NameCensus.

UK surname

Emerson

Son of Emery, derived from a Germanic personal name meaning "brave" or "powerful."

In the 1881 census there were 2,073 people recorded with the Emerson surname, ranking it #2,127 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,944, ranked #2,289, down from #2,127 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Louth, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, North Norfolk and Maldon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Emerson is 3,096 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.0%.

1881 census count

2,073

Ranked #2,127

Modern count

2,944

2016, ranked #2,289

Peak year

1998

3,096 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Emerson had 2,073 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,127 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,944 in 2016, ranked #2,289.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,922 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Emerson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Emerson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Emerson 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 1,623 #1,772
1861 historical 1,450 #1,959
1881 historical 2,073 #2,127
1891 historical 2,263 #2,066
1901 historical 2,542 #2,163
1911 historical 2,922 #1,785
1997 modern 2,958 #2,192
1998 modern 3,096 #2,170
1999 modern 3,082 #2,198
2000 modern 3,038 #2,218
2001 modern 2,953 #2,232
2002 modern 3,059 #2,198
2003 modern 2,984 #2,203
2004 modern 2,958 #2,220
2005 modern 2,871 #2,261
2006 modern 2,883 #2,248
2007 modern 2,884 #2,273
2008 modern 2,902 #2,274
2009 modern 2,978 #2,267
2010 modern 3,029 #2,282
2011 modern 2,974 #2,294
2012 modern 2,957 #2,266
2013 modern 3,024 #2,250
2014 modern 3,050 #2,243
2015 modern 2,979 #2,276
2016 modern 2,944 #2,289

Geography

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Where Emersons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Louth, London parishes, St Pancras and Grimsby, Great. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, North Norfolk, Maldon and North West Leicestershire. 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 Louth Lincolnshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 London parishes London 2
5 Grimsby, Great Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 042 County Durham
2 North Norfolk 010 North Norfolk
3 Maldon 006 Maldon
4 County Durham 046 County Durham
5 North West Leicestershire 002 North West Leicestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Emerson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Emerson

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

Emerson is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Emerson

The surname Emerson has its origins in the Old English pre-7th century words "eamer" or "aemer", meaning a "person who had care of the horses". It is an occupational surname given to those who were employed as horse keepers or grooms. The earliest recorded spelling was found in the English Pipe Rolls of Hampshire in 1195 as "Edmarus le Emeressone".

Emerson is a name that has its roots in the northern English counties, particularly Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. It is believed to have derived from the Old English "eamer" or "aemer" combined with the patronymic suffix "-son", meaning "son of the horse keeper". The name was also occasionally spelled as "Emmerson" or "Emersonne" in early records.

In the famous Domesday Book of 1086, compiled by order of William the Conqueror, there are references to "Aimarus" and "Aimarus le Aemer" in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, which are believed to be early variations of the surname Emerson.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Roger Emerson, who was recorded in the Assize Court Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219. Another early instance was William Emerson, mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1273.

The surname Emerson has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most famous was Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American essayist, philosopher, and poet who was a leading figure in the Transcendentalist movement.

Other notable Emersons include:

1. William Emerson (1701-1782), an English mathematician and architect. 2. Ralph Emerson (1787-1863), an American minister and father of Ralph Waldo Emerson. 3. William Emerson (1769-1811), an American minister and author, and the grandfather of Ralph Waldo Emerson. 4. Thomas Emerson (1638-1666), an English minister and settler in New England. 5. Michael Emerson (born 1954), an American actor known for his roles in various TV series, including "Lost" and "Person of Interest".

The surname Emerson has undergone variations in spelling over time, but its origins can be traced back to the Old English words related to horse keeping and the patronymic suffix "-son". It has been borne by notable individuals in various fields, including literature, philosophy, and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Emerson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Emerson 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. Durham leads with 401 Emersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.66x.

County Total Index
Durham 401 6.66x
Middlesex 237 1.17x
Lincolnshire 211 6.52x
Lancashire 168 0.70x
Norfolk 163 5.24x
Yorkshire 157 0.78x
Suffolk 101 4.10x
Surrey 86 0.87x
Northumberland 75 2.49x
Kent 50 0.72x
Essex 41 1.03x
Leicestershire 29 1.29x
Cheshire 22 0.49x
Lanarkshire 21 0.32x
Buckinghamshire 19 1.55x
Cumberland 19 1.09x
Glamorgan 19 0.54x
Staffordshire 16 0.23x
Sussex 16 0.47x
Ayrshire 15 0.99x
Wiltshire 14 0.78x
Cambridgeshire 13 1.01x
Warwickshire 13 0.25x
Bedfordshire 12 1.14x
Gloucestershire 12 0.30x
Oxfordshire 12 0.96x
Renfrewshire 12 0.77x
Somerset 12 0.37x
Kirkcudbrightshire 11 3.75x
Angus 9 0.48x
Dunbartonshire 9 1.65x
Dumfriesshire 8 1.79x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.29x
Herefordshire 7 0.84x
Northamptonshire 7 0.37x
Argyllshire 6 1.06x
Buteshire 6 4.89x
Devon 6 0.14x
Monmouthshire 6 0.41x
Hertfordshire 5 0.36x
Flintshire 4 0.74x
Berkshire 3 0.20x
Hampshire 3 0.07x
Derbyshire 2 0.06x
Midlothian 2 0.07x
Wigtownshire 2 0.74x
Berwickshire 1 0.41x
Dorset 1 0.08x
Fife 1 0.08x
Orkney 1 0.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stanhope in Durham leads with 195 Emersons recorded in 1881 and an index of 313.61x.

