NameCensus.

UK surname

Taunton

A toponymic surname referring to a person from the town of Taunton in Somerset, England.

In the 1881 census there were 331 people recorded with the Taunton surname, ranking it #9,071 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 216, ranked #18,613, down from #9,071 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St John Hackney and Corscombe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brentwood, North Norfolk and Welwyn Hatfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Taunton is 416 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 34.7%.

1881 census count

331

Ranked #9,071

Modern count

216

2016, ranked #18,613

Peak year

1901

416 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Taunton had 331 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,071 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016, ranked #18,613.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 416 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Taunton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Taunton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Taunton 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 246 #8,891
1861 historical 329 #7,748
1881 historical 331 #9,071
1891 historical 350 #9,836
1901 historical 416 #9,220
1911 historical 373 #9,787
1997 modern 253 #15,152
1998 modern 275 #14,715
1999 modern 271 #14,954
2000 modern 272 #14,868
2001 modern 263 #14,999
2002 modern 262 #15,327
2003 modern 247 #15,733
2004 modern 220 #17,129
2005 modern 221 #17,028
2006 modern 221 #17,149
2007 modern 208 #18,013
2008 modern 218 #17,638
2009 modern 230 #17,382
2010 modern 226 #17,942
2011 modern 221 #18,039
2012 modern 224 #17,786
2013 modern 226 #17,969
2014 modern 227 #18,029
2015 modern 220 #18,346
2016 modern 216 #18,613

Geography

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Where Tauntons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St John Hackney, Corscombe and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Brentwood, North Norfolk, Welwyn Hatfield, Taunton Deane and St Edmundsbury. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 Corscombe Dorset
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Brentwood 005 Brentwood
2 North Norfolk 004 North Norfolk
3 Welwyn Hatfield 011 Welwyn Hatfield
4 Taunton Deane 007 Taunton Deane
5 St Edmundsbury 004 St Edmundsbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Taunton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Taunton

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Taunton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Taunton 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Taunton 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

Taunton is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Taunton falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Taunton

The surname Taunton is of English origin, derived from the town of Taunton in Somerset, England. The name of the town itself is believed to come from the Old English words "tan tun," meaning "town on the River Tone."

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Taunton dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Tantone." This suggests that the surname was already in use by the late 11th century, likely referring to someone who hailed from the town of Taunton or its surrounding areas.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various records with different spellings, such as "Taunton," "Tanton," and "Taunton." This variation in spelling was common during that time period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

One notable historical figure with the surname Taunton was Sir William Taunton (c. 1475-1548), a member of the English gentry and a prominent landowner in Somerset. He served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset during the reign of Henry VIII.

Another individual of note was John Taunton (1633-1701), an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works, including "The Wisdom of Being Religious" and "The Englishman's Manual."

In the 18th century, Thomas Taunton (1718-1790) was a renowned English clockmaker and inventor. He is credited with developing several innovations in clock design, including the cylinder escapement and the detached lever escapement.

During the 19th century, Henry Labouchere Taunton (1798-1869) was a British colonial administrator who served as the Governor of the Cape Colony (now part of South Africa) from 1834 to 1835.

More recently, Sir Henry Taunton (1891-1963) was a British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Governor of Queensland, Australia, from 1946 to 1952.

While the surname Taunton has its roots in the English town of the same name, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly to countries with historical British connections, such as Australia, Canada, and the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Taunton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Taunton 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. Middlesex leads with 76 Tauntons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.34x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 76 2.34x
Surrey 45 2.84x
Somerset 38 7.27x
Warwickshire 30 3.66x
Wiltshire 22 7.66x
Hampshire 20 3.00x
Devon 14 2.07x
Dorset 14 6.57x
Gloucestershire 11 1.73x
Lancashire 9 0.23x
Oxfordshire 9 4.49x
Cornwall 7 1.90x
Midlothian 5 1.15x
Kent 4 0.36x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.91x
Staffordshire 4 0.36x
Sussex 4 0.73x
Essex 3 0.47x
Berkshire 2 0.82x
Channel Islands 2 2.08x
Herefordshire 2 1.50x
Lanarkshire 2 0.19x
Brecknockshire 1 1.54x
Glamorgan 1 0.18x
Leicestershire 1 0.28x
Shropshire 1 0.36x
Suffolk 1 0.25x
Worcestershire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edgbaston in Warwickshire leads with 15 Tauntons recorded in 1881 and an index of 59.06x.

