NameCensus.

UK surname

Penton

Derived from a place name meaning "enclosure on a hill" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 486 people recorded with the Penton surname, ranking it #6,925 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 534, ranked #9,515, down from #6,925 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Battersea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include New Forest, North Tyneside and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Penton is 694 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.9%.

1881 census count

486

Ranked #6,925

Modern count

534

2016, ranked #9,515

Peak year

1911

694 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Penton had 486 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,925 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 534 in 2016, ranked #9,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 694 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Penton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Penton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Penton 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 480 #5,191
1861 historical 502 #5,207
1881 historical 486 #6,925
1891 historical 646 #6,010
1901 historical 630 #6,801
1911 historical 694 #6,121
1997 modern 653 #7,633
1998 modern 642 #7,975
1999 modern 660 #7,857
2000 modern 632 #8,111
2001 modern 603 #8,274
2002 modern 614 #8,316
2003 modern 591 #8,428
2004 modern 586 #8,487
2005 modern 576 #8,512
2006 modern 579 #8,509
2007 modern 583 #8,541
2008 modern 582 #8,612
2009 modern 596 #8,640
2010 modern 591 #8,884
2011 modern 551 #9,251
2012 modern 529 #9,461
2013 modern 541 #9,459
2014 modern 535 #9,594
2015 modern 533 #9,553
2016 modern 534 #9,515

Geography

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Where Pentons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Battersea and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to New Forest, North Tyneside, Barnsley, Wyre and Reigate and Banstead. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Battersea London (South Districts)
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 New Forest 001 New Forest
2 North Tyneside 027 North Tyneside
3 Barnsley 030 Barnsley
4 Wyre 001 Wyre
5 Reigate and Banstead 008 Reigate and Banstead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Penton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Penton

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

Penton 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

Penton falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Penton

The surname PENTON is of English origin and is believed to have derived from a place name in Hampshire, England. The earliest recorded spelling of the name dates back to the 12th century, where it appeared as "Pentone" in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire in 1195.

PENTON is thought to be a locational name, referring to someone who originally hailed from the hamlet of Penton Mewsey, located near the town of Andover in Hampshire. The name is derived from the Old English words "pent" meaning "valley" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement".

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John de Penton, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Wiltshire in 1273. Another early record is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, which lists a William Penton.

The PENTON surname has a long history, and several notable individuals have borne this name throughout the centuries. Sir John Penton (1486-1558) was an English politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1537. Henry Penton (1675-1745) was an English lawyer and author, best known for his work "A Guide for the Instruction of Travellers".

In the 17th century, the PENTON family was well-established in the county of Somerset, England. One member of this family, Thomas Penton (1608-1667), was a distinguished English clergyman and theologian who served as the Rector of Compton Beauchamp in Berkshire.

Another notable bearer of the PENTON name was Sir Henry Penton (1797-1876), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. He later became an Admiral of the Red and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1865.

Moving into the 19th century, John Penton (1830-1902) was a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Music and the Royal Albert Hall. His contemporary, Joseph Penton (1834-1908), was an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Middlesex County Cricket Club.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Penton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Penton 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. Hampshire leads with 175 Pentons recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.83x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 175 17.83x
Middlesex 85 1.77x
Surrey 55 2.36x
Kent 31 1.90x
Lancashire 16 0.28x
Staffordshire 16 0.99x
Berkshire 13 3.62x
Sussex 13 1.61x
Lincolnshire 12 1.57x
Norfolk 12 1.63x
Essex 8 0.85x
Wiltshire 8 1.89x
Northumberland 7 0.98x
Leicestershire 6 1.13x
Yorkshire 6 0.13x
Gloucestershire 4 0.43x
Channel Islands 3 2.11x
Dorset 3 0.95x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.46x
Somerset 3 0.39x
Brecknockshire 2 2.09x
Cornwall 2 0.37x
Worcestershire 2 0.32x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.33x
Cumberland 1 0.24x
Hertfordshire 1 0.30x
Midlothian 1 0.16x
Renfrewshire 1 0.27x
Royal Navy 1 1.75x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Andover in Hampshire leads with 15 Pentons recorded in 1881 and an index of 161.81x.

