NameCensus.

UK surname

Filson

An English locational surname referring to someone from Filson, a parish in England.

In the 1881 census there were 9 people recorded with the Filson surname, ranking it #32,416 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 119, ranked #27,704, up from #32,416 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doon Valley South, Sefton and Brent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Filson is 126 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1222.2%.

1881 census count

9

Ranked #32,416

Modern count

119

2016, ranked #27,704

Peak year

2008

126 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Filson had 9 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,416 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016, ranked #27,704.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 47 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Filson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Filson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Filson 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 12 #31,134
1861 historical 47 #28,023
1881 historical 9 #32,416
1891 historical 44 #30,838
1901 historical 35 #30,194
1911 historical 35 #29,478
1997 modern 96 #27,490
1998 modern 99 #27,785
1999 modern 102 #27,468
2000 modern 95 #28,441
2001 modern 97 #27,823
2002 modern 102 #27,596
2003 modern 102 #27,383
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 108 #26,736
2006 modern 116 #25,813
2007 modern 123 #25,208
2008 modern 126 #25,131
2009 modern 120 #26,496
2010 modern 121 #27,005
2011 modern 121 #26,789
2012 modern 122 #26,696
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 118 #27,961
2015 modern 111 #28,986
2016 modern 119 #27,704

Geography

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Where Filsons 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 Doon Valley South, Sefton, Brent, St. Helens and Ayr North Harbour, Wallacetown and Newton South. 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 Doon Valley South East Ayrshire
2 Sefton 018 Sefton
3 Brent 025 Brent
4 St. Helens 004 St. Helens
5 Ayr North Harbour, Wallacetown and Newton South South Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Filson

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Filson

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Filson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Filson 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Filson 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

Filson 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

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

Meaning and origin of Filson

The surname Filson is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the northern counties, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "fil" or "fili," meaning "file" or "smooth," and the suffix "-son," indicating "son of." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to the occupation of a file maker or someone who smoothed or polished metal.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, dated around 1273, which mentions a William Fileson. The Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301 also include a reference to a Johannes Filsone.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Fylson, Filsone, and Filsonn, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that time period. The Pipe Rolls of Northumberland from 1332 document a Robert Fylson, while the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379 list a Johannes Filsonn.

The surname Filson may have also been associated with certain place names or locations. For instance, there is a village called Filsham in East Sussex, which could have influenced the development of the name in that region.

Among the notable individuals who bore the surname Filson throughout history are:

1. John Filson (c. 1753-1788), an American adventurer, surveyor, and author, known for his work "The Discovery, Settlement and Present State of Kentucke."

2. Sir William Filson (1560-1643), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1623.

3. Robert Filson (1678-1744), a Scottish minister and author who wrote "An Analysis of the Philosophical Works of the Late Lord Bolingbroke."

4. Mary Filson (1788-1867), an American educator and philanthropist who founded the Filson Historical Society in Louisville, Kentucky.

5. Edward Filson (1870-1938), a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Regent Palace Hotel.

While the surname Filson may have evolved over time and spread to different parts of the world, its origins can be traced back to the northern counties of England, where it likely originated as an occupational name related to file making or metal polishing.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Filson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Filson 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. Midlothian leads with 3 Filsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.71x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 3 28.71x
Lancashire 2 2.16x
Lanarkshire 1 3.96x
Middlesex 1 1.28x
Norfolk 1 8.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. South Leith in Midlothian leads with 3 Filsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 254.24x.

Place Total Index
South Leith 3 254.24x
Liverpool 2 35.59x
Glasgow 1 22.32x
Shouldham 1 5000.00x
Westminster St James 1 125.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 1
Emma 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 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 Filson households.

FAQ

Filson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Filson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 9 people were recorded with the Filson surname. That placed it at #32,416 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Filson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 119 in 2016. That gives Filson a modern rank of #27,704.

What does the Filson surname mean?

An English locational surname referring to someone from Filson, a parish in England.

What does the Filson map show?

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