NameCensus.

UK surname

Powton

In the 1881 census there were 72 people recorded with the Powton surname, ranking it #23,371 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 135, ranked #25,505, down from #23,371 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Auckland St Andrew and Newcastle St John. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Darlington, County Durham and Gateshead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Powton is 167 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 87.5%.

1881 census count

72

Ranked #23,371

Modern count

135

2016, ranked #25,505

Peak year

2002

167 bearers

Map years

4

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Powton had 72 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,371 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 135 in 2016, ranked #25,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 129 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Powton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Powton surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Powton 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 36 #26,838
1861 historical 71 #24,765
1881 historical 72 #23,371
1891 historical 129 #20,285
1901 historical 93 #23,689
1911 historical 90 #23,797
1997 modern 140 #22,031
1998 modern 137 #22,922
1999 modern 144 #22,405
2000 modern 152 #21,603
2001 modern 157 #20,884
2002 modern 167 #20,457
2003 modern 151 #21,574
2004 modern 144 #22,379
2005 modern 149 #21,866
2006 modern 151 #21,818
2007 modern 154 #21,804
2008 modern 151 #22,323
2009 modern 161 #21,879
2010 modern 161 #22,385
2011 modern 152 #23,101
2012 modern 141 #24,258
2013 modern 143 #24,434
2014 modern 144 #24,504
2015 modern 138 #25,103
2016 modern 135 #25,505

Geography

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Where Powtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Auckland St Andrew, Newcastle St John, Brancepeth and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Darlington, County Durham, Gateshead and Stockton-on-Tees. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Auckland St Andrew Durham
3 Newcastle St John Northumberland
4 Brancepeth Durham
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Darlington 003 Darlington
2 County Durham 038 County Durham
3 Gateshead 004 Gateshead
4 Stockton-on-Tees 002 Stockton-on-Tees
5 County Durham 057 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Powton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Powton

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Powton is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Powton is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Powton 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 Powton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Powton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Powton 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 44 Powtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.06x.

County Total Index
Durham 44 21.06x
Yorkshire 18 2.59x
Northumberland 9 8.61x
Gloucestershire 1 0.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishop Auckland in Durham leads with 21 Powtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 750.00x.

Place Total Index
Bishop Auckland 21 750.00x
Middlesbrough 9 99.34x
Ferryhill 8 1095.89x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 5 364.96x
Pollards Land 5 3333.33x
Stockton On Tees 5 49.65x
West Auckland 5 657.89x
Byker 4 77.37x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 3 126.05x
Linthrope 2 1538.46x
Melbourne 2 1818.18x
Cheltenham 1 9.41x
Linthorpe 1 24.10x
Southowram 1 47.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Ann 4
Hannah 4
Jane 4
Margaret 4
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Sarah 2
Barbara 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Margt. 1
Reubina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
Robert 7
William 5
James 3
Ralph 3
Thomas 3
Charles 2
George 2
Benjamin 1
Brunton 1
Edward 1
Robt. 1

FAQ

Powton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Powton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 72 people were recorded with the Powton surname. That placed it at #23,371 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Powton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 135 in 2016. That gives Powton a modern rank of #25,505.

What does the Powton map show?

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