NameCensus.

UK surname

Edmundson

Son of Edmund, a name derived from the Old English elements "ead" (wealth, fortune) and "mund" (protection).

In the 1881 census there were 850 people recorded with the Edmundson surname, ranking it #4,448 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 751, ranked #7,283, down from #4,448 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bolton-le-Moors, Prescot and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Sunderland and Hyndburn.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Edmundson is 975 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.6%.

1881 census count

850

Ranked #4,448

Modern count

751

2016, ranked #7,283

Peak year

1901

975 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Edmundson had 850 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,448 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 751 in 2016, ranked #7,283.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 975 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Edmundson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Edmundson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Edmundson 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 515 #4,858
1861 historical 510 #5,127
1881 historical 850 #4,448
1891 historical 955 #4,336
1901 historical 975 #4,854
1911 historical 975 #4,638
1997 modern 798 #6,553
1998 modern 811 #6,680
1999 modern 811 #6,725
2000 modern 827 #6,597
2001 modern 791 #6,702
2002 modern 802 #6,761
2003 modern 778 #6,815
2004 modern 758 #6,968
2005 modern 740 #7,035
2006 modern 727 #7,154
2007 modern 746 #7,085
2008 modern 743 #7,152
2009 modern 771 #7,089
2010 modern 784 #7,144
2011 modern 796 #6,986
2012 modern 750 #7,226
2013 modern 759 #7,274
2014 modern 767 #7,231
2015 modern 757 #7,247
2016 modern 751 #7,283

Geography

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Where Edmundsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bolton-le-Moors, Prescot, Blackburn and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Sunderland and Hyndburn. 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 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
2 Prescot Lancashire
3 Blackburn Lancashire
4 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 046 County Durham
2 Sunderland 006 Sunderland
3 Hyndburn 007 Hyndburn
4 Sunderland 022 Sunderland
5 Sunderland 004 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Edmundson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Edmundson

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Edmundson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Edmundson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Edmundson 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

Edmundson is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Edmundson 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 Edmundson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Edmundson

The surname Edmundson is of English origin, derived from the given name Edmund and the patronymic suffix "-son," meaning "son of Edmund." The name Edmund comes from the Old English name "Ēadmund," composed of the elements "ēad" meaning "prosperity" or "wealth" and "mund" meaning "protection."

The name Edmundson first appeared in records in the 12th century in various counties of England, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Lincolnshire. It is believed to have originated from the northern regions of England, where the name Edmund was particularly popular during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Edmundson can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mention a person named "Edmundus filius Ade" (Edmund, son of Adam). The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the Exchequer of England, providing valuable insights into the names and occupations of individuals living during that period.

In the 13th century, the name Edmundson appeared in the Curia Regis Rolls of Lincolnshire, which were legal records of the King's Court. These rolls mention "Willelmus Edmundson" and "Robertus Edmundson," indicating the presence of the surname in that region.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Edmundson was William Edmundson (1627-1712), an English Quaker missionary who traveled extensively in Ireland and the American colonies, spreading the Quaker faith. He is remembered for his influential writings and contributions to the growth of the Quaker movement.

Another prominent individual with this surname was George Edmundson (1798-1868), a British botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in the West Indies. He published several works on the flora of the region, including "A Catalogue of the Plants Growing in the Vicinity of Bahamas" (1835).

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Edmundson can be found in the Virginia land patents of 1679, which mention a "John Edmundson" as a landowner. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname had already settled in the American colonies by the late 17th century.

A notable figure in American history with the surname Edmundson was William Edmundson (1832-1891), a prominent businessman and politician from Virginia. He served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates and was actively involved in the development of the state's coal and railroad industries.

