NameCensus.

UK surname

Billson

A patronymic surname derived from the personal name Bill, itself a diminutive of William.

In the 1881 census there were 464 people recorded with the Billson surname, ranking it #7,157 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 637, ranked #8,304, down from #7,157 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Brafield-on-the-Green, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Charnwood, Chelmsford and Nottingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Billson is 766 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.3%.

1881 census count

464

Ranked #7,157

Modern count

637

2016, ranked #8,304

Peak year

1911

766 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Billson had 464 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,157 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 637 in 2016, ranked #8,304.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 766 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Billson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Billson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Billson 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 256 #8,629
1861 historical 315 #8,071
1881 historical 464 #7,157
1891 historical 529 #7,085
1901 historical 651 #6,636
1911 historical 766 #5,656
1997 modern 619 #7,977
1998 modern 635 #8,050
1999 modern 636 #8,095
2000 modern 626 #8,179
2001 modern 612 #8,164
2002 modern 638 #8,074
2003 modern 627 #8,040
2004 modern 613 #8,222
2005 modern 606 #8,216
2006 modern 590 #8,387
2007 modern 578 #8,595
2008 modern 580 #8,629
2009 modern 607 #8,517
2010 modern 640 #8,351
2011 modern 632 #8,346
2012 modern 638 #8,175
2013 modern 642 #8,295
2014 modern 655 #8,203
2015 modern 647 #8,224
2016 modern 637 #8,304

Geography

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Where Billsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Brafield-on-the-Green, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Loughborough and Barrow-on-Soar (Barrow-on-Soar, Mountsorrel, Woodhouse, Woodhouse Eaves, Maplewell), Beaumanor, Roth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Charnwood, Chelmsford, Nottingham, Ashfield and Wellingborough. 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 Brafield-on-the-Green Northamptonshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Loughborough Leicestershire
5 Barrow-on-Soar (Barrow-on-Soar, Mountsorrel, Woodhouse, Woodhouse Eaves, Maplewell), Beaumanor, Roth Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Charnwood 003 Charnwood
2 Chelmsford 011 Chelmsford
3 Nottingham 005 Nottingham
4 Ashfield 004 Ashfield
5 Wellingborough 001 Wellingborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Billson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Billson

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Billson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Billson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Billson is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Billson is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Billson falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Billson

The surname Billson is of English origin and can be traced back to the early medieval period. It is a patronymic name, derived from the personal name Bill, a diminutive of William, combined with the suffix "-son" denoting "son of." The name likely originated in northern England, where the use of patronymic surnames was widespread.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Billson appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 12th century, where a certain Robert Billeson is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use during the late 12th or early 13th century in the Yorkshire region.

The Billson surname is also found in some early records from Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, indicating its presence in other parts of central and northern England. For instance, a John Billson is recorded in the Court Rolls of Bottesford, Lincolnshire, in 1334.

In the 16th century, the name is mentioned in the Muster Rolls of the county of Nottinghamshire, where a Thomas Billson is listed among the able-bodied men in 1539. This suggests that the Billson family may have had a presence in the area at that time.

One notable individual bearing the Billson surname was Robert Billson (1589-1657), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Archdeacon of Nottingham. He was born in Nottinghamshire and published several works, including a treatise on the book of Revelation.

Another individual of note was Thomas Billson (1725-1807), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars. He was born in Whitehaven, Cumberland, and achieved the rank of Rear Admiral.

In the 19th century, Richard Billson (1803-1880) was a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings in the Gothic Revival style, including St. Mary's Church in Nottingham.

Additionally, John Billson (1859-1926) was a British trade unionist and politician who served as a member of parliament for the Labour Party, representing the constituency of Wolverhampton West from 1918 to 1922.

