NameCensus.

UK surname

Esson

A Scottish habitational surname denoting someone from Essan or Essen in Normandy.

In the 1881 census there were 660 people recorded with the Esson surname, ranking it #5,439 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 852, ranked #6,566, down from #5,439 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kincardine O'Neil, Logie-Coldstone and South Ronaldsay and Burray. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Cairngorms, Torry West and Peterhead Harbour.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Esson is 852 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.1%.

1881 census count

660

Ranked #5,439

Modern count

852

2016, ranked #6,566

Peak year

2016

852 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Esson had 660 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,439 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 852 in 2016, ranked #6,566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 806 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Esson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Esson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Esson 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 491 #5,090
1861 historical 535 #4,913
1881 historical 660 #5,439
1891 historical 743 #5,358
1901 historical 806 #5,600
1911 historical 136 #18,962
1997 modern 724 #7,055
1998 modern 746 #7,135
1999 modern 764 #7,039
2000 modern 751 #7,096
2001 modern 733 #7,096
2002 modern 762 #7,023
2003 modern 748 #7,036
2004 modern 750 #7,015
2005 modern 762 #6,870
2006 modern 778 #6,786
2007 modern 781 #6,822
2008 modern 797 #6,768
2009 modern 825 #6,713
2010 modern 840 #6,756
2011 modern 802 #6,935
2012 modern 792 #6,898
2013 modern 808 #6,892
2014 modern 828 #6,792
2015 modern 832 #6,710
2016 modern 852 #6,566

Geography

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Where Essons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kincardine O'Neil, Logie-Coldstone, South Ronaldsay and Burray, Maryculter and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Cairngorms, Torry West, Peterhead Harbour, Gloucester and Balgownie and Donmouth West. 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 Kincardine O'Neil Aberdeen
2 Logie-Coldstone Aberdeen
3 South Ronaldsay and Burray Orkney
4 Maryculter Kincardine
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Cairngorms Aberdeenshire
2 Torry West Aberdeen City
3 Peterhead Harbour Aberdeenshire
4 Gloucester 008 Gloucester
5 Balgownie and Donmouth West Aberdeen City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Esson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Esson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Esson, 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 Esson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Esson 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Esson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Esson 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

Esson falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Esson

The surname "ESSON" is of Scottish origin, deriving from the ancient region of Moray in northeastern Scotland. It is believed to have emerged in the 12th or 13th century as a patronymic form of the given name "Essa" or "Esse", which itself may have been a diminutive of the biblical name "Isaac".

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the late 13th century, where it appears spelled in various forms such as "Essoune", "Essoun", and "Esson". These entries suggest that the name was initially concentrated in the counties of Moray and Banff.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence. One notable entry is that of Adam Esson, a landowner from Moray.

The name is also linked to several place names in northeastern Scotland, such as Essonton and Essonside, which likely derived from individuals or families bearing the surname "Esson" who owned or resided in those areas.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname "Esson". One of the earliest was Sir John Esson (c.1380-1454), a Scottish knight and diplomat who served as ambassador to England and France during the reign of King James I of Scotland.

Another prominent figure was David Esson (1598-1660), a Scottish minister and writer who published several religious works and served as the minister of St. Cuthbert's Church in Edinburgh.

In the 18th century, James Esson (1720-1793) was a Scottish poet and schoolmaster from Banffshire, known for his collection of poems titled "The Bard's Miscellany".

In the 19th century, Henry Esson (1809-1887) was a Scottish-born Australian explorer and surveyor who played a significant role in the exploration and mapping of Western Australia.

More recently, the 20th century saw the rise of William Esson (1901-1964), a Scottish-born Canadian writer and playwright who was a prominent figure in the Canadian literary scene and co-founded the influential magazine "New Frontiers".

