NameCensus.

UK surname

Panton

Possibly from a place name derived from Old English meaning "paved or enclosed way".

In the 1881 census there were 1,010 people recorded with the Panton surname, ranking it #3,876 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,245, ranked #4,796, down from #3,876 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Lindsey, Deer and Mormond and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Panton is 1,352 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.3%.

1881 census count

1,010

Ranked #3,876

Modern count

1,245

2016, ranked #4,796

Peak year

2000

1,352 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Panton had 1,010 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,876 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,245 in 2016, ranked #4,796.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,243 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Panton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Panton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Panton 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 698 #3,738
1861 historical 795 #3,460
1881 historical 1,010 #3,876
1891 historical 1,094 #3,863
1901 historical 1,243 #3,985
1911 historical 937 #4,794
1997 modern 1,263 #4,511
1998 modern 1,309 #4,541
1999 modern 1,331 #4,495
2000 modern 1,352 #4,422
2001 modern 1,298 #4,487
2002 modern 1,314 #4,531
2003 modern 1,297 #4,496
2004 modern 1,299 #4,487
2005 modern 1,277 #4,502
2006 modern 1,266 #4,552
2007 modern 1,264 #4,597
2008 modern 1,281 #4,569
2009 modern 1,319 #4,551
2010 modern 1,322 #4,631
2011 modern 1,281 #4,709
2012 modern 1,234 #4,802
2013 modern 1,266 #4,775
2014 modern 1,274 #4,764
2015 modern 1,258 #4,770
2016 modern 1,245 #4,796

Geography

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Where Pantons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, London parishes, Edinburgh and Lincoln St Margaret in the Close, St Peter in Eastgate, St Paul in the Bail, Castle Dykings, House. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Lindsey, Deer and Mormond, East Riding of Yorkshire, Wandsworth and Peterborough. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Lincoln St Margaret in the Close, St Peter in Eastgate, St Paul in the Bail, Castle Dykings, House Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Lindsey 009 East Lindsey
2 Deer and Mormond Aberdeenshire
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 039 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Wandsworth 024 Wandsworth
5 Peterborough 017 Peterborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Panton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Panton

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

Panton 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

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

Meaning and origin of Panton

The surname Panton originated in England and is believed to have derived from the Old English word "pant," meaning a hollow or small valley. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived in or near a small valley or depression in the landscape.

The earliest recorded instances of the Panton surname date back to the 13th century in various counties across England, including Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire. One of the earliest known records is from the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk in 1273, which mentions a Roger de Panton.

In the 14th century, the Panton name appeared in the Subsidy Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1349, with references to a John Panton and a William Panton. This suggests that the name was already well-established in various regions of England by that time.

The Panton surname has also been linked to various place names, such as Panton in Norfolk and Ponton in Lincolnshire, which may have influenced the spelling or pronunciation of the name in different regions.

Several notable individuals have borne the Panton surname throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir Thomas Panton (c. 1542-1617), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Denbigh Boroughs in 1597.

Another significant figure was Paul Panton (1696-1718), a pirate active in the Caribbean during the early 18th century. He was notorious for his cruelty and was eventually captured and hanged in Jamaica in 1718.

In the 19th century, James Panton (1804-1890) was a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including St. Saviour's Church in Southwark.

John Panton (1840-1923) was a British explorer and naturalist who led several expeditions to the Arctic regions and made significant contributions to the study of Arctic flora and fauna.

One of the most recent notable individuals with the Panton surname was Sir Philip Panton (1911-1995), a British diplomat who served as the Ambassador to the Netherlands from 1966 to 1971.

These examples illustrate the rich history and geographical diversity associated with the Panton surname, which has been carried by individuals from various walks of life over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Panton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Panton 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. Lincolnshire leads with 271 Pantons recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.20x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 271 17.20x
Perthshire 83 18.77x
Middlesex 72 0.73x
Yorkshire 60 0.61x
Aberdeenshire 55 6.03x
Essex 43 2.21x
Norfolk 43 2.84x
Surrey 42 0.87x
Angus 39 4.27x
Kent 28 0.83x
Durham 26 0.89x
Lanarkshire 21 0.66x
Midlothian 20 1.52x
Fife 18 3.09x
Morayshire 16 10.45x
Dorset 15 2.32x
Hampshire 14 0.69x
Lancashire 14 0.12x
Warwickshire 13 0.52x
Northumberland 12 0.82x
Oxfordshire 11 1.81x
Banffshire 10 4.89x
Sussex 10 0.60x
Pembrokeshire 9 2.87x
Stirlingshire 9 2.48x
Berkshire 8 1.08x
Dunbartonshire 6 2.27x
Cumberland 5 0.59x
Merionethshire 5 2.77x
Roxburghshire 4 2.24x
Worcestershire 4 0.31x
Clackmannanshire 3 3.69x
Denbighshire 3 0.81x
East Lothian 2 1.53x
Somerset 2 0.13x
Suffolk 2 0.17x
Anglesey 1 0.57x
Ayrshire 1 0.14x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.16x
Cornwall 1 0.09x
Devon 1 0.05x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.46x
Gloucestershire 1 0.05x
Isle of Man 1 0.55x
Northamptonshire 1 0.11x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.08x
Westmorland 1 0.46x
Wiltshire 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 Nicholas Lincoln in Lincolnshire leads with 41 Pantons recorded in 1881 and an index of 272.24x.

