Everton is a suburb of north
Liverpool
Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
, in
Merseyside
Merseyside ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial and metropolitan county in North West England. It borders Lancashire to the north, Greater Manchester to the east, Cheshire to the south, the Wales, Welsh county of Flintshire across ...
, England, and part of the
Liverpool Walton constituency. It is bordered by
Vauxhall
Vauxhall ( , ) is an area of South London, within the London Borough of Lambeth. Named after a medieval manor called Fox Hall, it became well known for the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens.
From the Victorian period until the mid-20th century, Va ...
to the west,
Kirkdale to the north, and
Anfield
Anfield is a Association football, football stadium in the area of Anfield (suburb), Anfield, Liverpool, England, which has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since its formation in 1892. The stadium has a seating capacity of 61,276, making it the ...
to the north-east.
Historically
History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some theorists categ ...
in
Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...
, at the
2011 Census the population was 14,782.
Toponymy
The name Everton is derived from the
Saxon
The Saxons, sometimes called the Old Saxons or Continental Saxons, were a Germanic people of early medieval "Old" Saxony () which became a Carolingian " stem duchy" in 804, in what is now northern Germany. Many of their neighbours were, like th ...
word ''eofor'', meaning ''
wild boar
The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...
that lives in forests''. In 1830, local historian Robert Syers proposed an alternative origin for Everton's name. He noted that earlier residents called it 'Yerton', a claim supported by James Stonehouse, his near contemporary, some thirty years later. Syers contended that in the
Domesday Book
Domesday Book ( ; the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book") is a manuscript record of the Great Survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 at the behest of William the Conqueror. The manuscript was originally known by ...
of 1086, Everton was labelled Hiretun, meaning higher-town, signifying its elevated position. He suggested 'Yerton' could be a corruption of Hiretun or ''Oure''ton (higher-town or over-town respectively).
History
Everton is an ancient settlement and, like Liverpool, was one of the six unnamed
berewicks of
West Derby. For many centuries, Everton was a small township. An early type of census conducted in 1327 recorded nineteen heads of household, suggesting a population of approximately ninety-five individuals. By 1692, only 135 people lived in Everton, and by 1714, the population had not exceeded 140 inhabitants. Before the middle of the eighteenth century, the residents were primarily individuals of modest means, engaged in agricultural activities as landowners and cultivators. Occasionally wealthier settlers, along with their families, who had withdrawn from commercial pursuits, chose to reside in Everton. During this time, the distinction between the upper classes and the middle or lower classes was minimal, in terms of both demeanour and lifestyle.
Until the late 18th century Everton was a small rural parish of
Walton-on-the-Hill, but the rise in prosperity of nearby Liverpool pushed its wealthier merchants towards Everton and further afield. The population of the township experienced significant growth during this period. By 1769, the population had risen to 253 individuals, reaching 370 by 1790, 499 by 1801, and 913 by 1811. A record of citizens from 1815 reveals a substantial change in the character of the township, with a disproportionately large number of its population listed as merchants or gentlemen not engaged in trade. Writing of this period in 1869, James Stonehouse recalled that 'Fifty years ago Everton was a courtly place, wherein resided the richest merchants, the most distinguished citizens, and the most fashionable and leading families. Indeed, so high did the inhabitants hold their heads, in consequence of their wealth, stability, and position, that they were termed “Everton nobles.”’
In his ''History of Everton'', published in 1830, Robert Syers wrote of the merchants, 'It is this class of persons, principally, that has made Everton what it is; their wealth and attention have transformed a spot which, not long ago, was little better than an unsightly common – a neglected waste – into a modern arcadia…’ Prominent in this context was
James Atherton
James Atherton (born James Conway; 16 July 1987) is an English actor, known for his roles as Will Savage on ''Hollyoaks'' and Jamie Bowman on ''Coronation Street''. In 2017, he appeared in the stage production of ''Rita, Sue and Bob Too''. In 2 ...
