NameCensus.

UK surname

Atchison

Derived from a place name meaning "town of Acca's son" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 362 people recorded with the Atchison surname, ranking it #8,561 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 226, ranked #18,044, down from #8,561 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sunderland, Gateshead and St James Clerkenwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, Harborough and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Atchison is 362 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 37.6%.

1881 census count

362

Ranked #8,561

Modern count

226

2016, ranked #18,044

Peak year

1881

362 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Atchison had 362 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,561 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 226 in 2016, ranked #18,044.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 362 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Atchison surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Atchison surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Atchison 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 294 #7,758
1861 historical 240 #10,226
1881 historical 362 #8,561
1891 historical 335 #10,181
1901 historical 339 #10,682
1911 historical 251 #12,870
1997 modern 250 #15,281
1998 modern 267 #15,016
1999 modern 265 #15,187
2000 modern 250 #15,741
2001 modern 242 #15,832
2002 modern 237 #16,413
2003 modern 225 #16,808
2004 modern 227 #16,778
2005 modern 229 #16,631
2006 modern 217 #17,349
2007 modern 210 #17,904
2008 modern 215 #17,809
2009 modern 219 #17,960
2010 modern 222 #18,148
2011 modern 218 #18,206
2012 modern 220 #18,034
2013 modern 229 #17,816
2014 modern 230 #17,872
2015 modern 225 #18,050
2016 modern 226 #18,044

Geography

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Where Atchisons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sunderland, Gateshead, St James Clerkenwell, Kyloe, Holy Island, Ancroft and Tweedmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, Harborough, County Durham, Thanet 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 Sunderland Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 St James Clerkenwell London (Central Districts)
4 Kyloe, Holy Island, Ancroft Northumberland
5 Tweedmouth Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 005 Sunderland
2 Harborough 010 Harborough
3 County Durham 032 County Durham
4 Thanet 016 Thanet
5 Lichfield 011 Lichfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Atchison

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Atchison

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Atchison surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Atchison 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Atchison 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

Atchison is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Atchison falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Atchison 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 Atchison, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Atchison

The surname Atchison has its origins in Scotland, where it first emerged in the 16th century. It is derived from the Scottish place name Atchison, which comes from the Gaelic words "ath" meaning "ford" and "caissean" meaning "small stream." The name likely refers to someone who lived near a ford over a small stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Parish registers of Largs, Ayrshire, where a John Atchison is mentioned in 1593. Another early reference is in the Commissariot Record of Glasgow in 1613, which mentions a Robert Atchison.

The Atchison surname is also found in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Renfrewshire in 1695, indicating its presence in that region during the late 17th century. Some variations of the spelling include Atcheson, Atchason, and Atchinson.

Notable individuals with the surname Atchison throughout history include David Rice Atchison (1807-1886), a United States Senator from Missouri who served as President pro tempore of the United States Senate for 24 hours in 1849, making him the Acting President of the United States for the shortest term in history.

Another prominent figure was Reuben Atchison (1786-1858), an American politician and lawyer who served as a United States Senator from Missouri from 1843 to 1855. He was also a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1833 to 1837.

In the 18th century, George Atchison (1768-1847) was a British naval officer and explorer who served in the Royal Navy and later became a merchant seaman. He is known for his exploration of the Pacific Northwest and his encounter with the indigenous Nuu-chah-nulth people on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

William Atchison (1821-1905) was a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales from 1869 to 1880. He was also a successful businessman and landowner in the Goulburn region.

Lastly, John Atchison (1734-1804) was a Scottish-born American planter and politician who served as a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses and later the Virginia General Assembly. He was a prominent figure in the early years of the United States and owned significant landholdings in Virginia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Atchison families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Atchison 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. Northumberland leads with 124 Atchisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.67x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 124 23.67x
Durham 59 5.63x
Middlesex 56 1.59x
Kent 21 1.75x
Cumberland 14 4.62x
Lancashire 13 0.31x
Dumfriesshire 12 15.43x
Surrey 12 0.70x
Cheshire 7 0.90x
Selkirkshire 7 21.97x
Yorkshire 6 0.17x
Oxfordshire 5 2.30x
Norfolk 4 0.74x
Berwickshire 3 7.04x
Dunbartonshire 3 3.17x
Stirlingshire 3 2.31x
Channel Islands 2 1.92x
Midlothian 2 0.42x
Sussex 2 0.34x
Angus 1 0.31x
Cornwall 1 0.25x
Fife 1 0.48x
Lanarkshire 1 0.09x
Leicestershire 1 0.26x
Ross-shire 1 1.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tweedmouth in Northumberland leads with 23 Atchisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 352.22x.

