Poulton

Poulton 

Origin of the Poulton surname

The Poulton surname was a locational one in that it was adopted by individuals who came from one of the many villages in Britain that are named Poulton. The word is simply the combining of the two Old English words pol (meaning pool) and tun (meaning settlement or enclosure) - i.e. pool town, or settlement by the pool.

Spelling variations include: Poulton, Poolton, Pulton, Pullton, Polton, Pouleton and many more.

Several of the place names were well-established in Anglo Saxon England (before the Norman Conquest in 1066). The Domesday Book (compiled for William the Conqueror in 1086) listed eight places named Poulton (variously spelled Pontone; Pulton; Poltone; Poltun; Poltune):

1. Poulton-le-Fylde in Lancashire. Part of the district of Amounderness, the hamlet of Poulton was held by Earl Tosti;
2. Poulton-le-Sands in Lancashire. Part of the district of Halton, the hamlet of POLTUNE was held by Earl Tosti;
3. Poulton cum Spital in Cheshire;
4. Poulton in Pulford, Cheshire;
5. Poulton in Awre, Gloucestershire;
6. Poulton near Cirencester, Gloucestershire;
7. Poulton in Mildenhall, Wiltshire; and
8. Poulton in Kent.

Our earliest-known Poulton ancestors lived in the parish of Preston during the 1700s and 1800s. It seems likely that their ancestors had been living in the area around Poulton-le-Fylde (near Blackpool) for centuries. Both Preston and Poulton-le-Fylde are in the hundred of Amounderness – number 1 on the list above. Alternatively, our Poultons could have come from Poulton-le-Sands, 25 miles further north (near Lancaster).

Our Poulton family were Catholics. In 1800 more than 88% of the English population were Anglicans and another 10% belonged to other Protestant faiths. Catholics accounted for less than 1.5% of the population[1]. Nevertheless, in Lancashire, more than 20% were Catholics despite several centuries of persecution.

[1] Source: Eighteenth-Century Religious Statistics, Clive D Field, 2012, British Religion in Numbers website, http://www.brin.ac.uk/eighteenth-century-religious-statistics/

Earliest known Poulton people

The earliest Poulton recorded in Lancashire was Richard de Poulton (1250 Lancaster).

Religion

Our Poulton family were Catholics. In 1800 more than 88% of the English population were Anglicans and another 10% belonged to other Protestant faiths[1]. Catholics accounted for less than 1.5% of the population. Nevertheless, in Lancashire, more than 20% were Catholics despite several centuries of persecution.

[1] Source: Eighteenth-Century Religious Statistics, Clive D Field, 2012, British Religion in Numbers website, http://www.brin.ac.uk/eighteenth-century-religious-statistics/

Poulton migration to Australia

John Poulton was born in 1830 at Preston in the English County of Lancashire. He married Elizabeth Clarkson on 1 May 1854 at Preston. Their first child (Thomas) was born a year later but died in infancy.

Their second son (John) was still in nappies when John and Elizabeth decided to leave England and emigrate to Australia. This was a decision made by numerous young couples in the area in the 1850s. The young couple emigrated from Liverpool on 13 November 1859 aboard Fitzjames. They were accompanied on their voyage to Australia by John’s sister (Hannah) and her husband John Ashworth.

It was, however, a tragic journey due to the death of their young toddler John en route to Sydney. It must have been a heavy burden for both parents to bear, particularly Elizabeth who was in the advanced stages of pregnancy.

The two young families arrived in Sydney on 20 February 1860 and soon found lodgings in Redfern. John and Elizabeth’s daughter, Alice Clarkson Poulton, was born there six weeks later.

Ten years after their arrival in Australia, Elizabeth left the family and disappeared from history. John died at Coonamble Hospital on 5 September 1887 of acute inflammation of both lungs.

Poulton pedigree

Our Poulton ancestors include the following people. Click on any name to access a computer-generated page of information about that person and a list of the information sources.

Notable Poulton ancestors

Click on the name of any of the notable ancestors listed below to read a short biography that I have written about them.

• Biography: John Robert Poulton (1785-1834)
• Biography: Elizabeth Green (1787-1855)
• Biography: John Poulton (1830-1887)
• Biography: Alice Clarkson Poulton (1860-1927)

Poulton family memorials

For centuries families have created memorials to honour their forebears, including headstones, church monuments, memorial cards, obituaries and much more. This website is, in a way, just another innovation in this regard. Each of the links below takes you to a memorial page that is dedicated to that particular deceased ancestor.

• Alice Clarkson Poulton 1860-1927
• John Poulton – 1830-1887

Poulton stories and research reports

The following Poulton research reports are published on this website.

• The Clan keeper – The ancestor that I admire the most is Ma Bowen (Alice Clarkson Poulton)
• The Poulton-Clarkson Roadblock – My search for the origins of John Poulton and Elizabeth Clarkson per SS Fitzjames in 1860

Poulton clan

The Poulton clan descends from John Poulton and his wife Margaret Hodson.

• Legend:
• Subject
• Daughter
• Son
• Spouse

• Legend:
• Subject
• Daughter
• Son
• Spouse