NameCensus.

UK surname

Railton

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a rail or fence.

In the 1881 census there were 790 people recorded with the Railton surname, ranking it #4,709 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,100, ranked #5,343, down from #4,709 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Brampton (including Midgeholme) and Lanercost, Gateshead and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Wakefield and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Railton is 1,160 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.2%.

1881 census count

790

Ranked #4,709

Modern count

1,100

2016, ranked #5,343

Peak year

2013

1,160 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Railton had 790 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,709 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,100 in 2016, ranked #5,343.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,140 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Railton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Railton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Railton 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 548 #4,617
1861 historical 532 #4,936
1881 historical 790 #4,709
1891 historical 878 #4,687
1901 historical 1,018 #4,691
1911 historical 1,140 #4,094
1997 modern 1,068 #5,201
1998 modern 1,122 #5,169
1999 modern 1,129 #5,183
2000 modern 1,129 #5,161
2001 modern 1,110 #5,129
2002 modern 1,135 #5,145
2003 modern 1,082 #5,254
2004 modern 1,057 #5,364
2005 modern 1,032 #5,404
2006 modern 1,043 #5,385
2007 modern 1,073 #5,286
2008 modern 1,057 #5,396
2009 modern 1,110 #5,290
2010 modern 1,128 #5,320
2011 modern 1,105 #5,352
2012 modern 1,096 #5,307
2013 modern 1,160 #5,139
2014 modern 1,153 #5,186
2015 modern 1,115 #5,297
2016 modern 1,100 #5,343

Geography

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Where Railtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Brampton (including Midgeholme) and Lanercost, Gateshead, Manchester, Holme Cultram and Driffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Wakefield and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Brampton (including Midgeholme) and Lanercost Cumberland
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Holme Cultram Cumberland
5 Driffield Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 055 County Durham
2 County Durham 010 County Durham
3 Wakefield 032 Wakefield
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 019 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 020 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Railton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Railton

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Railton 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

Railton 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

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

Meaning and origin of Railton

The surname Railton is of English origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "regn" meaning "reign" and "tun" meaning "farmstead or village," referring to a farm or settlement during a particular reign or rule.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Railton can be found in the Feet of Fines records from Yorkshire in 1301, where a William de Raynton is mentioned. The spelling variations during that time included Raynton, Rayntone, and Rayntoun, indicating the name's locational roots.

The name Railton is closely associated with the village of Rainton in County Durham, which was documented as Reinintun in the Domesday Book of 1086. This village likely served as the original place of residence for some of the earliest bearers of the Railton name.

Notable historical figures with the surname Railton include William Railton (1800-1877), a notable English architect who designed several prominent buildings, including the Nelson Memorial in London's Trafalgar Square. Another individual of note is Arthur Railton (1858-1923), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Brigg.

In the 16th century, a John Railton was recorded as a landowner in the village of Stokesley, Yorkshire. Around the same time, a Thomas Railton was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls for Westmorland in 1543.

Other notable individuals with this surname include James Railton (1781-1845), an English clergyman and author, and William Railton (1825-1901), a British architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

While the Railton name has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and colonization efforts in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Railton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Railton 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 153 Railtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.67x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 153 1.67x
Cumberland 150 22.58x
Yorkshire 147 1.92x
Durham 84 3.66x
Northumberland 50 4.36x
Westmorland 35 20.64x
Cheshire 24 1.41x
Middlesex 20 0.26x
Surrey 20 0.53x
Ayrshire 11 1.90x
Devon 11 0.68x
Monmouthshire 11 1.97x
Sussex 11 0.85x
Oxfordshire 10 2.10x
Suffolk 9 0.96x
Essex 5 0.33x
Glamorgan 5 0.37x
Kent 5 0.19x
Lanarkshire 5 0.20x
Northamptonshire 4 0.55x
Warwickshire 4 0.21x
Berkshire 3 0.52x
Derbyshire 3 0.25x
Gloucestershire 2 0.13x
Isle of Man 2 1.40x
Midlothian 2 0.19x
Berwickshire 1 1.07x
Buteshire 1 2.14x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.20x
Dorset 1 0.20x
Hampshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Driffield in Yorkshire leads with 32 Railtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 203.95x.

