NameCensus.

UK surname

Sephton

A locational surname originating from Sephton, near Liverpool, England.

In the 1881 census there were 779 people recorded with the Sephton surname, ranking it #4,763 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,067, ranked #5,479, down from #4,763 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rufford, Foleshill and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Lancashire and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Sephton is 1,192 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.0%.

1881 census count

779

Ranked #4,763

Modern count

1,067

2016, ranked #5,479

Peak year

1999

1,192 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Sephton had 779 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,763 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,067 in 2016, ranked #5,479.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,117 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Sephton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Sephton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Sephton 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 444 #5,543
1861 historical 507 #5,159
1881 historical 779 #4,763
1891 historical 870 #4,725
1901 historical 976 #4,850
1911 historical 1,117 #4,159
1997 modern 1,165 #4,842
1998 modern 1,166 #5,003
1999 modern 1,192 #4,961
2000 modern 1,166 #5,024
2001 modern 1,134 #5,049
2002 modern 1,172 #5,005
2003 modern 1,148 #5,001
2004 modern 1,117 #5,123
2005 modern 1,087 #5,174
2006 modern 1,104 #5,125
2007 modern 1,090 #5,225
2008 modern 1,090 #5,259
2009 modern 1,117 #5,248
2010 modern 1,148 #5,251
2011 modern 1,128 #5,258
2012 modern 1,097 #5,303
2013 modern 1,112 #5,322
2014 modern 1,102 #5,393
2015 modern 1,086 #5,404
2016 modern 1,067 #5,479

Geography

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Where Sephtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rufford, Foleshill, Liverpool, Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken and Ormskirk. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Lancashire and St. Helens. 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 Rufford Lancashire
2 Foleshill Warwickshire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
5 Ormskirk Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Lancashire 003 West Lancashire
2 St. Helens 004 St. Helens
3 St. Helens 001 St. Helens
4 St. Helens 012 St. Helens
5 St. Helens 016 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Sephton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Sephton

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Sephton 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

Sephton 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

Sephton 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 Sephton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Sephton

The surname Sephton originates from England, specifically from the Lancashire region, and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "sceap" meaning sheep and "tun" meaning farm or enclosure, suggesting that the name may have initially referred to a sheep farm or a place where sheep were kept.

The earliest known record of the name Sephton can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire from the year 1176, where it was spelled as "Schepeton." Over time, the spelling evolved to its current form, Sephton. This surname is also closely related to the place name Sephton, a small village located in the metropolitan borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Sephton was Richard de Sephton, who lived in the 13th century and was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1246. Another notable bearer of the name was John Sephton, a prominent merchant and landowner from Liverpool, who lived in the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name Sephton appeared in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Lancashire in 1663, indicating the presence of households with this surname in the region during that time period.

A famous figure with the surname Sephton was Sir Robert Sephton (1808-1891), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and was knighted in 1869 for his services. He played a significant role in the Crimean War and the Second Opium War.

Another notable individual was Henry Sephton (1842-1916), a British architect and surveyor who was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Liverpool, including the Philharmonic Hall and the Royal Court Theatre.

Robert Sephton (1874-1956) was a British politician and trade unionist who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament for the Liverpool Kirkdale constituency from 1923 to 1931.

The name Sephton has also been found in various historical records and documents throughout the centuries, further solidifying its English origins and long-standing presence in the Lancashire region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Sephton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Sephton 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 603 Sephtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.69x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 603 6.69x
Warwickshire 56 2.92x
Yorkshire 45 0.60x
Cheshire 32 1.91x
Derbyshire 8 0.67x
Staffordshire 8 0.31x
Buckinghamshire 6 1.31x
Worcestershire 6 0.60x
Middlesex 5 0.07x
Durham 4 0.18x
Denbighshire 2 0.70x
Leicestershire 2 0.24x
Isle of Man 1 0.71x
Midlothian 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Windle in Lancashire leads with 84 Sephtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 165.55x.

