NameCensus.

UK surname

Acheson

Derived from a place name meaning "Atchison's town" in Old English, referring to a town belonging to someone named Atchison.

In the 1881 census there were 47 people recorded with the Acheson surname, ranking it #27,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 386, ranked #12,202, up from #27,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Rochester and Govan Combination. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Bristol and Brent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Acheson is 386 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 721.3%.

1881 census count

47

Ranked #27,019

Modern count

386

2016, ranked #12,202

Peak year

2016

386 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Acheson had 47 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 386 in 2016, ranked #12,202.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 167 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Acheson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Acheson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Acheson 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 48 #24,615
1861 historical 66 #25,487
1881 historical 47 #27,019
1891 historical 80 #26,785
1901 historical 142 #18,633
1911 historical 167 #16,692
1997 modern 354 #12,060
1998 modern 379 #11,851
1999 modern 381 #11,873
2000 modern 362 #12,264
2001 modern 361 #12,102
2002 modern 374 #12,040
2003 modern 353 #12,345
2004 modern 348 #12,495
2005 modern 329 #12,966
2006 modern 340 #12,722
2007 modern 359 #12,356
2008 modern 351 #12,661
2009 modern 358 #12,736
2010 modern 372 #12,651
2011 modern 363 #12,738
2012 modern 341 #13,217
2013 modern 366 #12,733
2014 modern 374 #12,598
2015 modern 381 #12,345
2016 modern 386 #12,202

Geography

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Where Achesons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Rochester, Govan Combination, Newcastle All Saints and Chester St Oswald, Little St John, Cathedral Church, St Peter, St Bridget, St Martin, Holy Trinity. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Bristol, Brent, Isle of Wight and Craiglockhart. 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 Rochester Kent
3 Govan Combination Lanark
4 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
5 Chester St Oswald, Little St John, Cathedral Church, St Peter, St Bridget, St Martin, Holy Trinity Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 029 Wiltshire
2 Bristol 030 Bristol, City of
3 Brent 033 Brent
4 Isle of Wight 004 Isle of Wight
5 Craiglockhart City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Acheson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Acheson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Acheson, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Acheson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Acheson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Acheson 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

Acheson is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Acheson falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Acheson 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 Acheson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Acheson

The surname Acheson is of Scottish origin, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic name Achaisean, which translates to "son of Hugh" or "son of the younger son." The name was initially prevalent in the regions of Renfrewshire and Ayrshire, Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The roll includes the name "Aylmer de Achynsone," suggesting the name's connection to a specific location or landholding.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, variations of the name emerged, such as Achinsoun, Achinsoune, and Achinsone, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time. The name's association with place names is evident in the village of Auchinsorn, which roughly translates to "the field of the people named Acheson."

Among the notable historical figures bearing the surname Acheson is Sir Archibald Acheson, 1st Baronet (1572-1634), a Scottish landowner and politician who served as the Secretary of State for Scotland. Another prominent individual was Sir Arthur Acheson, 1st Baronet (1688-1748), an Irish politician and landowner who played a significant role in the Irish Parliament.

In the 19th century, Dean Acheson (1893-1971), an American statesman and lawyer, rose to prominence as the 51st United States Secretary of State under President Harry S. Truman. His contributions during the critical post-World War II era left a lasting impact on American foreign policy.

Another noteworthy figure was Marcus Acheson (1825-1900), an American businessman and politician from Pennsylvania, who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1877 to 1879.

The Acheson name has been carried through the centuries by various individuals, each leaving their mark in different fields, from politics and law to business and diplomacy. While the name's origins can be traced back to Scotland, its legacy has transcended borders and continues to be a part of diverse cultural histories.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Acheson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Acheson 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. Isle of Man leads with 20 Achesons recorded in 1881 and an index of 164.74x.

County Total Index
Isle of Man 20 164.74x
Kent 13 5.83x
Lancashire 9 1.16x
Middlesex 9 1.38x
Hampshire 6 4.48x
Cheshire 4 2.77x
Devon 1 0.74x
Glamorgan 1 0.88x
Lanarkshire 1 0.47x
Somerset 1 0.95x
Surrey 1 0.31x
Yorkshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Braddan in Isle of Man leads with 18 Achesons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2727.27x.

Place Total Index
Braddan 18 2727.27x
Rochester St Margaret 8 340.43x
St George Hanover Square 6 52.13x
Eccleston In Prescot 5 128.53x
Portsea 5 19.05x
St Peters 3 291.26x
Broughton In Salford 2 28.21x
Malew 2 188.68x
Oxton 2 243.90x
Tonbridge 2 24.88x
Alverstoke 1 20.62x
Chester St Oswald 1 38.31x
Exeter St Leonard 1 270.27x
Glasgow 1 2.66x
Hammersmith London 1 6.21x
Holbeck 1 23.31x
Islington London 1 1.58x
Kensington London 1 2.75x
Monknash 1 5000.00x
Reigate Foreign 1 28.99x
Thornton In Fylde 1 58.82x
Toxteth Park 1 3.81x
Upton In Macclesfield 1 1111.11x
Walcot 1 17.86x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
Robert 4
David 3
James 3
Samuel 3
Thomas 3
Alexander 2
Guy 2
Edward 1
Henry 1
Jas. 1
Johnston 1
Thos. 1
William 1

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 Acheson households.

FAQ

Acheson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Acheson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 47 people were recorded with the Acheson surname. That placed it at #27,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Acheson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 386 in 2016. That gives Acheson a modern rank of #12,202.

What does the Acheson surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "Atchison's town" in Old English, referring to a town belonging to someone named Atchison.

What does the Acheson map show?

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