NameCensus.

UK surname

Weston

A locational surname referring to someone who lived to the west of a town or settlement.

In the 1881 census there were 12,197 people recorded with the Weston surname, ranking it #352 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 17,128, ranked #362, down from #352 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Staffordshire Moorlands and Derbyshire Dales.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Weston is 18,186 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.4%.

1881 census count

12,197

Ranked #352

Modern count

17,128

2016, ranked #362

Peak year

1999

18,186 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Weston had 12,197 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #352 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 17,128 in 2016, ranked #362.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 16,835 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Weston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Weston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Weston 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 7,858 #356
1861 historical 7,893 #349
1881 historical 12,197 #352
1891 historical 13,357 #327
1901 historical 15,420 #335
1911 historical 16,835 #282
1997 modern 17,150 #344
1998 modern 18,070 #341
1999 modern 18,186 #339
2000 modern 17,990 #341
2001 modern 17,597 #340
2002 modern 17,894 #343
2003 modern 17,401 #342
2004 modern 17,204 #349
2005 modern 16,821 #349
2006 modern 16,786 #351
2007 modern 16,793 #357
2008 modern 16,808 #356
2009 modern 17,222 #355
2010 modern 17,510 #359
2011 modern 17,249 #360
2012 modern 16,938 #360
2013 modern 17,349 #359
2014 modern 17,451 #359
2015 modern 17,294 #360
2016 modern 17,128 #362

Geography

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Where Westons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Staffordshire Moorlands, Derbyshire Dales, South Northamptonshire and Caerphilly. 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 Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 009 Allerdale
2 Staffordshire Moorlands 012 Staffordshire Moorlands
3 Derbyshire Dales 010 Derbyshire Dales
4 South Northamptonshire 003 South Northamptonshire
5 Caerphilly 018 Caerphilly

Forenames

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First names often paired with Weston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Weston

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

Weston is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Weston

The surname Weston originated in England, deriving from the Old English words "west" and "tun," meaning "west town" or "western settlement." It likely emerged as a locational name during the Anglo-Saxon period, referring to individuals who hailed from places named Weston.

The earliest known record of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Westun" and "Westone." This seminal text, commissioned by William the Conqueror, documented landholders and settlements throughout England and parts of Wales.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was Roger de Weston, who lived in the late 12th century and held lands in Staffordshire. Another notable bearer was Sir John Weston (c. 1515-1573), a member of Parliament and a prominent figure during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 14th century, Thomas Weston (c. 1350-1419) served as the Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1386 to 1388. He played a significant role in the governance of the lordship during the latter part of the Hundred Years' War.

During the English Civil War, Richard Weston (1591-1652) was a prominent Royalist who served as the Earl of Portland and Lord High Treasurer under King Charles I. He was also a key figure in the marriage negotiations between Prince Charles and the Spanish Infanta.

In the realm of literature, Edward Weston (1566-1635) was an English poet and writer who published various works in the early 17th century, including "The Parlement of Birds" and "The Courtier's Soliloqvie."

