NameCensus.

UK surname

Clemons

Derived from a placename meaning "pleasant valley" in Old English or from a nickname meaning "merciful" in Middle English.

In the 1881 census there were 63 people recorded with the Clemons surname, ranking it #24,711 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 183, ranked #20,813, up from #24,711 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hayes, Sancreed and Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stratford-on-Avon, Melton and West Oxfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Clemons is 183 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 190.5%.

1881 census count

63

Ranked #24,711

Modern count

183

2016, ranked #20,813

Peak year

2016

183 bearers

Map years

5

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Clemons had 63 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,711 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 183 in 2016, ranked #20,813.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 116 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Clemons surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Clemons surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Clemons 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 116 #15,545
1861 historical 91 #22,206
1881 historical 63 #24,711
1891 historical 85 #26,080
1901 historical 81 #25,130
1911 historical 104 #22,209
1997 modern 170 #19,505
1998 modern 181 #19,229
1999 modern 173 #19,935
2000 modern 178 #19,570
2001 modern 175 #19,484
2002 modern 161 #20,925
2003 modern 161 #20,697
2004 modern 161 #20,840
2005 modern 163 #20,627
2006 modern 160 #21,066
2007 modern 165 #20,893
2008 modern 164 #21,137
2009 modern 163 #21,715
2010 modern 163 #22,205
2011 modern 170 #21,407
2012 modern 173 #21,135
2013 modern 178 #21,108
2014 modern 174 #21,561
2015 modern 176 #21,291
2016 modern 183 #20,813

Geography

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Where Clemons' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hayes, Sancreed, Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy, St Just and Tiverton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stratford-on-Avon, Melton, West Oxfordshire, Swale and Warwick. 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 Hayes Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Sancreed Cornwall
3 Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy Essex
4 St Just Cornwall
5 Tiverton Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stratford-on-Avon 015 Stratford-on-Avon
2 Melton 003 Melton
3 West Oxfordshire 004 West Oxfordshire
4 Swale 010 Swale
5 Warwick 011 Warwick

Forenames

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First names often paired with Clemons

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Clemons

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Clemons surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Clemons 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Clemons 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

Clemons is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Clemons falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Clemons

The surname Clemons is of English origin, traced back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "clement," meaning mild or merciful. This name was likely initially given as a nickname to someone with a gentle disposition.

In its earliest recorded form, the surname appeared as "Clements" in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties across England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name was predominantly found in the counties of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.

Over time, the name evolved through various spellings, including Clemens, Clemence, and Clements, before settling into its modern form of Clemons. This variation in spelling was common during the Middle Ages due to the lack of standardized English orthography.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing this surname was Sir John Clemons, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in Gloucestershire during the late 13th century. Another notable figure was William Clemons, a merchant from Bristol who played a crucial role in the city's thriving wool trade in the 15th century.

In the 16th century, the name Clemons appeared in the historical records of the Oxfordshire town of Burford, where several families with the surname resided. One such family was the Clemons of Shilton, who owned substantial land holdings in the area.

During the 17th century, the Clemons name gained prominence with the birth of John Clemons (1617-1692), a renowned English clergyman and academic. He served as the Bishop of Llandaff and later became the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.

Another noteworthy individual was Sir William Clemons (1642-1711), a successful businessman and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1695. His legacy includes the establishment of the Clemons Charity, which provided financial assistance to underprivileged children in the city.

In the 18th century, the Clemons family produced several influential figures, including Robert Clemons (1727-1804), a prominent lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench in Ireland.

As the surname spread across the British Isles and beyond, it continued to be associated with individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, and military leaders.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Clemons families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Clemons 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. Worcestershire leads with 18 Clemons' recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.08x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 18 22.08x
Warwickshire 8 5.08x
Cornwall 7 9.90x
Devon 7 5.39x
Lincolnshire 6 6.01x
Yorkshire 6 0.97x
Essex 3 2.43x
Middlesex 3 0.48x
Surrey 3 0.99x
Cumberland 1 1.86x
Hampshire 1 0.78x
Royal Navy 1 13.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tredington in Worcestershire leads with 18 Clemons' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8181.82x.

Place Total Index
Tredington 18 8181.82x
Honington 8 16000.00x
Eastville 6 7500.00x
Headingley Cum Burley 6 150.75x
Plymouth Charles The 6 104.71x
St Blazey 5 806.45x
Brightlingsea 3 428.57x
Kingston On Thames 3 41.04x
Chelsea London 1 5.32x
Crosscanonby 1 56.18x
Hammersmith London 1 6.50x
Paddington London 1 4.36x
Royal Navy 1 15.72x
Southampton St Mary 1 12.42x
St Columb Major 1 169.49x
St Just In Penwith 1 72.99x
Tiverton 1 44.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Alice 3
Ann 3
Edith 2
Elizabeth 2
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Hanah 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Jemima 1
Kate 1
Minnie 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Sarah 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
Francis 3
George 3
William 3
Alfred 2
Edward 2
Geo. 2
Joseph 2
Arthur 1
Aurthur 1
Charles 1
Clement 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Herbert 1
James 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1
Sydney 1
Thomas 1
Willim. 1
Wright 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 Clemons households.

FAQ

Clemons surname: questions and answers

How common was the Clemons surname in 1881?

In 1881, 63 people were recorded with the Clemons surname. That placed it at #24,711 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Clemons surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 183 in 2016. That gives Clemons a modern rank of #20,813.

What does the Clemons surname mean?

Derived from a placename meaning "pleasant valley" in Old English or from a nickname meaning "merciful" in Middle English.

What does the Clemons map show?

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