NameCensus.

UK surname

Hesson

Derived from a Middle English place name meaning "son of Hess," a pet form of the name Henry.

In the 1881 census there were 99 people recorded with the Hesson surname, ranking it #19,877 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 184, ranked #20,731, down from #19,877 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tipton otherwise Tibington, Bury and Workington (Workington), Clossocks. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Walsall and Manchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hesson is 196 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 85.9%.

1881 census count

99

Ranked #19,877

Modern count

184

2016, ranked #20,731

Peak year

2010

196 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hesson had 99 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,877 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 184 in 2016, ranked #20,731.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 122 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Hesson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hesson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hesson 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 27 #28,467
1861 historical 59 #26,466
1881 historical 99 #19,877
1891 historical 105 #23,241
1901 historical 122 #20,344
1911 historical 79 #24,903
1997 modern 161 #20,176
1998 modern 167 #20,258
1999 modern 179 #19,539
2000 modern 177 #19,634
2001 modern 171 #19,770
2002 modern 180 #19,533
2003 modern 171 #19,953
2004 modern 167 #20,367
2005 modern 176 #19,667
2006 modern 188 #19,023
2007 modern 184 #19,485
2008 modern 174 #20,385
2009 modern 189 #19,727
2010 modern 196 #19,698
2011 modern 193 #19,729
2012 modern 172 #21,219
2013 modern 191 #20,124
2014 modern 188 #20,503
2015 modern 190 #20,272
2016 modern 184 #20,731

Geography

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Where Hessons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tipton otherwise Tibington, Bury, Workington (Workington), Clossocks, 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 Leeds, Walsall and Manchester. 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 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
2 Bury Lancashire
3 Workington (Workington), Clossocks Cumberland
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 046 Leeds
2 Walsall 038 Walsall
3 Walsall 036 Walsall
4 Manchester 009 Manchester
5 Walsall 033 Walsall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hesson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hesson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hesson, 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 Hesson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Hesson 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Hesson is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hesson is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hesson 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 Hesson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hesson

The surname Hesson originated from England, with its roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a variant of the name Hesson or Hession, derived from the Old English word "hes," meaning rough or coarse.

This surname was initially found in the northern regions of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire. One of the earliest records of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, where a John Hesson was mentioned.

The name Hesson may also have connections to certain place names in England. For instance, it could be linked to the town of Hessay, located near the city of York. This place name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "hæs" and "eg," meaning "brushwood" and "island" or "dry ground," respectively.

In the 16th century, the Hesson family gained prominence in the city of York. One notable figure was William Hesson, a merchant and alderman who lived from 1532 to 1604. He was a prominent figure in the city's civic affairs and served as the Lord Mayor of York in 1590.

Another historical figure bearing the surname Hesson was Robert Hesson, a soldier and military engineer who lived from 1624 to 1690. He served in the English Civil War and was involved in the construction of fortifications and defensive works during the conflict.

In the 18th century, the Hesson family had established roots in various parts of England, including Lancashire and Yorkshire. One notable member was John Hesson (1732-1804), a successful merchant and landowner in the town of Rochdale.

Moving into the 19th century, the surname Hesson continued to be found across England. One notable figure from this era was William Hesson (1818-1892), a prominent architect who designed several notable buildings in the city of Manchester.

Throughout its history, the surname Hesson has also been associated with various occupations, such as merchants, landowners, soldiers, and professionals. The name has maintained its presence in England and has spread to other parts of the world through migration and family lineages.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hesson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hesson 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. Lancashire leads with 24 Hessons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.09x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 24 2.09x
Lanarkshire 20 6.40x
Staffordshire 20 6.14x
Cheshire 10 4.69x
Surrey 8 1.70x
Ayrshire 6 8.30x
Lincolnshire 3 1.94x
Northamptonshire 3 3.30x
Warwickshire 2 0.82x
Kent 1 0.30x
Middlesex 1 0.10x
Montgomeryshire 1 4.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 10 Hessons recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.65x.

Place Total Index
Barony 10 12.65x
Birkenhead 10 58.86x
Glasgow 10 18.03x
Preston 10 32.63x
Bermondsey 8 27.84x
Kilmarnock 6 69.77x
Tipton 6 60.12x
Wednesbury 6 73.71x
Bury 5 38.20x
Pendleton In Salford 5 36.63x
Wolverhampton 4 15.96x
Cowbit 3 1428.57x
West Bromwich 3 16.08x
Liverpool 2 2.87x
Northampton St Sepulchre 2 43.29x
Rugby 2 60.79x
Deptford St Paul 1 3.94x
Floore 1 294.12x
Machynlleth 1 125.00x
St George Hanover Square 1 5.88x
Walsall Foreign 1 5.94x
Westleigh 1 38.46x
Woodplumpton 1 243.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Jane 3
Ann 2
Bridget 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Harriet 2
Rose 2
Sarah 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Cecilia 1
Clara 1
Eleanor 1
Fanny 1
Infant 1
Lydia 1
Mary 1
Minnie 1
Nancy 1
Norah 1
Sally 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
James 5
Michael 4
William 3
George 2
Henry 2
Robert 2
Alfred 1
Edwin 1
Enoch 1
Frederick 1
Hugh 1
Jabez 1
Joseph 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Patrick 1
Thomas 1
Thos.Chas. 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hesson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hesson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 99 people were recorded with the Hesson surname. That placed it at #19,877 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hesson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 184 in 2016. That gives Hesson a modern rank of #20,731.

What does the Hesson surname mean?

Derived from a Middle English place name meaning "son of Hess," a pet form of the name Henry.

What does the Hesson map show?

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