NameCensus.

UK surname

Anderson

An patronymic surname meaning "son of Anders" or "son of Andrew," derived from the Greek name "Andreas."

In the 1881 census there were 59,265 people recorded with the Anderson surname, ranking it #43 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 88,616, ranked #41, up from #43 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North and East Isles, Lerwick North and Hilltown.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Anderson is 89,433 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.5%.

1881 census count

59,265

Ranked #43

Modern count

88,616

2016, ranked #41

Peak year

2010

89,433 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Anderson had 59,265 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #43 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 88,616 in 2016, ranked #41.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 72,218 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Anderson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Anderson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Anderson 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 42,346 #37
1861 historical 45,471 #36
1881 historical 59,265 #43
1891 historical 65,040 #43
1901 historical 72,218 #43
1911 historical 38,256 #95
1997 modern 81,834 #45
1998 modern 84,643 #46
1999 modern 85,529 #46
2000 modern 85,430 #45
2001 modern 83,069 #46
2002 modern 85,217 #44
2003 modern 83,312 #44
2004 modern 83,614 #43
2005 modern 83,157 #42
2006 modern 83,428 #42
2007 modern 84,401 #42
2008 modern 85,064 #42
2009 modern 87,229 #42
2010 modern 89,433 #42
2011 modern 87,678 #43
2012 modern 86,161 #43
2013 modern 87,894 #43
2014 modern 88,729 #43
2015 modern 88,364 #43
2016 modern 88,616 #41

Geography

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Where Andersons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Govan Combination, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North and East Isles, Lerwick North, Hilltown, Cromar and Kildrummy and The Glens. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 3
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North and East Isles Shetland Islands
2 Lerwick North Shetland Islands
3 Hilltown Dundee City
4 Cromar and Kildrummy Aberdeenshire
5 The Glens Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Anderson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Anderson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Anderson, 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 Anderson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Anderson 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, Anderson 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

Anderson 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

Anderson 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 Anderson 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 Anderson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Anderson

The surname Anderson is of Scottish and English origin, derived from the patronymic name "Andr's son" or "Andrew's son". The name is believed to have originated in the 12th century and was initially spelled as "Andree", "Andreu", or "Androw".

Anderson is a common surname in Scotland, with a high concentration in the counties of Fife, Lanarkshire, and Ayrshire. The name can be traced back to the early 13th century when it appeared in records such as the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where Robertus Andree was listed as a landowner in Berwickshire.

In England, the earliest recorded instance of the name Anderson dates back to the 13th century in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it was listed as "Andreu". The name was also found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, where it was spelled as "Andreu".

Some notable historical figures with the surname Anderson include James Anderson (1662-1728), a Scottish writer and historian who published works on Scottish history and agriculture. Andrew Anderson (1570-1624) was a Scottish minister and one of the translators of the King James Bible.

Another prominent figure was Alexander Anderson (1582-1620), a Scottish mathematician and writer who published works on algebra and geometry. In the United States, Richard Clough Anderson Jr. (1788-1826) was an American officer in the War of 1812 and served as the first U.S. Minister to Panama.

