NameCensus.

UK surname

Asson

An anglicized spelling of Assone, a surname of Norman origin.

In the 1881 census there were 60 people recorded with the Asson surname, ranking it #25,133 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 187, ranked #20,488, up from #25,133 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Tipton otherwise Tibington and Rowley Regis. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tamworth, St. Helens and Lichfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Asson is 190 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 211.7%.

1881 census count

60

Ranked #25,133

Modern count

187

2016, ranked #20,488

Peak year

2014

190 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Asson had 60 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,133 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 187 in 2016, ranked #20,488.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 112 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Asson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Asson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Asson 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 23 #29,205
1861 historical 44 #28,433
1881 historical 60 #25,133
1891 historical 91 #25,239
1901 historical 104 #22,310
1911 historical 112 #21,274
1997 modern 153 #20,868
1998 modern 143 #22,317
1999 modern 142 #22,607
2000 modern 137 #23,048
2001 modern 135 #22,945
2002 modern 149 #22,001
2003 modern 154 #21,308
2004 modern 154 #21,432
2005 modern 154 #21,396
2006 modern 161 #20,972
2007 modern 168 #20,634
2008 modern 168 #20,828
2009 modern 179 #20,418
2010 modern 182 #20,662
2011 modern 185 #20,288
2012 modern 180 #20,606
2013 modern 184 #20,643
2014 modern 190 #20,374
2015 modern 184 #20,719
2016 modern 187 #20,488

Geography

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Where Assons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Tipton otherwise Tibington, Rowley Regis, Wigan and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tamworth, St. Helens and Lichfield. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
3 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
4 Wigan Lancashire
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tamworth 009 Tamworth
2 St. Helens 004 St. Helens
3 Lichfield 012 Lichfield
4 Tamworth 006 Tamworth
5 Tamworth 010 Tamworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Asson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Asson

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Asson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Asson 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Asson is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Asson 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

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

Meaning and origin of Asson

The surname Asson is believed to have originated in the region of Normandy in northern France. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "asson," which means "young ass" or "donkey." This suggests that the name may have been given as a nickname or descriptive name to someone who was perceived to have a stubborn or obstinate nature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Assun," which is likely an early spelling variation of Asson.

In the 12th century, the name is recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, England, where a person named Richard Asson is mentioned. This indicates that the name had spread to England by this time, likely carried by Norman settlers after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

During the 13th century, there are records of the name in various regions of England, including Yorkshire and Oxfordshire. One notable individual from this period was John Asson, a landowner in Oxfordshire who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of 1273.

In the 14th century, a branch of the Asson family settled in Scotland, and the name is found in records from that region. One prominent Scottish bearer of the name was Sir William Asson, who was a knight and landowner in Aberdeenshire in the late 14th century.

Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Assun, Asen, Assen, and Asson. Some of these variations may have been influenced by the places where the name was adopted, as well as the dialects and languages spoken in those regions.

Notable individuals with the surname Asson throughout history include:

1. Richard Asson (12th century), mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, England. 2. John Asson (13th century), a landowner in Oxfordshire, England, mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of 1273. 3. Sir William Asson (14th century), a knight and landowner in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. 4. Thomas Asson (1550-1618), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Provost of Queen's College, Oxford. 5. Margaret Asson (1770-1857), a Scottish poet and writer known for her works in the Scots language.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Asson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Asson 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. Staffordshire leads with 43 Assons recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.77x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 43 21.77x
Lancashire 13 1.87x
Derbyshire 2 2.18x
Essex 1 0.87x
Gloucestershire 1 0.87x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Bromwich in Staffordshire leads with 31 Assons recorded in 1881 and an index of 274.09x.

Place Total Index
West Bromwich 31 274.09x
Parr 8 322.58x
Tipton 8 132.23x
Rowley Regis 4 72.73x
Warrington 3 36.45x
Barrow In Furness 2 21.19x
Shirland 2 289.86x
East Ham 1 46.73x
Kemerton 1 1000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 5
Elizabeth 4
Jane 3
Mary 3
Maria 2
Ada 1
Christiana 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Harriet 1
Honor 1
Katherine 1
Naomi 1
Phebe 1
Rachet 1
Rosannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 9
Henry 5
Edward 3
William 3
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Daniel 1
Ernest 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Joseph 1
Thomas 1
Walter 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 Asson households.

FAQ

Asson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Asson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 60 people were recorded with the Asson surname. That placed it at #25,133 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Asson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 187 in 2016. That gives Asson a modern rank of #20,488.

What does the Asson surname mean?

An anglicized spelling of Assone, a surname of Norman origin.

What does the Asson map show?

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