NameCensus.

UK surname

Allinson

An English surname derived from the personal name "Alain" meaning "little rock".

In the 1881 census there were 1,298 people recorded with the Allinson surname, ranking it #3,153 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,142, ranked #3,018, up from #3,153 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, Gateshead and Auckland St Andrew. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham and Eden.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Allinson is 2,244 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.0%.

1881 census count

1,298

Ranked #3,153

Modern count

2,142

2016, ranked #3,018

Peak year

2010

2,244 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Allinson had 1,298 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,153 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,142 in 2016, ranked #3,018.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,000 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Allinson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Allinson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Allinson 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 717 #3,647
1861 historical 789 #3,492
1881 historical 1,298 #3,153
1891 historical 1,471 #2,990
1901 historical 1,807 #2,898
1911 historical 2,000 #2,484
1997 modern 2,004 #3,046
1998 modern 2,159 #2,961
1999 modern 2,160 #2,989
2000 modern 2,145 #2,988
2001 modern 2,157 #2,918
2002 modern 2,184 #2,937
2003 modern 2,126 #2,950
2004 modern 2,130 #2,945
2005 modern 2,109 #2,939
2006 modern 2,132 #2,910
2007 modern 2,156 #2,904
2008 modern 2,181 #2,902
2009 modern 2,189 #2,963
2010 modern 2,244 #2,959
2011 modern 2,216 #2,956
2012 modern 2,132 #3,001
2013 modern 2,183 #2,987
2014 modern 2,207 #2,970
2015 modern 2,154 #3,014
2016 modern 2,142 #3,018

Geography

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Where Allinsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, Gateshead, Auckland St Andrew, Middleton-in-Teesdale and Gainford (Barnard Castle, Marwood), Staindrop (Langley Dale), Middleton-in-Teesdale (Egglestone). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham and Eden. 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 Darlington Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Auckland St Andrew Durham
4 Middleton-in-Teesdale Durham
5 Gainford (Barnard Castle, Marwood), Staindrop (Langley Dale), Middleton-in-Teesdale (Egglestone) Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 065 County Durham
2 County Durham 066 County Durham
3 Eden 006 Eden
4 Eden 007 Eden
5 County Durham 059 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Allinson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Allinson

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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, Allinson 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

Allinson is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Allinson 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 Allinson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Allinson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Allinson

The surname Allinson is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is derived from the given name Allin, a diminutive form of Alan, which is itself derived from the Breton name Alain. The suffix "-son" denotes "son of," indicating that Allinson was originally a patronymic surname.

Allinson is believed to have originated in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, where it was first recorded in the 13th century. Early spellings of the name included Alynson, Alaynson, and Alanson, reflecting the fluidity of spelling conventions at the time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from 1332, which mention a Robert Alynson. Another early record is from the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, listing a John Alaynson.

The Allinson surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was William Allinson (1619-1677), an English Quaker preacher and author who was born in Lancashire and played a prominent role in the early Quaker movement.

Another notable Allinson was Thomas Allinson (1858-1918), a pioneering English businessman and advocate of wholemeal bread and vegetarianism. He founded the famous Allinson Bread Company in London in the late 19th century.

In the literary world, Samuel Allinson (1857-1938) was an English writer and critic, best known for his biographies of writers like Jonathan Swift and John Bunyan.

The Allinson name has also been connected to places like Allinson's Mill, a historic water mill located in Lancashire, which was in operation as early as the 16th century.

Other notable individuals with the Allinson surname include John Allinson (1776-1856), an English mathematician and schoolmaster, and William Allinson Burt (1792-1858), an American inventor and surveyor who patented the first typewriter in 1829.

Throughout its history, the surname Allinson has maintained a strong presence, particularly in England, reflecting its origins and the contributions of those who have carried this name across generations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Allinson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Allinson 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 442 Allinsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.52x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 442 3.52x
Durham 373 9.89x
Lancashire 122 0.81x
Cumberland 105 9.62x
Middlesex 62 0.49x
Westmorland 34 12.21x
Surrey 29 0.47x
Staffordshire 19 0.44x
Cheshire 18 0.64x
Northumberland 16 0.85x
Northamptonshire 9 0.76x
Kent 8 0.19x
Lincolnshire 8 0.39x
Shropshire 8 0.73x
Midlothian 7 0.41x
Warwickshire 7 0.22x
Essex 6 0.24x
Caernarfonshire 4 0.78x
Gloucestershire 4 0.16x
Norfolk 4 0.21x
Sussex 3 0.14x
Worcestershire 2 0.12x
Channel Islands 1 0.27x
Cornwall 1 0.07x
Derbyshire 1 0.05x
Flintshire 1 0.29x
Herefordshire 1 0.19x
Isle of Man 1 0.43x
Monmouthshire 1 0.11x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.06x
Somerset 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Middleton In Teesdale in Durham leads with 112 Allinsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1125.63x.