, a
Liverpool
Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
merchant and real estate developer. Having acquired a substantial amount of land on Everton Hill and its surroundings, he embarked on the transformation of the north-west district of the township. Atherton laid-out several well-known streets, including Albion Crescent (now Albion Street), Northumberland Terrace, York Terrace, and Grecian Terrace, embellishing them with 'handsome mansions and delightful villas.' Additionally, he donated the land for the construction of
St. George’s Church. Notably, James Atherton's impact extended beyond Everton, founding the seaside resort of
New Brighton in 1830. He was laid to rest at St George's Church.
Before 1803, the site of
St George's Church was occupied by the Everton beacon, one of the area's most famous landmarks. It was a modest square tower built from local red sandstone. Standing at approximately 25 feet, the two-storied tower featured a ground floor serving as a kitchen, an apartment above for the guard, and a flat roof or terrace for the beacon fire. A turret at the northwest corner provided shelter for the watchman. The interior had a stone staircase leading to the upper room, and a similar flight to the roof, which offered views of up to thirty miles, or fifty miles if conditions were optimal. Over time, the tower's square-headed windows became frameless and exposed to the elements and its only inhabitants were the cattle grazing in beacon-field. By December 1802, the beacon was in a dilapidated state with an earth and clay floor, a deteriorated fireplace, and its upper apartment described as 'bare, cheerless, and dungeon-like'. Debate surrounds the beacon's construction date, with suggestions generally ranging from pre-
Armada to post-1327. Its fate was sealed in 1803 when, during a stormy night, the structure collapsed. Speculation persists that it might have been deliberately undermined by someone viewing it and its visitors as a nuisance. Notably, during the
English Civil War
The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...
, the beacon served as a venue for marriages following the expulsion of loyal clergy from
Liverpool
Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
, foreshadowing the future use of the site for a church.
By the early 19th century Liverpool's demand for housing saw Everton begin to be built up. In 1821 the population was 2109 and by 1829 it had risen to an estimated 3763 (calculated from 579 inhabited houses). Everton became part of Liverpool in 1835. Commenting on the transformation of Everton in 1869, Stonehouse noted that 'Within the last fifteen years…the process of metamorphosis has gone on until one of the pleasantest suburbs of Liverpool has become as life-teeming, cottage-bearing, and street-streaming as the densest part of Liverpool itself. Hosts of cottages now swarm up the hill sides, scramble over the top, and flood the plain on its summit.
Along with neighbouring Vauxhall, Everton housed a very large
Irish population. Sectarianism was one negative consequence of religious differences with tensions between Catholics and Protestants existing well into the 20th century. St Domingo Road in Everton was the intended site for the building of the
Metropolitan Cathedral, but this was abandoned owing to financial constraints. The cathedral was eventually located in the city centre near to the southern edge of Everton.
Everton was formerly a
township
A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries.
Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...
in the parish of
Walton-on-the-Hill, in 1866 Everton became a separate
civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
, on 1 April 1922 the parish was abolished and merged with Liverpool. In 1921 the parish had a population of 124,414.
Urban clearance during the 1960s and 1970s, followed by the creation of
Everton Park, changed the face of the area and some parts have never recovered. The population has plummeted by over 100,000 since the 1960s; Everton Park has replaced the densely packed streets with fields and trees. The landscape of Everton is now mainly non-urban with the loss of so many people and many hundreds of buildings.

A new district centre on Great Homer Street was opened in 2017, code named 'Project Jennifer'
it was advertised as a scheme to breathe new life into the rundown parts of Everton centred on Great Homer Street including a revamped 'Greaty' (branded ''Greatie'') market. The project suffered numerous delays and setbacks through the proposal and construction stages, but was ultimately opened in June 2017, with the opening of a
Sainbury's supermarket. The NSPCC Hargreaves Centre (named after locally born benefactor
John Hargreaves) was opened in May 2007 on the site of the former indoor market.
Notable residents
*
James Atherton
James Atherton (born James Conway; 16 July 1987) is an English actor, known for his roles as Will Savage on ''Hollyoaks'' and Jamie Bowman on ''Coronation Street''. In 2017, he appeared in the stage production of ''Rita, Sue and Bob Too''. In 2 ...
