NameCensus.

UK surname

Eriksen

A patronymic surname of Scandinavian origin, meaning "son of Erik."

In the 1881 census there were 12 people recorded with the Eriksen surname, ranking it #31,914 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 175, ranked #21,383, up from #31,914 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Liverpool and Wirral.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Eriksen is 178 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1358.3%.

1881 census count

12

Ranked #31,914

Modern count

175

2016, ranked #21,383

Peak year

2014

178 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Eriksen had 12 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,914 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 175 in 2016, ranked #21,383.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 57 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Eriksen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Eriksen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Eriksen 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
1861 historical 1 #34,435
1881 historical 12 #31,914
1891 historical 26 #32,189
1901 historical 50 #28,590
1911 historical 57 #27,099
1997 modern 128 #23,238
1998 modern 143 #22,317
1999 modern 144 #22,405
2000 modern 144 #22,357
2001 modern 137 #22,740
2002 modern 140 #22,876
2003 modern 143 #22,367
2004 modern 135 #23,326
2005 modern 132 #23,623
2006 modern 138 #23,156
2007 modern 144 #22,804
2008 modern 141 #23,383
2009 modern 149 #23,031
2010 modern 164 #22,109
2011 modern 158 #22,473
2012 modern 165 #21,782
2013 modern 164 #22,236
2014 modern 178 #21,259
2015 modern 176 #21,291
2016 modern 175 #21,383

Geography

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Where Eriksens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Westminster, Liverpool, Wirral, Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans and Cardiff. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Westminster 020 Westminster
2 Liverpool 050 Liverpool
3 Wirral 030 Wirral
4 Comrie, Gilmerton and St Fillans Perth and Kinross
5 Cardiff 003 Cardiff

Forenames

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First names often paired with Eriksen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Eriksen

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Eriksen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Eriksen 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Eriksen is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Eriksen is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Eriksen 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 Eriksen is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Eriksen

The surname Eriksen originated in Scandinavia, particularly in Denmark and Norway, during the medieval period. It is a patronymic surname, derived from the Old Norse personal name Erik, which means "eternal ruler" or "ever-powerful." The name Erik itself is a combination of the Old Norse elements "ai," meaning "always" or "eternal," and "rik," meaning "ruler" or "mighty."

Eriksen is a common surname in Denmark and Norway, as well as in other Scandinavian countries. It is also found in areas with significant Scandinavian immigration, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. The earliest known instances of the surname Eriksen can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries in historical records and documents from Denmark and Norway.

In the Icelandic Landnámabók, a medieval manuscript chronicling the settlement of Iceland, there are references to individuals with the name Erikssen or Eriksen. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Erik Eriksen, a Norwegian nobleman who lived in the late 13th century and was mentioned in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian diplomas and documents.

Another notable individual with the surname Eriksen was Hans Eriksen (1573-1638), a Danish astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of astronomy and mathematics during the early 17th century. He is best known for his work on improving the accuracy of astronomical observations and for his development of new mathematical techniques for calculating planetary positions.

In the 18th century, Christian Eriksen (1714-1772) was a Danish naval officer and explorer who led several expeditions to Greenland and the Arctic regions. He is credited with mapping and charting large areas of the Greenland coast and contributing to the knowledge of the region's geography and natural resources.

Another notable figure with the surname Eriksen was Knud Eriksen (1858-1938), a Norwegian explorer and whaler who participated in several Antarctic expeditions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was a member of the Børge Vik expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula in 1893-1895 and later led his own whaling expeditions to the Ross Sea region.

In more recent times, one of the most famous individuals with the surname Eriksen is Christian Eriksen, a Danish professional football player born in 1992. He has represented Denmark at the international level and has played for several top European clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Eriksen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Eriksen 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. Cheshire leads with 2 Eriksens recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.75x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 2 7.75x
East Lothian 2 129.03x
Glamorgan 2 9.83x
Middlesex 2 1.71x
Cornwall 1 7.56x
Fife 1 14.45x
Lancashire 1 0.72x
Northumberland 1 5.75x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cardiff St Mary in Glamorgan leads with 2 Eriksens recorded in 1881 and an index of 178.57x.

Place Total Index
Cardiff St Mary 2 178.57x
Poplar London 2 90.50x
Prestonpans 2 2000.00x
Wallasey 2 2222.22x
Burntisland 1 526.32x
Falmouth 1 212.77x
Liverpool 1 11.88x
North Shields 1 285.71x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Carl 3
Anton 1
Erik 1
Hans 1
J. 1
Nils 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 Eriksen households.

FAQ

Eriksen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Eriksen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12 people were recorded with the Eriksen surname. That placed it at #31,914 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Eriksen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 175 in 2016. That gives Eriksen a modern rank of #21,383.

What does the Eriksen surname mean?

A patronymic surname of Scandinavian origin, meaning "son of Erik."

What does the Eriksen map show?

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