NameCensus.

UK surname

Gershon

A Hebrew surname derived from the biblical name Gershon, meaning "stranger there".

In the 1881 census there were 38 people recorded with the Gershon surname, ranking it #28,285 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 90, ranked #32,202, down from #28,285 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Botolph Aldgate, St George in the East and St Mary Stoke Newington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Barnet and Hertsmere.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gershon is 115 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 136.8%.

1881 census count

38

Ranked #28,285

Modern count

90

2016, ranked #32,202

Peak year

1911

115 bearers

Map years

2

1911 to 1998

Key insights

  • Gershon had 38 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,285 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 90 in 2016, ranked #32,202.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 115 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Gershon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Gershon surname density by area, 1998 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gershon 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 25 #28,853
1861 historical 8 #32,887
1881 historical 38 #28,285
1891 historical 45 #30,747
1901 historical 95 #23,462
1911 historical 115 #20,951
1997 modern 106 #26,057
1998 modern 101 #27,479
1999 modern 96 #28,326
2000 modern 95 #28,441
2001 modern 93 #28,382
2002 modern 88 #29,534
2003 modern 85 #29,877
2004 modern 92 #29,197
2005 modern 90 #29,527
2006 modern 96 #28,946
2007 modern 93 #29,777
2008 modern 91 #30,431
2009 modern 92 #30,820
2010 modern 94 #31,111
2011 modern 95 #30,877
2012 modern 93 #31,409
2013 modern 92 #31,909
2014 modern 96 #31,667
2015 modern 94 #31,872
2016 modern 90 #32,202

Geography

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Where Gershons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Botolph Aldgate, St George in the East, St Mary Stoke Newington, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Westminster, Barnet and Hertsmere. 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 St Botolph Aldgate London (Central Districts)
2 St George in the East London (East Districts)
3 St Mary Stoke Newington London (North Districts)
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Westminster 008 Westminster
2 Barnet 032 Barnet
3 Barnet 035 Barnet
4 Barnet 025 Barnet
5 Hertsmere 010 Hertsmere

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gershon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gershon

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Gershon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Gershon 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 are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Gershon 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

Gershon 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

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

Meaning and origin of Gershon

The surname Gershon is of Hebrew origin, derived from the biblical name Gershon, which is one of the sons of Levi in the Old Testament. The name Gershon is thought to mean "expulsion" or "exile" in Hebrew.

While the name Gershon has biblical roots, it first emerged as a surname among Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Central and Eastern Europe in the late Middle Ages. As Jews were required to adopt hereditary surnames during this period, many chose names derived from biblical figures or Hebrew words.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gershon can be found in the Pinkas, a record of the Jewish community in Krakow, Poland, dating back to the 16th century. The name is also mentioned in various Jewish community records and census records from the 17th and 18th centuries in regions such as Lithuania, Ukraine, and Belarus.

Notable individuals with the surname Gershon include Levi Isaac Gershon (1688-1756), a prominent rabbi and author from Brest-Litovsk, Belarus. Another notable figure is Mordechai Gershon (1757-1831), a Polish-born rabbi and scholar who served as the Chief Rabbi of Kherson, Ukraine.

In the 19th century, individuals with the surname Gershon can be found in various parts of Europe, including Isaac Gershon (1805-1880), a German-born Hebrew grammarian, and Salomon Gershon (1834-1919), a German-born mathematician and educator.

As Jews emigrated from Eastern Europe to other parts of the world, the surname Gershon spread to different countries. One notable figure in the United States was Abraham Gershon (1882-1952), a Yiddish writer and journalist who was born in Lithuania.

While the surname Gershon has its roots in the biblical name, it evolved as a hereditary surname among Jewish communities in Eastern Europe, and its bearers have made significant contributions in various fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gershon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gershon 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. Middlesex leads with 18 Gershons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.86x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 18 4.86x
Yorkshire 10 2.72x
Lanarkshire 6 5.01x
Leicestershire 4 9.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nether Hallam in Yorkshire leads with 7 Gershons recorded in 1881 and an index of 140.85x.

Place Total Index
Nether Hallam 7 140.85x
St George In East London 7 201.15x
Barony 6 19.79x
Hackney London 4 19.26x
Leicester St Margaret 4 39.92x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 40.16x
Spitalfields London 3 107.53x
Ratcliffe London 2 97.56x
St Botolph Aldgate London 2 263.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Rose 4
Amelia 1
Annie 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Hannah 1
Lucy 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Aaron 2
Samuel 2
Abraham 1
David 1
Ellean 1
Henry 1
Herman 1
Horace 1
Jacob 1
Joseph 1
Michael 1
Morris 1
Nathan 1
Philip 1
Raphel 1
Selim 1
Sim 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 Gershon households.

FAQ

Gershon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gershon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 38 people were recorded with the Gershon surname. That placed it at #28,285 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gershon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 90 in 2016. That gives Gershon a modern rank of #32,202.

What does the Gershon surname mean?

A Hebrew surname derived from the biblical name Gershon, meaning "stranger there".

What does the Gershon map show?

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