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Esson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Esson 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 357 Essons recorded in 1881 and an index of 59.78x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 357 59.78x
Orkney 54 76.12x
Banffshire 30 22.43x
Kincardineshire 30 38.21x
Northamptonshire 26 4.29x
Surrey 24 0.76x
Midlothian 20 2.32x
Lanarkshire 16 0.77x
Durham 14 0.73x
Kent 10 0.45x
Middlesex 10 0.16x
Angus 8 1.34x
Staffordshire 6 0.28x
Sussex 6 0.55x
Ayrshire 5 1.04x
Gloucestershire 5 0.40x
Lancashire 5 0.07x
Oxfordshire 5 1.26x
Warwickshire 5 0.31x
Essex 4 0.31x
Northumberland 4 0.42x
Morayshire 3 2.99x
Berkshire 2 0.41x
Huntingdonshire 2 1.56x
Yorkshire 2 0.03x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Clackmannanshire 1 1.88x
East Lothian 1 1.17x
Glamorgan 1 0.09x
Nairnshire 1 5.08x
Perthshire 1 0.35x
Royal Navy 1 1.30x
Stirlingshire 1 0.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen St Nicholas in Aberdeenshire leads with 102 Essons recorded in 1881 and an index of 91.29x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen St Nicholas 102 91.29x
South Ronaldshay 29 395.10x
Aberdeen Old Machar 28 22.46x
Aboyne 26 825.40x
Tarland 24 926.64x
Logie Coldstone 23 1150.00x
Lumphanan 20 796.81x
Insch 15 441.18x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 13 3.74x
Fordyce 13 135.14x
Peterculter 11 261.28x
Hardwick 10 3571.43x
Inverurie 10 148.15x
Long Buckby 10 178.25x
Newhills 10 81.77x
Battersea 9 3.79x
Glenmuick Tullich 9 209.30x
Wormshill 9 1914.89x
Boyndie 8 180.59x
Camberwell 8 1.94x
Holm 8 336.13x
Maryculter 8 337.55x
Rothiemay 8 264.03x
Banchory Devenick 7 95.50x
Birse 7 289.26x
Lambeth 7 1.25x
Folkington 6 2068.97x
Hamilton 6 10.32x
Kincardine O Neil 6 140.85x
St Andrews Deerness 6 160.86x
Westoe 6 5.52x
Garvock 5 531.91x
Govan 5 0.97x
Harborne 5 7.17x
Kirkdale 5 3.88x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 13.35x
Oxford St Giles 5 26.32x
Slains 5 179.86x
Warwick St Mary 5 35.41x
Auchindoir Kearn 4 119.40x
Crathie Braemar 4 112.04x
Leochel Cushnie 4 148.70x
Mid Calder 4 106.95x
Muirkirk 4 35.30x
New Deer 4 37.00x
Tough 4 264.90x
West Ham 4 1.42x
Banchory Ternan 3 44.18x
Blantyre 3 13.82x
Cabrach 3 198.68x
Cluny 3 104.53x
Drumoak 3 146.34x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 3 12.96x
Kinneff Catterline 3 135.75x
Kirkwall St Ola 3 28.25x
Northampton St Giles 3 12.99x
Stromness 3 56.39x
Walls Flotta 3 90.36x
Belhelvie 2 49.02x
Cheltenham 2 2.05x
Colne 2 273.97x
Coull 2 114.29x
Culsalmond 2 108.70x
Fetteresso 2 16.26x
Foveran 2 44.25x
Kemnay 2 55.25x
Kildrummy 2 136.99x
Kintore 2 38.54x
Leith South 2 169.49x
Lintrathen 2 140.85x
Monquhitter 2 32.36x
Oyne 2 94.34x
Poplar London 2 1.64x
St Vigeans 2 6.20x
Strathdon 2 68.97x
Tynemouth 2 3.89x
Chapel Of Garioch 1 23.53x
Crimond 1 54.35x
Echt 1 34.72x
Glengairn 1 322.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 6
Jane 5
Mary 5
Sophia 5
Margaret 4
Fanny 3
Maria 3
Sarah 3
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Eleanor 1
Ellen 1
Elsbet. 1
Emeline 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Jannett 1
Jessie 1
Louisa 1
Mabel 1
Margeret 1
Martha 1
Miriah 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
John 7
James 6
Charles 5
Thomas 5
Ernest 3
George 3
Alfred 2
Fredk. 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Thompson 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Benjiman 1
Clifford 1
David 1
Edward 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Horace 1
Jno.W. 1
Peter 1
Saml. 1
Smith 1
Tom 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Esson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Esson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 660 people were recorded with the Esson surname. That placed it at #5,439 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Esson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 852 in 2016. That gives Esson a modern rank of #6,566.

What does the Esson surname mean?

A Scottish habitational surname denoting someone from Essan or Essen in Normandy.

What does the Esson map show?

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