Another individual of note was Henry Edmundson (1815-1890), a British military officer who served in the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest military decoration in the United Kingdom, for his bravery and leadership during the Siege of Lucknow in 1857.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Edmundson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Edmundson 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 596 Edmundsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.06x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 596 6.06x
Yorkshire 140 1.71x
Durham 69 2.80x
Northumberland 9 0.73x
Cheshire 7 0.38x
Middlesex 6 0.07x
Surrey 5 0.12x
Roxburghshire 4 2.67x
Staffordshire 4 0.14x
Cumberland 3 0.42x
Sussex 2 0.14x
Westmorland 2 1.10x
Norfolk 1 0.08x
Warwickshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 175 Edmundsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 66.93x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 175 66.93x
Great Harwood 41 230.86x
Eccleston In Prescot 38 77.02x
Bishopwearmouth 34 16.08x
Accrington 29 32.46x
Hesketh Cum Becconsall 19 772.36x
Oldham 19 5.99x
Fishwick 17 279.61x
Preston 17 6.47x
Burnley 15 18.12x
Carlton In Skipton 15 312.50x
Westhoughton 14 53.37x
Tarleton 13 240.74x
Crook Billy Row 12 38.03x
Horton In Bradford 12 9.36x
Leeds 11 2.37x
Carnforth 10 185.19x
Mellor 10 321.54x
Salford 10 3.46x
Church 9 64.84x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 9 8.43x
Higher Booths 9 50.79x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 5.12x
Newchurch 8 9.95x
Tottington Higher End 8 71.49x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 3.26x
Balderstone 7 507.25x
Clitheroe 7 24.20x
Great Bolton 7 5.38x
Holbeck 7 12.87x
Stanwick St John 7 4375.00x
Greatham 6 287.08x
Holy Trinity 6 3.04x
Manningham 6 5.93x
Trawden 6 97.56x
Walton On Hill 6 11.27x
Bedale 5 167.22x
Brightside Bierlow 5 3.11x
Darlington 5 5.26x
Haslingden 5 12.29x
Little Bolton 5 3.96x
Lower Darwen 5 38.76x
Morley 5 11.72x
North Meols 5 5.20x
Thornaby 5 16.30x
Burton Upon Trent 4 6.12x
Camberwell 4 0.76x
East Witton Within 4 547.95x
Great Little Marsden 4 8.88x
Halifax 4 3.32x
Hawick 4 11.92x
Over Darwen 4 5.10x
Ramsgreave 4 588.24x
Warmfield Cum Heath 4 144.40x
Wortley In Bramley 4 6.15x
Byker 3 4.93x
Clayton Le Moors 3 15.73x
Finghall Akebar 3 697.67x
Gorton 3 3.25x
Huddersfield 3 2.51x
Hulme 3 1.46x
Keighley 3 3.43x
Lea Ashton Ingol 3 46.01x
Liverpool 3 0.50x
Lower Upper Holker 3 223.88x
Lymm 3 22.57x
North Bierley 3 6.77x
Romanby 3 254.24x
Scarborough 3 4.02x
Singleton 3 297.03x
Stretford 3 5.55x
Dent 2 58.31x
Habergham Eaves 2 2.23x
Heworth 2 4.12x
Hunslet 2 1.56x
Rumworth 2 14.25x
Saddleworth 2 3.16x
Spotland 2 1.83x
Tynemouth 2 3.03x
Witton 2 16.18x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 82
Sarah 35
Alice 32
Jane 30
Elizabeth 29
Margaret 23
Ellen 22
Ann 19
Annie 16
Hannah 13
Martha 11
Ada 9
Isabella 8
Catherine 7
Dorothy 6
Emma 6
Maria 5
Nancy 5
Agnes 4
Betsy 4
Edith 4
Eleanor 4
Eliza 4
Rachel 4
Clara 3
Elizth. 3
Emily 3
Harriet 3
Betty 2
Bridget 2
Elizh. 2
Esther 2
Francis 2
Margret 2
Margt. 2
May 2
Rachael 2
Ruth 2
Selina 2
Susan 2
Adelaide 1
Amelia 1
Bertha 1
Betsey 1
Deborah 1
Debra 1
Elisabeth 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Isabel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 70
William 44
Thomas 30
James 27
George 21
Joseph 19
Robert 16
Henry 15
Edward 11
Richard 10
Wm. 9
Christopher 8
Arthur 6
Frederick 4
Isaac 4
Jas. 4
Richd. 4
Samuel 4
Thos. 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Charles 3
Matthew 3
Alfred 2
Edmund 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Herbert 2
Hugh 2
Mark 2
Mathew 2
Peter 2
Robt. 2
Tom 2
Annetta 1
Clifton 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Hartley 1
Howarth 1
Israel 1
Littlefair 1
Lot 1
Marmaduke 1
Martha 1
Noah 1
Oscar 1
Patrick 1
Wm.W. 1

FAQ

Edmundson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Edmundson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 850 people were recorded with the Edmundson surname. That placed it at #4,448 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Edmundson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 751 in 2016. That gives Edmundson a modern rank of #7,283.

What does the Edmundson surname mean?

Son of Edmund, a name derived from the Old English elements "ead" (wealth, fortune) and "mund" (protection).

What does the Edmundson map show?

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