NameCensus.

UK surname

Adamson

Son of Adam, a patronymic surname derived from the Biblical figure Adam, the first man.

In the 1881 census there were 7,931 people recorded with the Adamson surname, ranking it #525 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10,282, ranked #627, down from #525 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shetland South, Kelty East and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Adamson is 10,573 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.6%.

1881 census count

7,931

Ranked #525

Modern count

10,282

2016, ranked #627

Peak year

2010

10,573 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Adamson had 7,931 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #525 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 10,282 in 2016, ranked #627.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,755 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Adamson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Adamson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Adamson 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 5,185 #533
1861 historical 5,808 #470
1881 historical 7,931 #525
1891 historical 8,640 #509
1901 historical 9,755 #539
1911 historical 7,005 #741
1997 modern 9,953 #626
1998 modern 10,166 #637
1999 modern 10,241 #637
2000 modern 10,195 #634
2001 modern 10,012 #634
2002 modern 10,197 #636
2003 modern 9,955 #636
2004 modern 9,967 #633
2005 modern 9,855 #632
2006 modern 9,892 #629
2007 modern 10,049 #623
2008 modern 10,106 #624
2009 modern 10,326 #628
2010 modern 10,573 #627
2011 modern 10,347 #629
2012 modern 10,180 #628
2013 modern 10,322 #629
2014 modern 10,406 #630
2015 modern 10,337 #628
2016 modern 10,282 #627

Geography

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Where Adamsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shetland South, Kelty East, Sunderland, County Durham and Crossgates and Halbeath. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shetland South Shetland Islands
2 Kelty East Fife
3 Sunderland 030 Sunderland
4 County Durham 011 County Durham
5 Crossgates and Halbeath Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Adamson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Adamson

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Adamson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Adamson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Adamson 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

Adamson is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Adamson falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Adamson

The surname Adamson originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is a patronymic surname derived from the personal name Adam, which comes from the Hebrew word "Adam" meaning "earth" or "man." The addition of the suffix "-son" indicates that the bearer was the son of someone named Adam.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Adamson dates back to the 13th century. In the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded the nobles and landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England, the name "William Adamsone" appears as a resident of Berwickshire, Scotland.

The Adamson surname can also be traced back to places like Adamton, a small village in Fife, Scotland. This place name likely evolved from a combination of the personal name Adam and the Old English word "tun," meaning a farm or settlement.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Adamson name appeared in various Scottish records, including the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland and the Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland. Notable individuals with this surname include:

1. Patrick Adamson (1537-1592), a Scottish scholar and reformer who served as the Archbishop of St. Andrews. 2. Henry Adamson (1581-1637), a Scottish poet and minister known for his work "The Muse's Threnodie." 3. Michael Adamson (1650-1690), a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who made contributions to the study of astronomy and navigation. 4. John Adamson (1787-1855), a Scottish journalist and author who wrote extensively about the history and culture of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. 5. Robert Adamson (1852-1902), a Scottish-Australian poet and critic who was a significant figure in the Australian literary scene of the late 19th century.

Over time, the Adamson surname spread beyond Scotland to other parts of the United Kingdom and eventually to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand, as Scottish emigrants settled in these regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Adamson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Adamson 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. Yorkshire leads with 1,206 Adamsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.57x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,206 1.57x
Durham 1,204 5.24x
Lancashire 1,087 1.19x
Fife 930 20.33x
Angus 496 6.93x
Lanarkshire 357 1.43x
Midlothian 350 3.38x
Northumberland 295 2.57x
Middlesex 280 0.36x
Cheshire 142 0.83x
Surrey 135 0.36x
Dumfriesshire 104 6.09x
Clackmannanshire 98 15.36x
Nottinghamshire 85 0.82x
Ayrshire 79 1.37x
Caithness 70 6.62x
Aberdeenshire 69 0.96x
Renfrewshire 63 1.05x
Stirlingshire 63 2.21x
Perthshire 50 1.44x
Staffordshire 50 0.19x
Cumberland 48 0.72x
Kent 46 0.17x
Suffolk 43 0.46x
Essex 39 0.26x
Lincolnshire 36 0.29x
Devon 34 0.21x
Norfolk 33 0.28x
Sussex 33 0.25x
Hampshire 27 0.17x
Dunbartonshire 23 1.11x
Banffshire 22 1.37x
Shetland 22 2.79x
Kinross-shire 20 10.24x
Roxburghshire 18 1.29x
Warwickshire 18 0.09x
Derbyshire 17 0.14x
West Lothian 16 1.37x
Orkney 14 1.65x
Cambridgeshire 13 0.27x
East Lothian 13 1.27x
Monmouthshire 13 0.23x
Selkirkshire 13 1.86x
Kirkcudbrightshire 12 1.07x
Wigtownshire 12 1.17x
Gloucestershire 11 0.07x
Oxfordshire 9 0.19x
Flintshire 8 0.39x
Cornwall 7 0.08x
Kincardineshire 6 0.64x
Morayshire 6 0.50x
Royal Navy 6 0.65x
Argyllshire 5 0.23x
Hertfordshire 5 0.09x
Leicestershire 5 0.06x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.09x
Nairnshire 4 1.70x
Northamptonshire 4 0.06x
Ross-shire 4 0.19x
Sutherland 4 0.67x
Wiltshire 4 0.06x
Berkshire 3 0.05x
Buteshire 3 0.64x
Peeblesshire 3 0.83x
Shropshire 3 0.04x
Somerset 3 0.02x
Bedfordshire 2 0.05x
Berwickshire 2 0.21x
Channel Islands 2 0.09x
Dorset 2 0.04x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.13x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.08x
Westmorland 2 0.12x
Worcestershire 2 0.02x
Brecknockshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dunfermline in Fife leads with 228 Adamsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.41x.