Place Total Index
Andover 15 161.81x
Greenwich 14 18.36x
Lee 14 59.00x
St Pancras London 14 3.63x
Toxteth Park 13 6.76x
Fordingbridge 10 187.27x
Upper Clatford 10 826.45x
Battersea 9 5.11x
Crawley 9 1200.00x
Ogley Hay 9 267.86x
St Marylebone London 9 3.52x
St Peter Colebrook 9 652.17x
Tadley 9 538.92x
Brighton 8 4.91x
Chisledon 8 414.51x
Elvetham 8 1038.96x
Fareham 8 67.80x
Heston 8 50.28x
Littleton 8 2500.00x
Belaugh 7 3043.48x
Bow London 7 11.48x
Bromley London 7 6.64x
Clapham 7 11.69x
Islington London 7 1.51x
North Shields 7 49.23x
Norton Canes 7 118.85x
St Bartholomew Hyde 7 297.87x
Aston Cum Aughton 6 154.64x
Christchurch 6 28.18x
Grately 6 1428.57x
Lambeth 6 1.44x
Millbrook 6 24.26x
Romford 6 40.13x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 6 55.71x
Durley 5 641.03x
Hinckley 5 39.68x
Marsham 5 549.45x
Southampton St Mary 5 8.10x
St Maurice Winchester 5 122.55x
St Nicholas Lincoln 5 68.31x
Sutton 5 29.60x
Twickenham 5 24.34x
Croydon 4 3.09x
Mortlake 4 38.46x
Reading St Mary 4 13.89x
Sheet 4 377.36x
Shoreditch London 4 1.93x
South Stoneham 4 18.78x
St George Hanover 4 6.40x
Twyford 4 170.21x
Brimpton 3 428.57x
Clerkenwell London 3 2.65x
Horley 3 76.73x
Nottingham St Mary 3 1.80x
Portishead 3 52.36x
Preston 3 21.28x
Ratcliffe London 3 11.34x
Rotherhithe 3 5.07x
Soberton 3 165.75x
Southwark Christchurch 3 13.37x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 3.11x
St Helier 3 6.49x
St Thomas Winchester 3 43.29x
Staines 3 39.58x
Aldershot 2 6.08x
Builth 2 83.68x
Carisbrooke 2 14.67x
Cove 2 155.04x
Eastbourne 2 5.38x
Eling 2 20.12x
Hursley 2 87.72x
Kings Norton 2 3.57x
Ladock 2 129.87x
Liverpool 2 0.58x
Mile End Old Town 2 2.65x
Newent 2 41.93x
Reading St Giles 2 5.67x
St Bride London 2 71.94x
Westminster St John 2 3.43x
Whippingham 2 26.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 23
Henry 23
Charles 20
William 20
James 14
John 13
Thomas 10
Edward 8
Stephen 7
Alfred 6
Frederick 5
Albert 4
Arthur 4
Harry 4
Joseph 4
Robert 4
Walter 4
Cornelius 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Edwin 2
Isaac 2
Sydney 2
Tom 2
A.P. 1
Archibald 1
David 1
Edwd.J. 1
Ernest 1
F.C. 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
G.F. 1
Harold 1
Harvey 1
Jadey 1
Jesse 1
Latham 1
Mathew 1
Michael 1
Nellie 1
Phillip 1
Reginald 1
Reubin 1
Rose 1
Wm.Herbert 1

FAQ

Penton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Penton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 486 people were recorded with the Penton surname. That placed it at #6,925 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Penton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 534 in 2016. That gives Penton a modern rank of #9,515.

What does the Penton surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "enclosure on a hill" in Old English.

What does the Penton map show?

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