshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Kettering Northamptonshire
4 Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire
5 Liskeard, St Cleer Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 013 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 016 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 028 Cornwall
4 North Dorset 003 North Dorset
5 Northumberland 016 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mutton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mutton

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

Mutton 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

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

Meaning and origin of Mutton

The surname Mutton originated in England, with its roots dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Middle English word "motoun," which means "a sheep" or "mutton meat." This occupational surname was given to individuals involved in the trade or farming of sheep, such as shepherds, butchers, or those who dealt with the sale of mutton.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Mutton can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a William Motoun. Another early record is from the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, listing a John Motoun. These records provide evidence of the name's existence in various regions of England during the Middle Ages.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, including Motun, Mottoun, and Mottun, reflecting the phonetic variations common at the time. Some of these variations were influenced by the Norman French spelling "mouton," which also means "sheep" or "mutton."

The surname Mutton has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was William Mutton (c. 1460-1530), an English merchant and judge who served as the Mayor of Bristol in 1521. Another notable figure was John Mutton (1675-1746), a British naval officer who served during the War of the Spanish Succession and was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland in 1738.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Mutton was also found in various place names, such as Mutton Hill in Derbyshire and Mutton Lane in Lewisham, London. These place names likely originated from individuals bearing the Mutton surname or were associated with sheep farming or the meat trade in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname Mutton include: 1. Thomas Mutton (1788-1860), an English Wesleyan Methodist minister and author. 2. John Mutton (1808-1867), a British architect known for his work in Bristol and the West Country. 3. Alfred Mutton (1863-1927), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club. 4. Walter Mutton (1900-1969), a British trade unionist and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Cheltenham from 1945 to 1959. 5. Edna Mutton (1910-1976), an Australian tennis player who competed in the Australian Championships and Wimbledon.

The surname Mutton has a rich history deeply rooted in England's agricultural and occupational traditions, reflecting the country's longstanding association with sheep farming and the meat trade.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mutton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mutton 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 387 Muttons recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.57x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 387 31.57x
Northamptonshire 129 12.67x
Kent 79 2.14x
Devon 76 3.37x
Norfolk 51 3.06x
Middlesex 45 0.42x
Channel Islands 38 11.84x
Lancashire 35 0.27x
Surrey 32 0.61x
Durham 30 0.93x
Sussex 29 1.59x
Gloucestershire 26 1.22x
Hertfordshire 24 3.22x
Warwickshire 14 0.51x
Cambridgeshire 13 1.90x
Essex 13 0.61x
Northumberland 11 0.68x
Huntingdonshire 10 4.65x
Staffordshire 9 0.25x
Hampshire 7 0.32x
Leicestershire 7 0.58x
Yorkshire 7 0.07x
Berkshire 5 0.62x
Somerset 5 0.29x
Worcestershire 5 0.35x
Cumberland 4 0.43x
Monmouthshire 4 0.51x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.31x
Dorset 2 0.28x
Glamorgan 2 0.11x
Bedfordshire 1 0.18x
Cheshire 1 0.04x
Herefordshire 1 0.23x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.64x
Lincolnshire 1 0.06x
Oxfordshire 1 0.15x
Renfrewshire 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 0.78x
Wiltshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Helier in Channel Islands leads with 38 Muttons recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.38x.

Place Total Index
St Helier 38 36.38x
Kettering 37 89.83x
Warkton 35 3645.83x
Duloe 22 611.11x
St Ive 22 279.90x
Stoke Damerel 22 13.95x
St Germans 21 245.61x
Stroud 21 50.81x
Hemel Hempstead 18 53.52x
Morval 18 717.13x
Liskeard 17 82.89x
St Veep 17 858.59x
Brighton 16 4.34x
Clipston 16 620.16x
Halvergate 16 893.85x
Croydon 15 5.12x
Plymouth St Andrew 15 8.64x
St Austell 15 35.80x
Altarnun 13 305.16x
Blean 13 509.80x
Lanivet 12 314.14x
St Cleer 12 112.89x
St Stephens By Saltash 12 227.27x
Calstock 11 45.76x
Camborne 11 21.78x
East Stonehouse 11 24.77x
St Blazey 11 102.23x
Hougham 10 45.52x
Kearsley 10 37.00x
Kelmarsh 10 1282.05x
Lanteglos By Fowey 10 200.40x
Menheniot 10 196.46x
Plymouth Charles The 10 10.07x
Welford 10 289.86x
Wingate 10 45.29x
Aston 9 1.20x
Cramlington 9 42.27x
Great Yarmouth 9 6.53x
Northampton All Sts 9 26.04x
Tudhoe 9 31.94x
Kenwyn 8 24.95x
Lanlivery 8 155.34x
Ramsey 8 46.48x
St Endellion 8 188.24x
St George Hanover 8 5.66x
St Teath 8 108.40x
West Bromwich 8 3.82x
West Ham 8 1.70x
West Looe 8 247.68x
Limehouse London 7 5.89x
Manchester 7 1.21x
Minster In Sheppey 7 11.44x
Rollesby 7 336.54x
St Neot 7 144.93x
Trimdon 7 61.46x
Chesterton 6 28.37x
Everton 6 1.47x
Habergham Eaves 6 5.11x
Illogan 6 18.48x
Kings Langley 6 110.29x
Kingston On Thames 6 4.73x
Lanreath 6 287.08x
Portsea 6 1.38x
Ratcliffe London 6 10.03x
Stoke Climsland 6 76.63x
Tavistock 6 23.37x
Withiel 6 397.35x
Bray 5 20.94x
Deptford St Paul 5 1.75x
Dover St Mary Virgin 5 13.98x
Elmsted 5 312.50x
Hackington St Stephen 5 210.97x
Kingsbury 5 85.62x
Landulph 5 267.38x
Linkinhorne 5 58.55x
Market Harborough 5 92.08x
Preston 5 15.68x
St Pancras London 5 0.57x
Talland 5 173.01x
West Tarring 5 183.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 77
John 68
Thomas 38
James 29
Charles 27
George 23
Henry 21
Joseph 13
Samuel 13
Alfred 12
Arthur 12
Frederick 12
Robert 12
Richard 11
Edwin 10
Albert 8
David 8
Edward 8
Ernest 7
Francis 7
Benjamin 6
Edmund 5
Fred 5
Walter 5
Frank 4
Harry 4
Wm. 4
Chas. 3
Herbert 3
Richd. 3
Christopher 2
Fredrick 2
Isaac 2
Jeremiah 2
Lewis 2
Sidney 2
Allen 1
Andrew 1
Bertie 1
Earnest 1
Earnist 1
Edgar 1
Eli 1
Elijah 1
Ephraim 1
Henery 1
Hensley 1
Horace 1
J. 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Mutton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mutton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,077 people were recorded with the Mutton surname. That placed it at #3,683 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mutton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,035 in 2016. That gives Mutton a modern rank of #5,635.

What does the Mutton surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who raised or sold sheep.

What does the Mutton map show?

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