NameCensus.

UK surname

Stockton

A locational surname referring to someone from any of various places called Stockton in England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,817 people recorded with the Stockton surname, ranking it #2,397 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,156, ranked #2,150, up from #2,397 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bunbury, Whitchurch and Wolstanton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Stockton is 3,296 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.7%.

1881 census count

1,817

Ranked #2,397

Modern count

3,156

2016, ranked #2,150

Peak year

2002

3,296 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Stockton had 1,817 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,397 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,156 in 2016, ranked #2,150.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,759 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Stockton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Stockton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Stockton 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 1,084 #2,591
1861 historical 1,224 #2,328
1881 historical 1,817 #2,397
1891 historical 2,074 #2,233
1901 historical 2,396 #2,271
1911 historical 2,759 #1,881
1997 modern 3,008 #2,145
1998 modern 3,240 #2,069
1999 modern 3,295 #2,056
2000 modern 3,225 #2,084
2001 modern 3,207 #2,055
2002 modern 3,296 #2,044
2003 modern 3,155 #2,081
2004 modern 3,140 #2,088
2005 modern 3,070 #2,109
2006 modern 3,063 #2,112
2007 modern 3,104 #2,106
2008 modern 3,128 #2,110
2009 modern 3,200 #2,112
2010 modern 3,295 #2,104
2011 modern 3,270 #2,092
2012 modern 3,138 #2,140
2013 modern 3,219 #2,131
2014 modern 3,231 #2,138
2015 modern 3,159 #2,154
2016 modern 3,156 #2,150

Geography

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Where Stocktons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bunbury, Whitchurch, Wolstanton, Manchester and Warrington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East. 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 Bunbury Cheshire
2 Whitchurch Shropshire
3 Wolstanton Staffordshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Warrington Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 051 Cheshire East
2 Cheshire East 047 Cheshire East
3 Cheshire East 036 Cheshire East
4 Cheshire East 039 Cheshire East
5 Cheshire East 049 Cheshire East

Forenames

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First names often paired with Stockton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Stockton

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Stockton, 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 Stockton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Stockton 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Stockton 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

Stockton is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Stockton

The surname Stockton is of English origin, deriving from a place name. It is believed to have originated in the late 11th or early 12th century, with the earliest known records dating back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented lands and estates across England.

The name is thought to have originated from the town of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham, England. The name itself is a combination of the Old English words "stocc" meaning "tree trunk" or "log," and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." This likely refers to a settlement or enclosure surrounded by tree trunks or logs, perhaps serving as a defensive barrier.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Stockton was Robert de Stockton, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166. Another early record is of William de Stockton, who was documented in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname began to spread beyond its original locale, with records of individuals named Stockton appearing in various parts of England. This was likely due to migration and the establishment of new settlements.

One notable figure with the surname Stockton was Sir John Stockton, who lived in the late 15th century and was a member of the English gentry. He served as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire in 1472 and 1478.

Another prominent individual was Richard Stockton (1730-1781), an American lawyer, jurist, and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He was a delegate from New Jersey to the Continental Congress and played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War.

In the 19th century, Frank Stockton (1834-1902) was an American writer and humorist, best known for his short story "The Lady or the Tiger?" and his novel "The Casting Away of Mrs. Lecks and Mrs. Aleshine."

Sir Ralph Stockton (1859-1936) was a British army officer and diplomat who served as the Governor of Malta from 1910 to 1915, during a crucial period of World War I.

Throughout its history, the surname Stockton has maintained a strong connection to its English roots and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, politicians, writers, and military leaders.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Stockton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Stockton 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. Cheshire leads with 518 Stocktons recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.23x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 518 13.23x
Lancashire 398 1.89x
Staffordshire 212 3.54x
Yorkshire 159 0.90x
Shropshire 121 7.90x
Middlesex 89 0.50x
Warwickshire 70 1.57x
Derbyshire 33 1.19x
Durham 31 0.59x
Lincolnshire 31 1.09x
Worcestershire 24 1.04x
Surrey 20 0.23x
Flintshire 17 3.57x
Gloucestershire 13 0.37x
Kent 12 0.20x
Oxfordshire 9 0.82x
Northamptonshire 8 0.48x
Dunbartonshire 6 1.26x
Sussex 6 0.20x
Denbighshire 5 0.75x
Merionethshire 5 1.54x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.21x
Devon 4 0.11x
Herefordshire 4 0.55x
Hampshire 3 0.08x
Monmouthshire 3 0.23x
Berkshire 2 0.15x
Somerset 2 0.07x
Bedfordshire 1 0.11x
Cumberland 1 0.07x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.28x
Midlothian 1 0.04x
Norfolk 1 0.04x
Radnorshire 1 0.70x
Rutland 1 0.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Warrington in Lancashire leads with 61 Stocktons recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.45x.

