NameCensus.

UK surname

Elson

Derived from a place name meaning "Elli's son," referring to a descendant of someone named Elli.

In the 1881 census there were 1,882 people recorded with the Elson surname, ranking it #2,317 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,109, ranked #2,171, up from #2,317 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Burton-on-Trent and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Rugby and Rutland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Elson is 3,303 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.2%.

1881 census count

1,882

Ranked #2,317

Modern count

3,109

2016, ranked #2,171

Peak year

1999

3,303 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Elson had 1,882 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,317 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,109 in 2016, ranked #2,171.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,060 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Elson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Elson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Elson 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 1,190 #2,388
1861 historical 1,393 #2,060
1881 historical 1,882 #2,317
1891 historical 2,195 #2,131
1901 historical 2,676 #2,064
1911 historical 3,060 #1,702
1997 modern 3,206 #2,010
1998 modern 3,288 #2,035
1999 modern 3,303 #2,052
2000 modern 3,251 #2,068
2001 modern 3,217 #2,047
2002 modern 3,254 #2,067
2003 modern 3,170 #2,073
2004 modern 3,154 #2,081
2005 modern 3,072 #2,104
2006 modern 3,062 #2,116
2007 modern 3,094 #2,115
2008 modern 3,095 #2,129
2009 modern 3,182 #2,125
2010 modern 3,236 #2,133
2011 modern 3,190 #2,134
2012 modern 3,116 #2,151
2013 modern 3,147 #2,162
2014 modern 3,172 #2,163
2015 modern 3,136 #2,166
2016 modern 3,109 #2,171

Geography

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Where Elsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Burton-on-Trent, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Rugby, Rutland and East Staffordshire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 001 Shropshire
2 Rugby 010 Rugby
3 Rutland 001 Rutland
4 East Staffordshire 010 East Staffordshire
5 East Staffordshire 014 East Staffordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Elson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Elson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Elson, 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 Elson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Elson 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Elson 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

Elson 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

Elson falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Elson

The surname ELSON is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English personal name "Æl," meaning "source" or "spring," combined with the patronymic suffix "-son," indicating "son of."

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, dated 1195, where one Richard Elson is mentioned. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273 reference a William Elson, suggesting the name's presence in the region during that era.

Historically, the ELSON name has been associated with various localities across England, particularly in the counties of Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, and Norfolk. Some of the earliest known references to place names related to the surname include Elston, a village in Nottinghamshire, and Elsenham, a parish in Essex.

One notable bearer of the ELSON name was Sir Arthur Elson (1577-1651), an English landowner and Member of Parliament who represented the borough of Grantham in the early 17th century. Another significant figure was John Elson (1644-1728), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, from 1701 until his death.

In the realm of literature, John Elson (1816-1855) was a British poet and author known for his works such as "The Minstrel's Curse" and "The Poetical Works of John Elson." Additionally, Arthur Vaughan Elson (1872-1957) was an American author and educator who wrote extensively on various subjects, including music, literature, and history.

Another prominent individual bearing the ELSON name was Sir Arthur Elson (1871-1962), a British civil engineer and public servant who played a crucial role in the construction of the London Underground railway system in the early 20th century.

While the ELSON surname may have evolved over time and taken on various spellings, such as Ellson, Elston, or Elliston, its origins can be traced back to the Old English personal name "Æl" and the patronymic tradition of identifying individuals as the "son of" their fathers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Elson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Elson 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. Surrey leads with 189 Elsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.12x.

