NameCensus.

UK surname

Paxton

From an English place name meaning "peaceful town," derived from Old English elements meaning "peace" and "town."

In the 1881 census there were 2,394 people recorded with the Paxton surname, ranking it #1,863 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,069, ranked #2,197, down from #1,863 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dunbar, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Berwickshire Central, IZ21 and Cheviot West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Paxton is 3,226 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.2%.

1881 census count

2,394

Ranked #1,863

Modern count

3,069

2016, ranked #2,197

Peak year

2000

3,226 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Paxton had 2,394 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,863 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,069 in 2016, ranked #2,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,025 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Paxton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Paxton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Paxton 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 1,488 #1,932
1861 historical 1,484 #1,904
1881 historical 2,394 #1,863
1891 historical 2,573 #1,848
1901 historical 3,025 #1,852
1911 historical 2,372 #2,161
1997 modern 3,010 #2,140
1998 modern 3,120 #2,150
1999 modern 3,190 #2,121
2000 modern 3,226 #2,083
2001 modern 3,182 #2,070
2002 modern 3,154 #2,124
2003 modern 3,031 #2,166
2004 modern 3,033 #2,159
2005 modern 2,965 #2,187
2006 modern 2,964 #2,186
2007 modern 2,961 #2,206
2008 modern 2,981 #2,202
2009 modern 3,089 #2,186
2010 modern 3,156 #2,192
2011 modern 3,071 #2,213
2012 modern 3,030 #2,208
2013 modern 3,059 #2,221
2014 modern 3,096 #2,205
2015 modern 3,091 #2,183
2016 modern 3,069 #2,197

Geography

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Where Paxtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dunbar, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Berwickshire Central, IZ21, Cheviot West, Harthill and Salsburgh and Monmouthshire. 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 Dunbar Haddington
2 London parishes London 1
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Berwickshire Central Scottish Borders
2 IZ21 East Lothian
3 Cheviot West Scottish Borders
4 Harthill and Salsburgh North Lanarkshire
5 Monmouthshire 002 Monmouthshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Paxton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Paxton

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Paxton is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Paxton is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Paxton falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Paxton

The surname Paxton has its origins in the northern regions of England, particularly Northumberland and the Scottish Borders. It is derived from the Old English words "peac" meaning a hill or peak, and "tun" meaning a settlement or farm. The name likely refers to a specific farm or hamlet situated on a hill or elevated land.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Paxton can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. There, the village of Paxton is listed as "Paxingeton" in Yorkshire.

In the 12th century, the name appears as "Paxston" in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire, referring to a landowner in that region. Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form of Paxton.

The name is also associated with several place names in England and Scotland, such as Paxton in Berwickshire, Scotland, and Paxton in Huntingdonshire, England. These locations likely contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname by families residing in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Paxton throughout history include Sir Joseph Paxton (1803-1865), an influential English gardener, architect, and Member of Parliament, best known for designing the Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition of 1851. Another prominent figure was Bill Paxton (1955-2017), an American actor and director known for roles in films like "Aliens," "Twister," and "Apollo 13."

Other historical figures bearing the Paxton surname include Thomas Paxton (1719-1788), an American surveyor and pioneer who explored and settled parts of the Ohio Valley, and Walter Paxton (1824-1912), a Scottish architect responsible for designing numerous buildings in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

In the literary world, Steven Paxton (born 1939) is a renowned American dancer and choreographer, considered a pioneer of the postmodern dance movement. Mary Paxton (1924-2013) was an American author and journalist, best known for her works chronicling the life and times of the American South.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Paxton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Paxton 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 262 Paxtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.78x.

