NameCensus.

UK surname

Christiansen

A patronymic surname meaning "son of Christian," indicating the bearer's father was named Christian.

In the 1881 census there were 65 people recorded with the Christiansen surname, ranking it #24,420 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 395, ranked #11,991, up from #24,420 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bebbington, Hull Holy Trinity and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingston upon Hull, Copeland and Horsham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Christiansen is 400 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 507.7%.

1881 census count

65

Ranked #24,420

Modern count

395

2016, ranked #11,991

Peak year

2014

400 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Christiansen had 65 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,420 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 395 in 2016, ranked #11,991.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 154 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Christiansen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Christiansen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Christiansen 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 11 #31,309
1861 historical 5 #33,418
1881 historical 65 #24,420
1891 historical 76 #27,290
1901 historical 154 #17,775
1911 historical 96 #23,193
1997 modern 276 #14,290
1998 modern 316 #13,424
1999 modern 317 #13,473
2000 modern 321 #13,337
2001 modern 321 #13,125
2002 modern 343 #12,803
2003 modern 348 #12,452
2004 modern 355 #12,326
2005 modern 343 #12,546
2006 modern 343 #12,626
2007 modern 353 #12,521
2008 modern 347 #12,786
2009 modern 363 #12,602
2010 modern 382 #12,410
2011 modern 375 #12,438
2012 modern 390 #11,946
2013 modern 391 #12,123
2014 modern 400 #12,006
2015 modern 395 #12,015
2016 modern 395 #11,991

Geography

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Where Christiansens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bebbington, Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes, Edinburgh and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kingston upon Hull, Copeland, Horsham, Hambleton and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 Bebbington Cheshire
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of
2 Copeland 004 Copeland
3 Horsham 012 Horsham
4 Hambleton 006 Hambleton
5 Cheshire West and Chester 006 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Christiansen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Christiansen

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Christiansen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Christiansen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Christiansen is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Christiansen is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Christiansen 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 Christiansen 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 - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Christiansen, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Christiansen

The surname Christiansen originated in Denmark and is derived from the personal name Christian, which comes from the Greek word "Christos" meaning "anointed one" or "Christ". The addition of the suffix "-sen" denotes "son of" in Danish, making Christiansen mean "son of Christian".

During the Middle Ages, the use of hereditary surnames became increasingly common across Europe. In Denmark, patronymic surnames like Christiansen were widely adopted, indicating the father's given name. This naming convention helped distinguish families and establish lineages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Christiansen surname can be found in the 16th century Danish census records. The name also appears in various church registers and court documents from that era, suggesting its widespread use among the Danish population.

Notably, the Christiansen surname is associated with several prominent individuals throughout history. Jens Christiansen (1556-1612) was a renowned Danish architect and sculptor who contributed to the construction of notable buildings, such as the Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen.

Another notable figure is Hans Christian Christiansen (1806-1845), a Danish educator and author who played a significant role in establishing the folk high school movement in Denmark, which aimed to provide education to rural populations.

In the 19th century, Christian Christiansen (1832-1917), a Danish businessman and philanthropist, founded the famous toy company Lego, which has since become a global brand.

The Christiansen surname is also linked to the Danish explorer Godfred Hansen Christiansen (1845-1928), who led several expeditions to Greenland and the Arctic regions, contributing to the mapping and exploration of these areas.

Additionally, Ingeborg Christiansen (1891-1976) was a prominent Danish opera singer and actress who gained international recognition for her performances in various operas and plays.

While the Christiansen surname has Danish roots, it has since spread to other countries due to migration and has been adopted by people of various nationalities, particularly in regions with strong Danish influence or settlements.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Christiansen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Christiansen 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. Lancashire leads with 14 Christiansens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.83x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 14 1.83x
Northumberland 7 7.31x
Surrey 7 2.23x
Middlesex 6 0.93x
Midlothian 6 6.96x
Yorkshire 5 0.78x
Durham 4 2.09x
Fife 3 7.87x
Glamorgan 3 2.68x
Aberdeenshire 2 3.36x
Cheshire 2 1.41x
Gloucestershire 2 1.58x
Cornwall 1 1.37x
Lanarkshire 1 0.48x
Orkney 1 14.12x
Renfrewshire 1 2.00x
Royal Navy 1 13.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 7 Christiansens recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.09x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 7 15.09x
Elswick 5 65.45x
Kirkdale 5 38.91x
Rotherhithe 5 62.89x
Leith North 4 2352.94x
Sculcoates 4 39.56x
Bromley London 3 21.19x
Dunfermline 3 51.19x
Camberwell 2 4.87x
Cardiff St Mary 2 32.41x
North Shields 2 104.71x
Peterhead 2 63.49x
Shoreditch London 2 7.17x
South Shields 2 116.96x
Stranton 2 31.01x
Toxteth Park 2 7.73x
Wallasey 2 416.67x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 2.88x
Falmouth 1 38.76x
Gloucester 1 2500.00x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 1 212.77x
Greenock Oldor West 1 714.29x
Hampstead London 1 9.98x
Kinning Park 1 3333.33x
Kirkwall St Ola 1 94.34x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 9.29x
North Leith 1 25.06x
Southcoates 1 28.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Marie 2
Ann 1
Anna 1
Dagmar 1
Daisy 1
Emily 1
Georgian 1
Georgina 1
Helene 1
Jane 1
Jenny 1
M.A. 1
Madaline 1
Maren 1
Mary 1
Wally 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Carl 2
Christian 2
Jno. 2
Lars 2
Arthur 1
August 1
C. 1
Charles 1
Edvard 1
Frederic 1
Georg 1
Gunder 1
Hans 1
Henry 1
John 1
Louis 1
Ludvig 1
Niels 1
Olaus 1
Ped... 1
Peder 1
R. 1
Severin 1
Soren 1
Svels 1
Thar 1
Tobias 1
Vilhelm 1
Wilhelm 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 Christiansen households.

FAQ

Christiansen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Christiansen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 65 people were recorded with the Christiansen surname. That placed it at #24,420 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Christiansen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 395 in 2016. That gives Christiansen a modern rank of #11,991.

What does the Christiansen surname mean?

A patronymic surname meaning "son of Christian," indicating the bearer's father was named Christian.

What does the Christiansen map show?

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