NameCensus.

UK surname

Asman

A variant spelling of the common Arabic surname Asmaan referring to sky or heaven.

In the 1881 census there were 106 people recorded with the Asman surname, ranking it #19,083 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 110, ranked #29,225, down from #19,083 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, Lincoln St Swithin and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newark and Sherwood, Leicester and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Asman is 137 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.8%.

1881 census count

106

Ranked #19,083

Modern count

110

2016, ranked #29,225

Peak year

1911

137 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Asman had 106 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,083 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016, ranked #29,225.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 137 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Asman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Asman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Asman 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 64 #21,914
1861 historical 103 #20,650
1881 historical 106 #19,083
1891 historical 95 #24,694
1901 historical 102 #22,596
1911 historical 137 #18,880
1997 modern 84 #29,106
1998 modern 87 #29,240
1999 modern 95 #28,465
2000 modern 90 #29,068
2001 modern 80 #29,945
2002 modern 88 #29,534
2003 modern 85 #29,877
2004 modern 89 #29,623
2005 modern 85 #30,219
2006 modern 89 #30,027
2007 modern 85 #30,954
2008 modern 89 #30,713
2009 modern 91 #30,944
2010 modern 96 #30,854
2011 modern 95 #30,877
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 105 #29,916
2014 modern 106 #30,030
2015 modern 111 #28,986
2016 modern 110 #29,225

Geography

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Where Asmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, Lincoln St Swithin, Hull Holy Trinity, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newark and Sherwood, Leicester, Sheffield, Northumberland and West Berkshire. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 Lincoln St Swithin Lincolnshire
3 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newark and Sherwood 007 Newark and Sherwood
2 Leicester 031 Leicester
3 Sheffield 006 Sheffield
4 Northumberland 022 Northumberland
5 West Berkshire 010 West Berkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Asman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Asman

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Asman is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Asman is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Asman falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Asman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Asman

The surname ASMAN is believed to have originated in Germany during the late medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Old German word "asman," which referred to a person who lived near an ash tree or grove. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name likely resided in areas with significant ash tree populations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the ASMAN surname can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval records from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. The name appears in various spellings, including "Asmanne" and "Asmann," indicating regional variations in its written form.

In the 15th century, the ASMAN name appeared in the records of the city of Nuremberg, where a merchant named Hans Asman was documented as a prominent figure in the local trade guild. This suggests that the name had spread beyond its initial geographical origins and was becoming more widely established across German-speaking regions.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, several notable individuals bearing the ASMAN surname emerged. One such figure was Johann Asman, a Lutheran theologian and philosopher who lived from 1528 to 1592. Another was Christoph Asman, a German composer and organist who was active in the early 17th century and is known for his contributions to the development of the Lutheran church music tradition.

In the 18th century, the ASMAN name gained further recognition with the birth of Johann Christoph Andreas Asman (1738-1809), a German mathematician and astronomer. Asman made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics and was a member of the prestigious Prussian Academy of Sciences.

As the ASMAN surname spread beyond its German roots, it also found its way into other European countries. One notable figure was the Dutch painter Jan Asman (1774-1832), who was renowned for his landscape paintings and depictions of rural life in the Netherlands.

Throughout its history, the ASMAN surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of its bearers. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, the name has since become more widely dispersed, appearing in various regions and cultures around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Asman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Asman 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 26 Asmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.56x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 26 2.56x
Lincolnshire 18 10.99x
Nottinghamshire 18 13.04x
Warwickshire 18 6.97x
Lancashire 4 0.33x
Middlesex 4 0.39x
Surrey 4 0.80x
Wiltshire 4 4.42x
Sussex 3 1.74x
Gloucestershire 2 1.00x
Kent 2 0.57x
Derbyshire 1 0.62x
Northumberland 1 0.66x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newark Upon Trent in Nottinghamshire leads with 12 Asmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 241.94x.

Place Total Index
Newark Upon Trent 12 241.94x
Edgbaston 10 124.84x
Holy Trinity 8 32.77x
Bradfield 7 179.03x
Aston 6 8.44x
St Botolph Lincoln 6 508.47x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 24.22x
St Swithin Lincoln 5 194.55x
Bradford 4 16.28x
Islington London 4 4.03x
Lambeth 4 4.48x
St Martin Lincoln 4 263.16x
Swindon 4 56.90x
Nottingham St Mary 3 8.40x
Birmingham 2 2.32x
Failsworth 2 71.94x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 2 54.35x
North Collingham 2 606.06x
Salford 2 5.59x
St Maryle Wigford 2 157.48x
Stanmer 2 4000.00x
Chatham 1 10.41x
Doncaster 1 13.48x
East Ardsley 1 113.64x
Elston 1 625.00x
Gravesend 1 33.78x
Shirland 1 83.33x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 1 43.48x
Subdeanary 1 217.39x
Westgate 1 10.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Joseph 5
Harry 4
Walter 4
William 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
George 3
John 3
Alfred 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Ann 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Desmo.Wm. 1
Douglas 1
Edmund 1
Francis 1
Fras.Sharpe 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
H.Wm. 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Infant 1
James 1
Mathew 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Sydney 1
Thos.W. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Asman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Asman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 106 people were recorded with the Asman surname. That placed it at #19,083 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Asman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016. That gives Asman a modern rank of #29,225.

What does the Asman surname mean?

A variant spelling of the common Arabic surname Asmaan referring to sky or heaven.

What does the Asman map show?

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