NameCensus.

UK surname

Frankson

From the son of someone named Frank.

In the 1881 census there were 12 people recorded with the Frankson surname, ranking it #31,914 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 112, ranked #28,844, up from #31,914 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hawkesbury, St George in the East and All Saints Poplar. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harlow, St Edmundsbury and Enfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Frankson is 124 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 833.3%.

1881 census count

12

Ranked #31,914

Modern count

112

2016, ranked #28,844

Peak year

1861

124 bearers

Map years

4

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Frankson had 12 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,914 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016, ranked #28,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 124 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Frankson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Frankson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Frankson 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 15 #30,614
1861 historical 124 #17,797
1881 historical 12 #31,914
1891 historical 52 #30,061
1901 historical 16 #32,260
1911 historical 47 #28,110
1997 modern 91 #28,215
1998 modern 107 #26,555
1999 modern 108 #26,602
2000 modern 107 #26,700
2001 modern 103 #26,927
2002 modern 103 #27,443
2003 modern 104 #27,101
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 105 #27,203
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 108 #27,391
2008 modern 111 #27,225
2009 modern 119 #26,637
2010 modern 124 #26,582
2011 modern 119 #27,063
2012 modern 111 #28,332
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 123 #27,206
2015 modern 114 #28,478
2016 modern 112 #28,844

Geography

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Where Franksons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hawkesbury, St George in the East, All Saints Poplar, Sheffield and Chesham (incl. Chartridge, Billington & Latimers with Waterside. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harlow, St Edmundsbury, Enfield and Barnet. 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 Hawkesbury Gloucestershire
2 St George in the East London (East Districts)
3 All Saints Poplar London (East Districts)
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Chesham (incl. Chartridge, Billington & Latimers with Waterside Buckinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harlow 010 Harlow
2 St Edmundsbury 006 St Edmundsbury
3 Enfield 030 Enfield
4 Harlow 008 Harlow
5 Barnet 027 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Frankson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Frankson

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Frankson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Frankson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Frankson 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

Frankson 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

Frankson falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Frankson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Frankson

The surname Frankson is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "franc," meaning "free" or "noble," and "sunu," meaning "son." This suggests that the name was initially given to the son of a noble or freeman.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Frankson can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears in several entries, indicating that individuals bearing this surname held lands and properties during the Norman conquest of England.

As the Frankson family continued to grow and spread across different regions of England, various variations in spelling emerged, such as Franksun, Franksone, and Franxon. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded the names.

Several notable individuals have borne the surname Frankson throughout history. One such individual was Sir John Frankson (1542-1612), a prominent English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1597. Another was William Frankson (1674-1748), an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works.

In the realm of literature, the name Frankson appears in the works of renowned authors. One example is the character of Mr. Frankson, a minor yet memorable figure in Charles Dickens' novel "Bleak House," published in 1853.

During the medieval period, the Franksons were also known to have settled in various parts of northern England, where place names like Frankson's Fold and Frankson's Croft can still be found today, reflecting the family's historical presence in those areas.

Other notable individuals bearing the surname Frankson include Robert Frankson (1849-1921), a Scottish politician and businessman who served as Lord Provost of Glasgow, and Elizabeth Frankson (1876-1959), an American suffragist and social reformer who campaigned for women's rights and education.

While the surname Frankson may not be as widely recognizable as some other English surnames, its origins and historical significance are deeply rooted in the country's past, reflecting the nobility and freedom associated with its ancestors.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Frankson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Frankson 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. Yorkshire leads with 6 Franksons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.18x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 6 5.18x
Middlesex 5 4.28x
Kent 1 2.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rotherham in Yorkshire leads with 6 Franksons recorded in 1881 and an index of 923.08x.

Place Total Index
Rotherham 6 923.08x
Bromley London 4 155.64x
Chelsfield 1 2500.00x
St George In East London 1 90.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Emily 1
Harriet 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Alfred 2
William 2
Harry 1
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 Frankson households.

FAQ

Frankson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Frankson surname in 1881?

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

How common is the Frankson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016. That gives Frankson a modern rank of #28,844.

What does the Frankson surname mean?

From the son of someone named Frank.

What does the Frankson map show?

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