NameCensus.

UK surname

Oulton

A habitational name for someone from Oulton, a place name derived from Old English meaning "Owl's hill or settlement".

In the 1881 census there were 269 people recorded with the Oulton surname, ranking it #10,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 492, ranked #10,096, up from #10,506 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Warmingham and Barthomley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Amber Valley, Stafford and Flintshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Oulton is 496 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 82.9%.

1881 census count

269

Ranked #10,506

Modern count

492

2016, ranked #10,096

Peak year

2009

496 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Oulton had 269 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,506 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 492 in 2016, ranked #10,096.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 381 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Oulton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Oulton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Oulton 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 192 #10,756
1861 historical 153 #15,032
1881 historical 269 #10,506
1891 historical 339 #10,089
1901 historical 349 #10,457
1911 historical 381 #9,635
1997 modern 442 #10,209
1998 modern 477 #9,955
1999 modern 485 #9,900
2000 modern 487 #9,819
2001 modern 469 #9,927
2002 modern 473 #10,043
2003 modern 465 #9,985
2004 modern 493 #9,605
2005 modern 480 #9,718
2006 modern 472 #9,892
2007 modern 481 #9,844
2008 modern 482 #9,913
2009 modern 496 #9,929
2010 modern 478 #10,392
2011 modern 477 #10,319
2012 modern 485 #10,089
2013 modern 492 #10,138
2014 modern 494 #10,170
2015 modern 482 #10,281
2016 modern 492 #10,096

Geography

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Where Oultons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Warmingham, Barthomley, Liverpool and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Amber Valley, Stafford, Flintshire, Cheshire West and Chester and Isle of Wight. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Warmingham Cheshire
3 Barthomley Cheshire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Amber Valley 007 Amber Valley
2 Stafford 014 Stafford
3 Flintshire 014 Flintshire
4 Cheshire West and Chester 015 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Isle of Wight 011 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Oulton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Oulton

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Oulton is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Oulton is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Oulton

The surname Oulton has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from various places called Oulton, found in counties such as Yorkshire, Norfolk, and Staffordshire. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "ōl" meaning "ridge" or "bank" and "tūn" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement."

Some of the earliest recorded references to the surname Oulton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Oueltune" and "Oulton." This suggests that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest and was likely associated with landowners or residents of these Oulton settlements.

One notable early bearer of the Oulton surname was John de Oulton, who was recorded as a freeman of York in 1301. Another early record is that of Thomas de Oulton, who was mentioned in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Oulton appeared in various spellings, including Olton, Oulton, and Owlton, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling at that time. Some of the place names associated with the surname include Oulton in Norfolk, Oulton in Yorkshire, and Oulton in Staffordshire.

Among the notable individuals with the Oulton surname throughout history are:

1. Sir William Oulton (1619-1677), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Great Grimsby. 2. Richard Oulton (1688-1759), an English clergyman and author of "Sketches of Life and Character." 3. Walley Chamberlen Oulton (1770-1849), an English artist known for his landscape paintings. 4. Henry Oulton (1815-1892), a Canadian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons. 5. Thomas Oulton (1833-1924), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London.

While the surname Oulton has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by those who emigrated from Britain. However, its origins can be traced back to the ancient settlements of Oulton, reflecting the rich history and heritage of this locational surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Oulton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Oulton 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. Cheshire leads with 97 Oultons recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.75x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 97 16.75x
Lancashire 85 2.73x
Staffordshire 37 4.18x
Yorkshire 10 0.38x
Middlesex 8 0.30x
Surrey 7 0.55x
Northumberland 6 1.54x
Derbyshire 5 1.22x
Warwickshire 4 0.60x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.85x
Perthshire 3 2.55x
Essex 2 0.39x
Kent 1 0.11x
Shropshire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashton Under Lyne in Lancashire leads with 35 Oultons recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.43x.

