UK surname
From an English place name meaning "son of Carris" or "dweller at the marsh village."
In the 1881 census there were 27 people recorded with the Carrison surname, ranking it #29,793 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 82, ranked #32,895, down from #29,793 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Sutton and Stoneferry, Hull Holy Trinity and King's Lynn St Margaret. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Carrison is 108 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 203.7%.
1881 census count
27
Ranked #29,793
Modern count
82
2016, ranked #32,895
Peak year
1861
108 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Carrison surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Carrison surname density by area, 1861 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 | 48 | #24,615 |
| 1861 | historical | 108 | #19,856 |
| 1881 | historical | 27 | #29,793 |
| 1891 | historical | 65 | #28,660 |
| 1901 | historical | 32 | #30,501 |
| 1911 | historical | 44 | #28,454 |
| 1997 | modern | 61 | #31,526 |
| 1998 | modern | 67 | #31,282 |
| 1999 | modern | 76 | #30,546 |
| 2000 | modern | 71 | #31,082 |
| 2001 | modern | 70 | #31,016 |
| 2002 | modern | 70 | #31,432 |
| 2003 | modern | 75 | #30,994 |
| 2004 | modern | 65 | #32,177 |
| 2005 | modern | 58 | #33,094 |
| 2006 | modern | 64 | #32,839 |
| 2007 | modern | 66 | #32,948 |
| 2008 | modern | 68 | #33,047 |
| 2009 | modern | 75 | #32,733 |
| 2010 | modern | 79 | #32,759 |
| 2011 | modern | 78 | #32,819 |
| 2012 | modern | 75 | #33,263 |
| 2013 | modern | 76 | #33,329 |
| 2014 | modern | 83 | #32,910 |
| 2015 | modern | 82 | #32,911 |
| 2016 | modern | 82 | #32,895 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Sutton and Stoneferry, Hull Holy Trinity, King's Lynn St Margaret, Olney, Lavendon and Bradford. 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 | Sutton and Stoneferry | Yorkshire, East Riding |
| 2 | Hull Holy Trinity | Yorkshire, East Riding |
| 3 | King's Lynn St Margaret | Norfolk |
| 4 | Olney, Lavendon | Buckinghamshire |
| 5 | Bradford | Yorkshire, West Riding |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Carrison 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 Carrison, 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 Carrison surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Carrison 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, Carrison 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 Carrison is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Carrison, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Carrison is believed to have its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to have derived from the Gaelic words "carr," meaning "rock" or "rocky place," and "sion," meaning "descendant" or "son of." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a rocky area or near a particular rocky landmark.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Carrison can be found in the Parish Registers of Ayrshire, Scotland, from the late 1500s. The name appears to have been concentrated in the southwestern regions of Scotland during this time period.
In the 17th century, several individuals bearing the name Carrison were noted in historical records. For example, John Carrison, born in 1634 in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, was a prominent merchant and landowner. Another notable figure was Robert Carrison, born in 1671 in Dumfries, who was a respected minister and theologian.
As the name spread beyond Scotland, variations in spelling emerged, such as Carrisson, Carrissone, and Carrysoun. These alternative spellings can be found in various historical documents, including parish records and legal documents from the 18th and 19th centuries.
One notable bearer of the name was Sir William Carrison (1789-1867), a Scottish industrialist and philanthropist. He made his fortune in the textile industry and was instrumental in the development of several towns in the Scottish Borders region.
Another individual of note was Mary Carrison (1832-1910), a Scottish author and poet who published several collections of works in the late 19th century. Her works often explored themes of Scottish culture and landscape.
In the United States, one of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Carrison was James Carrison, born in 1775 in Virginia. He served as a soldier in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Kentucky.
Other notable Carrisons include Edward Carrison (1856-1932), an English architect known for his work on several prominent buildings in London, and Margaret Carrison (1892-1978), a Canadian artist renowned for her landscape paintings depicting scenes from the Canadian Rockies.
While the surname Carrison may have originated in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with bearers of the name making significant contributions across various fields throughout history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Carrison 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. Yorkshire leads with 16 Carrisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.13x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 16 | 6.13x |
| Lincolnshire | 3 | 7.13x |
| Kent | 2 | 2.23x |
| Norfolk | 2 | 4.94x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.32x |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 3.43x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.38x |
| Surrey | 1 | 0.78x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity in Yorkshire leads with 7 Carrisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 111.64x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Holy Trinity | 7 | 111.64x |
| Sculcoates | 6 | 144.93x |
| Great Grimsby | 2 | 74.91x |
| Maidstone | 2 | 74.63x |
| Rotherham | 2 | 136.05x |
| Cottingham | 1 | 178.57x |
| Fleet | 1 | 833.33x |
| Leicester St Margaret | 1 | 14.04x |
| Newington | 1 | 10.29x |
| Oxwick Pattesley | 1 | 10000.00x |
| St Luke London | 1 | 23.70x |
| Terrington St Clement | 1 | 555.56x |
| Toxteth Park | 1 | 9.45x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Carrison 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 Carrison 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 Carrison households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 9 |
| Charwoman | 2 |
| Laundress | 2 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Cook Domestic | 1 |
| Gardener | 1 |
| Kitchen Maid Sert | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Labourer Genl | 1 |
| Labourers Wife | 1 |
| Oil Miller | 1 |
| Railway Porter | 1 |
| Starch Maker Mc | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 27 people were recorded with the Carrison surname. That placed it at #29,793 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 82 in 2016. That gives Carrison a modern rank of #32,895.
From an English place name meaning "son of Carris" or "dweller at the marsh village."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Carrison 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.