Place Total Index
Stanhope 195 313.61x
Louth 46 62.02x
Pilkington 43 47.13x
Islington London 36 1.84x
Great Grimsby 31 15.09x
Stranton 30 14.80x
Radcliffe 29 25.05x
Mile End Old Town London 26 6.04x
Stockton On Tees 25 8.61x
Lambeth 22 1.25x
Ealing 20 11.06x
Wolsingham 20 36.44x
Hackney London 19 1.67x
Ingoldisthorpe 18 841.12x
Belton 17 592.33x
Bethnal Green London 17 1.93x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 17 36.74x
Great Yarmouth 17 6.59x
Castle Eden 16 262.30x
Leyton Low 15 18.47x
Fulmodestone Cum Croxton 14 560.00x
Heap 14 10.99x
Epworth 13 86.15x
Sevenoaks 13 23.22x
Shoreditch London 13 1.48x
St Pancras London 13 0.80x
Chipping Norton 12 41.52x
Ecclesfield 12 8.16x
Framsden 12 219.38x
West Ham 12 1.36x
Camberwell 11 0.85x
Grimston 11 139.95x
Hartlepool 11 12.85x
Kirkmabreck 11 85.87x
Rotherham 11 9.73x
Barony 10 0.60x
Battersea 10 1.34x
Burton Upon Trent 10 6.26x
Crook Billy Row 10 12.97x
Gaywood 10 179.21x
Holkham 10 268.10x
Hutton Henry 10 78.86x
Ore 10 39.37x
Coldcoats 9 3461.54x
Crowle 9 45.69x
Croydon 9 1.64x
Gateshead 9 2.00x
Haxey 9 65.50x
Hurworth 9 85.31x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 9 9.63x
Little Steeping 9 478.72x
North Ormsby 9 720.00x
Roseneath 9 86.29x
St Andrew Holborn London 9 10.27x
Stoke Newington London 9 5.71x
Berwick Upon Tweed 8 12.54x
Brightside Bierlow 8 2.03x
Burstwick With 8 273.97x
Clerkenwell London 8 1.67x
Combs 8 97.21x
Dalry 8 11.22x
East Rudham 8 145.72x
Great Waldingfield 8 196.56x
Lewisham 8 2.17x
Liscard 8 9.94x
Minety 8 160.97x
Monkwearmouth Shore 8 6.81x
Rochester St Margaret 8 10.98x
South Blyth Newsham 8 135.14x
Whitley 8 82.22x
Bildeston 7 129.15x
Bury 7 2.55x
Garthorpe 7 179.95x
Great Burstead 7 48.14x
Liverpool 7 0.48x
Lugwardine 7 133.33x
Messingham 7 89.29x
Newington 7 0.94x
Newport Pagnell 7 27.35x
Thorpe St Peter 7 177.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 112
Elizabeth 85
Sarah 76
Jane 57
Ann 43
Margaret 34
Alice 28
Eliza 27
Emma 27
Hannah 27
Ellen 24
Annie 23
Emily 19
Harriet 17
Edith 14
Fanny 13
Florence 12
Frances 12
Louisa 11
Esther 9
Maria 9
Charlotte 8
Isabella 8
Kate 8
Catherine 7
Eleanor 7
Rebecca 7
Rose 7
Ada 6
Anna 6
Jessie 6
Lydia 6
Susan 6
Agnes 5
Ethel 5
Harriett 5
Julia 5
Ruth 5
Elizth. 4
Eva 4
Grace 4
Laura 4
Martha 4
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Christiana 3
Clara 3
Isabel 3
Marian 3
Matilda 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 131
William 111
George 75
Thomas 75
James 57
Joseph 48
Robert 42
Charles 33
Henry 30
Arthur 23
Frederick 19
Alfred 17
Edward 14
Ralph 13
Richard 12
Albert 11
Ernest 11
Herbert 10
Walter 9
Francis 8
Isaac 7
Jonathan 7
Matthew 6
Stephen 6
David 5
Fredrick 5
Harry 5
Ambrose 4
Edwin 4
Nicholas 4
Philip 4
Benjamin 3
Chas. 3
Frank 3
Geo. 3
Jacob 3
Joshua 3
Samuel 3
Thos. 3
W. 3
Wright 3
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Cuthbert 2
Featherston 2
Leonard 2
Louis 2
Mark 2
Michael 2
Reginald 2

FAQ

Emerson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Emerson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,073 people were recorded with the Emerson surname. That placed it at #2,127 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Emerson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,944 in 2016. That gives Emerson a modern rank of #2,289.

What does the Emerson surname mean?

Son of Emery, derived from a Germanic personal name meaning "brave" or "powerful."

What does the Emerson map show?

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