Place Total Index
Dunfermline 228 32.41x
Dundee 224 8.38x
Bishopwearmouth 193 9.78x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 182 4.37x
Dysart 137 44.47x
Ashton In Makerfield 117 44.81x
Forfar 103 26.57x
Govan 81 1.31x
Sculcoates 75 6.18x
Leeds 72 1.67x
Stanhope 69 29.07x
Wemyss 68 35.13x
Liverpool 65 1.17x
Glasgow 62 1.40x
Latheron 59 33.33x
Inverkeithing 58 84.13x
Holy Trinity 57 3.09x
Barony 55 0.87x
Scarborough 51 7.33x
South Leith 48 4.12x
Preston 46 1.88x
Darlington 45 5.07x
Scoonie 44 44.41x
Montrose 43 9.91x
Alloa 42 13.57x
Great Bolton 42 3.46x
Gateshead 41 2.38x
Hetton Le Hole 38 13.04x
Eccleston In Prescot 36 7.82x
Oldham 36 1.22x
Kirkcaldy 34 14.99x
Toxteth Park 33 1.06x
Tillicoultry 32 22.54x
Cheadle 31 9.51x
Hinderwell 31 47.43x
Monkwearmouth Shore 31 6.91x
Stranton 31 4.01x
St Pancras London 30 0.48x
Stockton On Tees 30 2.71x
Winlaton 30 13.60x
Boldon 29 35.39x
Kensington London 29 0.68x
Everton 28 0.96x
Little Bolton 28 2.37x
Ballingry 26 92.10x
Cupar 26 13.07x
Lofthouse 26 22.74x
St Vigeans 26 6.73x
Wardleworth 26 4.96x
Bedlington 25 6.51x
Islington London 25 0.33x
Markinch 25 16.10x
Pittenweem 25 44.33x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 24 1.79x
Clackmannan 24 19.90x
Liff Benvie 24 2.21x
Longbenton 24 4.93x
Nottingham St Mary 24 0.89x
Old Monkland 24 2.42x
Moorsley 23 93.19x
Pemberton 23 6.29x
Ripon 23 12.95x
Aberdeen Old Machar 22 1.47x
Camberwell 22 0.45x
Elswick 22 2.40x
Gainford 22 92.71x
Southwark St George Martyr 22 1.41x
West Derby 22 0.82x
Westgate 22 3.09x
Windle 22 4.26x
Conside Knitsley 21 11.75x
Halesworth 21 31.47x
Heaton Norris 21 4.02x
Thornhill 21 9.40x
Golborne 20 16.74x
Hulme 20 1.04x
Muirkirk 20 14.73x
North Leith 20 4.17x
St George Hanover Square 20 1.47x
Waldridge 20 51.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 417
Elizabeth 212
Jane 172
Sarah 153
Margaret 120
Ann 113
Annie 91
Alice 71
Hannah 66
Ellen 59
Isabella 56
Emma 50
Martha 45
Eliza 41
Edith 27
Emily 27
Catherine 26
Ada 24
Anne 24
Harriet 21
Maria 21
Florence 20
Frances 20
Kate 19
Agnes 18
Fanny 18
Charlotte 17
Elizth. 17
Jessie 16
Clara 14
Louisa 14
Betsy 13
Rebecca 13
Lucy 12
Janet 11
Amelia 10
Dorothy 10
Ethel 10
Susannah 10
Caroline 9
Gertrude 9
Henrietta 9
Margt. 9
Ruth 8
Barbara 7
Beatrice 7
Grace 7
Helen 7
Rachel 7
Bertha 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 378
William 312
Thomas 214
James 174
Robert 145
George 144
Joseph 93
Henry 84
Charles 52
Richard 43
Alfred 31
Samuel 29
David 28
Edward 28
Arthur 26
Frederick 26
Thos. 24
Wm. 24
Walter 22
Benjamin 21
Peter 19
Harry 16
Anthony 15
Ralph 15
Christopher 14
Alexander 13
Albert 12
Francis 12
Herbert 12
Frank 10
Ernest 9
Isaac 9
Jno. 9
Matthew 9
Stephen 9
Tom 9
Geo. 8
Robt. 8
Daniel 7
Edwin 7
Mark 7
Andrew 6
Fred 6
Fredrick 6
Percy 6
Adam 5
Jas. 5
Mathew 5
Horatio 4
Martin 4

FAQ

Adamson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Adamson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,931 people were recorded with the Adamson surname. That placed it at #525 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Adamson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 10,282 in 2016. That gives Adamson a modern rank of #627.

What does the Adamson surname mean?

Son of Adam, a patronymic surname derived from the Biblical figure Adam, the first man.

What does the Adamson map show?

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