NameCensus.

UK surname

Isom

Derived from the Middle English given name "Isome," meaning "one who is esteemed" or "son of Isome."

In the 1881 census there were 136 people recorded with the Isom surname, ranking it #16,433 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 219, ranked #18,422, down from #16,433 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Daventry, Arun and South Gloucestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Isom is 234 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 61.0%.

1881 census count

136

Ranked #16,433

Modern count

219

2016, ranked #18,422

Peak year

1911

234 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Isom had 136 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,433 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 219 in 2016, ranked #18,422.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 234 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Isom surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Isom surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Isom 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 96 #17,594
1861 historical 72 #24,643
1881 historical 136 #16,433
1891 historical 185 #15,803
1901 historical 198 #15,213
1911 historical 234 #13,526
1997 modern 206 #17,315
1998 modern 221 #17,021
1999 modern 217 #17,307
2000 modern 230 #16,644
2001 modern 223 #16,765
2002 modern 233 #16,590
2003 modern 221 #16,987
2004 modern 211 #17,590
2005 modern 196 #18,404
2006 modern 194 #18,627
2007 modern 196 #18,737
2008 modern 203 #18,470
2009 modern 210 #18,426
2010 modern 215 #18,551
2011 modern 219 #18,145
2012 modern 214 #18,358
2013 modern 220 #18,324
2014 modern 229 #17,925
2015 modern 227 #17,941
2016 modern 219 #18,422

Geography

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Where Isoms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a, Stanway and Harborough Magna. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Daventry, Arun and South Gloucestershire. 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 London parishes London 3
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
4 Stanway Essex
5 Harborough Magna Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Daventry 007 Daventry
2 Daventry 008 Daventry
3 Daventry 003 Daventry
4 Arun 019 Arun
5 South Gloucestershire 031 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Isom

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Isom

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Isom surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Isom 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Isom is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Isom 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

Isom falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Isom 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 Isom, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Isom

The surname Isom is of Anglo-Saxon origin and can be traced back to the 11th century England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "isarn" or "isum", meaning "iron" or "iron worker". This suggests that the name may have been initially given to a blacksmith or someone who worked with iron.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions several individuals with variations of the name, such as Iseran and Isernbarn.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records as Isan, Isen, and Ison, indicating the evolution of its spelling over time. One notable early bearer of the name was John Ison, a merchant from Bristol, England, who is mentioned in records from the late 14th century.

The Isom surname can also be linked to several place names in England, such as Isum and Isombridge, both located in Somerset. These place names likely derived from the Old English words "isern" or "isum", further reinforcing the connection between the surname and the iron trade.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Isom surname, including:

1. John Isom (c. 1585-1655), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset in the 17th century. 2. Mary Isom (1768-1840), an American pioneer and settler in Kentucky, known for her role in the early settlement of the state. 3. Thomas Isom (1819-1892), an American farmer and politician who served as a member of the Tennessee State Senate in the late 19th century. 4. Alfred Isom (1873-1950), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the early 20th century. 5. Zora Isom (1898-1964), an American blues singer and songwriter, active in the 1920s and 1930s, known for her contributions to the Chicago blues scene.

While the Isom surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through migration and settlement in the Americas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Isom families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Isom 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. Essex leads with 37 Isoms recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.13x.

County Total Index
Essex 37 14.13x
Middlesex 23 1.73x
Suffolk 15 9.28x
Warwickshire 15 4.48x
Staffordshire 13 2.90x
Northamptonshire 10 8.01x
Leicestershire 6 4.08x
Worcestershire 4 2.31x
Derbyshire 3 1.44x
Devon 3 1.09x
Surrey 3 0.46x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.25x
Gloucestershire 1 0.38x
Hampshire 1 0.37x
Kent 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lexden in Essex leads with 16 Isoms recorded in 1881 and an index of 1523.81x.

Place Total Index
Lexden 16 1523.81x
Burton Upon Trent 11 104.96x
St Marylebone London 11 15.53x
Little Cornard 9 5294.12x
Harbrough Magna 6 3750.00x
Higham 6 7500.00x
Colchester St Giles 5 193.05x
Colchester St Leonard 5 595.24x
Kings Sutton 5 909.09x
St Pancras London 5 4.68x
Willoughby 5 3571.43x
Colchester St Peter 4 380.95x
Kings Norton 4 25.76x
Paddington London 4 8.20x
Derby St Alkmund 3 48.23x
Devonport 3 94.64x
Grandborough 3 1578.95x
Leicester St Margaret 3 8.36x
Quinton 3 5000.00x
West Bergholt 3 612.24x
Barrow Upon Soar 2 165.29x
Colchester St James 2 188.68x
Everdon 2 769.23x
Fordham 2 625.00x
Hornsey 2 11.92x
Southwark Christchurch 2 32.15x
Wolstanton Ranscliffe 2 1250.00x
Aldershot 1 10.98x
Bradwell 1 88.50x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 11.52x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 22.83x
Leamington Hastings 1 476.19x
Mountsorrel 1 384.62x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 3.75x
St Luke London 1 4.70x

FAQ

Isom surname: questions and answers

How common was the Isom surname in 1881?

In 1881, 136 people were recorded with the Isom surname. That placed it at #16,433 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Isom surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 219 in 2016. That gives Isom a modern rank of #18,422.

What does the Isom surname mean?

Derived from the Middle English given name "Isome," meaning "one who is esteemed" or "son of Isome."

What does the Isom map show?

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