Place Total Index
Tweedmouth 23 352.22x
Bothal Demesne 14 557.77x
Chatham 13 39.33x
Gateshead 13 16.57x
Kirkpatrick Juxta 11 866.14x
Elvet 10 132.28x
Islington London 10 2.93x
Shipley 10 9090.91x
Clerkenwell London 9 10.83x
Mason 9 750.00x
Raw 9 8181.82x
Fulham London 8 15.66x
North Seaton 8 363.64x
Bishopwearmouth 7 7.78x
Galashiels 7 59.42x
Longbenton 7 31.55x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 7 101.16x
Caldewgate 6 36.12x
Hauxley 6 512.82x
Ryhope 6 82.53x
Toxteth Park 6 4.24x
Willington 6 99.17x
Camberwell 5 2.22x
Cowley 5 73.64x
Crosscanonby 5 49.85x
North Shields 5 47.80x
Woolwich 5 11.26x
Heigham 4 13.76x
Kensington London 4 2.04x
Paddington London 4 3.09x
South Blyth Newsham 4 388.35x
Stranton 4 11.34x
Westgate 4 12.33x
Westoe 4 6.74x
Chirnside 3 163.93x
Ebchester 3 185.19x
Falkirk 3 9.87x
Gillingham 3 12.11x
Hampstead London 3 5.47x
Kirkintilloch 3 23.33x
Monkwearmouth Shore 3 14.67x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 3 9.59x
Shoreswood 3 1000.00x
St Anne Soho London 3 14.92x
St George Hanover Square 3 4.84x
St Luke London 3 5.31x
St Marylebone London 3 1.60x
Ancroft 2 108.70x
Arthuret 2 63.29x
Bexhill 2 67.57x
Byker 2 7.72x
Clapham 2 4.54x
Dorking 2 17.36x
Esh 2 26.25x
Glanton 2 333.33x
Kyloe 2 165.29x
Lambeth 2 0.65x
Liverpool 2 0.79x
Mile End Old Town London 2 2.67x
Moss Side 2 9.10x
North Leith 2 9.16x
Screnwood 2 6666.67x
St Helier 2 5.89x
Sutton Stoneferry 2 20.04x
Thornaby 2 15.34x
Warley 2 19.82x
Alwinton 1 909.09x
Bedlington 1 5.71x
Callaly Yetlington 1 333.33x
Dinnington 1 357.14x
Ealing 1 3.18x
Eglingham 1 208.33x
Leicester All Sts 1 13.04x
Liff Benvie 1 2.02x
Lowick 1 54.95x
North Meols 1 2.45x
Paul 1 13.81x
Rochester 1 243.90x
St Pancras London 1 0.35x
Tottenham 1 1.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Jane 18
Sarah 16
Elizabeth 11
Margaret 10
Isabella 9
Ann 7
Annie 7
Ellen 6
Barbara 4
Catherine 4
Kate 4
Louisa 4
Martha 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Caroline 2
Georgina 2
Margret 2
Virginia 2
Agness 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Christiana 1
Christy 1
E.Maude 1
Eleanor 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliza 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Evelyn 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Hellen 1
Hilda 1
Ida 1
Isabel 1
Jemima 1
Joan 1
Julian 1
Katharine 1
Laura 1
Lizzie 1
M.A. 1
Marg. 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Marion 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 25
John 19
Robert 15
George 14
James 14
Ralph 8
Thomas 8
Alexander 7
Charles 5
Joseph 4
David 3
Rice 3
Albert 2
Arther 2
Arthur 2
Jno. 2
Alescendra 1
Andrew 1
Daniel 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Eleazar 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Jno 1
Peter 1
Petter 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Ward 1

FAQ

Atchison surname: questions and answers

How common was the Atchison surname in 1881?

In 1881, 362 people were recorded with the Atchison surname. That placed it at #8,561 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Atchison surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 226 in 2016. That gives Atchison a modern rank of #18,044.

What does the Atchison surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "town of Acca's son" in Old English.

What does the Atchison map show?

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