NameCensus.

UK surname

Parkington

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "enclosure for park or fenced area".

In the 1881 census there were 330 people recorded with the Parkington surname, ranking it #9,088 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 241, ranked #17,233, down from #9,088 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Whalley and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ribble Valley, Blackburn with Darwen and Hyndburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Parkington is 508 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 27.0%.

1881 census count

330

Ranked #9,088

Modern count

241

2016, ranked #17,233

Peak year

1861

508 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Parkington had 330 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,088 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 241 in 2016, ranked #17,233.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 508 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Parkington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Parkington surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Parkington 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 155 #12,604
1861 historical 508 #5,149
1881 historical 330 #9,088
1891 historical 468 #7,833
1901 historical 365 #10,113
1911 historical 470 #8,217
1997 modern 257 #14,989
1998 modern 251 #15,631
1999 modern 259 #15,433
2000 modern 262 #15,272
2001 modern 256 #15,273
2002 modern 262 #15,327
2003 modern 240 #16,061
2004 modern 245 #15,894
2005 modern 251 #15,590
2006 modern 258 #15,402
2007 modern 258 #15,554
2008 modern 265 #15,425
2009 modern 279 #15,184
2010 modern 271 #15,856
2011 modern 269 #15,800
2012 modern 259 #16,126
2013 modern 259 #16,392
2014 modern 250 #16,905
2015 modern 237 #17,413
2016 modern 241 #17,233

Geography

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Where Parkingtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Whalley and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ribble Valley, Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn and Mid Suffolk. 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 Manchester Lancashire
2 Whalley Lancashire
3 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ribble Valley 003 Ribble Valley
2 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Hyndburn 009 Hyndburn
4 Ribble Valley 002 Ribble Valley
5 Mid Suffolk 004 Mid Suffolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Parkington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Parkington

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Parkington is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Parkington is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Parkington falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Parkington 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 Parkington, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Parkington

The surname Parkington appears to have its origins in England, dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period. It is primarily toponymic in nature, derived from the combination of the Old English elements "park," meaning an enclosed piece of land, often a deer park, and "ton," which refers to a settlement or homestead. This suggests the name originally described someone who lived near, worked in, or owned an enclosed park.

The earliest references to names similar to Parkington can be found in medieval documents. For example, the Domesday Book of 1086 does not explicitly list Parkington, but it does mention several similar names. One might find references to places known as Parkton or Parkinton, indicative of the linguistic shifts and regional dialects that eventually could have given rise to the surname Parkington.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Parkington is from the 13th century. In 1273, a John de Parkington appears in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire. This early record indicates the surname was already established and likely tied to a location known by that name. Over time, Parkington would also appear in various legal documents, property records, and parish registers, gradually spreading across England.

The surname was also associated with different spellings due to the fluid nature of Middle English orthography. Variants such as Parkinton and Parkingtone can be found in various historical records. The differentiation often depended on the scribe's interpretation and regional linguistic influences.

Famous individuals bearing the surname Parkington include Sir William Parkington, who was known for his role in the naval battles of the late 14th century, born around 1350 and died in 1417. Another significant figure was Thomas Parkington, a cleric who contributed to the ecclesiastical community in the mid-16th century, born in 1510 and died in 1579. Sir Edward Parkington, a notable landowner in the early 17th century, played a role in the local governance of Kent, born in 1585 and died in 1642.

In more recent history, Oswald Parkington, born in 1856 and died in 1922, was a prominent Victorian industrialist known for his contributions to the development of railway infrastructure in Northern England. Another noteworthy Parkington was Dr. Helen Parkington, born in 1910 and died in 1984, recognized for her pioneering work in early childhood education and psychology in the mid-20th century.

