NameCensus.

UK surname

Poynton

An English place surname derived from the town of Poynton in Cheshire.

In the 1881 census there were 505 people recorded with the Poynton surname, ranking it #6,730 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,020, ranked #5,714, up from #6,730 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Burton-on-Trent and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Derbyshire, Cheshire West and Chester and North West Leicestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Poynton is 1,094 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 102.0%.

1881 census count

505

Ranked #6,730

Modern count

1,020

2016, ranked #5,714

Peak year

1998

1,094 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Poynton had 505 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,730 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,020 in 2016, ranked #5,714.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 906 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Poynton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Poynton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Poynton 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 260 #8,512
1861 historical 264 #9,385
1881 historical 505 #6,730
1891 historical 578 #6,594
1901 historical 813 #5,549
1911 historical 906 #4,926
1997 modern 1,054 #5,258
1998 modern 1,094 #5,289
1999 modern 1,091 #5,321
2000 modern 1,087 #5,315
2001 modern 1,048 #5,375
2002 modern 1,056 #5,448
2003 modern 1,039 #5,428
2004 modern 1,034 #5,462
2005 modern 1,018 #5,468
2006 modern 1,000 #5,567
2007 modern 1,016 #5,536
2008 modern 1,013 #5,591
2009 modern 1,020 #5,675
2010 modern 1,045 #5,666
2011 modern 1,027 #5,698
2012 modern 1,014 #5,677
2013 modern 1,046 #5,629
2014 modern 1,036 #5,696
2015 modern 1,023 #5,706
2016 modern 1,020 #5,714

Geography

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Where Poyntons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Burton-on-Trent, St Werburgh, Manchester and Ashby-de-la-Zouch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Derbyshire, Cheshire West and Chester and North West Leicestershire. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Ashby-de-la-Zouch Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Derbyshire 013 South Derbyshire
2 Cheshire West and Chester 044 Cheshire West and Chester
3 South Derbyshire 011 South Derbyshire
4 North West Leicestershire 008 North West Leicestershire
5 South Derbyshire 007 South Derbyshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Poynton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Poynton

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Poynton is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Poynton 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

Poynton 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 Poynton 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 Poynton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Poynton

The surname Poynton has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the town of Poynton in Cheshire, which was recorded as "Ponyton" in the Domesday Book of 1086.

The name Poynton is thought to have derived from the Old English words "pund" and "tun," meaning "pound" and "enclosure" or "farm," respectively. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a pound or enclosure for livestock in the area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Poynton appears in the Pipe Rolls of Cheshire in 1260, where a William de Ponyton is mentioned. The "de" prefix indicates that William was from the place called Poynton.

In the 14th century, John Poynton was a notable English MP who represented Derbyshire in the Parliament of 1339-1340. Another early bearer of the name was William Poynton, who served as the Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1423.

During the 16th century, Sir John Poyntz (1480-1543) was a prominent English soldier and courtier who fought in the Battle of Flodden in 1513 and later served as the Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard under King Henry VIII.

Sir Gabriel Poyntz (1610-1662) was a Royalist officer during the English Civil War who fought for King Charles I and was later knighted for his loyalty to the Crown.

Another notable figure was Thomas Poynton (1697-1766), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1753 to 1758.

Throughout history, variations in the spelling of the surname have been observed, including Ponyton, Poynton, Poyntz, and Poineton, reflecting the fluid nature of English orthography during those times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Poynton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Poynton 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. Leicestershire leads with 79 Poyntons recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.64x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 79 14.64x
Staffordshire 69 4.20x
Cheshire 66 6.14x
Lancashire 56 0.97x
Derbyshire 42 5.51x
Nottinghamshire 27 4.12x
Kent 24 1.45x
Middlesex 21 0.43x
Warwickshire 20 1.63x
Shropshire 18 4.28x
Flintshire 15 11.46x
Somerset 10 1.28x
Yorkshire 10 0.21x
Denbighshire 9 4.89x
Norfolk 7 0.94x
Worcestershire 6 0.94x
Essex 4 0.42x
Glamorgan 4 0.47x
Wiltshire 3 0.70x
Surrey 2 0.08x
Sussex 2 0.24x
Devon 1 0.10x
Dorset 1 0.31x
Hampshire 1 0.10x
Hertfordshire 1 0.30x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashby De La Zouch in Leicestershire leads with 34 Poyntons recorded in 1881 and an index of 271.78x.