Place Total Index
Ashton Under Lyne 35 51.43x
West Derby 13 14.27x
Chebsey 11 2444.44x
Elton In Congleton 10 2040.82x
Little Woolton 10 1111.11x
Willenhall 9 54.25x
Altrincham 7 69.17x
Crewe In Nantwich 7 1842.11x
Tottenham 7 16.75x
Disley Stanley 6 201.34x
Hyde 6 35.11x
Liverpool 6 3.17x
Newcastle Under Lyme 6 38.29x
Wallsend 6 48.47x
Wardle 6 4285.71x
Glossop Dale 5 25.99x
Guildford St Nicholas 5 221.24x
Moore 5 1388.89x
Stockport 5 16.77x
Winwick With Hulme 5 1136.36x
Hipperholme Cum 4 35.00x
Walton On Hill 4 23.71x
Walton Superior 4 1818.18x
Warmingham 4 1379.31x
Birmingham 3 1.36x
Eaton In Nantwich 3 714.29x
Logie 3 70.92x
Mere 3 652.17x
North Meols 3 9.84x
Otley 3 47.54x
Shavington Cum Gresty 3 312.50x
Tarporley 3 247.93x
Wollaton 3 468.75x
Wolstanton 3 11.15x
Castle Northwich 2 104.17x
Church Coppenhall 2 77.22x
Eccleshall 2 59.52x
Everton 2 2.02x
Haslington 2 122.70x
Helsby 2 273.97x
Lambeth 2 0.87x
Macclesfield 2 7.77x
Monks Coppenhall 2 9.15x
Oakmere 2 540.54x
Pendleton In Salford 2 5.39x
Rushton 2 666.67x
West Ham 2 1.75x
Yeardsley Cum Whaley 2 175.44x
Barthomley 1 303.03x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 1 11.25x
Chorlton 1 294.12x
Colwich 1 47.39x
Congleton 1 9.99x
Crumpsall 1 13.62x
Daresbury 1 833.33x
Edgbaston 1 4.87x
Great Boughton 1 50.00x
Great Crosby 1 11.78x
Harborne 1 3.52x
Leeds 1 0.68x
Lymm 1 23.75x
Madeley 1 45.25x
Manchester 1 0.71x
Much Woolton 1 23.64x
Nantwich 1 14.86x
Plumstead 1 3.35x
Poplar London 1 2.02x
Pudsey 1 7.19x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 1.06x
Wavertree 1 10.03x
Weston In Nantwich 1 212.77x
Whitchurch 1 22.73x
Yarlett 1 909.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Elizabeth 14
Sarah 7
Annie 6
Alice 5
Ann 5
Eliza 4
Emily 4
Emma 4
Hannah 4
Margaret 4
Jane 3
Ada 2
Ethel 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Phoebe 2
Alicea 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Constance 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emilie 1
Emmie 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Florine 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Harrett 1
Harriett 1
Helena 1
Isabella 1
John 1
Kate 1
Lavena 1
Lettice 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Paranella 1
Rebecca 1
Rosamund 1
S. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 24
William 18
George 10
Thomas 10
James 8
Joseph 7
Richard 6
Henry 5
Robert 5
Charles 3
Samuel 3
Frederick 2
Harold 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Erasmus 1
Ernest 1
Harry 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jms. 1
Leonard 1
Luke 1
Oulton 1
Ralph 1
Reginald 1
Ricd. 1
Richd.W. 1
Robt. 1
Robt.C. 1
Robt.J. 1
Rowland 1
Stanley 1
Sydney 1
Theophilus 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wignall 1
Willey 1
Wm.H. 1
Wm.Robert 1

FAQ

Oulton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Oulton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 269 people were recorded with the Oulton surname. That placed it at #10,506 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Oulton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 492 in 2016. That gives Oulton a modern rank of #10,096.

What does the Oulton surname mean?

A habitational name for someone from Oulton, a place name derived from Old English meaning "Owl's hill or settlement".

What does the Oulton map show?

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