NameCensus.

UK surname

Addison

Son of Adam, or a patronymic surname derived from the given name Adam.

In the 1881 census there were 4,162 people recorded with the Addison surname, ranking it #1,085 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,542, ranked #1,032, up from #1,085 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Lindsey, Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Addison is 6,775 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.2%.

1881 census count

4,162

Ranked #1,085

Modern count

6,542

2016, ranked #1,032

Peak year

2010

6,775 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Addison had 4,162 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,085 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,542 in 2016, ranked #1,032.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,429 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Addison surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Addison surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Addison 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 3,032 #957
1861 historical 2,894 #1,001
1881 historical 4,162 #1,085
1891 historical 4,692 #994
1901 historical 5,429 #1,026
1911 historical 4,631 #1,119
1997 modern 6,288 #1,046
1998 modern 6,506 #1,049
1999 modern 6,592 #1,047
2000 modern 6,483 #1,056
2001 modern 6,371 #1,049
2002 modern 6,539 #1,044
2003 modern 6,387 #1,047
2004 modern 6,404 #1,043
2005 modern 6,366 #1,030
2006 modern 6,370 #1,028
2007 modern 6,405 #1,026
2008 modern 6,470 #1,023
2009 modern 6,659 #1,018
2010 modern 6,775 #1,020
2011 modern 6,653 #1,024
2012 modern 6,522 #1,026
2013 modern 6,610 #1,031
2014 modern 6,645 #1,032
2015 modern 6,601 #1,027
2016 modern 6,542 #1,032

Geography

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Where Addisons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Cullen and Stranton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Lindsey, Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock, County Durham and Redcar and Cleveland. 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 3
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Cullen Banff
5 Stranton Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Lindsey 003 East Lindsey
2 Cullen, Portknockie, Findochty, Drybridge and Berryhillock Moray
3 County Durham 065 County Durham
4 East Lindsey 004 East Lindsey
5 Redcar and Cleveland 002 Redcar and Cleveland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Addison

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Addison

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Addison surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Addison household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Addison is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Addison is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Addison falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Addison

The surname Addison originated in England, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "adic" and "sunu," meaning "son of Ade" or "son of Adam." This patronymic name was initially spelled as "Adekyn" or "Adekynsone."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Addison can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Adekyn." The name also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296 as "Adekynsone."

In the 14th century, the name evolved to its modern spelling, "Addison." It is believed that the name originated in Yorkshire and Lancashire, where many early bearers of the surname were recorded.

The Domesday Book of 1086 does not contain the surname Addison, as it predates the widespread use of hereditary surnames in England. However, it does mention several individuals with the first name "Ade" or "Adam," which may have been the progenitors of later Addison families.

One notable bearer of the surname was Joseph Addison (1672-1719), an English essayist, poet, and playwright. He co-founded the influential periodical "The Spectator" and is considered one of the foremost prose stylists of the 18th century.

Another famous Addison was Thomas Addison (1793-1860), an English physician who first described the medical condition known as "Addison's disease," a disorder of the adrenal glands.

In the 16th century, the name Addison appears in several records, including the Wills and Administrations of Chester, where a John Addison is mentioned in 1554. The same century also saw the emergence of place names containing the surname, such as Addison's Close in Bedfordshire, recorded in 1576.

Christopher Addison (1869-1951) was a British politician and social reformer who served as Minister of Health and later as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries in the 1920s and 1930s.

Another notable bearer of the name was Joseph Addison (1766-1844), an English engraver and author who published "The Elements of the Art of Assaying Metals" in 1801, a seminal work in the field of metallurgy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Addison families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Addison 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. Lancashire leads with 532 Addisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.11x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 532 1.11x
Durham 361 3.00x
Yorkshire 356 0.89x
Staffordshire 251 1.84x
Middlesex 231 0.57x
Angus 177 4.73x
Fife 169 7.06x
Banffshire 168 20.03x
Suffolk 149 3.03x
Surrey 144 0.73x
Cumberland 135 3.88x
Norfolk 119 1.91x
Midlothian 100 1.85x
Westmorland 96 10.80x
Aberdeenshire 87 2.32x
Shropshire 81 2.32x
Leicestershire 79 1.76x
Northumberland 79 1.31x
Lanarkshire 75 0.57x
Lincolnshire 70 1.08x
Hampshire 57 0.69x
Sussex 57 0.84x
Kincardineshire 52 10.56x
Cambridgeshire 51 1.99x
Kent 49 0.36x
Warwickshire 43 0.42x
Derbyshire 35 0.55x
Oxfordshire 32 1.28x
Cheshire 30 0.34x
Gloucestershire 28 0.35x
Northamptonshire 25 0.66x
West Lothian 24 3.94x
Hertfordshire 21 0.75x
Devon 19 0.23x
Worcestershire 19 0.36x
Cornwall 18 0.39x
Somerset 16 0.25x
Clackmannanshire 13 3.89x
East Lothian 12 2.24x
Berkshire 11 0.36x
Essex 8 0.10x
Dunbartonshire 5 0.46x
Peeblesshire 5 2.63x
Perthshire 5 0.28x
Stirlingshire 5 0.34x
Sutherland 5 1.61x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.16x
Selkirkshire 4 1.09x
Flintshire 3 0.28x
Glamorgan 3 0.04x
Isle of Man 3 0.40x
Renfrewshire 3 0.10x
Argyllshire 2 0.18x
Channel Islands 2 0.17x
Dorset 2 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.04x
Rutland 2 0.67x
Ayrshire 1 0.03x
Bedfordshire 1 0.05x
Berwickshire 1 0.20x
Caithness 1 0.18x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.11x
Inverness-shire 1 0.08x
Monmouthshire 1 0.03x
Morayshire 1 0.16x
Ross-shire 1 0.09x
Roxburghshire 1 0.14x
Royal Navy 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cullen in Banffshire leads with 107 Addisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 344.16x.