Place Total Index
Warrington 61 24.45x
Birmingham 47 3.15x
Manchester 40 4.23x
Monks Coppenhall 39 26.40x
Whitchurch 34 114.36x
Burwardsley 33 1217.71x
Bunbury 30 558.66x
Burslem 28 16.33x
Islington London 27 1.57x
Alford 24 136.60x
Birkenhead 24 7.69x
Tarporley 24 292.68x
Albrighton 22 297.30x
Wolstanton 22 12.10x
Ashley 21 897.44x
Wolstanton Knutton 21 57.46x
Holy Trinity 20 4.73x
Harpurhey 19 65.05x
Pendleton In Salford 19 7.58x
Salford 19 3.07x
Codsall 18 211.52x
Thornaby 18 27.41x
Bury 16 6.66x
Congleton 16 23.65x
Spurstow 16 583.94x
Crumpsall 15 30.24x
Ellesmere 14 53.23x
West Derby 14 2.27x
Willaston In Nantwich 13 107.62x
Alcester 12 81.36x
Barthomley 12 530.97x
Beeston 12 591.13x
Bredbury 12 52.96x
Fulham London 12 4.67x
Kearsley 12 27.10x
Stone 12 15.67x
Toxteth Park 12 1.68x
Barrow In Furness 11 3.84x
Church Coppenhall 11 62.86x
Dudley 11 3.91x
Newton 11 6.78x
Stockport 11 5.46x
Aston 10 0.81x
Kingswinford 10 4.60x
Wem 10 43.88x
Cheadle 9 12.04x
Crompton 9 15.02x
Darlington 9 4.42x
Farnworth 9 7.14x
Hartford 9 101.58x
Little Bolton 9 3.33x
Mucklestone 9 156.79x
Oldham 9 1.33x
Stranton 9 5.07x
Tipton 9 4.91x
Whitby 9 99.67x
Whittington 9 23.43x
Wistaston 9 364.37x
Ardwick 8 4.21x
Barnton 8 85.65x
Broxton 8 253.16x
Burton Upon Trent 8 5.71x
Castleton 8 3.81x
Chapel En Le Frith 8 31.56x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 2.39x
Clifton In York 8 21.76x
Hanmer Willington 8 414.51x
High Offley 8 161.94x
Kensington London 8 0.81x
Liverpool 8 0.63x
Neithrop 8 21.73x
Skelton In Guisbrough 8 16.83x
Tranmere 8 5.56x
Walton On Hill 8 7.02x
Wellington 8 9.29x
Whitchurch Black Park 8 1379.31x
Whitechapel London 8 4.58x
Claverley 7 67.70x
Hulme 7 1.59x
Speke 7 225.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 125
William 121
Thomas 79
George 70
Joseph 63
James 55
Henry 30
Charles 25
Edward 24
Samuel 22
Robert 20
Alfred 18
Richard 15
Albert 14
Frederick 13
Herbert 13
Arthur 12
Frank 12
Francis 8
Peter 7
Edwin 6
Ernest 6
Harry 6
Wm. 6
David 5
Enoch 4
Geo. 4
Isaac 4
Job 4
Walter 4
Benjamin 3
Daniel 3
Fred 3
Fredrick 3
Nicholas 3
Oliver 3
Thos. 3
Aaron 2
Abraham 2
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Christopher 2
Ellis 2
Levi 2
Mark 2
Percy 2
Phillip 2
Reginald 2
Saml. 2
Sydney 2

FAQ

Stockton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Stockton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,817 people were recorded with the Stockton surname. That placed it at #2,397 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Stockton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,156 in 2016. That gives Stockton a modern rank of #2,150.

What does the Stockton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of various places called Stockton in England.

What does the Stockton map show?

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