Place Total Index
Middleton In Teesdale 112 1125.63x
Forest Frith 43 1306.99x
Leeds 41 5.78x
Bishopwearmouth 34 10.51x
Eggleston 27 833.33x
Lunedale 26 1556.89x
Crook Billy Row 20 41.43x
Lofthouse 20 106.67x
Shildon 20 66.03x
Reeth 19 610.93x
Ecclesall Bierlow 18 7.05x
Islington London 18 1.47x
Warcop 17 544.87x
Darlington 16 10.99x
Gorton 15 10.61x
Lamesley 15 73.93x
Keswick 14 100.36x
Tottenham 14 6.94x
Whitehaven 13 22.36x
Great Driffield 12 46.57x
Liversedge 12 21.47x
Carthorpe 11 780.14x
Halifax 11 5.97x
Middlestone 11 145.50x
Battersea 10 2.14x
Morton On Swale 10 847.46x
Newton Upon Ouse 10 390.63x
Blennerhasset Kirkland 9 424.53x
Cockermouth 9 39.18x
Egremont 9 34.60x
Gateshead 9 3.19x
Holwick 9 882.35x
Kensington London 9 1.28x
Northampton Priory St 9 12.58x
Norton In Moors 9 39.75x
Westgate 9 7.71x
Clapham 8 5.05x
Stockton On Tees 8 4.40x
Toxteth Park 8 1.57x
Wortley In Bramley 8 8.04x
Audley 7 16.54x
Barnard Castle 7 37.57x
Birmingham 7 0.66x
Dacre 7 166.27x
Ellenborough Ewanrigg 7 92.59x
Harpurhey 7 33.54x
Kirkby Thore 7 311.11x
Marske Near Richmond 7 603.45x
Northowram 7 7.95x
Tudhoe 7 21.23x
Willington 7 32.14x
Allhallows 6 186.92x
Bingley 6 7.50x
Bradford 6 1.97x
Coundon 6 39.27x
Featherstone 6 42.55x
Grewelthorpe 6 267.86x
Grinton 6 365.85x
Guisbrough 6 21.87x
Middlesbrough 6 3.67x
Monkwearmouth Shore 6 8.15x
Ormesby 6 17.78x
Penrith 6 14.89x
Southwark St John 6 15.48x
St Martin In Fields 6 7.91x
West Derby 6 1.36x
Westoe 6 2.81x
Whitley 6 338.98x
Atherton 5 9.14x
Barrow In Furness 5 2.45x
Castleton 5 3.33x
Charlton Next Woolwich 5 11.09x
Gosforth 5 93.99x
Linthorpe 5 6.67x
Long Drax 5 735.29x
Lynesack Softley 5 49.12x
Masham 5 107.53x
Sandal Magna 5 26.93x
St Pancras London 5 0.49x
Walthamstow 5 5.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 97
William 76
Thomas 68
George 52
Joseph 42
James 40
Robert 35
Henry 24
Charles 15
Alfred 11
Edward 11
Frederick 11
Mark 10
Arthur 8
Isaac 8
Thos. 8
Albert 7
Jacob 5
Walter 5
Christopher 4
Francis 4
Frank 4
Richard 4
David 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Fred 3
Herbert 3
Josh. 3
Lancelot 3
Matthew 3
Ralph 3
Samuel 3
Wm. 3
Alex 2
Alexander 2
Anthony 2
Geo. 2
Gibblum 2
Harry 2
Jeremiah 2
Jno. 2
Jonathan 2
Joselph 2
Mary 2
Peter 2
Robt. 2
Sidney 2
Emanuel 1
Wm.Arthur 1

FAQ

Allinson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Allinson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,298 people were recorded with the Allinson surname. That placed it at #3,153 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Allinson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,142 in 2016. That gives Allinson a modern rank of #3,018.

What does the Allinson surname mean?

An English surname derived from the personal name "Alain" meaning "little rock".

What does the Allinson map show?

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