UK surname
Derived from a patronymic name meaning "son of Adam," likely referring to someone whose father was named Adam.
In the 1881 census there were 130 people recorded with the Adderson surname, ranking it #16,911 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 70, ranked #33,700, down from #16,911 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Sibbertoft, Saham Toney and King's Lynn St Margaret. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Adderson is 152 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 46.2%.
1881 census count
130
Ranked #16,911
Modern count
70
2016, ranked #33,700
Peak year
1891
152 bearers
Map years
5
1861 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Adderson surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Adderson surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 72 | #20,720 |
| 1861 | historical | 138 | #16,365 |
| 1881 | historical | 130 | #16,911 |
| 1891 | historical | 152 | #18,163 |
| 1901 | historical | 109 | #21,712 |
| 1911 | historical | 140 | #18,657 |
| 1997 | modern | 85 | #28,988 |
| 1998 | modern | 96 | #28,188 |
| 1999 | modern | 93 | #28,711 |
| 2000 | modern | 82 | #29,922 |
| 2001 | modern | 84 | #29,508 |
| 2002 | modern | 89 | #29,428 |
| 2003 | modern | 86 | #29,752 |
| 2004 | modern | 87 | #29,897 |
| 2005 | modern | 87 | #29,966 |
| 2006 | modern | 82 | #30,933 |
| 2007 | modern | 79 | #31,628 |
| 2008 | modern | 77 | #32,181 |
| 2009 | modern | 77 | #32,553 |
| 2010 | modern | 79 | #32,759 |
| 2011 | modern | 76 | #32,989 |
| 2012 | modern | 71 | #33,573 |
| 2013 | modern | 73 | #33,557 |
| 2014 | modern | 71 | #33,717 |
| 2015 | modern | 70 | #33,717 |
| 2016 | modern | 70 | #33,700 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Sibbertoft, Saham Toney, King's Lynn St Margaret, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sibbertoft | Leicestershire |
| 2 | Saham Toney | Norfolk |
| 3 | King's Lynn St Margaret | Norfolk |
| 4 | Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard | Nottinghamshire |
| 5 | Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John | Cambridgeshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Adderson surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Adderson, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Adderson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Adderson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Adderson is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Adderson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Adderson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Adderson has its origins in the northern English counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is thought to have derived from the Old English words "ęddre" meaning adder or snake, and "sún" meaning son, thereby translating to "son of the snake-charmer". This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have been associated with the occupation of snake handling or charming, which was a practice in medieval times.
The name can be traced back to the late 13th century, with one of the earliest recorded instances being that of Willelmus Adderson, mentioned in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. Another early reference is found in the Lancashire Wills and Inventories from 1542, where a John Adderson is listed as a landowner.
In the 16th century, the name appeared in various spellings such as Addersonne, Addresonne, and Addyrsonne, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. The name is also closely linked to the village of Adderstone in Northumberland, which may have contributed to the development of the surname.
One notable bearer of the name was Sir William Adderson (1580-1640), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire. He was knighted by King James I in 1617 and served as the Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1624. Another prominent figure was Thomas Adderson (1695-1765), a renowned clockmaker from Lancashire whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the gentry of the time.
Other individuals of historical significance include Mary Adderson (1730-1802), a Quaker minister and abolitionist from Yorkshire, who was instrumental in the early movement against slavery. In the 19th century, James Adderson (1812-1879) was a prominent politician and member of the British Parliament, representing the constituency of Bradford from 1857 to 1868.
