NameCensus.

UK surname

Cason

Derived from a place name meaning "son of Cas," a medieval English nickname for a person with curly hair.

In the 1881 census there were 336 people recorded with the Cason surname, ranking it #8,996 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 404, ranked #11,793, down from #8,996 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Skipton, London parishes and Wendling. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breckland and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cason is 461 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 20.2%.

1881 census count

336

Ranked #8,996

Modern count

404

2016, ranked #11,793

Peak year

1911

461 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Cason had 336 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,996 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 404 in 2016, ranked #11,793.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 461 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Cason surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Cason surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cason 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 221 #9,630
1861 historical 413 #6,216
1881 historical 336 #8,996
1891 historical 397 #8,927
1901 historical 409 #9,338
1911 historical 461 #8,344
1997 modern 404 #10,931
1998 modern 427 #10,825
1999 modern 435 #10,754
2000 modern 430 #10,804
2001 modern 427 #10,673
2002 modern 417 #11,104
2003 modern 422 #10,825
2004 modern 420 #10,889
2005 modern 411 #10,956
2006 modern 404 #11,159
2007 modern 409 #11,182
2008 modern 399 #11,494
2009 modern 407 #11,556
2010 modern 429 #11,324
2011 modern 425 #11,285
2012 modern 401 #11,699
2013 modern 413 #11,639
2014 modern 410 #11,788
2015 modern 406 #11,781
2016 modern 404 #11,793

Geography

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Where Casons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Skipton, London parishes, Wendling, Langham and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breckland and County Durham. 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 Skipton Yorkshire, West Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Wendling Norfolk
4 Langham Essex
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breckland 002 Breckland
2 County Durham 052 County Durham
3 Breckland 003 Breckland
4 Breckland 004 Breckland
5 County Durham 050 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cason

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cason

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cason, 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 Cason surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Cason 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Cason is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cason is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cason falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Cason

The surname Cason has its origins in England and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "casane," meaning a small house or cottage. This name was likely given to someone who lived in a modest dwelling or worked as a caretaker of such a property.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cason can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it is spelled "Casoun." This suggests that the name was already established in England by that time.

During the medieval period, the name Cason appeared in various records and documents throughout England. For instance, in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, there is a mention of a person named William Cason.

The Cason surname has also been linked to several place names in England, such as Cason in Lincolnshire and Caston in Norfolk. These places may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name over time.

One notable individual with the surname Cason was Sir John Cason, a 15th-century English knight who served under King Henry V during the Hundred Years' War. He was born around 1390 and participated in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Cason, an English politician and landowner who lived in the 16th century. He served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in 1558 and owned several estates in the region.

In the 17th century, there was a renowned clergyman named John Cason, who served as the Dean of Winchester Cathedral from 1635 to 1641. He played a significant role in the religious and academic life of the city during that period.

During the 18th century, the Cason surname was also found in Scotland, where a family by that name owned lands in Aberdeenshire. One notable member was Robert Cason, a Scottish landowner and merchant who lived from 1710 to 1785.

In the 19th century, a British military officer named William Cason distinguished himself during the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in 1785 and served in several campaigns, including the Peninsular War and the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Cason families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cason 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. Norfolk leads with 67 Casons recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.30x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 67 13.30x
Suffolk 59 14.78x
Middlesex 51 1.56x
Essex 44 6.80x
Yorkshire 37 1.14x
Durham 16 1.64x
Surrey 13 0.81x
Staffordshire 12 1.08x
Kent 8 0.72x
Buckinghamshire 7 3.53x
Lancashire 7 0.18x
Nottinghamshire 5 1.13x
Derbyshire 3 0.58x
Cumberland 2 0.71x
Cheshire 1 0.14x
Flintshire 1 1.14x
Oxfordshire 1 0.49x
Sussex 1 0.18x
Wiltshire 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wendling in Norfolk leads with 32 Casons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7804.88x.