Finally, Walter Billson (1909-1986), born in Leicestershire, was a British artist known for his landscape paintings and his work as an art educator. He served as the Principal of the Gloucestershire College of Art and Design from 1946 to 1974.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Billson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Billson 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. Leicestershire leads with 199 Billsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.74x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 199 39.74x
Warwickshire 42 3.69x
Northamptonshire 41 9.65x
Nottinghamshire 35 5.75x
Middlesex 30 0.66x
Surrey 21 0.95x
Kirkcudbrightshire 18 27.53x
Kent 11 0.71x
Derbyshire 9 1.27x
Yorkshire 9 0.20x
Bedfordshire 8 3.42x
Worcestershire 7 1.19x
Hampshire 6 0.65x
Staffordshire 6 0.39x
Northumberland 5 0.74x
Berkshire 4 1.18x
Cheshire 4 0.40x
Rutland 3 9.05x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.73x
Oxfordshire 2 0.72x
Lancashire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 61 Billsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.95x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 61 49.95x
Leicester St Mary 31 76.62x
Nottingham St Mary 23 14.61x
Urr 18 211.76x
Loughborough 17 74.82x
Brafield On Green 16 1927.71x
Mountsorrel 14 1555.56x
Mountsorrel South End 14 1971.83x
Aston 10 3.19x
Barrow Upon Soar 10 241.55x
Sutton Coldfield 10 83.54x
Syston 10 213.22x
Rugby 9 58.40x
Battersea 8 4.81x
Bedford St Paul 8 49.88x
Leicester All Sts 8 81.38x
Knighton 7 248.23x
St Anne Soho London 7 27.14x
Whitwick 7 109.89x
Woolwich 7 12.30x
Alfreton 6 27.93x
Basford 6 21.38x
Hawn 6 540.54x
Northampton St Sepulchre 6 27.76x
Thurmaston North 6 923.08x
Wellingborough 6 28.09x
Burton Upon Trent 5 14.02x
Foleshill 5 41.74x
Kettering 5 29.10x
Radford 5 16.17x
Chelsea London 4 2.94x
Elswick 4 7.46x
Hackney London 4 1.58x
Kibworth Harcourt 4 571.43x
Lambeth 4 1.02x
Northwood 4 30.35x
Oxton 4 70.92x
Rearsby 4 540.54x
Sculcoates 4 5.64x
Southwark St Saviour 4 17.23x
Willesden 4 9.40x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.53x
Hampstead London 3 4.27x
Morcott 3 405.41x
Bermondsey 2 1.49x
Bradford 2 1.85x
Derby St Peter 2 8.88x
East West Hagbourn 2 175.44x
Lower Shuckburgh 2 1250.00x
Napton On Hill 2 145.99x
Newington 2 1.20x
Northampton Priory St 2 7.85x
Northampton St Giles 2 12.36x
Sheffield 2 1.40x
St Andrew Holborn London 2 10.23x
Tonbridge 2 3.60x
Welford 2 138.89x
Wolfhampcote 2 392.16x
Acton 1 3.78x
Belgrave 1 8.85x
Byfield 1 81.30x
Caversham 1 17.92x
Clewer 1 7.20x
Halesowen 1 19.31x
Hanwell 1 12.48x
Huddersfield 1 1.53x
Hugglescote 1 13.57x
Humberstone 1 24.33x
Leicester St Martin 1 29.76x
Lillington 1 68.49x
Monkseaton 1 133.33x
New Windsor 1 8.77x
Old Romney 1 434.78x
Olney 1 26.46x
Princes Risborough 1 27.32x
Southwark St Thomas 1 82.64x
Stoke 1 44.64x
Thrapston 1 46.73x
Wingfield South 1 52.63x
Wolverhampton 1 0.85x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 30
John 28
Henry 15
Charles 14
Thomas 13
George 9
Joseph 9
Alfred 8
James 8
Arthur 7
Edward 6
Herbert 5
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Robert 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Edwin 3
Peter 3
Cecil 2
Francis 2
Richard 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Anstrutha 1
Bailey 1
Ben 1
Benjamin 1
Bernard 1
David 1
Eber 1
Edgar 1
Elizth. 1
Frank 1
Franklin 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Jabey 1
Jabez 1
Laurenza 1
Lawrence 1
Mark 1
Maurice 1
Philip 1
Sidney 1
T. 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Billson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Billson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 464 people were recorded with the Billson surname. That placed it at #7,157 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Billson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 637 in 2016. That gives Billson a modern rank of #8,304.

What does the Billson surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the personal name Bill, itself a diminutive of William.

What does the Billson map show?

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