NameCensus.

UK surname

Iversen

A patronymic surname of Scandinavian origin, meaning "son of Iver."

In the 1881 census there were 10 people recorded with the Iversen surname, ranking it #32,243 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 145, ranked #24,293, up from #32,243 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broadbay, Westminster and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Iversen is 154 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1350.0%.

1881 census count

10

Ranked #32,243

Modern count

145

2016, ranked #24,293

Peak year

2014

154 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Iversen had 10 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,243 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 145 in 2016, ranked #24,293.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 40 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Iversen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Iversen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Iversen 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
1881 historical 10 #32,243
1891 historical 12 #33,181
1901 historical 34 #30,281
1911 historical 40 #28,913
1997 modern 105 #26,188
1998 modern 113 #25,731
1999 modern 127 #24,125
2000 modern 125 #24,351
2001 modern 122 #24,366
2002 modern 117 #25,494
2003 modern 118 #25,146
2004 modern 121 #24,939
2005 modern 125 #24,398
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 118 #25,913
2008 modern 111 #27,225
2009 modern 115 #27,207
2010 modern 125 #26,448
2011 modern 134 #25,050
2012 modern 141 #24,258
2013 modern 151 #23,529
2014 modern 154 #23,439
2015 modern 146 #24,148
2016 modern 145 #24,293

Geography

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Where Iversens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Broadbay, Westminster, County Durham, Ferryhill North and Sunderland. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broadbay Na h-Eileanan Siar
2 Westminster 011 Westminster
3 County Durham 015 County Durham
4 Ferryhill North Aberdeen City
5 Sunderland 033 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Iversen

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Iversen

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Iversen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Iversen 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Iversen is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

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

Iversen 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

Iversen falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Iversen 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Iversen

The surname Iversen is of Danish origin, with roots that can be traced back to the 15th century. It is a patronymic name, derived from the personal name Iver, which itself is a Danish form of the Old Norse name Ívarr. The name Ívarr is composed of the elements "yr" meaning yew tree and "arr" meaning warrior or archer.

The earliest recorded instances of the Iversen surname can be found in Danish church records and census documents from the late 15th and early 16th centuries. These records often list individuals with the name spelled as Iverssen or Iversøn, reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation at the time.

One notable early bearer of the Iversen name was Hans Iversen, a Danish merchant and ship owner who lived in the late 16th century. He is mentioned in several historical documents related to trade and maritime activities in the city of Copenhagen.

In the 17th century, the Iversen surname appears in various records from the Danish-controlled regions of present-day northern Germany. For instance, Claus Iversen was a prominent landowner and farmer in the town of Husum, Schleswig-Holstein, in the mid-1600s.

The 19th century saw several individuals with the Iversen surname achieve recognition in various fields. Christen Iversen (1815-1888) was a Danish painter known for his landscapes and marine scenes. Jens Iversen Lange (1838-1917) was a Norwegian politician and prime minister of Norway from 1909 to 1910.

In the field of literature, Johannes Iversen (1895-1969) was a Danish poet and writer who gained acclaim for his lyrical works celebrating nature and rural life. Jens Iversen (1911-1985) was a Danish botanist and ecologist who made significant contributions to the study of plant communities and vegetation patterns.

Another notable bearer of the Iversen name was Morten Iversen (1919-2005), a Danish actor and theater director who had a prolific career spanning over six decades. He was widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the Danish theater scene of the 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Iversen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Iversen 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 2 Iversens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.06x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 2 2.06x
Midlothian 2 15.35x
Northumberland 2 13.82x
Gloucestershire 1 5.24x
Kent 1 3.01x
Lancashire 1 0.87x
Surrey 1 2.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Shields in Northumberland leads with 2 Iversens recorded in 1881 and an index of 689.66x.

Place Total Index
North Shields 2 689.66x
Beckenham 1 232.56x
Berkeley 1 909.09x
Kirkdale 1 51.55x
Leith North 1 3333.33x
Leith South 1 5000.00x
Rotherhithe 1 83.33x
St Anne Soho London 1 178.57x
St George In East London 1 108.70x

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 Iversen households.

FAQ

Iversen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Iversen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 10 people were recorded with the Iversen surname. That placed it at #32,243 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Iversen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 145 in 2016. That gives Iversen a modern rank of #24,293.

What does the Iversen surname mean?

A patronymic surname of Scandinavian origin, meaning "son of Iver."

What does the Iversen map show?

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