NameCensus.

UK surname

Barnetson

In the 1881 census there were 128 people recorded with the Barnetson surname, ranking it #17,079 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 134, ranked #25,636, down from #17,079 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Canisbay, Wick and Watten. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wick South, Breckland and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Barnetson is 165 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.7%.

1881 census count

128

Ranked #17,079

Modern count

134

2016, ranked #25,636

Peak year

1998

165 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Barnetson had 128 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,079 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016, ranked #25,636.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 144 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Barnetson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Barnetson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Barnetson 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 90 #18,317
1861 historical 99 #21,294
1881 historical 128 #17,079
1891 historical 128 #20,393
1901 historical 144 #18,505
1911 historical 26 #30,547
1997 modern 155 #20,684
1998 modern 165 #20,423
1999 modern 163 #20,698
2000 modern 155 #21,341
2001 modern 158 #20,788
2002 modern 153 #21,609
2003 modern 161 #20,697
2004 modern 156 #21,261
2005 modern 159 #20,983
2006 modern 150 #21,915
2007 modern 154 #21,804
2008 modern 151 #22,323
2009 modern 142 #23,791
2010 modern 130 #25,775
2011 modern 129 #25,673
2012 modern 126 #26,148
2013 modern 130 #26,074
2014 modern 130 #26,216
2015 modern 129 #26,226
2016 modern 134 #25,636

Geography

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Where Barnetsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Canisbay, Wick, Watten, Edinburgh and Dunnet. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wick South, Breckland, Sunderland, Dingwall and Seaboard. 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 Canisbay Caithness
2 Wick Caithness
3 Watten Caithness
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dunnet Caithness

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wick South Highland
2 Breckland 005 Breckland
3 Sunderland 009 Sunderland
4 Dingwall Highland
5 Seaboard Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Barnetson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Barnetson

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

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Barnetson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Barnetson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

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, Barnetson 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

Barnetson is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Barnetson falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Barnetson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Barnetson 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. Caithness leads with 65 Barnetsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 377.25x.

County Total Index
Caithness 65 377.25x
Midlothian 32 18.98x
Essex 11 4.43x
Stirlingshire 7 15.08x
Aberdeenshire 2 1.72x
Glamorgan 2 0.91x
Hampshire 2 0.78x
Middlesex 2 0.16x
Orkney 2 14.45x
Angus 1 0.86x
Inverness-shire 1 2.66x
Lanarkshire 1 0.25x
Royal Navy 1 6.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wick in Caithness leads with 27 Barnetsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 485.61x.

Place Total Index
Wick 27 485.61x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 14 20.64x
Dunnet 11 1594.20x
Bower 8 1159.42x
Canisbay 8 707.96x
North Leith 8 102.56x
Bothkennar 7 503.60x
Prittlewell 7 203.49x
Watten 7 1147.54x
Lasswade 4 103.90x
South Leith 4 21.09x
West Ham 4 7.29x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 2 9.17x
Hackney London 2 2.84x
Portsea 2 3.96x
Swansea Town 2 11.14x
Thurso 2 74.35x
Ardersier 1 111.11x
Currie 1 97.09x
Edinburgh St Georges 1 28.57x
Kirkwall St Ola 1 48.31x
Latheron 1 34.72x
Montrose 1 14.16x
Olrig 1 116.28x
Shotts 1 20.53x
South Ronaldshay 1 69.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 2
Alice 1
Annie 1
Emily 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Martha 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 2
John 2
George 1
Martyn 1
Rene 1
William 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 Barnetson households.

FAQ

Barnetson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Barnetson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 128 people were recorded with the Barnetson surname. That placed it at #17,079 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Barnetson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 134 in 2016. That gives Barnetson a modern rank of #25,636.

What does the Barnetson map show?

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