NameCensus.

UK surname

Sefton

From a place name in Merseyside, derived from Old English words meaning "settlement by the flat pool".

In the 1881 census there were 988 people recorded with the Sefton surname, ranking it #3,949 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,377, ranked #4,382, down from #3,949 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, Liverpool and West Derby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool, Barnsley and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sefton is 1,478 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.4%.

1881 census count

988

Ranked #3,949

Modern count

1,377

2016, ranked #4,382

Peak year

2010

1,478 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sefton had 988 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,949 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,377 in 2016, ranked #4,382.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,151 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Sefton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sefton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sefton 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 532 #4,724
1861 historical 480 #5,436
1881 historical 988 #3,949
1891 historical 1,100 #3,845
1901 historical 1,151 #4,229
1911 historical 1,131 #4,117
1997 modern 1,416 #4,104
1998 modern 1,433 #4,202
1999 modern 1,445 #4,205
2000 modern 1,408 #4,267
2001 modern 1,361 #4,298
2002 modern 1,418 #4,251
2003 modern 1,363 #4,311
2004 modern 1,389 #4,252
2005 modern 1,366 #4,274
2006 modern 1,384 #4,233
2007 modern 1,410 #4,206
2008 modern 1,426 #4,200
2009 modern 1,458 #4,205
2010 modern 1,478 #4,237
2011 modern 1,458 #4,231
2012 modern 1,428 #4,237
2013 modern 1,441 #4,275
2014 modern 1,422 #4,340
2015 modern 1,382 #4,396
2016 modern 1,377 #4,382

Geography

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Where Seftons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, Liverpool, West Derby, Blackburn and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Liverpool, Barnsley, North Lincolnshire 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 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
2 Liverpool Lancashire
3 West Derby Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Liverpool 020 Liverpool
2 Barnsley 018 Barnsley
3 Liverpool 001 Liverpool
4 North Lincolnshire 008 North Lincolnshire
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 011 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sefton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sefton

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Sefton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Sefton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sefton 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

Sefton 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

Sefton 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 Sefton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Sefton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Sefton

The surname Sefton has its origins in England, specifically in the northwestern county of Lancashire. It is believed to have derived from the place name "Sefton", which is a village located a few miles northeast of Liverpool. The name Sefton is thought to have originated from the Old English words "soefen" meaning "plain" and "tun" meaning "settlement", essentially translating to "settlement on the plain".

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror, the village of Sefton is recorded as "Sextone". This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time. The Sefton family is believed to have been among the original landowners of the village, leading to their adoption of the place name as their surname.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Sefton was William de Sefton, who was mentioned in a charter dated around 1190. Another early record is of Richard de Sefton, who was listed in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1246.

In the 14th century, the Sefton family acquired the nearby manor of Ince Blundell, and their descendants continued to hold significant landholdings in the area for several centuries. Notable members of the Sefton family include Sir William Sefton (c. 1420-1490), who served as the Sheriff of Lancashire, and his son Sir Richard Sefton (c. 1460-1530), who was knighted for his service to King Henry VIII.

Another prominent figure bearing the Sefton name was Sir William Philip Molyneux Sefton (1772-1838), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath for his distinguished service.

In the realm of literature, the English novelist and playwright Elizabeth Inchbald (1753-1821), born Elizabeth Simpson, married actor Joseph Inchbald, whose birth name was Joseph Sefton.

The Sefton family also lent their name to various place names in the region, such as Sefton Park in Liverpool and the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, which encompasses the town of Sefton and surrounding areas.