County Total Index
Durham 262 3.78x
Midlothian 195 6.25x
Middlesex 182 0.78x
Northumberland 175 5.05x
Buckinghamshire 129 9.16x
Oxfordshire 128 8.90x
Lanarkshire 115 1.53x
East Lothian 113 36.62x
Surrey 109 0.96x
Yorkshire 108 0.47x
Lancashire 97 0.35x
Berwickshire 93 32.97x
Northamptonshire 60 2.74x
Warwickshire 59 1.00x
Derbyshire 52 1.43x
Roxburghshire 46 10.90x
Nottinghamshire 45 1.43x
Kent 36 0.45x
Sussex 35 0.89x
Ayrshire 27 1.55x
Dunbartonshire 27 4.31x
Staffordshire 27 0.34x
Fife 25 1.81x
Renfrewshire 24 1.33x
Aberdeenshire 21 0.97x
Wigtownshire 18 5.82x
Essex 15 0.33x
Cheshire 14 0.27x
Bedfordshire 13 1.08x
Hertfordshire 13 0.81x
Stirlingshire 13 1.51x
Leicestershire 10 0.39x
Monmouthshire 9 0.53x
Morayshire 9 2.49x
Worcestershire 9 0.30x
Gloucestershire 8 0.18x
Angus 7 0.32x
Hampshire 7 0.15x
Inverness-shire 6 0.86x
Norfolk 6 0.17x
Berkshire 5 0.29x
Cumberland 4 0.20x
Kinross-shire 4 6.79x
Nairnshire 4 5.63x
Perthshire 4 0.38x
Dorset 3 0.20x
Shropshire 3 0.15x
Suffolk 3 0.11x
Lincolnshire 2 0.05x
Buteshire 1 0.71x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.11x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.19x
Glamorgan 1 0.02x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.22x
Royal Navy 1 0.36x
Selkirkshire 1 0.47x
Somerset 1 0.03x
Wiltshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 74 Paxtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.89x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 74 5.89x
Dunbar 70 161.81x
Barony 51 2.67x
Bishopwearmouth 40 6.72x
Gateshead 34 6.55x
Claydon 27 1015.04x
Dunse 27 100.93x
Derby St Alkmund 25 22.87x
Aylesbury 24 38.46x
Glasgow 23 1.72x
Finmere 22 948.28x
Berwick Upon Tweed 21 28.59x
Greasley 21 29.64x
Wingrave 21 290.46x
St Marylebone London 20 1.61x
Croydon 19 3.02x
Dawdon 19 22.29x
Ealing 19 9.13x
Newbattle 19 71.24x
Stockton On Tees 19 5.69x
Camberwell 17 1.14x
Haydon 17 89.71x
St Pancras London 17 0.91x
Coldingham 16 63.09x
Newington 16 1.86x
Dumbarton 15 17.22x
Elswick 15 5.42x
Islington London 15 0.66x
Kensington London 15 1.16x
Byker 14 8.17x
Newton 14 133.46x
Stranton 14 6.00x
Tingewick 14 221.52x
Eckford 13 178.08x
Heanor 13 23.84x
Leamington Priors 13 8.99x
Monkwearmouth Shore 13 9.61x
Neithrop 13 26.89x
Northampton St Sepulchre 13 11.66x
Stoke Upon Trent 13 1.56x
Brackley St James 12 239.04x
Bromley London 12 2.34x
East Rainton 12 89.49x
Evenley 12 299.25x
Eyemouth 12 50.98x
Hammersmith London 12 2.09x
Lambeth 12 0.59x
South Leith 12 3.42x
Wing 12 91.95x
Cathcart 11 11.26x
Esh 11 21.81x
Govan 11 0.59x
Hackney London 11 0.84x
Hethe 11 367.89x
Hexham 11 20.51x
Kirkcaldy 11 16.08x
Maryhill 11 7.46x
Mixbury 11 504.59x
New Monkland 11 4.94x
Pendleton In Salford 11 3.34x
Seaham 11 43.55x
Tweedmouth 11 25.46x
Bedlington 10 8.64x
Bermondsey 10 1.44x
Chelmsford 10 12.68x
Deptford St Paul 10 1.63x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 10 13.55x
Haddington 10 21.95x
Moss Side 10 6.88x
Old Kilpatrick 10 13.52x
Sunderland 10 8.17x
Swinton In Rotherham 10 16.38x
Ulverston 10 12.42x
Aberdeen Old Machar 9 2.00x
Blisworth 9 106.51x
Dalkeith 9 14.62x
Dinton 9 162.75x
East Greenock 9 5.28x
Llantillio Pertholey 9 91.46x
Swinton 9 116.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 104
John 87
Thomas 83
George 67
James 48
Robert 44
Joseph 35
Henry 29
Arthur 18
Charles 17
Edward 16
Alfred 13
Richard 12
Frederick 11
Albert 10
Harry 10
Samuel 10
Alexander 9
Edwin 9
Andrew 8
Geo. 8
Walter 8
Frank 7
Peter 7
Wm. 7
David 6
Francis 6
Herbert 6
Thos. 6
Ernest 5
Archibald 4
Daniel 4
Joshua 4
Harold 3
Mark 3
W. 3
Abel 2
Amos 2
Anthony 2
Christopher 2
Danl. 2
Donald 2
Edgar 2
Elias 2
Fredrick 2
Hugh 2
Jeremiah 2
Owen 2
Philip 2
Robt. 2

FAQ

Paxton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Paxton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,394 people were recorded with the Paxton surname. That placed it at #1,863 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Paxton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,069 in 2016. That gives Paxton a modern rank of #2,197.

What does the Paxton surname mean?

From an English place name meaning "peaceful town," derived from Old English elements meaning "peace" and "town."

What does the Paxton map show?

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