NameCensus.

UK surname

Tilston

In the 1881 census there were 379 people recorded with the Tilston surname, ranking it #8,268 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 558, ranked #9,187, down from #8,268 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gresford, Toxteth Park and West Derby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Flintshire and Wrexham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tilston is 619 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 47.2%.

1881 census count

379

Ranked #8,268

Modern count

558

2016, ranked #9,187

Peak year

1911

619 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tilston had 379 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,268 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 558 in 2016, ranked #9,187.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 619 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tilston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tilston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tilston 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 176 #11,489
1861 historical 174 #13,483
1881 historical 379 #8,268
1891 historical 421 #8,502
1901 historical 582 #7,241
1911 historical 619 #6,681
1997 modern 521 #9,026
1998 modern 529 #9,195
1999 modern 540 #9,107
2000 modern 550 #8,943
2001 modern 525 #9,128
2002 modern 528 #9,266
2003 modern 524 #9,181
2004 modern 535 #9,041
2005 modern 528 #9,081
2006 modern 534 #9,026
2007 modern 518 #9,316
2008 modern 526 #9,271
2009 modern 521 #9,554
2010 modern 551 #9,354
2011 modern 521 #9,660
2012 modern 517 #9,644
2013 modern 541 #9,459
2014 modern 553 #9,343
2015 modern 556 #9,221
2016 modern 558 #9,187

Geography

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Where Tilstons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gresford, Toxteth Park, West Derby, Liverpool and Chester St John the Baptist, St Mary-on-the-Hill, St Olave, St Michael, Spittle Boughton, Chester Ca. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester, Flintshire and Wrexham. 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 Gresford Denbighshire
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 West Derby Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Chester St John the Baptist, St Mary-on-the-Hill, St Olave, St Michael, Spittle Boughton, Chester Ca Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 031 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Flintshire 015 Flintshire
3 Wrexham 020 Wrexham
4 Wrexham 003 Wrexham
5 Flintshire 020 Flintshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tilston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tilston

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tilston, 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 Tilston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tilston 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Tilston 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

Tilston is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

1881 census detail

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Tilston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tilston 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 107 Tilstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.44x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 107 2.44x
Cheshire 84 10.29x
Denbighshire 83 59.43x
Staffordshire 31 2.48x
Flintshire 16 16.10x
Essex 12 1.64x
Worcestershire 12 2.49x
Durham 9 0.82x
Leicestershire 5 1.22x
Sussex 4 0.64x
Gloucestershire 3 0.41x
Anglesey 2 3.05x
Shropshire 2 0.63x
Yorkshire 2 0.05x
Berkshire 1 0.36x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.67x
Merionethshire 1 1.48x
Monmouthshire 1 0.37x
Northamptonshire 1 0.29x
Oxfordshire 1 0.44x
Warwickshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gresford Llay in Denbighshire leads with 29 Tilstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4142.86x.

Place Total Index
Gresford Llay 29 4142.86x
Liverpool 24 9.01x
Toxteth Park 22 14.81x
Birkenhead 19 29.20x
Allington 16 1538.46x
Gresford 15 1127.82x
West Derby 15 11.69x
Oldbury 12 50.53x
Newcastle Under Lyme 10 45.29x
Stone 10 62.66x
Bishopwearmouth 9 9.53x
Holt 9 697.67x
Chester St Oswald 8 54.13x
Everton 8 5.72x
Great Little Saughall 8 888.89x
Shotwick 8 8000.00x
Hope 7 141.70x
South Shoebury 7 238.91x
Broxton 6 909.09x
Gresford Gwersyllt 6 138.57x
Ince In Makerfield 6 29.40x
Mold Gwysaney 6 2222.22x
Norley 6 652.17x
Salford 6 4.65x
Cheetham 5 15.28x
Eccleston 5 1219.51x
Knipton 5 1219.51x
Pendleton In Salford 5 9.57x
West Ham 5 3.10x
Brighton 4 3.18x
Castle Church 4 53.33x
Chester St John Baptist 4 27.27x
Childer Thornton 4 506.33x
Newton 4 11.83x
Pulford 4 1212.12x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 3.02x
Wrexham Regis 4 38.57x
Manchester 3 1.52x
South Hamlet 3 66.82x
Baschurch 2 91.32x
Bury 2 3.99x
Denbigh 2 35.71x
Great Boughton 2 71.17x
Holyhead 2 16.37x
Leeds 2 0.97x
Puddington 2 1000.00x
Ashton 1 204.08x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.04x
Aston 1 0.39x
Bramhall 1 29.59x
Broughton 1 18.21x
Chester St Michael 1 104.17x
Cilcen 1 107.53x
Conway 1 34.60x
Crumpsall 1 9.67x
Great Mollington 1 333.33x
Hawarden Saltney 1 71.94x
Higher Bebington 1 19.16x
Huyton With Roby 1 19.46x
Liscard 1 6.80x
Litherland 1 10.91x
Llanaber 1 37.31x
New Windsor 1 10.72x
Newport 1 7.84x
Northop Caer Fallwch 1 188.68x
Oxford St Clement 1 17.36x
Parr 1 6.37x
Pickhill 1 270.27x
Prescot 1 12.61x
Stafford St Chad 1 172.41x
Tranmere 1 3.33x
Walton On Hill 1 4.21x
Welford 1 84.75x
Wervin 1 833.33x
West Bromwich 1 1.40x
Wolverhampton 1 1.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 19
Sarah 16
Catherine 8
Alice 6
Hannah 6
Jane 6
Ann 5
Annie 5
Margaret 5
Emily 4
Edith 3
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Isabella 3
Louisa 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Agness 2
Caroline 2
Catherin 2
Charlotte 2
Eleanor 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Kate 2
Rose 2
Ruth 2
Anne 1
Blanche 1
Charlote 1
Constance 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Georgenia 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Helen 1
Hilda 1
Julia 1
Lizzie 1
Maggie 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Margt.G. 1
Maude 1
Minnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 33
Thomas 23
John 20
Edward 13
James 13
Joseph 13
Samuel 10
George 9
Henry 8
Robert 5
Wm. 5
Charles 4
Moses 4
Arthur 3
Daniel 3
Edmund 3
Edwin 3
Percy 3
Earnest 2
Frederick 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Alexander 1
Algernon 1
Allan 1
Basil 1
Benjamin 1
Chas.P. 1
Ed. 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Gopsill 1
Goulburn 1
Harry 1
Horace 1
Oliver 1
Peter 1
Saml. 1
Thos. 1
Thos.D. 1
Willm. 1
Wm.Herbert 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Tilston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tilston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 379 people were recorded with the Tilston surname. That placed it at #8,268 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tilston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 558 in 2016. That gives Tilston a modern rank of #9,187.

What does the Tilston map show?

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