NameCensus.

UK surname

Scruton

A locational name referring to someone from Scruton, a village in North Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 532 people recorded with the Scruton surname, ranking it #6,457 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 511, ranked #9,834, down from #6,457 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall, St Maurice in the Suburbs and St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ryedale, Selby and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Scruton is 691 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.9%.

1881 census count

532

Ranked #6,457

Modern count

511

2016, ranked #9,834

Peak year

1911

691 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Scruton had 532 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,457 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 511 in 2016, ranked #9,834.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 691 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Scruton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Scruton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Scruton 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 344 #6,842
1861 historical 243 #10,116
1881 historical 532 #6,457
1891 historical 493 #7,514
1901 historical 621 #6,877
1911 historical 691 #6,145
1997 modern 582 #8,320
1998 modern 596 #8,434
1999 modern 601 #8,430
2000 modern 602 #8,402
2001 modern 587 #8,424
2002 modern 596 #8,501
2003 modern 578 #8,546
2004 modern 579 #8,550
2005 modern 542 #8,887
2006 modern 544 #8,890
2007 modern 549 #8,916
2008 modern 549 #8,978
2009 modern 556 #9,093
2010 modern 562 #9,200
2011 modern 554 #9,212
2012 modern 524 #9,541
2013 modern 526 #9,664
2014 modern 523 #9,770
2015 modern 521 #9,722
2016 modern 511 #9,834

Geography

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Where Scrutons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall, St Maurice in the Suburbs, St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles, London parishes and Beverley St Martin and St Nicholas. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ryedale, Selby, East Riding of Yorkshire, Lincoln and Salford. 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 Knaresborough (Bilton and Harrogate, Scriven with Tentergate, Knaresborough), Pannall Yorkshire, West Riding
2 St Maurice in the Suburbs Yorkshire, East Riding
3 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding
4 London parishes London 2
5 Beverley St Martin and St Nicholas Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ryedale 004 Ryedale
2 Selby 010 Selby
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 026 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Lincoln 010 Lincoln
5 Salford 019 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Scruton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Scruton

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Scruton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Scruton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Scruton is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

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

Scruton is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Scruton falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Scruton

The surname Scruton originates from England and dates back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words 'scrot' and 'tun,' which translates to 'rugged or overgrown hamlet.' This suggests that the name was initially associated with a specific location or settlement characterized by its rugged or overgrown surroundings.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Scruton can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where it appears as 'Scruton.' This historical document is a valuable source for tracing the origins and distribution of surnames in medieval England.

The Scruton surname is also linked to several place names in England, particularly in Yorkshire. The village of Scruton, located near Northallerton, is believed to be the primary source of the surname. Additionally, there are records of individuals bearing the name Scruton living in nearby villages such as Leeming and Bedale during the 13th and 14th centuries.

In terms of historical figures, one notable bearer of the surname was Richard Scruton (c. 1440-1510), an English priest and theologian who served as the Chancellor of Oxford University from 1497 to 1499. Another prominent individual was Sir John Scruton (1587-1652), a Member of Parliament and landowner from Yorkshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Scruton family established themselves as landowners and gentry in various parts of Yorkshire. One notable member was Robert Scruton (1616-1684), a wealthy landowner and Justice of the Peace who played a role in the English Civil War.

In the 19th century, Roger Scruton (1815-1888) was a prominent architect and surveyor from Yorkshire, known for his work on several churches and public buildings in the region.

More recently, the philosopher and writer Sir Roger Scruton (1944-2020) gained international recognition for his contributions to the fields of aesthetics, political philosophy, and conservative thought. He was knighted in 2016 for his services to philosophy, teaching, and public education.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Scruton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Scruton 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. Yorkshire leads with 423 Scrutons recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.29x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 423 8.29x
Middlesex 39 0.76x
Lancashire 17 0.28x
Essex 12 1.18x
Surrey 10 0.40x
Lincolnshire 7 0.85x
Worcestershire 6 0.89x
Buckinghamshire 4 1.28x
Durham 3 0.20x
Hertfordshire 2 0.56x
Berkshire 1 0.26x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Kent 1 0.06x
Somerset 1 0.12x
Sussex 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Beverley St Martin in Yorkshire leads with 29 Scrutons recorded in 1881 and an index of 340.38x.

