NameCensus.

UK surname

Parton

A surname of French origin derived from the Old French word "pardon", meaning a place of pilgrimage or sanctuary.

In the 1881 census there were 1,634 people recorded with the Parton surname, ranking it #2,619 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,661, ranked #2,509, up from #2,619 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors and Eccleshall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Parton is 2,780 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.9%.

1881 census count

1,634

Ranked #2,619

Modern count

2,661

2016, ranked #2,509

Peak year

2010

2,780 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Parton had 1,634 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,619 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,661 in 2016, ranked #2,509.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,302 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Parton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Parton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Parton 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 1,078 #2,604
1861 historical 1,280 #2,227
1881 historical 1,634 #2,619
1891 historical 1,807 #2,543
1901 historical 2,123 #2,534
1911 historical 2,302 #2,206
1997 modern 2,470 #2,537
1998 modern 2,709 #2,448
1999 modern 2,755 #2,422
2000 modern 2,716 #2,442
2001 modern 2,660 #2,438
2002 modern 2,748 #2,420
2003 modern 2,619 #2,468
2004 modern 2,631 #2,463
2005 modern 2,604 #2,454
2006 modern 2,611 #2,453
2007 modern 2,629 #2,458
2008 modern 2,667 #2,444
2009 modern 2,730 #2,446
2010 modern 2,780 #2,457
2011 modern 2,752 #2,457
2012 modern 2,718 #2,444
2013 modern 2,742 #2,466
2014 modern 2,747 #2,480
2015 modern 2,694 #2,495
2016 modern 2,661 #2,509

Geography

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Where Partons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, Eccleshall, Wolstanton and Ashley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Barnsley. 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 Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors Shropshire
3 Eccleshall Staffordshire
4 Wolstanton Staffordshire
5 Ashley Shropshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 005 Shropshire
2 Telford and Wrekin 002 Telford and Wrekin
3 Shropshire 034 Shropshire
4 Barnsley 014 Barnsley
5 Telford and Wrekin 006 Telford and Wrekin

Forenames

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First names often paired with Parton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Parton

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

Parton 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

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

Meaning and origin of Parton

The surname Parton is an English habitational name derived from a place named Parton, which is now found in Cumbria, Kirkcudbrightshire, and Yorkshire. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "pearl" and "tun," meaning a farm where pearls were found or traded. The name can be traced back to the 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Parton can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, dated 1195, where a certain Willelmus de Parton is mentioned. In the Curia Regis Rolls of 1221, there is a reference to a Robert de Parton in Yorkshire.

The Parton surname is also mentioned in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which list several individuals bearing this name in various counties, such as Willelmus de Parton in Gloucestershire and Robertus de Parton in Derbyshire.

During the 13th century, the name was also recorded in the Testa de Nevill, an early English census document. The entry for Kirkcudbrightshire mentions a place called "Parton" held by the Earl of Dunbar.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Parton was Sir William Parton, a member of the English Parliament who represented Gloucestershire in 1328 and 1330.

In the 16th century, the Parton family was well-established in Cumbria, with several members holding positions of prominence. John Parton (1508-1582) was a prominent landowner and served as the High Sheriff of Cumberland in 1566.

Another notable figure was Reverend Richard Parton (1636-1702), an English clergyman and author from Cumbria, who wrote several religious works, including "The Christian's Manual" and "The Evangelical Minister's Directory."

In the 18th century, William Parton (1719-1796) was a renowned English architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in Cumbria and Yorkshire.

The 19th century saw the birth of Sir John Parton (1828-1901), a British diplomat and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Natal, South Africa, from 1880 to 1893.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Parton is the American country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton, born in 1946, who has had a remarkable career spanning over six decades and has won numerous awards, including eight Grammy Awards and two Academy Award nominations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Parton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Parton 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. Staffordshire leads with 490 Partons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.13x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 490 9.13x
Shropshire 386 28.12x
Lancashire 113 0.60x
Cheshire 74 2.11x
Warwickshire 71 1.77x
Worcestershire 64 3.08x
Yorkshire 44 0.28x
Kent 43 0.79x
Herefordshire 36 5.53x
Surrey 34 0.44x
Middlesex 32 0.20x
Durham 29 0.61x
Hampshire 25 0.77x
Radnorshire 24 18.72x
Glamorgan 23 0.83x
Derbyshire 13 0.52x
Brecknockshire 12 3.78x
Northamptonshire 12 0.80x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.56x
Monmouthshire 11 0.96x
Northumberland 10 0.42x
Sussex 10 0.37x
Essex 8 0.26x
Somerset 8 0.31x
Suffolk 7 0.36x
Lanarkshire 6 0.12x
Leicestershire 5 0.28x
Devon 4 0.12x
Hertfordshire 4 0.37x
Oxfordshire 4 0.41x
Berkshire 3 0.25x
Gloucestershire 3 0.10x
Lincolnshire 3 0.12x
Ayrshire 1 0.08x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.10x
Channel Islands 1 0.21x
Midlothian 1 0.05x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.27x
Norfolk 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wellington in Shropshire leads with 82 Partons recorded in 1881 and an index of 106.27x.