Place Total Index
Edgbaston 15 59.06x
Hackney London 13 7.14x
Downton 12 319.15x
Montacute 10 1041.67x
Enmore 9 2812.50x
Holdenhurst 9 51.55x
Hornsey 8 19.47x
Isleworth 8 55.40x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 7 120.69x
Eynsham 7 551.18x
St Clether 7 2916.67x
Whitchurch 7 588.24x
Aston 6 2.66x
Clapham 6 14.77x
Coventry Holy Trinity 6 24.53x
Enfield 6 28.16x
Kensington London 6 3.32x
Kingswood 6 1395.35x
Battersea 5 4.18x
Chelsea London 5 5.11x
Corscombe 5 684.93x
Edinburgh New 5 147.93x
Fordington 5 108.93x
Fugglestone St Peter 5 438.60x
Heston 5 46.34x
Lambeth 5 1.77x
Eastbourne 4 15.87x
Everton 4 3.26x
Greasley 4 40.49x
Guildford St Nicholas 4 142.86x
Northam 4 81.14x
Norton Sub Hamdon 4 666.67x
Standlynch 4 4000.00x
West Derby 4 3.55x
Willesden 4 13.06x
Bedminster 3 6.11x
Bow London 3 7.26x
Broomfield 3 638.30x
Mile End Old Town 3 5.85x
Mortlake 3 42.55x
Newington 3 2.50x
Paddington London 3 2.51x
Portsea 3 2.30x
Stroud 3 24.19x
Taunton St Mary 3 31.25x
Ashley 2 1333.33x
Barking 2 10.66x
Barony 2 0.75x
Camberwell 2 0.96x
Carshalton 2 33.00x
Coventry St Michael 2 7.60x
Crawley 2 392.16x
Croydon 2 2.28x
Erith 2 18.32x
Finchley 2 16.06x
Poole St James 2 24.97x
Reigate Foreign 2 11.67x
Rugeley 2 25.41x
St Helier 2 6.38x
St Pancras London 2 0.76x
Streatham 2 8.30x
Walton On Thames 2 27.51x
Wokingham 2 35.91x
Birmingham 1 0.37x
Bishops Tawton 1 47.39x
Cheltenham 1 2.03x
Closworth 1 769.23x
Cwmdu 1 94.34x
Dorchester St Peter 1 64.52x
Frimley 1 22.17x
Hammersmith London 1 1.25x
Hampstead London 1 1.98x
Harlow 1 36.23x
Kings Norton 1 2.63x
Milford 1 51.55x
Nursling 1 94.34x
Oxford St Giles 1 10.45x
St George Hanover 1 2.36x
St Marylebone London 1 0.58x
Walcot 1 3.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Eliza 11
Elizabeth 11
Sarah 11
Annie 7
Charlotte 7
Alice 6
Emma 6
Jane 6
Caroline 3
Edith 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Frances 3
Louisa 3
Margaret 3
Allice 2
Amelia 2
Ann 2
Anne 2
Catherine 2
Florence 2
Francis 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Harriet 2
Henrietta 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Susan 2
Amy 1
Barbara 1
Bella 1
Blanche 1
Briget 1
Christine 1
Cicely 1
Eleanor 1
Eliyar 1
Ella 1
Emely 1
Helen 1
John 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Katharine 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Leonora 1
Zelena 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 20
John 15
Thomas 13
Charles 10
George 9
Henry 9
Joseph 6
Alfred 4
Ernest 4
Frederick 4
James 4
Silas 4
Edward 3
Jonathan 3
Francis 2
Robert 2
Sidney 2
Walter 2
Adolphus 1
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Ashley 1
E.J. 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Ethelred 1
Harold 1
Heny.Alfred 1
Hugh 1
Jacob 1
Leonard 1
R.A.P. 1
Rausley 1
Reginald 1
Rich. 1
Richd. 1
Richmond 1
Samuel 1
Theophilus 1
Willm.F. 1
Willm.Fd. 1

FAQ

Taunton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Taunton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 331 people were recorded with the Taunton surname. That placed it at #9,071 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Taunton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 216 in 2016. That gives Taunton a modern rank of #18,613.

What does the Taunton surname mean?

A toponymic surname referring to a person from the town of Taunton in Somerset, England.

What does the Taunton map show?

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