The enduring nature of the surname Parkington, and its historical ties to place and occupation, highlights the rich tapestry of English naming conventions and social history. Through centuries of linguistic evolution and geographic mobility, the name Parkington has persisted as a testament to its medieval roots and the lives of those who bore it.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Parkington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Parkington 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. Lancashire leads with 204 Parkingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.36x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 204 5.36x
Suffolk 38 9.72x
Middlesex 21 0.65x
Cheshire 15 2.12x
Yorkshire 9 0.28x
Derbyshire 8 1.59x
Warwickshire 8 0.99x
Surrey 5 0.32x
Denbighshire 4 3.30x
Durham 4 0.42x
Cambridgeshire 3 1.48x
Kent 2 0.18x
Sussex 2 0.37x
Devon 1 0.15x
Glamorgan 1 0.18x
Hampshire 1 0.15x
Isle of Man 1 1.68x
Leicestershire 1 0.28x
Norfolk 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 60 Parkingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 59.22x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 60 59.22x
Clitheroe 18 160.57x
Stanton 17 1827.96x
Great Harwood 16 232.56x
Manchester 14 8.18x
Hulme 13 16.35x
St Pancras London 13 5.03x
Castleton 10 26.30x
Bury St Edmunds St James 8 76.63x
Over Darwen 8 26.30x
Ipswich St Margaret 7 52.79x
Ormesby 7 81.87x
Pemberton 7 46.11x
Witton 7 146.14x
Birmingham 6 2.22x
Chatburn 5 588.24x
Kingston On Thames 5 13.31x
Parr 5 36.71x
West Derby 5 4.49x
Ardwick 4 11.64x
Broughton 4 83.86x
Church Gresley 4 50.06x
Dutton 4 800.00x
Livesey 4 59.88x
Rattlesden 4 350.88x
Salford 4 3.57x
Toxteth Park 4 3.10x
Hackney London 3 1.67x
Ilkeston 3 21.29x
Little Bolton 3 6.13x
Monks Coppenhall 3 11.22x
Soham 3 68.65x
Stayley 3 37.04x
Whickham 3 34.17x
Aston 2 0.90x
Barrow In Furness 2 3.86x
Greenwich 2 3.91x
Hopwood 2 40.16x
Kensington London 2 1.12x
Paddington London 2 1.69x
Pleasington 2 392.16x
Wiswell 2 246.91x
Ashton In Makerfield 1 9.23x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.20x
Billingshurst 1 56.50x
Bishopwearmouth 1 1.22x
Braddan 1 30.77x
Broughton In Salford 1 2.87x
Bury 1 2.30x
Cardiff St Mary 1 3.25x
Chester St Mary On Hill 1 16.45x
Chester St Oswald 1 7.79x
Christleton Littleton 1 98.04x
Eling 1 15.02x
Farndon 1 163.93x
Glossop Dale 1 4.25x
Ipswich St Mathew 1 9.13x
Leiston 1 37.31x
Moss Side 1 4.99x
New Found Pool 1 1666.67x
Oldham 1 0.81x
Quidenham 1 769.23x
Sheffield 1 0.99x
South Brent 1 69.93x
South Cave 1 94.34x
St Marylebone London 1 0.58x
Stretford 1 4.77x
West Hoathly 1 58.82x
Wharton 1 25.91x
Windle 1 4.67x
Wuerdle Wardle 1 8.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Elizabeth 14
Ann 13
Alice 10
Sarah 8
Ellen 6
Jane 6
Margaret 5
Clara 4
Emily 4
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Hannah 3
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Annie 2
Betsy 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
June 2
Louisa 2
Marie 2
Martha 2
Ruth 2
Amelia 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Betty 1
Catharine 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliza 1
Elizh. 1
Ester 1
Fanny 1
Grace 1
Hannh. 1
Harriett 1
Infant 1
Irene 1
Isabella 1
Laura 1
Leah 1
Levina 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Sussanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
William 21
James 14
Thomas 12
George 6
Henry 6
Joseph 6
Alfred 5
Charles 4
Robert 4
Walter 4
Edward 3
Richard 3
Adam 2
Arthur 2
Fred 2
Giles 2
Moses 2
Peter 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Algernon 1
Allen 1
Andrew 1
B. 1
Bartle 1
Benj. 1
Chas. 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Enoch 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jack 1
Jesse 1
Oliver 1
Ralph 1
Robt. 1
Roger 1
Saml. 1
Sydney 1
Thom. 1
Tom 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Parkington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Parkington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 330 people were recorded with the Parkington surname. That placed it at #9,088 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Parkington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 241 in 2016. That gives Parkington a modern rank of #17,233.

What does the Parkington surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "enclosure for park or fenced area".

What does the Parkington map show?

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