NameCensus.

UK surname

Payton

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Pæga's town" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 1,196 people recorded with the Payton surname, ranking it #3,371 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,788, ranked #3,522, down from #3,371 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Kings Norton and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Dudley and Flintshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Payton is 1,890 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.5%.

1881 census count

1,196

Ranked #3,371

Modern count

1,788

2016, ranked #3,522

Peak year

1998

1,890 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Payton had 1,196 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,371 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,788 in 2016, ranked #3,522.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,869 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Payton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Payton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Payton 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 673 #3,857
1861 historical 789 #3,492
1881 historical 1,196 #3,371
1891 historical 1,471 #2,990
1901 historical 1,686 #3,062
1911 historical 1,869 #2,646
1997 modern 1,822 #3,295
1998 modern 1,890 #3,307
1999 modern 1,868 #3,372
2000 modern 1,823 #3,423
2001 modern 1,816 #3,368
2002 modern 1,835 #3,402
2003 modern 1,758 #3,469
2004 modern 1,767 #3,454
2005 modern 1,733 #3,483
2006 modern 1,710 #3,527
2007 modern 1,719 #3,541
2008 modern 1,722 #3,559
2009 modern 1,774 #3,549
2010 modern 1,819 #3,535
2011 modern 1,805 #3,523
2012 modern 1,795 #3,490
2013 modern 1,816 #3,511
2014 modern 1,836 #3,496
2015 modern 1,808 #3,510
2016 modern 1,788 #3,522

Geography

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Where Paytons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Kings Norton, Manchester and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Dudley, Flintshire, Sandwell and Wyre Forest. 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 Kings Norton Worcestershire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 059 Bradford
2 Dudley 001 Dudley
3 Flintshire 009 Flintshire
4 Sandwell 016 Sandwell
5 Wyre Forest 011 Wyre Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Payton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Payton

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Payton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Payton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Payton is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Payton is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Payton falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Payton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Payton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Payton

The surname Payton originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English personal name "Pæga," which means "dweller by the pea-fields." The name was initially found in areas around Staffordshire and Worcestershire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Peituna" and "Peitone." This ancient document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, recorded the landholdings and population of England at the time.

In the 13th century, the name was often spelled "Peiton" or "Peyton," reflecting the evolution of the English language over time. During this period, the surname Payton was also associated with various place names, such as Peyton in Suffolk and Peytonville in Staffordshire.

Notable bearers of the name Payton throughout history include Sir John Peyton (1544-1630), an English politician and landowner who served as Lieutenant of the Tower of London under Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Sir Edward Payton (1588-1667), a military commander who fought in the English Civil War on the Royalist side.

In the 18th century, John Payton (1703-1763) was a prominent English lawyer and Chief Justice of the British colony of St. Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies. His contemporary, Joseph Payton (1720-1784), was a British naval captain who participated in several battles during the American Revolutionary War.

Moving into the 19th century, the name gained further recognition with the birth of Thomas Payton (1818-1890), a renowned English architect known for his work on churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

Throughout its history, the surname Payton has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including politicians, military leaders, lawyers, architects, and countless others who have contributed to the rich tapestry of human civilization.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Payton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Payton 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. Middlesex leads with 193 Paytons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.66x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 193 1.66x
Staffordshire 184 4.68x
Warwickshire 139 4.74x
Worcestershire 116 7.63x
Surrey 83 1.46x
Lancashire 82 0.59x
Yorkshire 52 0.45x
Berkshire 47 5.38x
Somerset 46 2.46x
Kent 40 1.01x
Cambridgeshire 38 5.16x
Wiltshire 29 2.82x
Gloucestershire 22 0.96x
Derbyshire 21 1.15x
Cheshire 20 0.78x
Oxfordshire 9 1.25x
Hampshire 8 0.34x
Shropshire 8 0.80x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.99x
Durham 7 0.20x
Hertfordshire 4 0.50x
Sussex 4 0.20x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.64x
Devon 3 0.12x
Dorset 3 0.39x
Essex 3 0.13x
Lanarkshire 3 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.19x
Herefordshire 2 0.42x
Midlothian 2 0.13x
Norfolk 2 0.11x
Renfrewshire 2 0.22x
Royal Navy 2 1.44x
Angus 1 0.09x
Fife 1 0.15x
Leicestershire 1 0.08x
Northamptonshire 1 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.27x
Suffolk 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 49 Paytons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.06x.