County Total Index
Surrey 189 2.12x
Middlesex 182 0.99x
Staffordshire 181 2.93x
Devon 143 3.75x
Lancashire 141 0.65x
Warwickshire 138 2.99x
Cheshire 87 2.15x
Northamptonshire 87 5.05x
Nottinghamshire 79 3.20x
Yorkshire 77 0.42x
Leicestershire 73 3.60x
Derbyshire 71 2.48x
Lincolnshire 60 2.05x
Cornwall 46 2.22x
Hampshire 44 1.17x
Somerset 43 1.46x
Shropshire 34 2.15x
Gloucestershire 30 0.84x
Kent 23 0.37x
Hertfordshire 20 1.59x
Glamorgan 19 0.60x
Essex 18 0.50x
Sussex 16 0.52x
Huntingdonshire 13 3.58x
Worcestershire 10 0.42x
Bedfordshire 9 0.95x
Monmouthshire 8 0.60x
Rutland 8 5.95x
Oxfordshire 7 0.62x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.54x
Berkshire 3 0.22x
Durham 3 0.06x
Dorset 2 0.17x
Royal Navy 2 0.92x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.09x
Denbighshire 1 0.14x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.38x
Northumberland 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 46 Elsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.56x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 46 6.56x
Finedon 37 245.36x
Burton Upon Trent 36 24.91x
Bulkington 30 300.90x
Plymouth St Andrew 29 9.88x
Bunbury 27 487.36x
Camberwell 27 2.31x
Newark Upon Trent 26 29.33x
Bulwell 25 46.62x
Ashton Under Lyne 23 4.85x
Chobham 22 139.77x
Whittington 22 174.19x
Godalming 21 37.41x
Islington London 21 1.18x
Newton Abbot St Mary 20 62.60x
Burbage 19 179.41x
Burslem 19 10.74x
Leicester St Leonard 18 93.70x
Leicester St Margaret 18 3.64x
Spondon 17 154.27x
Woking 17 31.63x
Bethnal Green London 16 2.01x
St Juliot 16 1142.86x
Coventry Holy Trinity 15 10.89x
Hackney London 15 1.46x
Stapenhill 15 35.17x
Stoke Upon Trent 15 2.29x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 14 4.14x
Chelsea London 14 2.54x
Coventry St Michael 14 9.44x
Brightside Bierlow 13 3.66x
Fradley 13 546.22x
Northampton Priory St 13 12.59x
Wrockwardine 13 37.39x
Aston 12 0.94x
Battersea 12 1.78x
Bedminster 12 4.34x
Handsworth 12 7.88x
Hitchin 12 21.07x
Kensington London 12 1.18x
Mile End Old Town London 12 3.08x
Monks Coppenhall 12 7.87x
St Marylebone London 12 1.23x
Walsall Foreign 12 3.76x
Elvetham 11 374.15x
Wellington 11 12.38x
Duloe 10 164.47x
St Blazey 10 54.98x
Stockport 10 4.81x
Wimbledon 10 9.99x
Birmingham 9 0.59x
Chadderton 9 8.48x
Cuddington 9 261.63x
Ecclesall Bierlow 9 2.44x
Ecton 9 232.56x
Ewell 9 47.82x
Fulbeck 9 222.77x
Harrold 9 140.41x
Horsell 9 159.86x
Rugby 9 14.41x
Rushall 9 24.76x
Stoke Damerel 9 3.38x
Twickenham 9 11.47x
West Ham 9 1.13x
Bedwellty 8 3.43x
Hartley Wintney 8 70.92x
Leamington Priors 8 7.04x
Manthorpe Cum Little 8 35.76x
Nottingham St Mary 8 1.25x
Potterspury 8 116.11x
Ramsgate 8 7.85x
Rosliston 8 277.78x
Swansea Town 8 3.06x
Tarporley 8 94.56x
Upper Arley 8 174.29x
Wavertree 8 11.51x
West Ardsley 8 36.66x
Brinklow 7 142.57x
Little Woolton 7 112.00x
Sculcoates 7 2.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 129
Elizabeth 91
Sarah 78
Ann 55
Emma 48
Alice 39
Jane 35
Eliza 32
Ellen 29
Louisa 23
Emily 21
Annie 18
Hannah 17
Fanny 16
Martha 16
Harriet 15
Lucy 15
Charlotte 11
Catherine 10
Clara 9
Susan 9
Edith 8
Florence 8
Margaret 8
Matilda 7
Amy 6
Elizth. 6
Harriett 6
Kate 6
Maria 6
Ada 5
Jessie 5
Agnes 4
Anne 4
Caroline 4
Frances 4
Julia 4
Rose 4
Allice 3
Beatrice 3
Bertha 3
Bessie 3
Eleanor 3
Esther 3
Ethel 3
Laura 3
Lizzie 3
Selina 3
Annah 2
Lydia 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 149
John 101
George 78
Thomas 74
James 58
Charles 51
Henry 40
Joseph 34
Arthur 30
Walter 24
Alfred 22
Samuel 22
Albert 19
Edward 19
Frederick 18
Richard 14
Robert 14
Frank 13
Edwin 11
Herbert 10
Harry 7
Fredk. 5
Ernest 4
Francis 4
Fredrick 4
Wm. 4
Daniel 3
David 3
Jesse 3
Job 3
Thos. 3
Willie 3
Abraham 2
Basil 2
Bryan 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Louis 2
Peter 2
Richd. 2
Robt. 2
Rueben 2
Tom 2
Wm.Hy. 2
Andrew 1
Ben 1
E.G. 1
Earnest 1
Ed.Charles 1
Edgar 1

FAQ

Elson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Elson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,882 people were recorded with the Elson surname. That placed it at #2,317 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Elson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,109 in 2016. That gives Elson a modern rank of #2,171.

What does the Elson surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "Elli's son," referring to a descendant of someone named Elli.

What does the Elson map show?

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