Place Total Index
St Nicholas Lincoln 41 272.24x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 22 48.37x
New Deer 21 127.12x
Kensington London 20 3.65x
Orby 20 1449.28x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 17 3.20x
Blairgowrie 16 91.48x
Caputh 14 201.15x
Aberdeen Old Machar 11 5.77x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 11 6.44x
Boston 11 23.01x
Brightside Bierlow 11 5.74x
Dundee 11 3.23x
Horncastle 11 67.65x
Newington 11 3.02x
Blair Athole 10 169.78x
Coupar Angus 10 115.74x
Marsham 10 534.76x
Barking 9 15.82x
Chatham 9 9.73x
Dagenham 9 77.79x
Deptford St Paul 9 3.47x
Farlesthorpe 9 2571.43x
Flisk 9 1022.73x
Little Dunkeld 9 120.00x
Louth 9 24.93x
Manthorpe Cum Little 9 74.75x
Partney 9 604.03x
Southcoates 9 16.61x
Spilsby 9 180.00x
Spittlegate 9 41.30x
Auchtergaven 8 107.96x
Bishopwearmouth 8 3.18x
Brighton 8 2.39x
Camberwell 8 1.27x
North Shoebury 8 1212.12x
Pembroke St Mary 8 19.84x
South Reston 8 1000.00x
Southwark St Saviour 8 15.80x
Stanghow 8 202.53x
Barony 7 0.87x
Burgh In Marsh 7 182.29x
Eastville 7 578.51x
Gosberton 7 100.00x
Hackney London 7 1.27x
Islington London 7 0.73x
Perth East Church 7 16.79x
Portsea 7 1.77x
Ribchester 7 158.37x
St Paul Lincoln 7 253.62x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 7 31.59x
Wareham Lady St Mary 7 140.28x
Cardross 6 18.87x
Deeping St James 6 107.72x
Gamrie 6 26.30x
Greetham 6 1200.00x
Hemingbrough 6 310.88x
Kinnel 6 254.24x
Pendleton In Salford 6 4.31x
Silksworth 6 444.44x
Skendleby 6 659.34x
South Somercoates 6 419.58x
Thimbleby 6 571.43x
Westgate 6 6.61x
Westoe 6 3.61x
Abbotshall 5 22.95x
Dunipace 5 78.62x
Ealing 5 5.68x
Forres 5 31.08x
Glasgow 5 0.88x
Govan 5 0.63x
Newtyle 5 161.81x
Pennal 5 222.22x
Rochford 5 88.34x
Sculcoates 5 3.23x
Stainbrough 5 276.24x
Stainton 5 1190.48x
Urquhart 5 69.16x
West Ham 5 1.16x
Withcall 5 625.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 47
Elizabeth 25
Sarah 24
Eliza 19
Jane 16
Alice 12
Hannah 10
Annie 9
Martha 9
Ann 8
Charlotte 8
Emily 8
Emma 8
Harriet 7
Edith 6
Fanny 6
Margaret 6
Maria 6
Ada 5
Ellen 5
Kate 5
Lucy 5
Lydia 5
Rebecca 4
Betsy 3
Catherine 3
Frances 3
Isabella 3
Louisa 3
Ruth 3
Susannah 3
Amy 2
Anna 2
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Dinah 2
Eleanor 2
Eva 2
Florence 2
Grace 2
Julia 2
Lily 2
Lizzie 2
Mabel 2
Naomi 2
Rose 2
Selina 2
Betsey 1
Eliz.A. 1
Elizth. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 42
George 41
William 40
James 28
Thomas 22
Joseph 20
Robert 17
Charles 15
Henry 15
Harry 6
Samuel 6
Frederick 5
Wm. 5
Alexander 4
Alfred 4
Albert 3
Benjamin 3
David 3
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Fred 3
Herbert 3
Stephen 3
Walter 3
Arthur 2
Jas. 2
Philip 2
Phillip 2
Robt. 2
Stanley 2
Tom 2
Bessie 1
Chas.J. 1
Colin 1
Cooper 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Jacob 1
Jesse 1
Jessie 1
Jno.Robert 1
Job 1
Jos.Thomas 1
Mandecai 1
Wm.G. 1

FAQ

Panton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Panton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,010 people were recorded with the Panton surname. That placed it at #3,876 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Panton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,245 in 2016. That gives Panton a modern rank of #4,796.

What does the Panton surname mean?

Possibly from a place name derived from Old English meaning "paved or enclosed way".

What does the Panton map show?

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