NameCensus.

UK surname

Skellington

A surname derived from the word "skeleton", possibly referring to someone of a lean or skinny physique.

In the 1881 census there were 78 people recorded with the Skellington surname, ranking it #22,500 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 90, ranked #32,202, down from #22,500 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Birstall and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Charnwood, Leeds and Blackpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Skellington is 115 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.4%.

1881 census count

78

Ranked #22,500

Modern count

90

2016, ranked #32,202

Peak year

1911

115 bearers

Map years

3

1901 to 1998

Key insights

  • Skellington had 78 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,500 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 90 in 2016, ranked #32,202.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 115 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Skellington surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Skellington surname density by area, 1998 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Skellington 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 59 #22,756
1861 historical 59 #26,466
1881 historical 78 #22,500
1891 historical 85 #26,080
1901 historical 100 #22,863
1911 historical 115 #20,951
1997 modern 98 #27,179
1998 modern 101 #27,479
1999 modern 94 #28,593
2000 modern 94 #28,573
2001 modern 90 #28,793
2002 modern 88 #29,534
2003 modern 91 #29,121
2004 modern 90 #29,481
2005 modern 88 #29,831
2006 modern 87 #30,292
2007 modern 90 #30,228
2008 modern 89 #30,713
2009 modern 88 #31,352
2010 modern 93 #31,239
2011 modern 94 #31,016
2012 modern 95 #31,107
2013 modern 93 #31,785
2014 modern 92 #32,132
2015 modern 93 #31,972
2016 modern 90 #32,202

Geography

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Where Skellingtons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Birstall, Manchester, Gedling and Bingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Charnwood, Leeds, Blackpool and Bradford. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Gedling Nottinghamshire
5 Bingham Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Charnwood 005 Charnwood
2 Charnwood 006 Charnwood
3 Leeds 042 Leeds
4 Blackpool 001 Blackpool
5 Bradford 010 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Skellington

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Skellington

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

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Skellington surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Skellington 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Skellington is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Skellington 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

Skellington falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Skellington

The surname SKELLINGTON has its origins in the medieval period in England, derived from the Old English words "scel" meaning a shed or hut, and "tun" meaning a town or village. It likely referred to someone who lived in a small settlement or hamlet made up of sheds or huts.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Sceldintun" in the county of Norfolk. This suggests the name was already well-established in parts of eastern England by the late 11th century.

Over time, the name evolved in spelling, with variants such as "Skeldinton," "Skeldyngton," and "Skellyngton" appearing in various records from the 13th to 15th centuries. These variations reflect the fluid nature of surname spellings before they became more standardized.

In the 14th century, a notable bearer of the name was John Skellington (c. 1320–1390), a prominent English cleric who served as the Bishop of Carlisle from 1362 until his death. Records indicate he hailed from the village of Skellington in Yorkshire, further reinforcing the name's geographical origins.

Another noteworthy figure was Sir Ralph Skellington (c. 1460–1525), a English knight and landowner who held estates in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. He is mentioned in various legal documents and court records from the late 15th and early 16th centuries.

During the Tudor period, the name appeared in the writings of the poet and playwright John Skelton (c. 1460–1529), who penned satirical works commenting on the politics and society of his time. Although the connection to the surname is unclear, some scholars speculate that he may have adopted the pen name as a play on the word "skellington."

In the 17th century, William Skellington (1615–1677) was a prominent English Puritan minister who served as the Rector of St. Paul's Church in Covent Garden, London. He was known for his fiery sermons and published several religious works during his lifetime.

Moving into the 18th century, one notable bearer of the name was Thomas Skellington (1734–1802), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Freemasons' Hall and the Church of St. Mary-le-Strand.

These examples demonstrate the enduring presence of the SKELLINGTON surname throughout various periods of British history, with bearers hailing from different regions and occupying diverse roles in society, from clergy and nobility to writers and architects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Skellington families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Skellington 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 28 Skellingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.31x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 28 27.31x
Yorkshire 25 3.32x
Lancashire 11 1.22x
Lincolnshire 9 7.40x
Leicestershire 3 3.56x
Cheshire 1 0.60x
Kent 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Drighlington in Yorkshire leads with 10 Skellingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 909.09x.

Place Total Index
Drighlington 10 909.09x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 8 467.84x
Arnold 7 466.67x
Hunslet 7 59.57x
Cropwell Bishop 6 3529.41x
Broughton In Salford 5 60.61x
Radford 5 95.97x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 26.09x
Salford 4 15.07x
Skipton 4 168.78x
Newark Upon Trent 3 81.30x
Whitwick 3 280.37x
Woodborough 3 1304.35x
Stretford 2 40.24x
Bingham 1 227.27x
Carlton 1 85.47x
Chatham 1 14.01x
Knutsford Nether 1 98.04x
Nottingham St Mary 1 3.77x
St Swithin Lincoln 1 52.36x
Weston 1 1111.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Elizabeth 3
Hannah 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alphonsine 1
Amy 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Catherine 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Fiona 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Mary 1
Selina 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
Joseph 6
George 4
William 4
Charles 3
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Richard 2
Thomas 2
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
Christopher 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Mathias 1
Reuben 1
Samuel 1
Simon 1
Thos 1
Thos. 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Skellington households.

FAQ

Skellington surname: questions and answers

How common was the Skellington surname in 1881?

In 1881, 78 people were recorded with the Skellington surname. That placed it at #22,500 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Skellington surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 90 in 2016. That gives Skellington a modern rank of #32,202.

What does the Skellington surname mean?

A surname derived from the word "skeleton", possibly referring to someone of a lean or skinny physique.

What does the Skellington map show?

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