Place Total Index
Aston 49 6.06x
Birmingham 40 4.09x
Kings Norton 37 27.15x
West Bromwich 32 14.23x
Bethnal Green London 28 5.54x
Shoreditch London 28 5.55x
St Pancras London 26 2.78x
Bilston 24 31.53x
Abingdon St Helen 23 90.05x
Camberwell 22 2.96x
Edgbaston 22 24.18x
Sedgley 22 15.08x
Wolverhampton 21 6.95x
Hackney London 19 2.91x
Walsall Foreign 18 8.87x
Kingswinford 17 11.92x
Stourbridge 17 43.48x
Bradford 16 5.73x
Dudley 16 8.66x
Dundry 14 622.22x
Harborne 14 11.12x
Cheltenham 13 7.38x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 13 40.45x
Newington 13 3.02x
St Andrewthe Less 13 15.44x
Trowbridge 13 28.58x
Westbury 13 54.12x
Islington London 12 1.06x
Leamington Priors 12 16.62x
Paddington London 12 2.80x
Wandsworth 12 10.71x
Cradley 11 80.06x
Mile End Old Town 11 5.99x
St Sepulchre London 11 64.55x
Amblecote 10 89.29x
Bedminster 10 5.68x
Castleton 10 7.25x
Lambeth 10 0.99x
Stockport 10 7.56x
Whitstable 10 51.33x
Gorton 9 6.93x
Milton 9 409.09x
Yardley 9 23.15x
Bromsgrove 8 15.64x
Cannock 8 11.67x
Herne 8 45.51x
St Marylebone London 8 1.29x
Walcot 8 8.02x
Battersea 7 1.63x
Derby St Werburgh 7 6.65x
Dewsbury 7 5.92x
Hammersmith London 7 2.44x
Houghton Le Spring 7 29.25x
Lyncombe Widcombe 7 14.27x
Manchester 7 1.13x
Pannal 7 63.23x
Shifnal 7 25.64x
Tipton 7 5.82x
Chelsea London 6 1.71x
Frome 6 13.39x
Handsworth 6 6.20x
Openshaw 6 9.28x
Reading St Lawrence 6 32.10x
Salford 6 1.48x
Staveley 6 18.55x
Warwick St Nicholas 6 27.88x
Barton Upon Irwell 5 4.81x
Bradford 5 7.74x
Everton 5 1.14x
Fareham 5 17.44x
Heckmondwike 5 13.48x
Ockham 5 228.31x
Ripple 5 173.61x
Swalecliffe 5 877.19x
Clerkenwell London 4 1.46x
Mongewell 4 677.97x
Oxford St Giles 4 11.67x
Reading St Giles 4 4.67x
St Luke London 4 2.14x
Worcester St Clement 4 41.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 56
William 51
James 45
George 39
Thomas 37
Joseph 35
Charles 29
Henry 29
Albert 13
Alfred 13
Frederick 13
Arthur 11
Edward 11
Harry 10
Samuel 10
Michael 8
Francis 7
Frank 7
Richard 7
Edwin 6
Aaron 5
David 5
Martin 5
Ernest 4
Fredk. 4
Mark 4
Patrick 4
Robert 4
Stephen 4
Daniel 3
Herbert 3
Josiah 3
Saml. 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Anthony 2
Ben 2
Benjamin 2
Edgar 2
Edwd. 2
Enoch 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Obadiah 2
Pharoh 2
Philip 2
Sidney 2
Sydney 2

FAQ

Payton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Payton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,196 people were recorded with the Payton surname. That placed it at #3,371 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Payton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,788 in 2016. That gives Payton a modern rank of #3,522.

What does the Payton surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Pæga's town" in Old English.

What does the Payton map show?

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