Additionally, the name is connected to the village of Adderson in Cheshire, where the Adderson family held significant landholdings and influence during the medieval period. The name has also been found in various records and manuscripts, such as the Lancashire Charters from the 13th century and the Yorkshire Fines from the 14th century.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Adderson surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Norfolk leads with 62 Addersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.85x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk | 62 | 30.85x |
| Middlesex | 24 | 1.84x |
| Northamptonshire | 18 | 14.64x |
| Essex | 11 | 4.26x |
| Channel Islands | 4 | 10.33x |
| Northumberland | 4 | 2.06x |
| Suffolk | 4 | 2.51x |
| Cambridgeshire | 1 | 1.21x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 0.49x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.22x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.06x |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 0.69x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.45x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.08x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Saham Toney in Norfolk leads with 17 Addersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3148.15x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Saham Toney | 17 | 3148.15x |
| Sibbertoft | 12 | 9230.77x |
| Marham | 11 | 3235.29x |
| Kings Lynn St Margaret | 10 | 165.84x |
| West Lynn | 9 | 3461.54x |
| St George Hanover Square | 8 | 34.74x |
| Hackney London | 7 | 9.55x |
| Barton Bendish | 6 | 3000.00x |
| Willesden | 6 | 48.70x |
| Epping | 5 | 476.19x |
| Sandhoe | 4 | 4000.00x |
| St Helier | 4 | 31.72x |
| West Ham | 4 | 7.02x |
| Milton | 3 | 909.09x |
| St Pancras London | 3 | 2.85x |
| Terrington St John | 3 | 1000.00x |
| Hasketon | 2 | 909.09x |
| Norwich St Helen | 2 | 800.00x |
| South Lynn | 2 | 88.11x |
| Welford | 2 | 476.19x |
| Chislehurst | 1 | 41.84x |
| Elm | 1 | 123.46x |
| Great Clacton | 1 | 113.64x |
| Holy Trinity | 1 | 3.21x |
| Ipswich St Margaret | 1 | 18.52x |
| Killamarsh | 1 | 78.74x |
| Kirkley | 1 | 75.19x |
| Little Ryburgh | 1 | 1250.00x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 1.06x |
| New Shoreham | 1 | 75.76x |
| St Osyth | 1 | 158.73x |
| Stoke Golding | 1 | 400.00x |
| Sulby | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Wiggenhall St Mary Virgin | 1 | 714.29x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Adderson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Sarah | 11 |
| Mary | 8 |
| Jane | 6 |
| Harriet | 4 |
| Ann | 3 |
| Charlotte | 3 |
| Eliza | 3 |
| Ellen | 3 |
| Alexanderne | 2 |
| Edith | 2 |
| Elizabeth | 2 |
| Hannah | 2 |
| Louisa | 2 |
| Lucy | 2 |
| Rose | 2 |
| Adelaide | 1 |
| Agnes | 1 |
| Alice | 1 |
| Amy | 1 |
| Betsey | 1 |
| Emma | 1 |
| Flora | 1 |
| Florence | 1 |
| Frances | 1 |
| Maren | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Marthe | 1 |
| Matilda | 1 |
| Maud | 1 |
| Minnie | 1 |
| Pheobe | 1 |
| Phillis | 1 |
| Sousannah | 1 |
| Susan | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Adderson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Adderson households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 32 |
| Ag Lab | 14 |
| Dressmaker | 4 |
| Annuitant | 2 |
| Domestic Servant | 2 |
| General Servant | 2 |
| Groom (Dom) | 2 |
| Labourer | 2 |
| Unemployed | 2 |
| Bar Maid | 1 |
| Boy Of All Work | 1 |
| Butler Dom Serv | 1 |
| Carpenter | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Cook Domestic Serv | 1 |
| Corn Porter | 1 |
| Dairymaid | 1 |
| Dress Maker | 1 |
| Dressmakers Apprentice | 1 |
| Employed In Woollen Factory | 1 |
| Farm Serv Ag Lab | 1 |
| Formerly Clerk | 1 |
| General Serv Domestic | 1 |
| Groom And Gardener | 1 |
| Groom Wife | 1 |
| Horsekeeper | 1 |
| Hotel Keeper | 1 |
| Kitchenmaid | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Omnibus Conductor | 1 |
| Omnibus Driver | 1 |
| Pauper | 1 |
| Pianoforte Maker | 1 |
| Publican | 1 |
| Seaman | 1 |
| Shepherd | 1 |
| Shepherds Wife | 1 |
| Traveller Tobacconist | 1 |
| Wife Of Butler | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 130 people were recorded with the Adderson surname. That placed it at #16,911 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 70 in 2016. That gives Adderson a modern rank of #33,700.
Derived from a patronymic name meaning "son of Adam," likely referring to someone whose father was named Adam.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Adderson bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.