Origins of the Clayton surname

What does the name Clayton mean?

The Clayton surname is English. It has geographical origins, and comes from the Middle English 'clay tun' (town/village on clay soil). The title is believed to have been given to people who came from one of the many places around the country that have been given this name, and their lineage.

Alternative variations of the name Clayton

Clayton, Claytone, Cleighton, Claton, Cleiton

Start free trial
“
I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1500s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.
SS
Stuart
Trustpilot logoTrustpilot 5 stars
1 of 3

Start your family tree

Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Claytons.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the Clayton family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 476North West 1138Isle of Man 37Yorkshire 4821East Midlands 1008West Midlands 701East 508London 5152South East 973South West 198South Wales 133Mid Wales 73West Wales 1North Wales 78Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Claytons lived in london

Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

21,000 Clayton Travel & migration records
170,000 Claytons found in all Census records

Interesting facts about Clayton

How common is your surname?

236th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Clayton surname. The oldest one dates back to 1220.

Who were Claytons most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Claytons.

What are the most common Clayton first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Clayton family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Claytons

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common female occupations for Claytons in 1921

Cotton Weaver

838

Dressmaker

601

Domestic Servant

339

Laundress

299

Housekeeper

298

Common male occupations for Claytons in 1921

Coal Miner

699

General Labourer

557

Agricultural Labourer

527

Farmer

486

Farm Labourer

355

We found over 200,000 family trees with the Clayton surname

Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the Claytons.

Search for a relative in our family trees

Learn more about the lives of Clayton family members

How rare is your surname?

Have you ever wondered if your family na...

The rise and fall of these disappearing British surnames

Could your surname be on the brink of di...

English surnames explained: The seven types of last names you should know

Ever wondered where our last names come...

How to find the maiden names of women in your family tree

Try these simple tricks to pinpoint your...

4 simple steps to starting your family history journey

Starting your family history journey is...

Share your discoveries

Share to WhatsApp

Share to Facebook

Look for a different surname

Paper tear line

Find out more about your family in our records

    or try an advanced search