Place Total Index
Wellington 82 106.27x
Stoke Upon Trent 56 9.85x
Birmingham 44 3.29x
Eccleshall 30 147.49x
Wolverhampton 28 6.79x
Gnosall 26 200.77x
Newcastle Under Lyme 26 27.39x
Stottesdon 26 417.34x
Ashley 24 547.95x
Wolstanton 24 14.73x
Kingswinford 23 11.81x
Madeley 23 45.69x
Bilston 22 21.16x
Burslem 21 13.67x
Dawley 19 38.03x
Wombridge 19 112.09x
Cannock 17 18.16x
Stockton 17 580.20x
Aston 16 1.45x
Stafford St Mary 16 21.07x
Salford 15 2.70x
West Bromwich 15 4.88x
Willenhall 15 14.93x
Belbroughton 14 130.11x
Bury 14 6.50x
Camberwell 13 1.28x
Drayton In Hales 13 45.94x
Worfield 13 136.41x
Beckbury 12 670.39x
Knighton 12 115.83x
Pendlebury 12 30.14x
Ryde 11 15.72x
Adbaston 10 340.14x
Much Wenlock 10 78.99x
Stokesay 10 246.91x
Wednesfield 10 12.67x
Worsley 10 8.60x
Bridgnorth St Mary 9 67.21x
Bromfield 9 293.16x
Hinton In Hedges 9 1084.34x
Llansamlet Higher 9 43.60x
Lower Penn 9 489.13x
Nantwich 9 22.08x
Sedgley 9 4.52x
Subdeanery 9 44.27x
Barton Upon Irwell 8 5.64x
Bournmoor 8 107.82x
Dudley 8 3.17x
Esher 8 73.80x
Harborne 8 4.65x
Kidderminster Foreign 8 27.27x
Kings Norton 8 4.30x
Mucklestone 8 155.34x
Alsager 7 80.18x
Alveley 7 128.68x
Bollin Fee 7 44.99x
Church Stretton 7 76.00x
Claverley 7 75.51x
Coppenhall Dunston 7 351.76x
Edgmond 7 46.33x
Glossop Dale 7 6.01x
Greasley 7 14.49x
Grendon Bishop 7 769.23x
Holdenhurst 7 8.19x
Ipswich St Mathew 7 12.91x
Kington 7 43.40x
Lea 7 1842.11x
Stoke Upon Tern 7 138.34x
Sunderland 7 8.38x
Talgarth 7 88.95x
Toxteth Park 7 1.10x
Wednesbury 7 5.22x
West Tilbury 7 368.42x
Baschurch 6 63.90x
Bishopwearmouth 6 1.48x
Colwich 6 47.06x
Goole 6 22.74x
Newton 6 110.29x
Tipton 6 3.65x
Tottenham 6 2.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 118
Thomas 93
John 87
George 54
James 44
Joseph 39
Henry 36
Richard 25
Charles 24
Arthur 16
Edward 15
Alfred 14
Samuel 14
Harry 12
Benjamin 11
Albert 10
Frederick 10
Ernest 9
Frank 9
Robert 9
Edwin 6
Francis 6
Walter 6
Abraham 4
Andrew 4
Isaiah 4
Peter 4
Thos. 4
Wm. 4
Daniel 3
David 3
Enoch 3
Fredrick 3
Harold 3
Jeremiah 3
Phillip 3
Bertie 2
Edmund 2
Elias 2
Esau 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Lester 2
Lewis 2
Oliver 2
Ralph 2
Richd. 2
Sidney 2
Ephraim 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Parton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Parton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,634 people were recorded with the Parton surname. That placed it at #2,619 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Parton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,661 in 2016. That gives Parton a modern rank of #2,509.

What does the Parton surname mean?

A surname of French origin derived from the Old French word "pardon", meaning a place of pilgrimage or sanctuary.

What does the Parton map show?

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