Place Total Index
Windle 84 165.55x
Sutton 43 142.20x
Eccleston In Prescot 35 77.31x
Foleshill 35 173.61x
Rufford 34 1440.68x
Liverpool 24 4.38x
Scarisbrick 24 229.23x
Halsall 22 617.98x
Prescot 22 134.89x
Rainford 20 205.13x
Everton 18 6.26x
Sowe 18 521.74x
Lathom 16 146.92x
Aughton 15 167.97x
Newton In Makerfield 15 54.33x
Runcorn 15 38.79x
Huyton With Roby 14 132.45x
Great Bolton 13 10.88x
Downholland 11 880.00x
Walton On Hill 11 22.52x
Bickerstaffe 10 169.49x
Castleford 10 36.47x
Leeds 10 2.35x
Parr 10 31.00x
Pemberton 10 27.82x
Burtonwood 9 271.90x
Preston 9 3.73x
Thornton In Craven 9 149.01x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 9 34.67x
Wolverhampton 8 4.06x
Garston 7 26.31x
Lydiate 7 249.11x
Salford 7 2.64x
Wrightington 7 177.67x
Atherton 6 18.28x
Little Bolton 6 5.18x
Monks Coppenhall 6 9.48x
Oldbury 6 12.29x
Wavertree 6 20.79x
West Derby 6 2.27x
Hunslet 5 4.26x
Ormskirk 5 28.99x
Simonswood 5 413.22x
Wolverton 5 52.58x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 2.03x
Bedford 4 21.21x
Bredbury 4 41.19x
Culcheth 4 67.68x
Hindley 4 10.40x
Hulme 4 2.12x
Kirkdale 4 2.64x
Knowsley 4 122.70x
Maghull 4 106.95x
Mile End Old Town 4 3.33x
Nether Hallam 4 3.93x
Sefton 4 400.00x
Stockton On Tees 4 3.67x
Ulverston 4 15.23x
Walton Le Dale 4 16.51x
Whitwood 4 37.38x
Hale 3 51.81x
Litchurch 3 6.27x
Warrington 3 2.81x
Birkdale 2 8.76x
Brinnington 2 12.76x
Chorley 2 3.95x
Derby St Alkmund 2 5.61x
Derby St Werburgh 2 2.91x
Doncaster 2 3.64x
Great Crosby 2 8.14x
Llandrillo Yn Rhos 2 47.06x
North Meols 2 2.27x
Ardwick 1 1.23x
Birmingham 1 0.16x
Chellaston 1 76.92x
Coventry St Michael 1 1.62x
Edinburgh St Marys 1 5.05x
Kimberworth 1 2.39x
St Pancras London 1 0.16x
Winwick With Hulme 1 78.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 67
Elizabeth 41
Ann 26
Margaret 25
Sarah 25
Ellen 22
Alice 21
Jane 20
Annie 15
Martha 9
Catherine 7
Eliza 7
Hannah 7
Lucy 6
Emma 4
Fanny 4
Agnes 3
Esther 3
Frances 3
Isabella 3
Louisa 3
Nancy 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Catharine 2
Dorothy 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Jessie 2
Laura 2
Maria 2
Rachael 2
Rachel 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Sybil 2
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Eliz. 1
Eliz.Jane 1
Eva 1
Faith 1
Lillie 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Lizzy 1
Lottie 1
Zillah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 62
William 47
James 46
Thomas 35
Richard 25
Henry 17
George 16
Edward 15
Joseph 15
Robert 13
Peter 8
Thos. 5
Wm. 5
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Francis 4
Charles 3
Hugh 3
Walter 3
Abraham 2
Albert 2
Edwin 2
Frederick 2
Luke 2
Nathan 2
Ralph 2
Samuel 2
Tom 2
Chris. 1
Edmund 1
Fred 1
Geo.H. 1
Geo.Robert 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Ht. 1
Ingram 1
J. 1
Jno. 1
Jno.Wm. 1
Joshua 1
Mark 1
Oliver 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Richd. 1
Robt. 1
Robt.Poole 1
Septamas 1
Tho. 1

FAQ

Sephton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Sephton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 779 people were recorded with the Sephton surname. That placed it at #4,763 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Sephton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,067 in 2016. That gives Sephton a modern rank of #5,479.

What does the Sephton surname mean?

A locational surname originating from Sephton, near Liverpool, England.

What does the Sephton map show?

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