NameCensus.

UK surname

Poston

A locational surname referring to someone from a place called Poston, likely derived from Old English words for "post" and "town".

In the 1881 census there were 210 people recorded with the Poston surname, ranking it #12,440 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 363, ranked #12,777, down from #12,440 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tipton otherwise Tibington, Kingsland and West Derby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Powys, Wrexham and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Poston is 391 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 72.9%.

1881 census count

210

Ranked #12,440

Modern count

363

2016, ranked #12,777

Peak year

1999

391 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Poston had 210 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,440 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016, ranked #12,777.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 359 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Poston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Poston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Poston 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 159 #12,400
1861 historical 144 #15,817
1881 historical 210 #12,440
1891 historical 243 #13,011
1901 historical 359 #10,242
1911 historical 323 #10,842
1997 modern 356 #12,021
1998 modern 383 #11,748
1999 modern 391 #11,640
2000 modern 391 #11,591
2001 modern 385 #11,534
2002 modern 373 #12,060
2003 modern 362 #12,114
2004 modern 352 #12,399
2005 modern 340 #12,642
2006 modern 347 #12,515
2007 modern 342 #12,809
2008 modern 343 #12,899
2009 modern 348 #13,020
2010 modern 349 #13,280
2011 modern 357 #12,915
2012 modern 353 #12,877
2013 modern 367 #12,707
2014 modern 368 #12,770
2015 modern 360 #12,880
2016 modern 363 #12,777

Geography

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Where Postons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tipton otherwise Tibington, Kingsland, West Derby, Romford and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Powys, Wrexham, Dudley, Wolverhampton and Shropshire. 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 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
2 Kingsland Herefordshire
3 West Derby Lancashire
4 Romford Essex
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Powys 009 Powys
2 Wrexham 006 Wrexham
3 Dudley 001 Dudley
4 Wolverhampton 015 Wolverhampton
5 Shropshire 015 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Poston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Poston

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Poston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Poston household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Poston 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

Poston is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Poston falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Poston

The surname Poston is an English habitation name derived from the place name Poston, a small village in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The name is thought to originate from the Old English words "post" meaning a post or stake, and "tun" meaning an enclosure or settlement, suggesting it may have referred to a fenced or enclosed area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Poston can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, a collection of financial records from the late 12th century, where a Robert de Poston is mentioned. Another early reference is found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which recorded landowners in England, listing a Thomas de Poston as a landowner in Yorkshire.

In the 16th century, the name appears in various spellings, including Pouston, Poustun, and Poustonne, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common during that period. One notable individual from this era was William Poston, born around 1520 in Yorkshire, who served as a member of the English Parliament.

Moving into the 17th century, the Poston family spread beyond Yorkshire, with records showing individuals with the surname in other parts of England. One such individual was John Poston, born in 1612 in Gloucestershire, who was a prominent merchant and landowner.

The 18th century saw the name gain further recognition, with the birth of William Poston in 1745 in Shropshire. He went on to become a renowned mathematician and astronomer, making significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

In the 19th century, the Poston name continued to be well-represented, with individuals such as James Poston (1800-1872), a successful industrialist from Lancashire, and Mary Poston (1832-1912), a celebrated novelist and poet from Yorkshire.

While the name Poston is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of the rich tapestry of English surnames, with its origins rooted in the small village of Poston and the history of the Yorkshire region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Poston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Poston 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. Lancashire leads with 32 Postons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.31x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 32 1.31x
Middlesex 31 1.51x
Shropshire 28 15.75x
Warwickshire 25 4.82x
Herefordshire 22 26.07x
Essex 21 5.17x
Staffordshire 15 2.16x
Cheshire 12 2.64x
Montgomeryshire 8 16.96x
Durham 3 0.49x
Yorkshire 3 0.15x
Denbighshire 2 2.57x
Worcestershire 2 0.74x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.80x
Channel Islands 1 1.64x
Gloucestershire 1 0.25x
Lanarkshire 1 0.15x
Monmouthshire 1 0.67x
Radnorshire 1 6.02x
Surrey 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leominster in Herefordshire leads with 13 Postons recorded in 1881 and an index of 372.49x.

Place Total Index
Leominster 13 372.49x
West Derby 13 18.19x
Toxteth Park 12 14.51x
Leamington Priors 11 86.14x
Islington London 10 5.01x
Romford 9 140.19x
Forden 8 1250.00x
West Ham 8 8.92x
Aston 7 4.90x
Birmingham 7 4.05x
Paddington London 7 9.25x
Shifnal 7 144.93x
Chelsea London 6 9.67x
Eaton 6 1875.00x
Burton 5 2631.58x
Darlaston 5 52.08x
Dilwyn 5 675.68x
Much Woolton 5 151.06x
Walsall Foreign 5 13.93x
Wolstanton 5 23.70x
Brentwood 4 161.29x
Church Stretton 4 336.13x
Liscard 4 48.84x
Rodd Nash Little 4 3333.33x
St Pancras London 4 2.41x
Cardington 3 731.71x
Darlington 3 12.69x
Wentnor 3 588.24x
Clungunford 2 487.80x
Monks Coppenhall 2 11.67x
Shrewsbury St Chad 2 32.05x
St Asaph 2 253.16x
St George Hanover 2 7.45x
Yardley 2 29.07x
Birkenhead 1 2.76x
Bisley 1 217.39x
Brightside Bierlow 1 2.50x
Castleton 1 4.10x
Cheltenham 1 3.21x
Fulham London 1 3.35x
Glasgow 1 0.85x
Great Marlow 1 29.76x
Hope Bowdler 1 909.09x
Llangunllo 1 294.12x
Llanvihangel Crucorney 1 322.58x
Nether Hallam 1 3.62x
Normanby In 1 18.35x
Spotland 1 3.68x
St Peter Port 1 8.87x
Tottenham 1 3.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Elizabeth 8
Sarah 8
Annie 7
Jane 6
Ann 5
Ada 4
Ellen 4
Eliza 3
Hannah 3
Alice 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Susan 2
Alleck 1
Caroline 1
Druey 1
Elenor 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Florance 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Joney 1
Laura 1
Lilly 1
Lousia 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Rachel 1
Rosannah 1
Rose 1
Sarann 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Poston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Poston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 210 people were recorded with the Poston surname. That placed it at #12,440 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Poston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 363 in 2016. That gives Poston a modern rank of #12,777.

What does the Poston surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place called Poston, likely derived from Old English words for "post" and "town".

What does the Poston map show?

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