Place Total Index
Cullen 107 344.16x
Dunfermline 93 25.27x
Preston 52 4.05x
Camberwell 46 1.78x
Barrow In Furness 43 6.59x
Bishopwearmouth 38 3.68x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 38 1.74x
Portsea 34 2.09x
Leeds 32 1.41x
Stockton On Tees 31 5.35x
Barony 30 0.91x
Everton 30 1.96x
Fincham 30 273.97x
Stranton 29 7.16x
Brechin 28 19.02x
Aberdeen Old Machar 26 3.33x
Beath 26 34.37x
Brighton 26 1.89x
Islington London 26 0.66x
Montrose 26 11.45x
St Marylebone London 26 1.20x
St Pancras London 26 0.80x
Over Darwen 25 6.52x
Westoe 25 3.67x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 24 3.43x
West Derby 24 1.71x
Shawell 23 809.86x
Leicester St Margaret 22 2.01x
St Vigeans 22 10.88x
Accrington 21 4.81x
Liverpool 21 0.72x
Caldewgate 20 10.49x
Glasgow 20 0.86x
Kirkdale 20 2.48x
Leicester St Mary 20 5.52x
Little Bolton 19 3.08x
Stone 19 10.88x
Aston 18 0.64x
Govan 18 0.56x
Stourbridge 18 13.25x
Bardwell 17 162.06x
Blackburn 17 1.33x
Boyndie 17 61.20x
Wolverhampton 17 1.62x
Appleby 16 212.48x
Ardley 16 714.29x
Clayton Le Moors 16 17.19x
Darlington 16 3.45x
Dewsbury 16 3.89x
Fetteresso 16 20.74x
Newington 16 1.07x
Preston Quarter 16 16.40x
Tamworth 16 21.92x
Windle 16 5.93x
Wrockwardine 16 20.83x
Helston 15 31.53x
Honington 15 364.08x
Ipswich St Mathew 15 10.87x
Melton 15 77.36x
St Andrewthe Less 15 5.13x
Crosscanonby 14 12.16x
Eccleshall 14 27.05x
Fordyce 14 23.20x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 14 2.69x
Hugill 14 257.83x
Kensington London 14 0.62x
Sculcoates 14 2.20x
Tannadice 14 80.28x
Alloa 13 8.03x
Bethnal Green London 13 0.74x
Chelsea London 13 1.07x
Chirton 13 9.55x
Colne 13 9.10x
Hastings St Mary 13 7.66x
Heigham 13 3.90x
Lilleshall 13 24.34x
West Auckland 13 29.55x
Westgate 13 3.49x
Wisbech St Peter 13 10.12x
Monkwearmouth Shore 12 5.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 248
Elizabeth 140
Sarah 96
Jane 71
Ann 69
Margaret 54
Alice 50
Ellen 48
Annie 45
Hannah 38
Emily 33
Emma 29
Isabella 26
Eliza 25
Charlotte 24
Edith 24
Louisa 24
Catherine 21
Clara 20
Harriet 19
Martha 17
Agnes 15
Susan 14
Ada 13
Eleanor 13
Fanny 12
Florence 12
Frances 12
Kate 12
Betsy 9
Esther 9
Maria 9
Anne 8
Caroline 7
Elizth. 7
Matilda 7
Rose 7
Ruth 7
Jessie 6
Lucy 6
Lydia 6
Mabel 6
Margret 6
Beatrice 5
Ethel 5
Gertrude 5
Helen 5
Julia 5
Margt. 5
Phoebe 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 222
William 193
George 122
Thomas 120
James 114
Joseph 99
Robert 80
Henry 57
Charles 53
Richard 34
Alfred 30
Edward 28
Arthur 26
Frederick 23
David 18
Albert 15
Harry 15
Peter 14
Samuel 14
Walter 13
Christopher 11
Ernest 10
Francis 10
Frank 10
Fred 9
Wm. 8
Benjamin 7
Daniel 7
Oliver 7
Herbert 6
Jeremiah 6
Matthew 6
Robt. 6
Edwin 5
Fredk. 5
Leonard 5
Stephen 5
Tom 5
Abraham 4
Andrew 4
Anthony 4
Willm. 4
Adam 3
Edgar 3
Geo. 3
Isaac 3
Jacob 3
Jonathan 3
Nathan 3
Thos. 3

FAQ

Addison surname: questions and answers

How common was the Addison surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,162 people were recorded with the Addison surname. That placed it at #1,085 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Addison surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,542 in 2016. That gives Addison a modern rank of #1,032.

What does the Addison surname mean?

Son of Adam, or a patronymic surname derived from the given name Adam.

What does the Addison map show?

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