, merchant and founder of
New Brighton
*
William Connolly (VC), soldier
*
Thomas de Quincey
Thomas Penson De Quincey (; Thomas Penson Quincey; 15 August 17858 December 1859) was an English writer, essayist, and literary critic, best known for his ''Confessions of an English Opium-Eater'' (1821).Eaton, Horace Ainsworth, ''Thomas De Q ...
, 19th-century author
*
Bill Dean, Liverpool actor
*
Gordon Elliott, Australian journalist and talk-show host
*
Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester, soldier, Military Commander of the North West District
*
William Gawin Herdman, author and painter
*
Paul Aloysius Kenna, cavalry officer and VC recipient
*
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...
, musician
*
George Mahon (Everton F.C. chairman), an Everton F.C. founding father
*
Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Duke of Cumberland, (17 December 1619 ( O.S.) 7 December 1619 (N.S.)– 29 November 1682 (O.S.) December 1682 (N.S) was an English-German army officer, admiral, scientist, and colonial governor. He first rose to ...
, soldier
*
Anne Sharp, teacher and close friend of novelist
Jane Austen
Jane Austen ( ; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for #List of works, her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment on the English landed gentry at the end of the 18th century ...
*
Robert Tressell
Robert Phillipe Noonan (17 April 1870 – 3 February 1911), born Robert Croker, and best known by the pen name Robert Tressell, was an Irish writer best known for his novel '' The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists''.
Tressell spent his early adu ...
, author
*
Robb Wilton, English comedian and actor
Landmarks
*
Everton Lock-Up
*
Everton Road drill hall, TA Centre used by the 9th Kings during the
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...
and the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
*
Everton water tower,
listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...
*
St George's Church, Everton
*
Everton Library
Sport
The
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
club
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club () is a professional association football club based in Liverpool, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. Founded in 1878, the club was a founding member of the Football Lea ...
(originally called St. Domingo F.C.) is named after the area (St. Domingo Methodist Chapel was in Everton). The district is also the location of a building on the club's crest,
Everton Lock-Up, known locally as Prince Rupert's Tower. Barker and Dobson, a local sweet manufacturer, introduced 'Everton Mints' to honour Everton Football Club.
Ironically, Everton F.C. has never actually played in the area. Its first three homes were located in Anfield, including Stanley Park; the club has played at
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a Association football, football stadium in Walton, Liverpool, Walton, Liverpool, England, it was the home of Premier League club Everton F.C., Everton from 1892 until 2025. It is now the home of Everton F.C. (women), Everton's ...
in the area of
Walton since 1892. In addition,
Everton Cemetery is also not located in Everton, it lies further north-east in the district of
Fazakerley
Fazakerley is a suburb of north Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is part of the Liverpool Walton Parliamentary constituency. At the 2011 Census, it had a population of 16,786.
Description
Fazakerley is in north Liverpool; neighbouring d ...
.
The
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
club
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is a professional Football club (association football), football club based in Liverpool, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Founded in ...
was originally founded as 'Everton Football Club and Athletic Ground Company, Ltd', or 'Everton Athletic', on 26 January 1892, as a consequence of the Everton F.C. split that resulted in Everton F.C.'s move to Goodison Park in 1892. The former Evertonians who founded 'Everton Athletic' to play at Anfield renamed the club 'Liverpool F.C.' on 3 June 1892.
[Everton Athletic](_blank)
/ref>
Schools
* Beacon Church of England Primary
* Campion Catholic High School (demolished 2006)
* Notre Dame Catholic College
* Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary
* Whitefield Primary School
References
External links
Liverpool City Council, Ward Profile: Everton
Liverpool Record Office Online Catalogue for Everton
Liverpool Street Gallery - Liverpool 3
Liverpool Street Gallery - Liverpool 5
Liverpool Street Gallery - Liverpool 6
* photo of Congregational chapel, Netherfield Road, Everton
{{Authority control
Areas of Liverpool
Former civil parishes in Merseyside
Irish diaspora in England