NameCensus.

UK surname

Patton

From an English place name meaning "Pata's town," derived from the Old English personal name Pata and tun, meaning "settlement."

In the 1881 census there were 1,058 people recorded with the Patton surname, ranking it #3,723 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,825, ranked #2,391, up from #3,723 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central, Rossendale and North Tyneside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Patton is 2,914 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 167.0%.

1881 census count

1,058

Ranked #3,723

Modern count

2,825

2016, ranked #2,391

Peak year

2010

2,914 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Patton had 1,058 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,723 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,825 in 2016, ranked #2,391.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,255 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Patton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Patton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Patton 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 838 #3,241
1861 historical 1,005 #2,777
1881 historical 1,058 #3,723
1891 historical 1,255 #3,438
1901 historical 1,249 #3,963
1911 historical 1,035 #4,436
1997 modern 2,607 #2,438
1998 modern 2,675 #2,467
1999 modern 2,697 #2,469
2000 modern 2,708 #2,451
2001 modern 2,634 #2,460
2002 modern 2,681 #2,469
2003 modern 2,614 #2,474
2004 modern 2,633 #2,461
2005 modern 2,666 #2,411
2006 modern 2,673 #2,410
2007 modern 2,676 #2,429
2008 modern 2,698 #2,430
2009 modern 2,806 #2,404
2010 modern 2,914 #2,371
2011 modern 2,822 #2,408
2012 modern 2,782 #2,397
2013 modern 2,839 #2,394
2014 modern 2,834 #2,411
2015 modern 2,814 #2,405
2016 modern 2,825 #2,391

Geography

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Where Pattons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Eccles and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central, Rossendale, North Tyneside, Redcar and Cleveland and Port Glasgow Upper East. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Eccles Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central Inverclyde
2 Rossendale 002 Rossendale
3 North Tyneside 023 North Tyneside
4 Redcar and Cleveland 013 Redcar and Cleveland
5 Port Glasgow Upper East Inverclyde

Forenames

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First names often paired with Patton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Patton

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Patton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Patton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Patton 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

Patton is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Patton

The surname PATTON is an English habitational name derived from various places named Patton in England, such as those found in Shropshire, Staffordshire, and Yorkshire. The name is thought to have originated from the Old English words 'pætt' meaning path and 'tun' meaning enclosure or settlement, essentially translating to 'settlement by the path'.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Patone' and 'Patona'. This suggests that the name was already well-established in parts of England by the late 11th century.

The PATTON surname has been traced back to various regions in England, with some of the earliest recorded examples coming from Yorkshire. In the 13th century, records show individuals named Adam de Patton and Willelmus de Patton residing in Yorkshire.

Another notable early reference is found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert de Patton from Shropshire. This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of England by this time.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname PATTON have achieved notable recognition. One of the most famous was George Smith PATTON (1885-1945), the American general who played a pivotal role in World War II and is best known for his leadership of the Seventh United States Army in the successful 1944 invasion of Normandy.

Other notable individuals include James PATTON (1692-1755), an Irish-American pioneer and settler in Pennsylvania, and John PATTON (1749-1804), an American Revolutionary War soldier and politician who served as the second Governor of Virginia.

In the literary world, the name is associated with Emily Lewis PATTON (1873-1960), an American writer and editor known for her works on literature and history. Additionally, Charles PATTON (1764-1837) was a British naval officer and explorer who conducted several expeditions in the Pacific Ocean.

While the PATTON surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, among others.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Patton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Patton 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. Durham leads with 163 Pattons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.27x.

County Total Index
Durham 163 5.27x
Northumberland 144 9.32x
Lancashire 128 1.04x
Yorkshire 126 1.22x
Lanarkshire 69 2.05x
Middlesex 44 0.42x
Perthshire 41 8.79x
Midlothian 33 2.37x
Surrey 26 0.51x
Somerset 25 1.49x
Essex 21 1.02x
Renfrewshire 21 2.61x
Staffordshire 19 0.54x
Cheshire 17 0.74x
Kent 14 0.40x
Gloucestershire 13 0.64x
Derbyshire 11 0.68x
Devon 11 0.51x
Hampshire 11 0.52x
Warwickshire 11 0.42x
Cumberland 10 1.12x
Dunbartonshire 10 3.58x
Fife 10 1.63x
Kirkcudbrightshire 9 5.98x
Wiltshire 9 0.98x
Suffolk 8 0.63x
Angus 7 0.73x
Cornwall 6 0.51x
Sussex 6 0.34x
Berwickshire 5 3.97x
Royal Navy 5 4.04x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.42x
Dumfriesshire 4 1.74x
Glamorgan 3 0.17x
Lincolnshire 3 0.18x
Ayrshire 2 0.26x
Bedfordshire 2 0.37x
Isle of Man 2 1.04x
Oxfordshire 2 0.31x
Roxburghshire 2 1.06x
Stirlingshire 2 0.52x
Worcestershire 2 0.15x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.16x
Flintshire 1 0.36x
Leicestershire 1 0.09x
Norfolk 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Middlesbrough in Yorkshire leads with 38 Pattons recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.35x.

