UK surname
A surname derived from the chemical term referring to a positively charged ion.
In the 1881 census there were 71 people recorded with the Cation surname, ranking it #23,517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 75, ranked #33,377, down from #23,517 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to KInghorn, Ballingry and Inverkeithing. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cation is 107 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5.6%.
1881 census count
71
Ranked #23,517
Modern count
75
2016, ranked #33,377
Peak year
1891
107 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Cation surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Cation 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 | 47 | #24,810 |
| 1861 | historical | 73 | #24,492 |
| 1881 | historical | 71 | #23,517 |
| 1891 | historical | 107 | #22,967 |
| 1901 | historical | 91 | #23,921 |
| 1911 | historical | 22 | #31,030 |
| 1997 | modern | 96 | #27,490 |
| 1998 | modern | 91 | #28,806 |
| 1999 | modern | 94 | #28,593 |
| 2000 | modern | 91 | #28,952 |
| 2001 | modern | 90 | #28,793 |
| 2002 | modern | 86 | #29,771 |
| 2003 | modern | 90 | #29,260 |
| 2004 | modern | 89 | #29,623 |
| 2005 | modern | 86 | #30,094 |
| 2006 | modern | 80 | #31,149 |
| 2007 | modern | 73 | #32,287 |
| 2008 | modern | 77 | #32,181 |
| 2009 | modern | 75 | #32,733 |
| 2010 | modern | 78 | #32,848 |
| 2011 | modern | 79 | #32,743 |
| 2012 | modern | 74 | #33,348 |
| 2013 | modern | 68 | #33,877 |
| 2014 | modern | 73 | #33,587 |
| 2015 | modern | 72 | #33,595 |
| 2016 | modern | 75 | #33,377 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around KInghorn, Ballingry, Inverkeithing, Scoonie and Portmoak. 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 | KInghorn | Fife |
| 2 | Ballingry | Fife |
| 3 | Inverkeithing | Fife |
| 4 | Scoonie | Fife |
| 5 | Portmoak | Kinross |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Cation 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 Cation, 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 Cation surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Cation 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, Cation 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 Cation is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Cation, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname CATION is believed to have originated in England during the late 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "cation," which means "small farm" or "homestead." This name was likely first used to refer to someone who lived on or worked on a small farm or homestead.
The earliest known recorded use of the surname CATION dates back to 1279, when a John Cation was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire. These rolls were a census-like record of landowners and taxpayers taken during the reign of King Edward I.
In the 14th century, the surname CATION began to appear in various other historical records, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a William Cation was mentioned in 1315.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname CATION was Sir John Cation, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years' War in 1415. He was born in Lincolnshire in 1385 and died in 1450.
Another notable bearer of the CATION surname was Elizabeth Cation, a wealthy landowner who lived in Wiltshire in the late 16th century. She was born in 1552 and died in 1624.
In the 17th century, the CATION surname was found in various parts of England, including Gloucestershire, where a Thomas Cation was recorded in the parish records of Minchinhampton in 1643.
One of the earliest known emigrants to America with the surname CATION was Richard Cation, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. He was born in Dorset, England, in 1610 and died in Virginia in 1678.
During the 18th century, the CATION surname continued to be found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, where a John Cation was baptized in the parish of Ripon in 1712.
In the 19th century, the CATION surname was still present in various regions of England, such as Oxfordshire, where a William Cation was born in 1825 and died in 1892.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Cation 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. Fife leads with 43 Cations recorded in 1881 and an index of 107.90x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Fife | 43 | 107.90x |
| Kinross-shire | 10 | 588.24x |
| Middlesex | 7 | 1.04x |
| Perthshire | 2 | 6.62x |
| Surrey | 2 | 0.61x |
| West Lothian | 2 | 19.72x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.30x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.46x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Scoonie in Fife leads with 10 Cations recorded in 1881 and an index of 1162.79x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Scoonie | 10 | 1162.79x |
| Inverkeithing | 9 | 1500.00x |
| Portmoak | 8 | 3333.33x |
| Islington London | 7 | 10.73x |
| Dunfermline | 6 | 97.88x |
| Kinghorn | 5 | 588.24x |
| Falkland | 4 | 634.92x |
| Kinglassie | 4 | 1333.33x |
| Ballingry | 3 | 1200.00x |
| Dunbarney | 2 | 1176.47x |
| Lambeth | 2 | 3.41x |
| Orwell | 2 | 425.53x |
| Torphichen | 2 | 571.43x |
| York St Giles In | 2 | 317.46x |
| Auchtermuchty | 1 | 185.19x |
| Barony | 1 | 1.82x |
| Strathmiglo | 1 | 208.33x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Cation 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 Cation 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 Cation households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Baker & Confr | 2 |
| Commercial Clerk (Insurance) | 1 |
| Ironfounder | 1 |
| None | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 71 people were recorded with the Cation surname. That placed it at #23,517 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 75 in 2016. That gives Cation a modern rank of #33,377.
A surname derived from the chemical term referring to a positively charged ion.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cation 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.