NameCensus.

UK surname

Seaton

A locational surname referring to someone who lived by the sea or a body of water.

In the 1881 census there were 2,536 people recorded with the Seaton surname, ranking it #1,761 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,235, ranked #2,103, down from #1,761 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, London parishes and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Aylesbury Vale, Charnwood and Redcar and Cleveland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Seaton is 3,361 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.6%.

1881 census count

2,536

Ranked #1,761

Modern count

3,235

2016, ranked #2,103

Peak year

2010

3,361 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Seaton had 2,536 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,761 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,235 in 2016, ranked #2,103.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,085 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Seaton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Seaton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Seaton 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 1,719 #1,677
1861 historical 1,873 #1,547
1881 historical 2,536 #1,761
1891 historical 2,738 #1,723
1901 historical 3,085 #1,812
1911 historical 2,689 #1,925
1997 modern 3,170 #2,028
1998 modern 3,297 #2,030
1999 modern 3,352 #2,020
2000 modern 3,293 #2,045
2001 modern 3,200 #2,061
2002 modern 3,272 #2,057
2003 modern 3,200 #2,053
2004 modern 3,198 #2,050
2005 modern 3,215 #2,023
2006 modern 3,198 #2,039
2007 modern 3,212 #2,051
2008 modern 3,256 #2,046
2009 modern 3,328 #2,054
2010 modern 3,361 #2,074
2011 modern 3,311 #2,071
2012 modern 3,251 #2,069
2013 modern 3,290 #2,085
2014 modern 3,310 #2,086
2015 modern 3,256 #2,099
2016 modern 3,235 #2,103

Geography

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Where Seatons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, London parishes, Govan Combination and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Aylesbury Vale, Charnwood, Redcar and Cleveland and Pitlochry. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Aylesbury Vale 004 Aylesbury Vale
2 Charnwood 011 Charnwood
3 Redcar and Cleveland 018 Redcar and Cleveland
4 Pitlochry Perth and Kinross
5 Aylesbury Vale 021 Aylesbury Vale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Seaton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Seaton

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Seaton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Seaton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Seaton 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

Seaton is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Seaton

The surname Seaton is of English origin, derived from various place names in different parts of England. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Seton" or "Seetone".

The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "sæ" meaning "sea" and "tun" meaning "town" or "enclosure". This suggests that the name was initially given to individuals who lived in towns or settlements located near the sea or along the coast.

In addition to its English roots, the surname Seaton also has connections to Scotland. It is thought to have been derived from the Scottish town of Seaton, located near Arbroath in Angus. This town was initially called "Seton" and was likely named after a nearby sea inlet or coastal area.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Seaton was William de Seton (c. 1200-1258), a Scottish nobleman who held lands in East Lothian and served as a knight under King Alexander II of Scotland.

Another notable figure was Sir John Seaton (c. 1334-1390), a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He was rewarded with lands in East Lothian for his loyalty and became the progenitor of the Setons of Winton.

In England, the surname Seaton was often associated with various place names, such as Seaton in Devon, Seaton in Cumbria, and Seaton in Northumberland. These place names likely contributed to the surname's spread and variations in spelling.

One prominent English bearer of the name was George Seaton (1548-1610), an English playwright and poet who was a member of Queen Elizabeth I's court. He is best known for his work "The Life of Christ" and other religious poems.

Another notable figure was Sir John Seaton (1572-1616), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1614. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers and played a significant role in the affairs of the City of London.

Throughout history, the surname Seaton has been spelled in various ways, including Seton, Seaton, Seatoun, and Seatton, reflecting its diverse geographical origins and regional variations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Seaton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Seaton 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 350 Seatons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.43x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 350 1.43x
Middlesex 220 0.89x
Lanarkshire 155 1.94x
Northamptonshire 130 5.59x
Lancashire 120 0.41x
Perthshire 120 10.82x
Surrey 109 0.91x
Lincolnshire 108 2.73x
Kent 101 1.20x
Leicestershire 92 3.36x
Midlothian 85 2.57x
Warwickshire 75 1.20x
Buckinghamshire 60 4.02x
Cheshire 48 0.88x
Staffordshire 48 0.58x
Rutland 47 25.91x
Nottinghamshire 46 1.38x
Derbyshire 42 1.09x
Angus 39 1.70x
Kirkcudbrightshire 39 10.90x
Ayrshire 37 2.00x
Durham 36 0.49x
Essex 34 0.70x
Huntingdonshire 34 6.93x
Dumfriesshire 31 5.68x
Hertfordshire 30 1.76x
Devon 27 0.52x
Glamorgan 27 0.63x
Northumberland 24 0.65x
Sussex 23 0.55x
Fife 22 1.50x
Hampshire 20 0.39x
Cambridgeshire 19 1.21x
Norfolk 15 0.39x
Cumberland 14 0.66x
Gloucestershire 12 0.25x
Renfrewshire 11 0.57x
Worcestershire 10 0.31x
Caernarfonshire 8 0.80x
Dunbartonshire 8 1.20x
East Lothian 8 2.44x
Oxfordshire 8 0.52x
Herefordshire 5 0.49x
Selkirkshire 5 2.24x
Wiltshire 4 0.18x
Roxburghshire 3 0.67x
Berkshire 2 0.11x
Clackmannanshire 2 0.98x
Cornwall 2 0.07x
Stirlingshire 2 0.22x
Westmorland 2 0.37x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.04x
Banffshire 1 0.20x
Berwickshire 1 0.33x
Caithness 1 0.30x
Cardiganshire 1 0.17x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.10x
Dorset 1 0.06x
Inverness-shire 1 0.14x
Monmouthshire 1 0.06x
Ross-shire 1 0.15x
Royal Navy 1 0.34x
Somerset 1 0.03x
Suffolk 1 0.03x
Sutherland 1 0.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Welford in Northamptonshire leads with 57 Seatons recorded in 1881 and an index of 724.27x.

