NameCensus.

UK surname

Thexton

An English habitational surname derived from Thexton, a small village in Leicestershire.

In the 1881 census there were 225 people recorded with the Thexton surname, ranking it #11,931 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 373, ranked #12,515, down from #11,931 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thexton is 379 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.8%.

1881 census count

225

Ranked #11,931

Modern count

373

2016, ranked #12,515

Peak year

2014

379 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Thexton had 225 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,931 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 373 in 2016, ranked #12,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 347 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Thexton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Thexton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Thexton 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 216 #9,818
1861 historical 137 #16,465
1881 historical 225 #11,931
1891 historical 259 #12,399
1901 historical 341 #10,629
1911 historical 347 #10,318
1997 modern 330 #12,701
1998 modern 357 #12,372
1999 modern 345 #12,755
2000 modern 336 #12,921
2001 modern 327 #12,970
2002 modern 332 #13,090
2003 modern 320 #13,239
2004 modern 319 #13,342
2005 modern 337 #12,738
2006 modern 339 #12,754
2007 modern 337 #12,950
2008 modern 350 #12,694
2009 modern 342 #13,193
2010 modern 365 #12,825
2011 modern 361 #12,800
2012 modern 373 #12,344
2013 modern 371 #12,597
2014 modern 379 #12,483
2015 modern 372 #12,544
2016 modern 373 #12,515

Geography

Back to top

Where Thextons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Werburgh, Brancepeth and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham and South Lakeland. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Brancepeth Durham
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 057 County Durham
2 County Durham 029 County Durham
3 County Durham 028 County Durham
4 South Lakeland 003 South Lakeland
5 South Lakeland 008 South Lakeland

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Thexton

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Thexton

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Thexton is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Thexton is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Thexton falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Thexton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Thexton

The surname Thexton originates from England, and its earliest recorded use dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "þex" meaning "thatch" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement," referring to a place with thatched dwellings.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it is spelled as "Theckeston." This document was a survey of land ownership and taxation records in medieval England, indicating that the Thexton surname was already in use during that period.

The name is also found in various medieval records from Staffordshire, where the village of Tixall (formerly Thekeshale or Thickshall) is thought to be the original source of the surname. The Tixall family held lands in this area as early as the 12th century, and their name likely evolved into Thexton over time.

In the late 16th century, the surname appears in the records of the town of Tamworth, Staffordshire, with a notable figure named John Thexton (1562-1633) serving as the town's bailiff in 1609 and 1629. This suggests that the Thexton family had established itself in the region during this period.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Thexton (1615-1681), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Lichfield in 1660 and 1661. He played a role in the Restoration of the monarchy under King Charles II.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Thexton surname also appeared in various parish records from counties such as Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Yorkshire, indicating its spread across different parts of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Thexton surname in the United States dates back to the late 18th century, with the arrival of John Thexton (1770-1846) from England. He settled in Pennsylvania and became a prominent farmer and landowner in the area.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the Thexton surname, including:

1. William Thexton (1758-1824), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. 2. John Thexton (1830-1904), an English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in Nottinghamshire. 3. Herbert Thexton (1872-1951), a British artist and painter known for his landscape and genre works. 4. Robert Thexton (1896-1971), an English cricketer who played for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. 5. David Thexton (born 1946), a British actor and voice artist known for his work in television, film, and radio.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Thexton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thexton 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 86 Thextons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.30x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 86 3.30x
Westmorland 74 153.40x
Yorkshire 22 1.01x
Durham 16 2.45x
Cumberland 11 5.82x
Derbyshire 7 2.04x
Essex 2 0.46x
Surrey 2 0.19x
Cheshire 1 0.21x
Leicestershire 1 0.41x
Northamptonshire 1 0.48x
Renfrewshire 1 0.59x
Staffordshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ravenstonedale in Westmorland leads with 15 Thextons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2238.81x.

Place Total Index
Ravenstonedale 15 2238.81x
Barrow In Furness 12 33.88x
Crook 10 4761.90x
Crook Billy Row 9 107.66x
Preston 9 12.92x
Underbarrow Bradley 9 2571.43x
Carnforth 8 559.44x
Lancaster 8 51.61x
Ulverston 8 105.40x
Blackburn 7 10.10x
Cockfield 7 769.23x
Dalton In Furness 7 69.65x
Levens 7 985.92x
Sheffield 7 10.11x
Bentham 6 361.45x
Everton 6 7.23x
Kendal 6 67.95x
Millom 6 103.63x
Great Strickland 5 2380.95x
Askham 4 1025.64x
Derby St Peter 4 36.56x
Habergham Eaves 4 16.81x
Manchester 4 3.42x
Melbecks 4 454.55x
Nateby 4 3076.92x
Orton 4 277.78x
Penrith 4 57.31x
Broughton In Preston 3 666.67x
Dent 3 329.67x
Brentwood 2 75.76x
Derby St Werburgh 2 10.08x
Holme 2 338.98x
New Hutton 2 2222.22x
Penge 2 14.27x
Tunstal 2 2222.22x
Beetham 1 135.14x
Castleton 1 3.84x
Fairfield 1 43.48x
Glen Parva 1 175.44x
Haverbrack 1 1111.11x
Hawkshead Monk Coniston 1 109.89x
Hay Hutton In Hay 1 625.00x
Hornby 1 370.37x
Horton In Ribblesdale 1 250.00x
Kirkby Stephen 1 80.00x
Layton With Warbreck 1 10.46x
Myerscough 1 344.83x
North Meols 1 3.92x
Oxton 1 36.50x
Patterdale 1 188.68x
Scotforth 1 59.17x
Toxteth Park 1 1.13x
Troutbeck 1 294.12x
Walsall Foreign 1 2.61x
Wellingborough 1 9.63x
West Greenock 1 3.28x
Whitehaven 1 9.93x
Worsbrough 1 15.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Elizabeth 13
Margaret 8
Agnes 7
Sarah 6
Ann 5
Isabella 5
Annie 3
Eleanor 3
Esther 3
Hannah 3
Alice 2
Dorothy 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Barbara 1
Bella 1
Bridget 1
Catharina 1
Edith 1
Elanor 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Ester 1
Fanney 1
Florence 1
Grace 1
Maggie 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
Mrs. 1
Nancy 1
Rachel 1
Rosannah 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Thexton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thexton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 225 people were recorded with the Thexton surname. That placed it at #11,931 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thexton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 373 in 2016. That gives Thexton a modern rank of #12,515.

What does the Thexton surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from Thexton, a small village in Leicestershire.

What does the Thexton map show?

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