NameCensus.

UK surname

Easson

An English surname possibly originating from a location with the Old English elements 'east' and 'tun'.

In the 1881 census there were 586 people recorded with the Easson surname, ranking it #5,952 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 630, ranked #8,380, down from #5,952 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Abernethy, Forfar and St. Monance. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirriemuir Landward, Coupar Angus and Meigle and Selkirk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Easson is 803 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.5%.

1881 census count

586

Ranked #5,952

Modern count

630

2016, ranked #8,380

Peak year

1901

803 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Easson had 586 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,952 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 630 in 2016, ranked #8,380.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 803 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Easson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Easson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Easson 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 390 #6,155
1861 historical 416 #6,176
1881 historical 586 #5,952
1891 historical 664 #5,855
1901 historical 803 #5,624
1911 historical 155 #17,485
1997 modern 626 #7,904
1998 modern 635 #8,050
1999 modern 640 #8,060
2000 modern 619 #8,249
2001 modern 602 #8,280
2002 modern 610 #8,362
2003 modern 592 #8,415
2004 modern 599 #8,361
2005 modern 592 #8,349
2006 modern 624 #8,046
2007 modern 627 #8,078
2008 modern 637 #8,033
2009 modern 637 #8,196
2010 modern 637 #8,371
2011 modern 620 #8,474
2012 modern 609 #8,508
2013 modern 624 #8,477
2014 modern 626 #8,520
2015 modern 627 #8,428
2016 modern 630 #8,380

Geography

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Where Eassons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Abernethy, Forfar, St. Monance, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirriemuir Landward, Coupar Angus and Meigle, Selkirk, Saline and Gowkhall and Cardenden. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Abernethy Perth
2 Forfar Forfar
3 St. Monance Fife
4 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirriemuir Landward Angus
2 Coupar Angus and Meigle Perth and Kinross
3 Selkirk Scottish Borders
4 Saline and Gowkhall Fife
5 Cardenden Fife

Forenames

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First names often paired with Easson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Easson

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Easson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Easson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Easson 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

Easson is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Easson 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 Easson 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 Easson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Easson

The surname Easson has its origins in Scotland, where it first appeared in the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "east," which refers to the cardinal direction, suggesting that the name may have been used to identify someone who lived to the east of a particular location or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of manuscripts that recorded the names of Scottish landowners and nobles who swore fealty to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The name is listed as "Esson" in these rolls.

In the 14th and 15th centuries, the name was also spelled as "Essone" and "Essoune," which further indicates its Scottish origins and the influence of the Scots language on its spelling and pronunciation.

The Easson surname is closely associated with the counties of Angus and Aberdeenshire in northeastern Scotland. Some notable individuals with this surname include:

1. Sir John Easson (1591-1661), a Scottish landowner and Member of Parliament who served in the Parliaments of Scotland during the reign of King Charles I.

2. Robert Easson (1792-1867), a Scottish politician and merchant who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1847 to 1850.

3. David Easson (1811-1880), a Scottish historian and author who wrote extensively on the history of Scotland and its churches.

4. James Easson (1850-1923), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh and Glasgow, including the Grand Hotel in St Andrews.

5. Alexander Easson (1896-1982), a Scottish-born Canadian engineer and inventor who held numerous patents related to mining and construction equipment.

The Easson surname is also found in other parts of the United Kingdom, including England and Ireland, although its origins can be traced back to Scotland. It is a name with a rich history and a strong connection to the rugged landscapes and cultural heritage of northeastern Scotland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Easson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Easson 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. Angus leads with 201 Eassons recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.41x.

County Total Index
Angus 201 38.41x
Fife 103 30.81x
Perthshire 100 39.45x
Lanarkshire 52 2.85x
Midlothian 33 4.36x
Kincardineshire 9 13.09x
Peeblesshire 9 33.87x
Glamorgan 8 0.81x
Staffordshire 7 0.37x
Ayrshire 6 1.42x
Banffshire 6 5.12x
Aberdeenshire 5 0.96x
Durham 5 0.30x
Lancashire 5 0.07x
Yorkshire 5 0.09x
Dunbartonshire 4 2.64x
Middlesex 3 0.05x
Ross-shire 3 1.93x
Royal Navy 3 4.46x
Surrey 2 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.28x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Essex 1 0.09x
Gloucestershire 1 0.09x
Hampshire 1 0.09x
Kent 1 0.05x
Kinross-shire 1 7.00x
Orkney 1 1.61x
Stirlingshire 1 0.48x
Sussex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Monance in Fife leads with 48 Eassons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1203.01x.

Place Total Index
St Monance 48 1203.01x
Dundee 46 23.55x
Liff Benvie 41 51.62x
Forfar 29 102.37x
Abernethy 16 483.38x
Govan 16 3.54x
Dalziel 14 71.25x
Monikie 14 510.95x
Perth Middle Church 13 136.41x
Dunfermline 12 23.34x
Glasgow 12 3.70x
St Vigeans 12 42.49x
Abbotshall 11 88.07x
Dunblane 11 181.22x
Methven 11 295.70x
Wemyss 11 77.74x
Barony 10 2.16x
Monifieth 10 54.11x
Airlie 9 535.71x
Innerleithen 9 127.66x
Meigle 9 478.72x
Blairgowrie 8 79.76x
South Leith 8 9.40x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 2.30x
Kirriemuir 7 54.22x
Swansea Lower 7 139.72x
Wolverhampton 7 4.78x
Arbroath 6 34.60x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 6 33.52x
Errol 6 127.66x
Kirkmichael 6 288.46x
Largs 6 60.24x
Laurencekirk 6 150.75x
Perth West Church 6 49.88x
Alyth 5 73.31x
Barry 5 79.62x
Cupar 5 34.39x
Kettins 5 285.71x
North Leith 5 14.28x
Oyne 5 268.82x
Pittenweem 5 121.36x
Bonhill 4 16.42x
Castleford 4 19.63x
Edinburgh Canongate 4 20.77x
Forgan 4 62.40x
Lancaster 4 10.03x
Panbride 4 146.52x
Fearn 3 72.64x
Kinnoull 3 45.05x
Kirkden 3 91.74x
Lasswade 3 17.34x
Lochee 3 64.24x
Montrose 3 9.46x
Benholm 2 67.80x
Camberwell 2 0.55x
Cargill 2 75.76x
Darlington 2 3.08x
Dysart 2 8.88x
Kirkcaldy 2 12.06x
Leslie 2 23.61x
Perth East Church 2 8.37x
Rattray 2 33.90x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.01x
Aldershot 1 2.58x
Bow London 1 1.39x
Brechin 1 4.86x
Cheltenham 1 1.17x
Coupar Angus 1 20.20x
Craig 1 19.80x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 56.82x
Kinclaven 1 86.96x
Maryculter 1 48.31x
Rescobie 1 75.19x
Rhynd 1 172.41x
Royal Navy 1 1.74x
Scone 1 22.22x
St Madoes 1 163.93x
Stranton 1 1.77x
Tibbermore 1 27.55x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Catherine 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Christiana 1
Elisabeth 1
Ellen 1
Helen 1
Jean 1
Lilian 1
Ruth 1
Sisille 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 7
David 4
William 4
John 3
Arthur 1
George 1
Henry 1
Jams. 1
Robert 1
Thomas 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 Easson households.

FAQ

Easson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Easson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 586 people were recorded with the Easson surname. That placed it at #5,952 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Easson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 630 in 2016. That gives Easson a modern rank of #8,380.

What does the Easson surname mean?

An English surname possibly originating from a location with the Old English elements 'east' and 'tun'.

What does the Easson map show?

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