Place Total Index
Welford 57 724.27x
Barony 55 2.72x
Govan 54 2.73x
St Pancras London 49 2.46x
Stockport 39 13.89x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 35 2.63x
Moulin 30 171.23x
Brightside Bierlow 28 5.83x
Lewisham 28 6.23x
Sheffield 28 3.59x
North Leith 27 17.63x
Peterborough 27 16.05x
Gedney Hill 26 938.63x
Glasgow 23 1.62x
Billesdon 22 309.86x
Lambeth 22 1.02x
Hornsey 21 6.72x
Battersea 20 2.20x
Camberwell 20 1.27x
West Ham 20 1.86x
Crowle 19 79.00x
Oldham 19 2.01x
Wigston Magna 19 52.28x
Cargill 17 147.19x
Fulham London 16 4.46x
Kensington London 16 1.16x
Liff Benvie 16 4.60x
Uppingham 16 73.97x
Barr 15 295.86x
Birmingham 15 0.72x
Dull 15 67.48x
Gorton 15 5.44x
Holy Trinity 15 2.55x
Leeds 15 1.08x
Middlesbrough 15 4.70x
Chatham 14 6.04x
Eckington 14 14.90x
Nottingham St Mary 14 1.63x
Leicester St Mary 13 5.87x
Snenton 13 9.94x
Southam 13 85.87x
Ashton Under Lyne 12 1.87x
Great Raveley 12 697.67x
Leamington 12 29.06x
Sculcoates 12 3.09x
Brighton 11 1.31x
Bristol St James St Paul 11 6.81x
Kirkmichael 11 152.78x
Portsea 11 1.11x
Rotherhithe 11 3.60x
Sibbertoft 11 445.34x
Woolwich 11 3.53x
Margam 10 20.84x
Warwick St Mary 10 18.48x
Aylesbury 9 13.60x
Bisbrooke 9 396.48x
Burton Upon Trent 9 4.61x
Chesterfield 9 6.21x
Dundee 9 1.05x
East Barnet 9 26.64x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 9 7.89x
Nuthall 9 72.06x
Pannal 9 38.30x
Skelton In Guisbrough 9 13.59x
Southcoates 9 6.62x
West Butterwick With 9 147.54x
Wisbech St Peter 9 11.47x
Wortley In Bramley 9 4.64x
Benfieldside 8 16.55x
Bow London 8 2.54x
Doncaster 8 4.47x
Handsworth 8 3.89x
Islington London 8 0.33x
Kippax 8 37.16x
Lanark 8 12.44x
Pistill 8 104.03x
Radcliffe 8 5.66x
Rickmansworth 8 17.06x
West Malling 8 42.15x
Wing 8 295.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 118
John 112
Thomas 62
George 61
James 52
Henry 42
Arthur 34
Robert 34
Edward 29
Joseph 28
Charles 26
Walter 23
Frederick 22
Richard 22
Albert 15
Alfred 15
Samuel 13
Harry 12
Frank 11
Herbert 9
Ernest 8
Benjamin 7
Francis 7
Fredrick 6
Jesse 6
Wm. 6
Edwin 5
Daniel 4
David 4
Chas. 3
Jonathan 3
Peter 3
Willm. 3
Abraham 2
Alexander 2
Claude 2
Douglas 2
Edmund 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Hugh 2
Hy. 2
Josiah 2
Leamond 2
Lucy 2
Phillip 2
R. 2
Reuben 2

FAQ

Seaton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Seaton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,536 people were recorded with the Seaton surname. That placed it at #1,761 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Seaton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,235 in 2016. That gives Seaton a modern rank of #2,103.

What does the Seaton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived by the sea or a body of water.

What does the Seaton map show?

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