Place Total Index
Beverley St Martin 29 340.38x
Knaresborough 23 286.78x
Beeston 22 426.36x
Leeds 19 6.59x
Bradford 18 14.57x
York St Maurice 18 187.30x
Patrington 16 661.16x
Wortley In Bramley 16 39.58x
Holy Trinity 14 11.40x
Islington London 12 2.40x
Allerton Mauleverer Cum 11 2391.30x
Bowling 10 19.78x
Limehouse London 10 17.69x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 9.65x
Watton 10 1785.71x
Hunslet 9 11.31x
Walthamstow 9 24.60x
York St Helen On Walls 9 1071.43x
Barton Upon Irwell 8 17.39x
Clifton In York 8 74.98x
Goole 8 93.57x
Eastrington 7 1044.78x
Farnley In Bramley 7 109.89x
Sculcoates 7 8.65x
York St Giles In 7 145.53x
York St Margaret 7 221.52x
York St Mary 7 33.11x
Beverley St Nicholas 6 143.20x
Bramley In Bramley 6 30.71x
Cotness 6 12000.00x
Kings Norton 6 9.95x
Middlesbrough 6 9.03x
St Pancras London 6 1.45x
West Tanfield 6 618.56x
Wigton 6 1363.64x
Goldsborough 5 1315.79x
Halifax 5 6.67x
Minskip 5 1282.05x
Saltmarshe 5 3846.15x
Etton 4 454.55x
Fxhls Bythrp Btrwch 4 533.33x
Sheffield 4 2.46x
Tholthorpe 4 1111.11x
Warter 4 373.83x
Wavertree 4 20.45x
York St Michael Le 4 242.42x
Altofts 3 53.29x
Barton St Mary St Peter 3 196.08x
Crumpsall 3 20.83x
Darlington 3 5.07x
Roecliffe 3 697.67x
St Nicholas Lincoln 3 38.12x
Upton Cum Chalvey 3 24.17x
West Ham 3 1.34x
York St Nicholas In 3 104.53x
Acomb 2 74.91x
Beverley St Mary 2 26.85x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 2 11.45x
Elloughton Cum Brough 2 127.39x
Great Ouseburn 2 227.27x
Hutton Cranswick 2 93.02x
Mile End Old Town 2 2.46x
New Village 2 130.72x
North Mimms 2 89.29x
Pickering 2 31.10x
Pocklington 2 41.49x
Skelton In Howden 2 487.80x
Spitalfields London 2 5.16x
Sunbury 2 32.31x
Westminster St James 2 3.78x
Whitechapel London 2 3.94x
Woodmansey Cum Beverley 2 208.33x
Cantley 1 101.01x
Great Grimsby 1 1.91x
Hessle In Sculcoates 1 22.17x
Hornsea 1 30.86x
Keyingham 1 90.09x
Scarborough 1 2.16x
Selby 1 9.37x
Wooburn 1 23.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 31
Elizabeth 22
Sarah 18
Jane 17
Annie 15
Ann 11
Hannah 11
Eliza 6
Harriet 6
Margaret 6
Caroline 5
Emily 5
Emma 5
Fanny 5
Isabella 5
Amelia 4
Frances 4
Maria 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Ellen 3
Florence 3
Amy 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Eveline 2
Francis 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Harriett 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Lily 2
Phillis 2
Rebecca 2
Adelaide 1
Allice 1
Beatrice 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emley 1
Emmeline 1
Helen 1
Hellenor 1
Henrietta 1
Tamar 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 44
William 41
George 21
Thomas 18
Robert 12
James 10
Henry 8
Joseph 7
Richard 7
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
Albert 4
Charles 4
Edward 4
Samuel 4
Tom 4
Walter 4
Daniel 3
Edwin 3
Fred 3
Frederick 3
Herbert 3
Matthew 3
Harold 2
Harry 2
Robt. 2
Thos. 2
Wilfred 2
Charley 1
Danl. 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Howard 1
Hy. 1
Jabez 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Luther 1
Macgegor 1
Mathew 1
Oliver 1
Richd. 1
Richmond 1
Rimmington 1
Walker 1
Wallace 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Scruton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Scruton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 532 people were recorded with the Scruton surname. That placed it at #6,457 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Scruton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 511 in 2016. That gives Scruton a modern rank of #9,834.

What does the Scruton surname mean?

A locational name referring to someone from Scruton, a village in North Yorkshire, England.

What does the Scruton map show?

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