Robert Anderson (1805-1871) was a British officer who played a crucial role in the Crimean War and later served as the Governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have carried the surname Anderson.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Anderson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Anderson 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. Lanarkshire leads with 6,625 Andersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.55x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 6,625 3.55x
Middlesex 3,845 0.67x
Midlothian 3,824 4.95x
Angus 3,640 6.81x
Aberdeenshire 3,421 6.40x
Lancashire 3,284 0.48x
Durham 3,184 1.85x
Yorkshire 2,990 0.52x
Northumberland 2,473 2.88x
Fife 2,321 6.79x
Renfrewshire 1,656 3.70x
Ayrshire 1,532 3.55x
Perthshire 1,496 5.78x
Surrey 1,427 0.51x
Kent 1,239 0.63x
Stirlingshire 1,113 5.23x
Shetland 951 16.14x
Morayshire 756 8.43x
Dumfriesshire 595 4.67x
Roxburghshire 549 5.25x
Banffshire 501 4.19x
Berwickshire 497 7.11x
East Lothian 495 6.48x
Essex 489 0.43x
Cheshire 473 0.37x
Norfolk 467 0.53x
Cumberland 458 0.92x
West Lothian 445 5.12x
Lincolnshire 444 0.48x
Dunbartonshire 415 2.68x
Staffordshire 378 0.19x
Kincardineshire 357 5.08x
Inverness-shire 345 2.00x
Hertfordshire 341 0.86x
Nottinghamshire 321 0.41x
Hampshire 299 0.25x
Selkirkshire 270 5.17x
Argyllshire 262 1.63x
Warwickshire 257 0.18x
Sussex 247 0.25x
Orkney 238 3.75x
Kirkcudbrightshire 233 2.79x
Cambridgeshire 230 0.63x
Devon 214 0.18x
Wigtownshire 208 2.71x
Peeblesshire 189 6.96x
Gloucestershire 187 0.17x
Clackmannanshire 176 3.69x
Buckinghamshire 175 0.50x
Northamptonshire 163 0.30x
Leicestershire 160 0.25x
Bedfordshire 157 0.53x
Caithness 152 1.92x
Derbyshire 148 0.16x
Berkshire 133 0.31x
Ross-shire 127 0.80x
Buteshire 122 3.49x
Glamorgan 121 0.12x
Worcestershire 116 0.15x
Somerset 109 0.12x
Sutherland 102 2.30x
Isle of Man 93 0.87x
Kinross-shire 82 5.62x
Oxfordshire 82 0.23x
Suffolk 82 0.12x
Royal Navy 80 1.16x
Monmouthshire 68 0.16x
Nairnshire 64 3.63x
Westmorland 62 0.49x
Shropshire 60 0.12x
Wiltshire 55 0.11x
Dorset 49 0.13x
Denbighshire 41 0.19x
Channel Islands 32 0.19x
Cornwall 32 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 30 0.26x
Pembrokeshire 24 0.13x
Anglesey 16 0.16x
Flintshire 14 0.09x
Herefordshire 12 0.05x
Caernarfonshire 10 0.04x
Montgomeryshire 7 0.05x
Cardiganshire 5 0.04x
Carmarthenshire 5 0.02x
Merionethshire 1 0.01x
Radnorshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 1,767 Andersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.68x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1,767 5.68x
Govan 1,679 3.64x
Barony 1,559 3.30x
Dundee 1,295 6.49x
Glasgow 1,261 3.81x
Aberdeen Old Machar 754 6.76x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 678 6.78x
Dunfermline 430 8.19x
Liff Benvie 396 4.88x
Liverpool 395 0.95x
South Leith 393 4.52x
Islington London 358 0.64x
Gateshead 344 2.68x
Lambeth 339 0.67x
Falkirk 318 6.38x
Bishopwearmouth 290 1.97x
St Pancras London 281 0.61x
St Vigeans 264 9.15x
North Leith 257 7.18x
Kensington London 244 0.76x
West Greenock 244 3.04x
Westoe 235 2.41x
Old Monkland 233 3.15x
Toxteth Park 229 0.99x
Nesting Lunnas Whalsay 226 43.52x
Everton 222 1.02x
Bothwell 217 4.29x
Leeds 215 0.67x
Mile End Old Town London 212 1.73x
New Monkland 212 3.84x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 204 2.74x
Camberwell 203 0.55x
Bethnal Green London 200 0.80x
Kilmarnock 199 3.87x
Elgin 196 11.24x
Abbey 185 2.71x
Newcastle On Tyne St 185 4.16x
Hawick 183 7.82x
Hamilton 181 3.48x
Northmavine 181 40.33x
Arbroath 176 9.94x
Eastwood 176 6.39x
Monifieth 174 9.21x
Manchester 170 0.55x
Brechin 167 7.95x
Poplar London 167 1.53x
Cathcart 166 6.86x
East Greenock 164 3.88x
West Ham 162 0.64x
Forfar 160 5.53x
St Marylebone London 159 0.52x
Holy Trinity 156 1.13x
Tynemouth 155 3.37x
Kirkdale 154 1.34x
Elswick 150 2.19x
Byker 149 3.51x
Shoreditch London 148 0.59x
Montrose 147 4.54x
West Derby 147 0.73x
Hackney London 146 0.45x
Kilsyth 141 10.39x
Peterhead 141 4.99x
Neilston 138 6.15x
Westgate 135 2.54x
Cambusnethan 134 3.23x
Dysart 129 5.61x
Wick 129 5.06x
Perth East Church 128 5.24x
Cambuslang 125 6.64x
Inverness 125 2.88x
Paddington London 124 0.58x
St Andrews 123 7.91x
Denny 120 10.60x
St George Hanover Square 120 1.18x
Bermondsey 116 0.68x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 116 2.26x
Deptford St Paul 115 0.76x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 115 6.29x
Maryhill 115 3.15x
Lerwick Gulberwick 112 12.28x
Wilton 111 9.68x
Kirkcaldy 110 6.49x
Bromley London 109 0.86x
Duddingston 109 7.02x
Barrow In Furness 108 1.16x
Selkirk 106 7.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,711
Elizabeth 909
Sarah 728
Jane 699
Margaret 575
Ann 497
Annie 375
Eliza 344
Ellen 330
Alice 321
Emma 284
Emily 262
Isabella 253
Hannah 246
Catherine 175
Martha 172
Agnes 160
Louisa 127
Charlotte 121
Maria 121
Edith 117
Ada 116
Caroline 108
Kate 108
Harriet 106
Florence 102
Frances 102
Fanny 100
Jessie 95
Janet 80
Anne 79
Clara 76
Susan 75
Eleanor 69
Amelia 67
Helen 62
Lucy 59
Esther 55
Rose 52
Minnie 49
Julia 46
Grace 45
Harriett 45
Matilda 44
Sophia 44
Anna 42
Margt. 42
Dorothy 41
Amy 40
Rebecca 39

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1,724
William 1,588
James 1,057
George 871
Thomas 854
Robert 592
Charles 435
Henry 387
Joseph 378
Edward 240
Arthur 201
Alfred 184
David 168
Frederick 167
Richard 149
Alexander 146
Samuel 126
Andrew 120
Walter 115
Albert 114
Frank 102
Wm. 102
Harry 88
Francis 83
Peter 81
Ernest 63
Herbert 58
Ralph 54
Matthew 52
Benjamin 50
Thos. 43
Fred 39
Isaac 39
Michael 39
Robt. 37
Edwin 36
Geo. 34
Daniel 31
Archibald 29
Fredk. 29
Jas. 29
Tom 29
Adam 27
Christopher 26
Jacob 26
Mark 25
Stephen 24
Chas. 23
Hugh 23
Willm. 22

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 Anderson households.

FAQ

Anderson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Anderson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 59,265 people were recorded with the Anderson surname. That placed it at #43 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Anderson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 88,616 in 2016. That gives Anderson a modern rank of #41.

What does the Anderson surname mean?

An patronymic surname meaning "son of Anders" or "son of Andrew," derived from the Greek name "Andreas."

What does the Anderson map show?

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