Place Total Index
Ashby De La Zouch 34 271.78x
Burton Upon Trent 15 39.02x
West Bromwich 14 14.88x
Birkenhead 13 15.18x
Chester St Oswald 13 66.80x
Coventry St Michael 12 30.43x
Basford 11 36.38x
Bulwell 11 77.14x
Burntwood Edial 11 104.76x
St Martin 11 234.04x
Blackfordby 10 581.40x
Horninglow 10 129.20x
Chester St Michael 9 708.66x
Eccleston In Prescot 9 31.03x
Kelston 9 2903.23x
Sutton In Macclesfield 9 80.72x
Coventry Holy Trinity 8 21.83x
Derby St Werburgh 8 18.18x
Hulme 8 6.63x
Leicester St Mary 7 16.06x
Liverpool 7 2.00x
Loughborough 7 28.58x
Plumstead 7 12.64x
Seals 7 368.42x
Smisby 7 1428.57x
Thurning 7 2413.79x
Bangor Is Y Coed 6 895.52x
Church Gresley 6 49.51x
Congleton 6 32.33x
Lewisham 6 6.78x
Newton 6 13.48x
Westminster St 6 33.44x
Barton Upon Irwell 5 11.50x
Greenwich 5 6.45x
Hartshorn 5 173.61x
Holywell 5 30.43x
Leicester St Margaret 5 3.80x
Litchurch 5 16.30x
Macclesfield 5 10.47x
Manchester 5 1.92x
North Bierley 5 19.20x
Wrexham Regis 5 36.63x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.89x
Cardiff St John 4 14.45x
Shifnal 4 35.03x
Tenterden 4 68.26x
Walthamstow 4 11.57x
Whitwick 4 58.31x
Wolstanton 4 8.02x
Alvechurch 3 111.11x
Derby St Alkmund 3 13.13x
Kensington London 3 1.11x
Market Bosworth 3 153.85x
Nether Hallam 3 4.60x
Oldbury 3 9.59x
Salford 3 1.77x
Shenstone 3 71.77x
Snenton 3 11.64x
Wolstanton Thursfield 3 150.75x
Arclid 2 370.37x
Ardwick 2 3.84x
Bradford 2 1.71x
Castle Northwich 2 56.18x
Chester St Mary On Hill 2 21.69x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.18x
Derby St Peter 2 8.24x
Hastings Holy Trinity 2 33.06x
Heather 2 270.27x
Hyde 2 6.31x
Islington London 2 0.42x
Lambeth 2 0.47x
Lichfield St Mary 2 42.19x
Lullington 2 161.29x
Marlborough 2 277.78x
Nottingham St Mary 2 1.18x
Stansty 2 98.52x
Tamworth 2 22.75x
Wednesbury 2 4.87x
Whitechapel London 2 4.17x
Broughton In Salford 1 1.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 28
George 26
John 24
Thomas 17
Joseph 13
Arthur 11
James 11
Edward 10
Richard 10
Charles 9
Samuel 7
Harry 6
Henry 6
Wm. 5
Albert 4
Alfred 4
Frank 4
Frederick 4
Walter 4
Herbert 3
Robert 3
Christopher 2
Ernest 2
Fredrick 2
Josiah 2
Alexander 1
Benjamin 1
Birch 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Dan. 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Emund 1
Enoch 1
Francis 1
Fred. 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Fredric 1
Haywood 1
Horace 1
Joshua 1
Lancelot 1
Lawrence 1
Louis 1
Michael 1
Percival 1
Peter 1

FAQ

Poynton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Poynton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 505 people were recorded with the Poynton surname. That placed it at #6,730 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Poynton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,020 in 2016. That gives Poynton a modern rank of #5,714.

What does the Poynton surname mean?

An English place surname derived from the town of Poynton in Cheshire.

What does the Poynton map show?

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