Place Total Index
Great Driffield 32 203.95x
Everton 21 7.20x
Blackburn 20 8.21x
Kendal 17 54.77x
Lambeth 17 2.53x
Middleton On Wolds 16 952.38x
Elswick 13 14.19x
Garton On Wolds 13 948.91x
Burton In Lonsdale 12 727.27x
Lambley 12 631.58x
Withington 12 40.69x
Brampton 11 120.75x
Holme East Waver 11 924.37x
Barnard Castle 10 88.11x
Brighton 10 3.81x
Garstang 10 483.09x
Low Holme 10 266.67x
Penrith 10 40.75x
Westoe 10 7.68x
Whiston 10 140.06x
Beverley St Martin 9 70.53x
Kilmarnock 9 13.09x
North Dalton 9 697.67x
Wetheral 9 102.27x
Beverley St Mary 8 71.62x
Bishop Auckland 8 25.97x
Chelsea London 8 3.44x
Chirton 8 30.79x
Gateshead 8 4.65x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 8.05x
Hutton Cranswick 8 248.45x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 8 53.02x
Stockton On Tees 8 7.23x
Temple Sowerby 8 720.72x
Thornton In Fylde 8 39.94x
Torkington 8 1250.00x
Workington 8 21.03x
Chadderton 7 15.64x
E Adderbury 7 291.67x
Moss Side 7 14.53x
Staindrop 7 201.15x
Birkenhead 6 4.42x
Bothel Threapland 6 576.92x
Bridekirk 6 112.99x
Helion Bumpstead 6 292.68x
Lancaster 6 11.01x
Lower Machen 6 218.98x
Manchester 6 1.46x
North Meols 6 6.69x
Northallerton 6 61.48x
Bewaldeth Snittlegarth 5 2083.33x
Byers Green 5 77.16x
Exeter St Mary Steps 5 138.12x
Middleton In Teesdale 5 82.51x
Rokeby 5 961.54x
St Giles 5 34.89x
Stainton 5 225.23x
Stanwix 5 92.94x
Swansea Town 5 4.54x
Torpenhow Whitrigg 5 684.93x
Upleatham 5 387.60x
West Ham 5 1.49x
Westward 5 180.51x
Burton 4 224.72x
Coundon Grange 4 79.37x
Darlington 4 4.51x
Exeter St Edmund 4 115.27x
Flimby 4 71.30x
Graystoke 4 338.98x
Holme 4 194.17x
Middlesbrough 4 4.02x
Oldham 4 1.35x
Sebergham 4 272.11x
Thornton Hough 4 330.58x
Whalley 4 29.99x
Whitehaven 4 11.30x
Chorley In Macclesfield 3 57.80x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 2.06x
Govan 3 0.49x
Stretford 3 5.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 73
Jane 31
Elizabeth 30
Margaret 23
Sarah 23
Annie 15
Isabella 15
Ann 12
Hannah 12
Eliza 9
Emily 8
Ada 7
Ellen 7
Frances 7
Emma 6
Catherine 5
Edith 4
Eleanor 4
Maria 4
Minnie 4
Alice 3
Charlotte 3
Florence 3
Kate 3
Lucy 3
Agnes 2
Alicia 2
Anna 2
Annette 2
Betsy 2
Clara 2
Dinah 2
Fanny 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Harriet 2
Henrietta 2
Jemima 2
Laura 2
Letitia 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Amelia 1
Beatrice 1
Betsey 1
Elith. 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Janess 1
Violetta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 63
William 44
Thomas 30
Robert 28
James 21
Joseph 20
Edward 17
George 16
Henry 13
Isaac 11
Richard 10
Charles 8
David 4
Frederick 4
Albert 3
Alexander 3
Arthur 3
Christopher 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Hugh 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Alfred 2
Chas. 2
Douglas 2
Edgar 2
Fergus 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Jonathan 2
Lancelot 2
Robt. 2
Thew 2
Thos. 2
Bernard 1
Egerton 1
Fargus 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Johnson 1
Launcelot 1
Louis 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Michl.T. 1
Norman 1
Peter 1
Wm.I. 1

FAQ

Railton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Railton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 790 people were recorded with the Railton surname. That placed it at #4,709 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Railton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,100 in 2016. That gives Railton a modern rank of #5,343.

What does the Railton surname mean?

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a rail or fence.

What does the Railton map show?

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