NameCensus.

UK surname

Southerton

A locational surname referring to someone from a place called Southerton.

In the 1881 census there were 170 people recorded with the Southerton surname, ranking it #14,265 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 248, ranked #16,910, down from #14,265 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ribbesford (Bewdley), Abberley, Rock, Stoke-next-Guildford and South Bersted and Bognor. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Cheshire West and Chester and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Southerton is 293 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.9%.

1881 census count

170

Ranked #14,265

Modern count

248

2016, ranked #16,910

Peak year

1999

293 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Southerton had 170 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,265 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 248 in 2016, ranked #16,910.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 285 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Southerton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Southerton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Southerton 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 94 #17,837
1861 historical 160 #14,468
1881 historical 170 #14,265
1891 historical 210 #14,412
1901 historical 268 #12,553
1911 historical 285 #11,837
1997 modern 264 #14,734
1998 modern 282 #14,472
1999 modern 293 #14,175
2000 modern 280 #14,601
2001 modern 289 #14,069
2002 modern 282 #14,585
2003 modern 260 #15,216
2004 modern 277 #14,644
2005 modern 259 #15,294
2006 modern 254 #15,560
2007 modern 258 #15,554
2008 modern 253 #15,941
2009 modern 253 #16,283
2010 modern 254 #16,604
2011 modern 253 #16,493
2012 modern 246 #16,702
2013 modern 251 #16,734
2014 modern 257 #16,598
2015 modern 248 #16,905
2016 modern 248 #16,910

Geography

Back to top

Where Southertons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ribbesford (Bewdley), Abberley, Rock, Stoke-next-Guildford, South Bersted and Bognor, Portsmouth, Portsea and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Cheshire West and Chester, County Durham and South Holland. 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 Ribbesford (Bewdley), Abberley, Rock Worcestershire
2 Stoke-next-Guildford Surrey
3 South Bersted and Bognor Sussex
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 005 Shropshire
2 Cheshire West and Chester 024 Cheshire West and Chester
3 Cheshire West and Chester 019 Cheshire West and Chester
4 County Durham 060 County Durham
5 South Holland 003 South Holland

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Southerton

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Southerton

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Southerton is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Southerton is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Southerton falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Southerton

The surname Southerton originated in England during the late medieval period, derived from the Old English words "sūth" meaning "south" and "tūn" meaning "town" or "settlement." It likely referred to someone who lived in a southerly located town or village.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Sudertun." This entry refers to a settlement in Hampshire, indicating that the name may have originated in that region.

In the 13th century, the name appeared as "Suthertown" in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, suggesting a connection to a town or village in that county. This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during that era.

Notable individuals bearing the Southerton surname include:

1. William Southerton (c. 1460-1534), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire during the reign of Henry VIII.

2. Elizabeth Southerton (1590-1672), a prominent Puritan writer and educator in colonial Massachusetts.

3. John Southerton (1712-1795), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and later became an admiral in the Royal Navy.

4. Mary Southerton (1824-1903), a British philanthropist and advocate for women's education, who founded the Southerton School for Girls in London.

5. Sir Edward Southerton (1856-1928), a British diplomat who served as the Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and later became the Governor of Malta.

Throughout the centuries, the surname Southerton has been associated with various places in England, such as Southerton in Worcestershire, Southerton Hill in Gloucestershire, and Southerton Moor in Lincolnshire. These place names likely contributed to the spread and variations of the surname across different regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Southerton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Southerton 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. Warwickshire leads with 47 Southertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.24x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 47 11.24x
Sussex 31 11.09x
Surrey 26 3.22x
Shropshire 14 9.77x
Worcestershire 9 4.16x
Cheshire 8 2.19x
Devon 8 2.32x
Hampshire 8 2.35x
Staffordshire 7 1.25x
Montgomeryshire 6 15.79x
Lancashire 3 0.15x
Middlesex 2 0.12x
Essex 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 33 Southertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.66x.

Place Total Index
Aston 33 28.66x
Cranleigh 17 1440.68x
South Bersted 15 630.25x
Birmingham 14 10.05x
Preston 8 163.93x
Runcorn 8 94.79x
Mitcham 7 136.99x
Llandrinio 6 1304.35x
Portsea 5 7.51x
Shawbury 5 909.09x
Stonehouse East 5 285.71x
Subdeanary 5 666.67x
Lower Mitton 4 209.42x
Trentham 4 84.03x
Wellington 4 49.69x
Alverstoke 3 24.39x
Ribbesford 3 166.67x
Wolverhampton 3 6.97x
Kings Norton 2 10.30x
Toxteth Park 2 3.00x
Astley 1 769.23x
Bovey Tracey 1 82.64x
Brighton 1 1.77x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 3.20x
Frant 1 50.51x
George Nympton 1 909.09x
Leyton 1 17.73x
Newington 1 1.63x
Rumbolds Wyke 1 196.08x
Shrewsbury St Chad 1 19.88x
Shrewsbury St Julian 1 28.25x
St Bride London 1 104.17x
St George Hanover 1 4.62x
Stanton Upon Hine Heath 1 263.16x
Stoke 1 26.25x
Stoke Damerel 1 4.14x
Wentnor 1 243.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 12
Thomas 9
Edward 7
George 7
James 6
John 4
Richard 4
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Charles 2
Harry 2
Ralph 2
Benjamin 1
Ellen 1
Felix 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Inkerman 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Southerton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Southerton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 170 people were recorded with the Southerton surname. That placed it at #14,265 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Southerton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 248 in 2016. That gives Southerton a modern rank of #16,910.

What does the Southerton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place called Southerton.

What does the Southerton map show?

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