STOCKTON
The surname Stockton is of English origin and is recorded in the United Kingdom as a locational name derived from Old English elements. It is formed from the words stoc, meaning a tree trunk or log, and tun, denoting an enclosure, farm or settlement. As a result, the name originally identified a person who lived near or worked with logs, or who resided in a settlement surrounded by timber. It is also understood as a topographic designation for someone living near a distinctive tree or a place named after such a landmark.
Historical records show that the name Stockton is associated with many towns across England, such as Stockton in County Durham, Stockton on the Teme in Worcestershire and Stockton on the Forest east of York. The earliest documented reference to a place of this name is Stockton on the Teme, first recorded in 957 as Stoctune. A corresponding early instance of the surname is Geoffrey de Stockton of Worcester, mentioned in the 1273 Hundred Rolls. Subsequent medieval entries include John de Stokton in the register of the Freemen of York, and Johannes de Stokton in the 1379 Poll Tax for Yorkshire. By the early twentieth century, a student named Jonas Stockton was listed at Oxford University in 1605, indicating the continued use of the name in academic circles.
The distribution of the surname in the modern era is markedly concentrated in the United States, particularly within Pennsylvania. Approximately fifteen per cent of all Stocktons in the United States carry the name in this state, with the bulk residing in Allegheny, Philadelphia and York counties. In these areas the surname can be traced back to early settlers of the eighteenth century, whose histories are preserved in published biographies, archival records and cemetery registers. While the name remains frequent in Great Britain and Canada, it is less common there than in North America. In the United Kingdom the highest numbers of Stocktons are recorded in Scotland and Northern Ireland, whereas in Canada the surname is notable in the regions of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Variant spellings have arisen over the centuries. These include Stoketon, Stokton, Stoketun, Stocketon, Stocketun, Stokkton, Stockett and Stokett. Similar surnames of common origin comprise Stokely, Stopford, Stocker, Stockney, Stockhall, Stockham, Stockdale, Stockbridge and Stokeford. The standard spelling Stockton has become dominant largely due to the prominence of places named after Admiral Robert Stockton, the nineteenth‑century naval officer who fought in the Mexican‑American War and signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This historical association has cemented the name’s widespread use across both the United Kingdom and the United States.
Typical given names associated with the Stockton surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Thomas
Female
- Claire
- Emma
- Helen
- Jane
- Janet
- Janice
- Joanne
- Julie
- Linda
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Stockton in...
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There are approximately 4,513 people named Stockton in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,078th most common surname in Britain. Around 69 in a million people in Britain are named Stockton.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Stockton
- Cole Stockton - Football player
- Chris Stockton - Racing driver
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.