NameCensus.

UK surname

Gelson

A topographic surname likely derived from a place with a shallow valley.

In the 1881 census there were 82 people recorded with the Gelson surname, ranking it #21,957 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 115, ranked #28,348, down from #21,957 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolstanton, Ealing, Chiswick and St Leonard Bromley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, South Oxfordshire and Hartlepool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gelson is 192 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.2%.

1881 census count

82

Ranked #21,957

Modern count

115

2016, ranked #28,348

Peak year

1891

192 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gelson had 82 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,957 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016, ranked #28,348.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 192 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Gelson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gelson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gelson 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 65 #21,747
1861 historical 131 #17,052
1881 historical 82 #21,957
1891 historical 192 #15,383
1901 historical 81 #25,130
1911 historical 131 #19,404
1997 modern 113 #25,106
1998 modern 122 #24,556
1999 modern 118 #25,227
2000 modern 117 #25,324
2001 modern 113 #25,489
2002 modern 117 #25,494
2003 modern 111 #26,091
2004 modern 108 #26,741
2005 modern 111 #26,260
2006 modern 107 #27,179
2007 modern 108 #27,391
2008 modern 109 #27,533
2009 modern 111 #27,846
2010 modern 126 #26,312
2011 modern 119 #27,063
2012 modern 109 #28,689
2013 modern 117 #27,838
2014 modern 116 #28,253
2015 modern 115 #28,319
2016 modern 115 #28,348

Geography

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Where Gelsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolstanton, Ealing, Chiswick, St Leonard Bromley, Brancepeth and Wakefield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, South Oxfordshire and Hartlepool. 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 Wolstanton Staffordshire
2 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
3 St Leonard Bromley London (East Districts)
4 Brancepeth Durham
5 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 056 County Durham
2 County Durham 058 County Durham
3 South Oxfordshire 001 South Oxfordshire
4 County Durham 045 County Durham
5 Hartlepool 011 Hartlepool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gelson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gelson

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Gelson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Gelson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Gelson is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Gelson 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

Gelson 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 Gelson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Gelson

The surname Gelson has its roots in the Anglo-Saxon period of English history. Derived likely from geographical or descriptive origins, the name is thought to have come from areas in England where the Old English words "geal" (meaning yellow) and "tūn" (meaning town or settlement) were used. The earliest roots trace back to villages or areas that might have had distinctive yellowish marshlands or pastures, leading to a place being referred to as Gelston.

The name appears in various records from medieval times. One of the earliest references is found in the 12th-century charters where a "Robert de Gelston" is mentioned, indicating that the surname was already in use and identified with the locality of Gelston, a village in Lincolnshire, England, which itself is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Gelistune."

Historically, surnames were often derived from geographic locations, and Gelson is no exception. The locality of Gelston in Lincolnshire has been documented in various historical records, providing a strong clue to the surname's origin. The name evolved in different spellings throughout history, with "Gelleston" and "Gellson" appearing in medieval documents.

Famous individuals bearing the surname Gelson include John Gelson, a noted landowner from Lincolnshire in the 15th century. His estates were mentioned in several legal documents of that time. Another significant figure was Thomas Gelson (born 1540, died 1609), who served as a merchant and alderman in the town of Nottingham. His role in local trade expanded the prominence of the Gelson name during the Elizabethan era.

In the 17th century, Alice Gelson made her mark as a midwife renowned in Yorkshire. Her skill and expertise are noted in the town's records, underscoring how individuals with this surname contributed to various professional fields. Moving to the late 19th century, Henry Gelson Coote, an English archaeologist born in 1815, extensively worked on Roman Britain. His research rekindled interest in ancient British history and added academic prestige to the Gelson name.

By the early 20th century, Robert Gelson, born in 1872, became a politically active figure, representing his community in various civic engagements. His contributions to public service rounded out the diverse areas in which the Gelson surname has been historically significant.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gelson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gelson 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 27 Gelsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.35x.

County Total Index
Durham 27 11.35x
Staffordshire 12 4.44x
Northumberland 11 9.24x
Middlesex 8 1.00x
Yorkshire 8 1.01x
Essex 3 1.90x
Lancashire 3 0.32x
Angus 2 2.70x
Devon 2 1.20x
Hertfordshire 2 3.63x
Surrey 2 0.51x
Berkshire 1 1.67x
Shropshire 1 1.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wakefield in Yorkshire leads with 8 Gelsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 131.58x.

Place Total Index
Wakefield 8 131.58x
Wolstanton 8 97.56x
Alnwick 7 341.46x
Ferryhill 6 722.89x
Helmington Row 6 540.54x
Bournmoor 5 1351.35x
Hammersmith London 5 25.38x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 13.97x
Usworth 4 317.46x
Wallsend 4 106.10x
Gateshead 3 16.84x
North Bedburn 3 447.76x
Blackburn 2 7.92x
Dundee 2 7.23x
South Ockendon 2 606.06x
Stoke Damerel 2 17.17x
Thorley 2 1818.18x
Isleworth 1 28.09x
Lambeth 1 1.43x
Madeley 1 39.53x
Mellor 1 333.33x
Old Windsor 1 144.93x
Penge 1 19.57x
Poplar London 1 6.62x
St George In East London 1 13.30x
Woodford 1 55.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Elizabeth 4
Hannah 3
Caroline 2
Ellen 2
Margaret 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Constance 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Lucy 1
Margt.O. 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
May 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

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 Gelson households.

FAQ

Gelson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gelson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 82 people were recorded with the Gelson surname. That placed it at #21,957 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gelson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016. That gives Gelson a modern rank of #28,348.

What does the Gelson surname mean?

A topographic surname likely derived from a place with a shallow valley.

What does the Gelson map show?

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