Place Total Index
Middlesbrough 38 28.35x
Everton 29 7.38x
Westoe 25 14.27x
Whitby 23 66.30x
Westgate 22 22.98x
Marske In Guisbrough 21 114.88x
Liverpool 20 2.67x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 19 3.39x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 19 14.19x
Gateshead 18 7.78x
Birkenhead 15 8.21x
Ryhope 15 69.90x
Govan 14 1.68x
Pendleton In Salford 14 9.53x
Haswell 13 58.69x
Redgorton 13 251.45x
Rutherglen 13 26.37x
South Leith 12 7.66x
Gorton 11 9.49x
Lambeth 11 1.21x
Netherton N S Side 10 1785.71x
Newcastle Under Lyme 10 16.12x
Scone 10 120.77x
Walcot 10 11.23x
Alnwick 9 33.86x
Brotton 9 66.96x
Darlington 9 7.54x
East Brunton 9 2195.12x
East Kilbride 9 62.54x
Newburgh 9 115.24x
South Normanton 9 78.74x
Swindon 9 12.63x
Urr 9 46.01x
Dalziel 8 22.13x
Moresby 8 234.60x
Widdrington 8 216.22x
Witham 8 75.76x
Barony 7 0.82x
Hamilton 7 7.47x
Ipswich St Mathew 7 19.74x
Lofthouse 7 45.54x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 7 7.58x
Norton 7 61.62x
Pegswood 7 201.73x
Stoke Damerel 7 4.63x
West Derby 7 1.94x
West Greenock 7 4.84x
Brighton 6 1.70x
Cardross 6 17.90x
Clifton 6 5.82x
Cornhill 6 257.51x
Crook Billy Row 6 15.16x
Dull 6 64.17x
Dundee 6 1.67x
Elswick 6 4.86x
Kirkleatham 6 43.17x
North Bedburn 6 69.44x
Paisley Low Church 6 23.54x
Port Glasgow 6 15.42x
Salford 6 1.65x
Shilbottle 6 394.74x
Staindrop 6 127.93x
Stratton 6 94.04x
Amble 5 71.12x
Barrow In Furness 5 2.98x
Bothal Demesne 5 67.57x
Bromley London 5 2.19x
Elmstead 5 151.52x
Hackney London 5 0.86x
Hammersmith London 5 1.95x
Hauxley 5 144.93x
Horton 5 65.45x
Hulme 5 1.94x
Kensington London 5 0.87x
Litherland 5 19.39x
Longhurst 5 167.22x
Pennington In Leigh 5 21.14x
Perth Middle Church 5 28.51x
Stranton 5 4.81x
Toxteth Park 5 1.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 53
Elizabeth 35
Jane 30
Sarah 26
Margaret 25
Ann 24
Annie 19
Catherine 10
Hannah 10
Isabella 10
Edith 7
Eliza 7
Alice 5
Ellen 5
Emily 5
Martha 5
Anne 4
Charlotte 4
Eleanor 4
Esther 4
Laura 4
Louisa 4
Matilda 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Clara 3
Dorothy 3
Emma 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Kate 3
Maria 3
Rachael 3
Amelia 2
Barbara 2
Bridget 2
Cathe. 2
Cathrine 2
Dora 2
Elizth. 2
Francis 2
Gertrude 2
Henrietta 2
Isabel 2
Lily 2
Maggie 2
Margret 2
Rachel 2
Rebecca 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 68
James 41
Robert 41
William 40
Thomas 30
George 19
Henry 13
Joseph 12
Andrew 10
Edward 10
Hugh 8
Alfred 7
David 6
Charles 5
Michael 5
Robt. 5
Francis 4
Frederick 4
Patrick 4
Richard 4
Thos. 4
Martin 3
Peter 3
Samuel 3
Stephen 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Alex. 2
Alexander 2
Arthur 2
Daniel 2
Fenwick 2
Herbert 2
Percy 2
Timothy 2
Wm. 2
Allan 1
Aubrey 1
B.J. 1
Benj. 1
Bertram 1
E.S. 1
Eyur 1
F.S. 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Johnie 1
Johnson 1
Josh. 1
Zebedee 1

FAQ

Patton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Patton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,058 people were recorded with the Patton surname. That placed it at #3,723 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Patton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,825 in 2016. That gives Patton a modern rank of #2,391.

What does the Patton surname mean?

From an English place name meaning "Pata's town," derived from the Old English personal name Pata and tun, meaning "settlement."

What does the Patton map show?

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