NameCensus.

UK surname

Roberton

A locational surname referring to someone hailing from a place named Robert's town or a similar derivation.

In the 1881 census there were 278 people recorded with the Roberton surname, ranking it #10,259 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 468, ranked #10,507, down from #10,259 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newchurch, Southampton St Mary and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Castle Point, East Hampshire and Sefton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Roberton is 622 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 68.3%.

1881 census count

278

Ranked #10,259

Modern count

468

2016, ranked #10,507

Peak year

1891

622 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Roberton had 278 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,259 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 468 in 2016, ranked #10,507.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 622 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Roberton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Roberton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Roberton 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 265 #8,395
1861 historical 481 #5,426
1881 historical 278 #10,259
1891 historical 622 #6,214
1901 historical 390 #9,650
1911 historical 313 #11,108
1997 modern 459 #9,920
1998 modern 463 #10,192
1999 modern 474 #10,055
2000 modern 488 #9,800
2001 modern 470 #9,906
2002 modern 492 #9,741
2003 modern 477 #9,815
2004 modern 467 #10,013
2005 modern 449 #10,230
2006 modern 449 #10,255
2007 modern 454 #10,264
2008 modern 458 #10,276
2009 modern 474 #10,251
2010 modern 479 #10,370
2011 modern 470 #10,432
2012 modern 454 #10,588
2013 modern 460 #10,661
2014 modern 466 #10,608
2015 modern 470 #10,480
2016 modern 468 #10,507

Geography

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Where Robertons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newchurch, Southampton St Mary, Glasgow, St Mary Islington and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Castle Point, East Hampshire, Sefton, Worthing and Trafford. 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 Newchurch Hampshire
2 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Castle Point 004 Castle Point
2 East Hampshire 011 East Hampshire
3 Sefton 016 Sefton
4 Worthing 008 Worthing
5 Trafford 008 Trafford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Roberton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Roberton

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Roberton is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Roberton is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Roberton falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Roberton

The surname Roberton is of Scottish origin, originating from the lands of Robertoun or Robertson in Ayrshire, Scotland. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "rober," meaning "robber," and "tun," meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a settlement or enclosure belonging to someone known as "the robber."

The earliest recorded instance of the name Roberton can be traced back to the 13th century, with mentions in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical record of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. One notable entry is that of John de Robertoun, who was a landowner from Ayrshire during that time.

In the 14th century, the name Roberton appeared in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which were financial records of the Scottish government. This included references to individuals such as Adam de Robertoun, who was a tenant farmer in Lanarkshire in the year 1323.

The Robertons were a prominent family in the Scottish Borders region during the 16th and 17th centuries. One notable member was John Roberton (1506-1572), who served as the Abbot of Paisley Abbey and was a supporter of the Scottish Reformation.

Another famous bearer of the Roberton name was Andrew Roberton (1562-1638), a Scottish theologian and minister who was appointed as the first Principal of the University of Edinburgh in 1620. He played a significant role in establishing the university's curriculum and academic standards.

In the realm of literature, James Roberton (1670-1719) was a Scottish poet and playwright who gained recognition for his work "The Feuds of the Clans" in 1703, which depicted the conflicts between Highland clans in Scotland.

The name Roberton also has connections to various place names in Scotland, such as Roberton Parish in the Scottish Borders and the village of Roberton in South Lanarkshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, reflecting the historical presence of the Roberton family in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Roberton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Roberton 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 53 Robertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.47x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 53 9.47x
Lanarkshire 49 5.55x
Lancashire 21 0.65x
Renfrewshire 20 9.45x
Middlesex 18 0.66x
Sussex 16 3.47x
Roxburghshire 13 26.28x
Durham 10 1.23x
Angus 9 3.56x
Oxfordshire 7 4.15x
Nottinghamshire 6 1.63x
Banffshire 5 8.83x
Buteshire 5 30.21x
Cumberland 5 2.13x
Dunbartonshire 5 6.81x
Stirlingshire 5 4.96x
Ayrshire 4 1.96x
Ross-shire 4 5.33x
Yorkshire 4 0.15x
Herefordshire 3 2.68x
Kent 3 0.32x
Lincolnshire 2 0.46x
Perthshire 2 1.63x
Royal Navy 2 6.14x
Argyllshire 1 1.32x
Berwickshire 1 3.02x
Cheshire 1 0.17x
Devon 1 0.18x
Essex 1 0.19x
Fife 1 0.62x
Midlothian 1 0.27x
Northumberland 1 0.25x
Surrey 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 28 Robertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.52x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 28 25.52x
Barony 18 8.05x
Whippingham 14 330.19x
Brighton 13 13.99x
Govan 12 5.49x
Bromley London 10 16.64x
Abbey 9 27.86x
Glasgow 9 5.74x
Southampton St Mary 9 25.57x
Dundee 8 8.47x
Manchester 8 5.49x
Bothwell 7 29.23x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 7 19.89x
Henley On Thames 7 202.31x
Toxteth Park 7 6.38x
Nottingham St Mary 6 6.30x
Shoreditch London 6 5.07x
Bonhill 5 42.44x
Bute North 5 446.43x
Ednam 5 862.07x
Kelso 5 101.42x
St Fergus 5 349.65x
Glenshiel 4 1000.00x
Inverkip 4 80.16x
Campsie 3 54.25x
Everton 3 2.90x
Kilbarchan 3 46.66x
Linton 3 576.92x
Marstow 3 2307.69x
Rickergate 3 60.24x
Rottingdean 3 191.08x
Westoe 3 6.51x
Boston 2 15.09x
Bradford 2 3.05x
Caldewgate 2 15.53x
Dalziel 2 21.05x
Heaton Norris 2 10.84x
Kilmarnock 2 8.22x
Paisley High Church 2 11.87x
Paisley Low Church 2 29.85x
Royal Navy 2 7.19x
St Pancras London 2 0.91x
Stirling 2 15.75x
Abbotshall 1 16.56x
Armley 1 8.38x
Battersea 1 1.00x
Beckenham 1 8.21x
Boughton Under Blean 1 64.10x
Canterbury St Mary 1 16.00x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.94x
Dawlish 1 23.58x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.68x
Epping 1 45.66x
Holy Rood 1 88.50x
Inchture 1 163.93x
Kilfinan 1 49.26x
Liff Benvie 1 2.60x
North Shields 1 12.33x
Oxton 1 29.33x
Perth Middle Church 1 21.69x
Portsmouth 1 7.76x
Shettleston 1 12.64x
Sorn 1 24.88x
Tarbolton 1 29.76x
Tong 1 19.12x
Westruther 1 158.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 9
Mary 9
Sarah 5
Alice 4
Anna 3
Emma 3
Frances 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Dinah 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Helen 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Augusta 1
Bertha 1
Blanche 1
Elenor 1
Eliza 1
Elsie 1
Estella 1
Fanny 1
Hannah 1
Jeane 1
Jeaunette 1
Katherine 1
Marian 1
Marianne 1
Priscella 1
Selena 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Roberton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Roberton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 278 people were recorded with the Roberton surname. That placed it at #10,259 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Roberton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 468 in 2016. That gives Roberton a modern rank of #10,507.

What does the Roberton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone hailing from a place named Robert's town or a similar derivation.

What does the Roberton map show?

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