Overall, the surname Sefton has a rich history rooted in the English county of Lancashire, with its origins tracing back to a settlement on a plain and evolving into a prominent family name associated with landholdings, military service, and literary figures over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sefton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sefton 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 531 Seftons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.66x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 531 4.66x
Yorkshire 107 1.12x
Worcestershire 65 5.19x
Cheshire 64 3.02x
Middlesex 37 0.39x
Warwickshire 18 0.74x
Herefordshire 17 4.32x
Glamorgan 16 0.96x
Surrey 14 0.30x
Staffordshire 12 0.37x
Essex 9 0.48x
Flintshire 9 3.49x
Kent 9 0.27x
Lanarkshire 8 0.26x
Northumberland 8 0.56x
Norfolk 7 0.47x
Sussex 7 0.43x
Hampshire 5 0.25x
Northamptonshire 5 0.55x
Leicestershire 4 0.38x
Lincolnshire 4 0.26x
Midlothian 4 0.31x
Shropshire 4 0.48x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.34x
Anglesey 3 1.76x
Somerset 3 0.19x
Berkshire 2 0.28x
Durham 2 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.15x
Suffolk 2 0.17x
Derbyshire 1 0.07x
Gloucestershire 1 0.05x
Oxfordshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 69 Seftons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.97x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 69 9.97x
West Derby 31 9.30x
Runcorn 23 47.08x
Oswaldtwistle 17 42.25x
Preston 17 5.58x
Salford 17 5.07x
Toxteth Park 17 4.41x
Blackburn 15 4.95x
Knottingley 15 89.71x
Chorley 14 21.91x
Everton 14 3.86x
Manchester 13 2.54x
Worcester St Peter 13 54.78x
Birmingham 12 1.49x
Dewsbury 12 12.30x
Kirkdale 12 6.26x
Droylsden 11 29.60x
Nortonwith 11 567.01x
Stockport 11 10.09x
Clitheroe 10 29.83x
Hackney London 10 1.86x
Henheads 10 1298.70x
Hulme 10 4.21x
Litherland 10 42.00x
Parr 10 24.54x
Pennington In Leigh 10 45.77x
Tonge With Haulgh 10 45.11x
Accrington 9 8.69x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 3.62x
Leigh 9 59.13x
Little Bolton 9 6.15x
Much Woolton 9 58.21x
Spotland 9 7.11x
St Pancras London 9 1.16x
Worcester St Martin 9 53.22x
Balderstone 8 500.00x
Langfield 8 48.08x
Thornley Cum Wheatley 8 695.65x
Warrington 8 5.92x
Wharton 8 69.32x
Worcester All Sts 8 110.19x
Battersea 7 1.98x
Brotherton 7 183.73x
Ferry Fryston 7 188.68x
Great Crosby 7 22.54x
Murton 7 476.19x
Northop 7 76.59x
Oystermouth 7 54.14x
Penkridge 7 83.73x
Sheffield 7 2.31x
Wigan 7 4.40x
Barnsley 6 6.12x
North Meols 6 5.38x
Norwich St Stephen 6 44.28x
Oldham 6 1.63x
Selby 6 30.18x
Sutton In Macclesfield 6 27.29x
Whalley 6 36.14x
Wolferlow 6 1875.00x
Worcester St John 6 40.08x
Addingham 5 70.32x
Birkenhead 5 2.96x
Brighton 5 1.53x
Cheriton 5 37.45x
Clapham 5 4.17x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 2.58x
Kirkby Ireleth 5 88.03x
Low Leyton 5 292.40x
Newcastle Lower 5 143.27x
Pendlebury 5 20.79x
Rothwell 5 26.03x
St Martin In Fields 5 8.70x
Stretford 5 7.98x
Wheelton 5 98.04x
Wollaston 5 62.89x
Worsley 5 7.12x
Great Bolton 4 2.65x
Northborough 4 571.43x
Portsea 4 1.04x
West Calder 4 15.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 75
Elizabeth 48
Sarah 33
Alice 30
Ann 19
Annie 19
Margaret 19
Jane 18
Emily 12
Martha 12
Eliza 11
Emma 11
Ellen 10
Catherine 9
Hannah 9
Amelia 7
Fanny 7
Edith 6
Harriet 6
Maria 6
Agnes 5
Frances 5
Nancy 5
Selina 5
Caroline 4
Clara 4
Elizth. 4
Jessie 4
Kate 4
Ada 3
Amy 3
Harriett 3
Janet 3
Julia 3
Lily 3
Lucy 3
Matilda 3
Anne 2
Bridget 2
Elizh. 2
Esther 2
Gertrude 2
Isabella 2
Louisa 2
Margt. 2
Maud 2
Mgt. 2
Rebecca 2
Elisa 1
Zipparah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 69
William 53
Thomas 51
James 37
George 28
Edward 18
Henry 18
Charles 15
Richard 15
Joseph 13
Robert 13
David 8
Samuel 8
Peter 7
Walter 7
Frederick 6
Albert 5
Edwin 4
Nathan 4
Adam 3
Fred 3
Stephen 3
Wm. 3
Alfred 2
Benjamin 2
Earnest 2
Edmund 2
Enoch 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Jonathan 2
Louis 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Andrew 1
Archie 1
Clare 1
Crook 1
Daniel 1
Elias 1
Eustace 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.A. 1
Geo. 1
Kerin 1
Lawrence 1
Mathew 1
Wm.Alfred 1

FAQ

Sefton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sefton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 988 people were recorded with the Sefton surname. That placed it at #3,949 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sefton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,377 in 2016. That gives Sefton a modern rank of #4,382.

What does the Sefton surname mean?

From a place name in Merseyside, derived from Old English words meaning "settlement by the flat pool".

What does the Sefton map show?

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