UK surname
A variant of the German surname 'Bankson', taken from the name 'Banse' or 'Bans', meaning 'barrel cooper'.
In the 1881 census there were 54 people recorded with the Banson surname, ranking it #26,009 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 56, ranked #34,562, down from #26,009 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, St Bees and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Banson is 403 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.7%.
1881 census count
54
Ranked #26,009
Modern count
56
2016, ranked #34,562
Peak year
1861
403 bearers
Map years
3
1851 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Banson surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Banson surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 100 | #17,164 |
| 1861 | historical | 403 | #6,372 |
| 1881 | historical | 54 | #26,009 |
| 1891 | historical | 127 | #20,496 |
| 1901 | historical | 69 | #26,499 |
| 1911 | historical | 74 | #25,423 |
| 1997 | modern | 42 | #33,459 |
| 1998 | modern | 46 | #33,286 |
| 1999 | modern | 42 | #33,778 |
| 2000 | modern | 37 | #34,217 |
| 2001 | modern | 37 | #34,082 |
| 2002 | modern | 39 | #34,219 |
| 2003 | modern | 48 | #33,533 |
| 2004 | modern | 45 | #33,957 |
| 2005 | modern | 45 | #34,160 |
| 2006 | modern | 50 | #34,077 |
| 2007 | modern | 49 | #34,422 |
| 2008 | modern | 49 | #34,580 |
| 2009 | modern | 61 | #33,915 |
| 2010 | modern | 70 | #33,480 |
| 2011 | modern | 65 | #33,842 |
| 2012 | modern | 64 | #34,028 |
| 2013 | modern | 56 | #34,581 |
| 2014 | modern | 55 | #34,649 |
| 2015 | modern | 55 | #34,620 |
| 2016 | modern | 56 | #34,562 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, St Bees, St Leonard Shoreditch, Walsingham, Little and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside | Durham |
| 2 | St Bees | Cumberland |
| 3 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 4 | Walsingham, Little | Norfolk |
| 5 | Nottingham St Mary | Nottinghamshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Banson surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Banson, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Banson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Banson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Banson is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Banson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Banson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Banson is believed to have originated in England during the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "ban" meaning bone and "son" meaning son, suggesting that the name may have been given to someone whose occupation involved working with bones or who had a particularly prominent bone structure.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Banson can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1190, where a William Banson is listed as a landowner. The name also appears in various medieval charters and records from the county of Dorset, indicating that the name may have been concentrated in the southwest of England during its early history.
In the 13th century, the name Banson began to appear in various forms, such as Bannesone, Banesonn, and Banneson, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common during that period. Some of these early spellings may have been influenced by the place names from which the bearers of the name originated, such as the village of Bansdown in Somerset.
One notable figure bearing the Banson surname was Sir John Banson, who lived in the late 14th century and served as a member of Parliament for the borough of Melcombe Regis in Dorset. Another prominent individual was William Banson, a merchant and alderman in the city of London during the 15th century, who is mentioned in the records of the Worshipful Company of Mercers.
In the 16th century, the Banson name can be found in various parish records and tax rolls from counties such as Wiltshire, Somerset, and Devon. During this time, the name also began to spread beyond its traditional stronghold in the southwest of England, with records showing Bansons residing in other parts of the country.
One notable figure from this period was Richard Banson, who was born in Dorset in 1532 and later became a successful merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers in London. Another was Edward Banson, a clergyman who served as the Rector of Stoke St. Gregory in Somerset from 1586 until his death in 1611.
While the Banson surname may not have achieved widespread fame or notoriety throughout history, it has persisted as a distinctive name with deep roots in the English counties of the southwest. Its origins and early history reflect the diverse occupations and social standings of its bearers, from landowners and merchants to clergymen and members of Parliament.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Banson surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Durham leads with 19 Bansons recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.13x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Durham | 19 | 12.13x |
| Middlesex | 9 | 1.71x |
| Norfolk | 9 | 11.11x |
| Nottinghamshire | 5 | 7.04x |
| Surrey | 5 | 1.95x |
| Kent | 2 | 1.11x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.32x |
| Renfrewshire | 1 | 2.45x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 1.56x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.19x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chester Le Street in Durham leads with 15 Bansons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1250.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Chester Le Street | 15 | 1250.00x |
| Little Walsingham | 8 | 4444.44x |
| Hackney London | 5 | 16.93x |
| Nottingham St Mary | 5 | 27.23x |
| Penge | 5 | 148.81x |
| Coatham Mundeville | 3 | 15000.00x |
| Deptford St Paul | 2 | 14.43x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 7.11x |
| Tarleton | 2 | 588.24x |
| Bromley London | 1 | 8.63x |
| Bury St Edmunds St James | 1 | 58.48x |
| East Greenock | 1 | 25.97x |
| Keighley | 1 | 17.99x |
| Shottesham St Mary | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Stoke Newington London | 1 | 24.39x |
| Whitworth | 1 | 86.96x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Banson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Banson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Banson households.
FAQ
In 1881, 54 people were recorded with the Banson surname. That placed it at #26,009 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 56 in 2016. That gives Banson a modern rank of #34,562.
A variant of the German surname 'Bankson', taken from the name 'Banse' or 'Bans', meaning 'barrel cooper'.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Banson bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.