NameCensus.

UK surname

Andersson

Swedish patronymic surname meaning "son of Anders".

In the 1881 census there were 55 people recorded with the Andersson surname, ranking it #25,862 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 511, ranked #9,834, up from #25,862 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Richmond upon Thames and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Andersson is 511 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 829.1%.

1881 census count

55

Ranked #25,862

Modern count

511

2016, ranked #9,834

Peak year

2016

511 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Andersson had 55 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,862 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 511 in 2016, ranked #9,834.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 75 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Andersson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Andersson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Andersson 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 10 #31,497
1861 historical 15 #31,942
1881 historical 55 #25,862
1891 historical 58 #29,439
1901 historical 66 #26,794
1911 historical 75 #25,322
1997 modern 223 #16,448
1998 modern 281 #14,506
1999 modern 307 #13,757
2000 modern 327 #13,164
2001 modern 343 #12,545
2002 modern 409 #11,250
2003 modern 372 #11,881
2004 modern 364 #12,110
2005 modern 368 #11,926
2006 modern 373 #11,854
2007 modern 375 #11,955
2008 modern 381 #11,918
2009 modern 415 #11,386
2010 modern 442 #11,066
2011 modern 438 #11,017
2012 modern 481 #10,145
2013 modern 490 #10,176
2014 modern 510 #9,945
2015 modern 510 #9,875
2016 modern 511 #9,834

Geography

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Where Anderssons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Westminster, Richmond upon Thames, Kensington and Chelsea, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Wiltshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Westminster 012 Westminster
2 Richmond upon Thames 001 Richmond upon Thames
3 Kensington and Chelsea 008 Kensington and Chelsea
4 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 002 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
5 Wiltshire 007 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Andersson

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Andersson

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Andersson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Andersson 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Andersson 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

Andersson is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Andersson falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Andersson 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Andersson

The surname Andersson is a patronymic name originating from Scandinavia, primarily Sweden. It is derived from the combination of the personal name Anders, a Swedish form of the name Andrew, and the suffix "-son," meaning "son of." The name emerged during the Middle Ages when surnames became more widely adopted across Europe.

Andersson is believed to have its roots in the Old Norse name Andres, which was a variant of the Greek name Andreas, meaning "manly" or "brave." This name was popularized throughout Scandinavia during the Viking Age, and its prevalence led to the formation of patronymic surnames like Andersson.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Andersson can be found in the Icelandic Landnámabók, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 12th century. This document mentions an individual named Andres Ingimundarson, indicating the use of patronymic naming conventions at the time.

In Sweden, the Andersson surname can be traced back to the 14th century, with records showing individuals bearing the name in various parts of the country. For example, a man named Anders Andersson was mentioned in a document from the city of Lund in 1374.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Andersson. One of the most famous was Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), the renowned Danish author and poet famous for his fairy tales, such as "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Little Mermaid."

Another prominent figure was Ingrid Andersson (1935-2019), a Swedish actress known for her roles in films like "The Seventh Seal" and "Wild Strawberries," directed by Ingmar Bergman.

In the field of science, Johann Andersson (1793-1860) was a Swedish botanist who made significant contributions to the study of mosses and liverworts, naming several new species.

The name Andersson has also been associated with various place names in Sweden, such as Andersson's Farm (Anderssons Gård) in Halland County and Andersson's Hill (Anderssons Kulle) in Skåne County.

It's worth noting that the spelling "Andersson" with double "s" is more commonly found in Sweden, while the variant "Anderson" without the double "s" is more prevalent in other Scandinavian countries like Norway and Denmark, as well as in English-speaking regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Andersson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Andersson 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. Durham leads with 10 Anderssons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.16x.

County Total Index
Durham 10 6.16x
Renfrewshire 7 16.54x
Glamorgan 6 6.31x
Gloucestershire 6 5.60x
Middlesex 6 1.10x
Cornwall 4 6.47x
Yorkshire 4 0.74x
Cheshire 3 2.49x
Northumberland 3 3.69x
Kent 2 1.07x
Lancashire 2 0.31x
Fife 1 3.09x
Hertfordshire 1 2.66x
Midlothian 1 1.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol in Gloucestershire leads with 6 Anderssons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6000.00x.

Place Total Index
Bristol 6 6000.00x
South Shields 6 413.79x
Cardiff St Mary 4 76.34x
Greenock Oldor West 4 3333.33x
Stranton 4 73.13x
Greenock East 3 15000.00x
Islington London 3 5.67x
Poplar London 3 29.10x
Scilly Islands 3 2727.27x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 38.84x
Higher Bebington 2 259.74x
Kingstonupon Hull 2 465.12x
Middlesbrough 2 28.37x
Milton In Gravesend 2 71.68x
Amble 1 270.27x
Cardiff St John 1 32.15x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 3.40x
Falmouth 1 45.66x
Harpenden 1 175.44x
Kinghorn 1 144.93x
Newcastle On Tyne 1 1111.11x
North Shields 1 61.73x
Penarth 1 107.53x
Runcorn 1 35.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eliza 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Anders 4
August 3
Carl 3
Axel 2
Johan 2
John 2
A. 1
A.G. 1
A.W. 1
Ambrose 1
Andreas 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
B. 1
C.H. 1
Eelis 1
Frans 1
J. 1
J.P. 1
Johann 1
Knuch 1
L. 1
Lars 1
Mins 1
N. 1
Olaf 1
Petter 1
R.W. 1
Robert 1
Ulue 1
Vikter 1

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 Andersson households.

FAQ

Andersson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Andersson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 55 people were recorded with the Andersson surname. That placed it at #25,862 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Andersson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 511 in 2016. That gives Andersson a modern rank of #9,834.

What does the Andersson surname mean?

Swedish patronymic surname meaning "son of Anders".

What does the Andersson map show?

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