UK surname
Derived from a place name meaning "farmstead or village on a hill" in Old English.
In the 1881 census there were 68 people recorded with the Tilton surname, ranking it #23,950 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 73, ranked #33,502, down from #23,950 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tilton is 115 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.4%.
1881 census count
68
Ranked #23,950
Modern count
73
2016, ranked #33,502
Peak year
1861
115 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Tilton surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Tilton surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 70 | #21,020 |
| 1861 | historical | 115 | #18,880 |
| 1881 | historical | 68 | #23,950 |
| 1891 | historical | 95 | #24,694 |
| 1901 | historical | 66 | #26,794 |
| 1911 | historical | 86 | #24,243 |
| 1997 | modern | 65 | #31,141 |
| 1998 | modern | 75 | #30,471 |
| 1999 | modern | 70 | #31,135 |
| 2000 | modern | 65 | #31,641 |
| 2001 | modern | 61 | #31,891 |
| 2002 | modern | 58 | #32,564 |
| 2003 | modern | 60 | #32,446 |
| 2004 | modern | 57 | #32,968 |
| 2005 | modern | 55 | #33,349 |
| 2006 | modern | 56 | #33,587 |
| 2007 | modern | 59 | #33,634 |
| 2008 | modern | 58 | #33,918 |
| 2009 | modern | 55 | #34,355 |
| 2010 | modern | 59 | #34,273 |
| 2011 | modern | 67 | #33,704 |
| 2012 | modern | 69 | #33,695 |
| 2013 | modern | 71 | #33,693 |
| 2014 | modern | 76 | #33,423 |
| 2015 | modern | 75 | #33,425 |
| 2016 | modern | 73 | #33,502 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Manchester, Liverpool and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff | Gloucestershire |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| 5 | St Giles Camberwell | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Tilton surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tilton, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Tilton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Tilton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Tilton is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tilton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Tilton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Tilton has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is a habitation name derived from the place name "Tilton" or "Tlllington," which are believed to have evolved from the Old English words "til" meaning "good" or "fertile" and "tun" meaning "farm" or "enclosure." These place names were typically associated with areas known for their rich agricultural lands.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Tilton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Tiluintone." This entry refers to a settlement in Leicestershire, suggesting that the name may have originated in that region.
In the 13th century, records show various spellings of the name, such as "de Tilton," "de Tyllyngton," and "de Tyllington." This indicates that the surname was derived from the place name and adopted by individuals who hailed from those locations.
A notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Tilton, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War between England and France. He was born around 1380 and died in the early 15th century.
Another historical figure bearing the Tilton surname was William Tilton, a Puritan settler who arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1634. He went on to become a prominent landowner and served as a deputy to the General Court of Massachusetts in the mid-17th century.
In the late 17th century, John Tilton (1639-1718) was a prominent merchant and ship owner in London, contributing to the city's thriving maritime trade during that period.
The Tilton surname also has connections to place names in England, such as Tilton on the Hill in Leicestershire and Tilton in Norfolk. These locations likely served as the original homesteads for families who later adopted the surname.
Among other notable individuals with the Tilton surname was Eliza Tilton (1835-1915), an American author and women's rights advocate who wrote extensively on issues of gender equality and social reform.
Throughout the centuries, the Tilton surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, spanning professions such as military service, politics, commerce, and literature, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those bearing this name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tilton surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Berkshire leads with 17 Tiltons recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.15x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Berkshire | 17 | 34.15x |
| Lancashire | 14 | 1.78x |
| Gloucestershire | 6 | 4.61x |
| Somerset | 5 | 4.68x |
| Surrey | 5 | 1.55x |
| Yorkshire | 5 | 0.76x |
| Kent | 3 | 1.33x |
| Sussex | 3 | 2.68x |
| Warwickshire | 3 | 1.79x |
| Oxfordshire | 2 | 4.88x |
| Buckinghamshire | 1 | 2.49x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.74x |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 1.36x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.15x |
| Wiltshire | 1 | 1.71x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Reading St Mary in Berkshire leads with 10 Tiltons recorded in 1881 and an index of 250.63x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Reading St Mary | 10 | 250.63x |
| Oldham | 7 | 27.56x |
| Salford | 7 | 30.25x |
| Bedminster | 5 | 49.85x |
| Aldworth | 4 | 6666.67x |
| Horton In Bradford | 4 | 38.99x |
| Southwark St George Martyr | 4 | 29.99x |
| Aston | 3 | 6.51x |
| Hove | 3 | 61.10x |
| Lee | 3 | 91.19x |
| Stonehouse | 3 | 405.41x |
| Dursley | 2 | 377.36x |
| Fawley | 2 | 4000.00x |
| Somerton | 2 | 2500.00x |
| Chipping Campden | 1 | 238.10x |
| Dewsbury | 1 | 14.84x |
| Egham | 1 | 50.51x |
| Eton | 1 | 109.89x |
| Holdenhurst | 1 | 28.01x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 2.71x |
| Lambourn | 1 | 204.08x |
| Leicester St Margaret | 1 | 5.58x |
| Shrewton | 1 | 666.67x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Tilton surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Tilton surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Tilton households.
FAQ
In 1881, 68 people were recorded with the Tilton surname. That placed it at #23,950 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 73 in 2016. That gives Tilton a modern rank of #33,502.
Derived from a place name meaning "farmstead or village on a hill" in Old English.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tilton bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.