Over the centuries, the surname Weston has been associated with numerous places across England, including villages, towns, and hamlets bearing the name. These place names likely originated from the same Old English roots as the surname itself.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Weston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Weston 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 1,630 Westons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,630 1.37x
Staffordshire 886 2.20x
Leicestershire 880 6.66x
Surrey 870 1.50x
Lancashire 709 0.50x
Warwickshire 608 2.02x
Kent 547 1.35x
Sussex 512 2.55x
Wiltshire 479 4.55x
Yorkshire 412 0.35x
Worcestershire 371 2.38x
Hampshire 353 1.45x
Derbyshire 349 1.87x
Berkshire 303 3.39x
Shropshire 279 2.71x
Northamptonshire 250 2.23x
Cheshire 231 0.88x
Gloucestershire 218 0.93x
Somerset 208 1.08x
Nottinghamshire 194 1.21x
Essex 177 0.75x
Hertfordshire 166 2.02x
Norfolk 163 0.89x
Durham 157 0.44x
Buckinghamshire 151 2.10x
Bedfordshire 112 1.82x
Midlothian 107 0.67x
Lincolnshire 92 0.48x
Glamorgan 83 0.40x
Oxfordshire 83 1.13x
Lanarkshire 65 0.17x
Devon 64 0.26x
Monmouthshire 61 0.71x
Suffolk 57 0.39x
Huntingdonshire 44 1.86x
Angus 36 0.33x
Cambridgeshire 25 0.33x
Montgomeryshire 24 0.88x
Dorset 21 0.27x
Rutland 20 2.29x
Cornwall 16 0.12x
Northumberland 16 0.09x
Renfrewshire 16 0.17x
Herefordshire 15 0.31x
Royal Navy 13 0.92x
West Lothian 13 0.72x
Anglesey 12 0.57x
Channel Islands 12 0.34x
East Lothian 12 0.76x
Stirlingshire 10 0.23x
Westmorland 10 0.38x
Aberdeenshire 9 0.08x
Caernarfonshire 9 0.19x
Cardiganshire 8 0.28x
Isle of Man 7 0.32x
Argyllshire 6 0.18x
Cumberland 6 0.06x
Kirkcudbrightshire 6 0.35x
Perthshire 5 0.09x
Sutherland 4 0.44x
Fife 3 0.04x
Berwickshire 2 0.14x
Brecknockshire 1 0.04x
Denbighshire 1 0.02x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.03x
Merionethshire 1 0.05x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 238 Westons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.38x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 238 2.38x
Leicester St Margaret 236 7.33x
Lambeth 177 1.70x
Islington London 175 1.52x
Aston 173 2.09x
St Pancras London 170 1.77x
Calne 147 67.76x
Leicester St Mary 144 13.49x
Stoke Upon Trent 120 2.81x
Hackney London 103 1.54x
Brighton 102 2.52x
Bethnal Green London 101 1.95x
Battersea 98 2.24x
St Marylebone London 97 1.52x
Paddington London 88 2.01x
Rowley Regis 85 7.58x
Kensington London 81 1.22x
Wolverhampton 75 2.43x
Chelsea London 72 2.01x
West Ham 70 1.35x
Wellington 65 11.24x
Nottingham St Mary 61 1.47x
Birkenhead 59 2.81x
Clerkenwell London 56 1.99x
Hammersmith London 54 1.84x
Croydon 53 1.64x
Deptford St Paul 53 1.69x
Camberwell 52 0.68x
Newington 52 1.18x
Everton 51 1.13x
Barlestone 48 166.21x
Hugglescote 47 24.18x
Liverpool 46 0.54x
Mile End Old Town 43 2.29x
Streatham 43 4.86x
Dudley 42 2.22x
Toxteth Park 42 0.88x
Wandsworth 42 3.66x
Belper 41 11.34x
Bromham 41 86.37x
Coventry Holy Trinity 41 4.57x
Coventry St Michael 40 4.14x
Kingsthorpe 40 32.11x
Rotherfield 39 22.05x
Harpenden 38 30.34x
Oadby 38 53.70x
Leeds 37 0.56x
Harborne 36 2.79x
Oldbury 36 4.70x
Horsley 35 31.18x
Portsea 35 0.73x
Tonbridge 35 2.39x
Shoreditch London 34 0.66x
Stanwell 34 38.56x
Beaconsfield 33 49.46x
Denby 33 57.96x
Macclesfield 33 2.82x
Isleworth 32 6.04x
Kingswinford 32 2.19x
Lenton 32 8.46x
Lyncombe Widcombe 32 6.37x
St George Hanover 32 2.06x
Chippenham 31 14.03x
Oldham 31 0.68x
Reading St Mary 31 4.33x
Wolstanton 31 2.54x
Barony 30 0.31x
Belgrave 30 10.06x
Southwark St Saviour 30 4.90x
Chisledon 29 60.52x
Lewisham 29 1.34x
Eastbourne 28 3.03x
Cheadle 27 13.98x
Etchingham 27 72.68x
Luton 27 2.53x
Pendlebury 27 9.05x
Holt 26 41.53x
Melton Mowbray 26 10.95x
Shillington 26 28.61x
Willenhall 26 3.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 751
Elizabeth 462
Sarah 436
Jane 236
Emma 217
Ellen 208
Eliza 192
Ann 190
Alice 186
Annie 168
Emily 152
Hannah 114
Martha 101
Harriet 88
Caroline 87
Maria 85
Fanny 82
Charlotte 80
Louisa 79
Edith 77
Florence 75
Kate 72
Ada 67
Margaret 63
Clara 59
Catherine 56
Lucy 55
Frances 50
Agnes 43
Anne 41
Harriett 40
Matilda 39
Julia 37
Rose 36
Sophia 33
Minnie 32
Susan 32
Amelia 25
Esther 25
Eleanor 24
Amy 23
Lydia 23
Maud 23
Rebecca 23
Isabella 22
Gertrude 21
Laura 21
Lizzie 21
Jessie 19
Elizth. 18

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 748
John 621
George 486
Thomas 418
James 312
Henry 311
Charles 273
Joseph 180
Alfred 149
Arthur 139
Edward 139
Robert 127
Samuel 123
Frederick 120
Richard 120
Walter 94
Albert 88
Harry 84
Frank 56
Edwin 52
Herbert 49
Benjamin 43
David 43
Ernest 43
Francis 40
Daniel 36
Stephen 30
Fred 27
Wm. 25
Fredrick 22
Thos. 22
Tom 19
Fredk. 16
Geo. 16
Chas. 15
Isaac 15
Percy 15
Peter 13
Abraham 12
Horace 12
Mark 12
Edmund 11
Josiah 10
Ralph 10
Matthew 9
Philip 9
Reuben 9
Jesse 8
Leonard 8
Sidney 8

Top occupations

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 Weston households.

FAQ

Weston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Weston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12,197 people were recorded with the Weston surname. That placed it at #352 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Weston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 17,128 in 2016. That gives Weston a modern rank of #362.

What does the Weston surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived to the west of a town or settlement.

What does the Weston map show?

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