NameCensus.

UK surname

Danson

An English patronymic surname derived from the given name Dennis.

In the 1881 census there were 674 people recorded with the Danson surname, ranking it #5,347 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 881, ranked #6,398, down from #5,347 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Manchester and Cockerham (Ellel), Lancaster (Preesall with Hackersall) , Garstang (Pilling). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wyre, North Lincolnshire and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Danson is 1,023 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.7%.

1881 census count

674

Ranked #5,347

Modern count

881

2016, ranked #6,398

Peak year

1891

1,023 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Danson had 674 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,347 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 881 in 2016, ranked #6,398.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,023 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Danson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Danson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Danson 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 635 #4,088
1861 historical 855 #3,238
1881 historical 674 #5,347
1891 historical 1,023 #4,076
1901 historical 907 #5,120
1911 historical 976 #4,636
1997 modern 932 #5,806
1998 modern 964 #5,846
1999 modern 971 #5,840
2000 modern 950 #5,924
2001 modern 932 #5,905
2002 modern 944 #5,958
2003 modern 926 #5,952
2004 modern 929 #5,931
2005 modern 923 #5,905
2006 modern 938 #5,852
2007 modern 926 #5,961
2008 modern 907 #6,099
2009 modern 925 #6,128
2010 modern 939 #6,173
2011 modern 930 #6,173
2012 modern 893 #6,282
2013 modern 909 #6,302
2014 modern 906 #6,343
2015 modern 894 #6,355
2016 modern 881 #6,398

Geography

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Where Dansons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Manchester, Cockerham (Ellel), Lancaster (Preesall with Hackersall) , Garstang (Pilling), Dalton-in-Furness and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wyre, North Lincolnshire and Salford. 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 Wigan Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Cockerham (Ellel), Lancaster (Preesall with Hackersall) , Garstang (Pilling) Lancashire
4 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wyre 004 Wyre
2 Wyre 009 Wyre
3 North Lincolnshire 004 North Lincolnshire
4 Wyre 007 Wyre
5 Salford 028 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Danson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Danson

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

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Danson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Danson 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Danson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Danson 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

Danson falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Danson

The surname Danson is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged in the medieval period. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English personal name "Dæne," which means "a Dane" or "a Danish person." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone of Danish descent or someone who had some connection to Denmark.

The earliest recorded instances of the Danson surname can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. Some of these records include the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which list a William Danessone in Oxfordshire, and the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, which mention a John Danson in 1275.

In the 16th century, the Danson surname appears to have been concentrated in the northern counties of England, particularly in Lancashire and Yorkshire. During this period, the name was sometimes spelled as Daunson, Dawnson, or Dawson, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

One notable historical figure with the surname Danson was Thomas Danson (1631-1694), an English Puritan minister and author. He was born in Naburn, Yorkshire, and served as a minister in several parishes before being ejected from his living during the Great Ejection of 1662.

Another notable individual was John Danson (1768-1857), a wealthy English merchant and landowner from Liverpool. He acquired significant property in the area, including the estate of Ince Blundell Hall, and was a prominent figure in the local community.

In the 19th century, the Danson surname gained further recognition with the birth of James Danson (1825-1895), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Liverpool. He made his fortune in the cotton trade and was a prominent figure in the city's civic and cultural life, serving as a magistrate and supporting various charitable causes.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the name Danson was also associated with the Danson family of Wigan, Lancashire. This family owned and operated the Danson Colliery, a coal mine that played an important role in the local economy.

Another notable figure with the Danson surname was Sir Francis Danson (1858-1925), a British lawyer and judge. He served as a Judge of the King's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice and was appointed a Knight Bachelor in 1914.

While the Danson surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration and migration. However, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period and the Old English personal name "Dæne," reflecting the surname's connection to Danish heritage and ancestry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Danson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Danson 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 380 Dansons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.91x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 380 4.91x
Yorkshire 53 0.82x
Cheshire 31 2.15x
Surrey 27 0.85x
Cumberland 21 3.74x
Lincolnshire 21 2.01x
Middlesex 18 0.28x
Kent 17 0.76x
Westmorland 16 11.16x
Northumberland 14 1.44x
Leicestershire 8 1.11x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.80x
Angus 6 0.99x
Fife 6 1.55x
Staffordshire 6 0.27x
Gloucestershire 5 0.39x
Lanarkshire 5 0.24x
Worcestershire 5 0.59x
Durham 4 0.21x
Essex 4 0.31x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 4.23x
Hampshire 3 0.22x
Norfolk 2 0.20x
Oxfordshire 2 0.50x
Sussex 2 0.18x
Derbyshire 1 0.10x
Northamptonshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dalton In Furness in Lancashire leads with 31 Dansons recorded in 1881 and an index of 103.71x.