Place Total Index
Wendling 32 7804.88x
Eye 30 1162.79x
Islington London 21 6.61x
Langham 19 2533.33x
Longham 18 5000.00x
Skipton 16 156.56x
Skinningrove 9 452.26x
Gateshead 8 10.96x
Great Bentley 8 776.70x
Bishop Middleham 7 1346.15x
Hackney London 7 3.81x
Ipswich St Margaret 7 51.66x
St George In East London 7 22.71x
Cannock 6 31.09x
Chesham 6 82.19x
Croydon 6 6.77x
Weybread 6 789.47x
Guisbrough 5 70.42x
Hoveringham 5 1351.35x
Mileham 5 909.09x
West Ham 5 3.50x
Blackburn 4 3.87x
Camberwell 4 1.91x
Colchester Holy Trinity 4 279.72x
Horninglow 4 76.78x
Ipswich St Peter 4 74.49x
North Elmham 4 327.87x
Rochford 4 212.77x
Walsham Le Willows 4 300.75x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 3 40.05x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 3 81.08x
Mile End Old Town London 3 4.30x
Stapenhill 3 39.27x
Woolwich 3 7.26x
Bentham 2 80.97x
Bow London 2 4.79x
East Dereham 2 31.40x
Gravesend 2 21.12x
Kirkdale 2 3.06x
Liversedge 2 13.83x
Lowside Quarter 2 571.43x
Paddington London 2 1.66x
Poplar London 2 3.23x
Ratcliffe London 2 11.05x
Skelton In Guisbrough 2 22.75x
Strood 2 31.35x
Watlington 2 289.86x
Beeston With Bittering 1 178.57x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.70x
Bowling 1 3.11x
Brighton 1 0.90x
Brome 1 344.83x
Burton Upon Trent 1 3.86x
Capel 1 66.67x
Chelsea London 1 1.01x
Chilton 1 32.89x
Clapham 1 2.44x
Cowley 1 15.82x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 9.24x
Eccleshall 1 23.87x
Edmonton 1 3.79x
Fersfield 1 312.50x
Flint 1 20.00x
Gaywood 1 111.11x
Grays Thurrock 1 16.64x
Great Bromley 1 123.46x
Great Sutton 1 263.16x
Hannington 1 285.71x
Leatherhead 1 25.00x
Leyton 1 8.98x
Litcham 1 111.11x
Little Bentley 1 285.71x
North Meols 1 2.63x
South Elmham St Cross 1 416.67x
Spitalfields London 1 4.06x
Stoke Newington London 1 3.92x
Wavendon 1 90.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Ann 12
Sarah 9
Ellen 7
Charlotte 6
Elizabeth 6
Emma 6
Jane 6
Anna 5
Emily 5
Louisa 5
Alice 4
Eliza 4
Bessie 3
Catherine 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Margaret 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Betsy 2
Clara 2
Fanny 2
Lucy 2
May 2
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elinor 1
Esther 1
Ether 1
Euphensia 1
Eva 1
Fany 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Hariett 1
Harriett 1
Hattie 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Julia 1
Lydia 1
Malinda 1
Margann 1
Maria 1
Thursa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 18
James 17
William 17
Henry 14
George 12
Arthur 7
Thomas 7
Charles 5
Edward 5
Frederick 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
Israel 4
Richard 4
Samuel 4
Wm. 4
Alfred 3
Robert 3
Ambrose 2
Edwin 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Joseph 2
Abraham 1
Bertie 1
Bradfield 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Eliza 1
Ernest 1
Esme 1
Fred 1
Herbert 1
Jesse 1
Johnny 1
Jonathan 1
Nathaniel 1
Oscar 1
Percy 1
Ricd.H. 1
Richd 1
Richd. 1
Victor 1

FAQ

Cason surname: questions and answers

How common was the Cason surname in 1881?

In 1881, 336 people were recorded with the Cason surname. That placed it at #8,996 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Cason surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 404 in 2016. That gives Cason a modern rank of #11,793.

What does the Cason surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "son of Cas," a medieval English nickname for a person with curly hair.

What does the Cason map show?

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