Place Total Index
Dalton In Furness 31 103.71x
Barrow In Furness 22 20.89x
Pilling 21 578.51x
Salford 18 7.90x
Camberwell 17 4.08x
Colton 14 346.53x
Out Rawcliffe 14 756.76x
Kirkham 13 126.95x
Stalmine With Staynall 13 1160.71x
Birkenhead 12 10.45x
Manchester 12 3.45x
Wigan 12 11.09x
Barton St Mary 11 210.33x
Ecclesall Bierlow 11 8.36x
Broughton In Salford 10 14.12x
Oldham 10 4.00x
Elswick 9 11.61x
Tonge With Haulgh 9 59.72x
Hapton 8 165.29x
Ingleton 8 219.78x
Leicester St Margaret 8 4.53x
North Meols 8 10.55x
Poulton Le Fylde 8 290.91x
Ribby With Wray 8 888.89x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 4.14x
Bispham With Norbreck 7 429.45x
Egton Cum Newland 7 311.11x
Farnworth 7 15.09x
Kendal 7 26.67x
Liverpool 7 1.49x
Newington 7 2.90x
Newton 7 11.73x
Workington 7 21.76x
Brinsworth 6 200.00x
Everton 6 2.43x
Halton 6 365.85x
Kinghorn 6 73.17x
Linthrope 6 491.80x
Little Bolton 6 6.03x
Middlesbrough 6 7.13x
Whitehaven 6 20.03x
Abroath St Vigeans 5 201.61x
Ashton On Mersey 5 67.11x
Bothwell 5 8.74x
Dover St James 5 51.23x
Dover St Mary Virgin 5 23.20x
Hindley 5 15.14x
Horfield 5 38.82x
Newcastle Under Lyme 5 12.83x
Preston 5 2.41x
St Pancras London 5 0.95x
Standish With Langtree 5 52.41x
Tranmere 5 9.44x
Wakefield 5 10.07x
West Derby 5 2.21x
Barton St Peter 4 83.68x
Clee With Weelsby 4 17.51x
Great Malvern 4 22.50x
Lancaster 4 8.68x
Pendleton In Salford 4 4.34x
Pocklington 4 65.57x
Singleton 4 500.00x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 4 43.29x
St Marylebone London 4 1.15x
Tatham 4 336.13x
Tottington Higher End 4 45.40x
Treales Roseacre 4 320.00x
Troqueer 4 32.28x
Urswick 4 139.37x
Wavertree 4 16.14x
Bollington In 3 23.40x
Charlton 3 20.28x
Deptford St Nicholas 3 16.98x
Eccleston In Chorley 3 149.25x
Grasmere 3 181.82x
Longbenton 3 7.30x
Millom 3 17.42x
Nottingham St Peter 3 30.58x
St Bees 3 115.38x
Undermilbeck 3 63.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 46
Elizabeth 26
Margaret 19
Sarah 18
Jane 16
Ann 15
Annie 10
Ellen 10
Martha 10
Alice 8
Eliza 8
Agnes 7
Catherine 7
Dorothy 6
Eleanor 6
Emily 6
Emma 5
Isabella 5
Louisa 4
Margt. 4
Anne 3
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Ada 2
Betsy 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Eliz. 2
Evelyn 2
Jennet 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Rachel 2
Ruth 2
Deborah 1
Effie 1
Elizth. 1
Ellenor 1
Elvina 1
Esther 1
Frances 1
Jennett 1
Jeretea 1
Jessie 1
Juleyann 1
Lilly 1
Lucy 1
Maggie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 49
John 48
James 33
Thomas 29
George 26
Joseph 15
Henry 13
Robert 13
Richard 12
Alfred 8
Edward 8
Charles 6
Walter 6
Samuel 5
Frank 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Harry 3
Thos. 3
Andrew 2
Christopher 2
David 2
Edwd. 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Hy. 2
Isaac 2
Reuben 2
Wm. 2
Anthony 1
Arth. 1
Blezard 1
Burnet 1
Chas. 1
Chrisr. 1
D. 1
Douglas 1
Ebenezier 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Foster 1
Francis 1
Fredrocl 1
J. 1
Joe 1
Matthew 1
Myles 1
Nicholas 1
R. 1
Rawlinson 1

FAQ

Danson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Danson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 674 people were recorded with the Danson surname. That placed it at #5,347 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Danson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 881 in 2016. That gives Danson a modern rank of #6,398.

What does the Danson surname mean?

An English patronymic surname derived from the given name Dennis.

What does the Danson map show?

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