NameCensus.

UK surname

Jeans

A French surname derived from the given name Jean, a form of John.

In the 1881 census there were 1,024 people recorded with the Jeans surname, ranking it #3,830 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,090, ranked #5,370, down from #3,830 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stalbridge, Yeovil and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Dorset, South Somerset and East Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jeans is 1,205 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.4%.

1881 census count

1,024

Ranked #3,830

Modern count

1,090

2016, ranked #5,370

Peak year

1901

1,205 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jeans had 1,024 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,830 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,090 in 2016, ranked #5,370.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,205 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Jeans surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jeans surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jeans 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 735 #3,579
1861 historical 705 #3,840
1881 historical 1,024 #3,830
1891 historical 1,042 #4,013
1901 historical 1,205 #4,085
1911 historical 1,161 #4,023
1997 modern 1,032 #5,346
1998 modern 1,063 #5,395
1999 modern 1,052 #5,472
2000 modern 1,091 #5,302
2001 modern 1,081 #5,246
2002 modern 1,102 #5,263
2003 modern 1,066 #5,310
2004 modern 1,036 #5,449
2005 modern 1,023 #5,447
2006 modern 1,053 #5,325
2007 modern 1,039 #5,442
2008 modern 1,046 #5,443
2009 modern 1,074 #5,429
2010 modern 1,063 #5,596
2011 modern 1,037 #5,645
2012 modern 1,043 #5,527
2013 modern 1,069 #5,515
2014 modern 1,079 #5,501
2015 modern 1,073 #5,462
2016 modern 1,090 #5,370

Geography

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Where Jeans' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stalbridge, Yeovil, London parishes, Elgin and Stourpain. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Dorset, South Somerset, East Dorset and West Dorset. 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 Stalbridge Dorset
2 Yeovil Somerset
3 London parishes London 3
4 Elgin Elgin
5 Stourpain Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Dorset 007 North Dorset
2 South Somerset 008 South Somerset
3 North Dorset 004 North Dorset
4 East Dorset 009 East Dorset
5 West Dorset 001 West Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jeans

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jeans

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Jeans, 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 Jeans surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Jeans 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Jeans is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Jeans is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Jeans falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Jeans

The surname Jeans has its origins in Normandy, France, tracing back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Germanic personal name "John," which was initially introduced to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Over time, the surname evolved from various spellings such as Jehan, Jeane, and Jene.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Jeans surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared in various forms, including Jehanne and Jehane.

During the 13th century, the surname Jeans began to emerge in historical records across different regions of England. In 1275, a Richard Jene was mentioned in the Hundredorum Rolls of Norfolk. Additionally, in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, a John Jene was documented.

Prominent individuals with the surname Jeans have left their mark throughout history. One notable figure was Sir John Jeans (1598-1658), an English merchant and philanthropist known for his significant contributions to the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire of 1666.

Another well-known bearer of the name was Benjamin Jeans (1704-1780), a British naval officer who served during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War. He is credited with capturing several French ships during his military career.

In the realm of literature, James Stephen Jeans (1811-1902), an English philosopher and writer, made his mark with his works on ethics and metaphysics. His book "The Life and Letters of Thomas Babington Macaulay" was widely acclaimed.

The name Jeans has also been associated with notable scientists. Sir James Hopwood Jeans (1877-1946) was a British physicist, astronomer, and mathematician who made significant contributions to the understanding of the universe and the theory of stellar evolution.

Another prominent figure was James Jeans (1856-1944), a Scottish-born American educator and author. He served as the president of the University of Nevada and wrote several influential books on education and philosophy.

While the Jeans surname has evolved over centuries and spread across various regions, its roots can be traced back to the Norman influence in England, with a rich history spanning various fields and notable individuals who have left an indelible mark.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jeans families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jeans 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. Dorset leads with 287 Jeans' recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.52x.

County Total Index
Dorset 287 44.52x
Hampshire 123 6.11x
Somerset 105 6.64x
Middlesex 88 0.90x
Surrey 55 1.15x
Morayshire 53 34.72x
Kent 42 1.25x
Wiltshire 31 3.57x
Lancashire 24 0.21x
Worcestershire 19 1.48x
Gloucestershire 17 0.88x
Aberdeenshire 13 1.43x
Devon 13 0.64x
Glamorgan 13 0.76x
Hertfordshire 12 1.77x
Lincolnshire 11 0.70x
Cheshire 10 0.46x
Essex 9 0.46x
Staffordshire 8 0.24x
Bedfordshire 7 1.38x
Midlothian 7 0.53x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.53x
Rutland 6 8.32x
Yorkshire 6 0.06x
Sutherland 5 6.62x
Cumberland 4 0.47x
Renfrewshire 4 0.53x
Inverness-shire 3 1.02x
Lanarkshire 3 0.09x
Nairnshire 3 10.01x
Royal Navy 3 2.56x
Leicestershire 2 0.18x
Ross-shire 2 0.74x
Angus 1 0.11x
Ayrshire 1 0.14x
Berkshire 1 0.14x
Brecknockshire 1 0.51x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.17x
Cardiganshire 1 0.42x
Cornwall 1 0.09x
Derbyshire 1 0.07x
East Lothian 1 0.77x
Kincardineshire 1 0.84x
Sussex 1 0.06x
Westmorland 1 0.46x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stalbridge in Dorset leads with 80 Jeans' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1305.06x.

Place Total Index
Stalbridge 80 1305.06x
Stourpaine 41 2169.31x
Lambeth 32 3.74x
Elgin 31 104.41x
Christchurch 30 68.71x
Portsea 24 6.08x
Yeovil 24 74.70x
Holdenhurst 22 41.66x
Pulham 22 2444.44x
Holwell 18 1285.71x
Martock 16 155.64x
St Pancras London 16 2.02x
Clerkenwell London 14 6.04x
Greenwich 14 8.95x
Westbury On Trym 13 19.92x
Sherborne 12 63.19x
Wimbledon 12 22.33x
Hertingfordbury 10 362.32x
Pendlebury 10 40.63x
Islington London 9 0.95x
Skene 9 149.25x
Southampton St Mary 9 7.11x
Warrington 9 6.51x
Handsworth 8 9.79x
Kingsbury Episcopi 8 156.25x
Parkstone 8 106.38x
South Hayling 8 223.46x
South Petherton 8 98.04x
Tarrant Keynston 8 869.57x
Chetnole 7 853.66x
Deptford St Paul 7 2.71x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 1.32x
Liscard 7 17.92x
Luton 7 7.95x
Mansfield 7 15.28x
Mere 7 70.92x
Millbrook 7 13.80x
New Spynie 7 127.50x
Swindon 7 10.39x
Belton 6 472.44x
Broadwas 6 571.43x
Buckhorn Weston 6 342.86x
Caundle Stourton 6 476.19x
Chiselborough 6 495.87x
Croydon 6 2.26x
Ealing 6 6.83x
Huish Episcopi 6 266.67x
Kidderminster Borough 6 7.99x
Melcombe Regis 6 22.46x
Rafford 6 168.07x
South Stoneham 6 13.74x
St Marylebone London 6 1.14x
Stoke St Gregory 6 125.00x
Tottenham 6 3.84x
Axminster 5 52.14x
Bellchalwell 5 877.19x
Boston 5 10.49x
Bradford Abbas 5 292.40x
Cardiff St John 5 8.95x
Fisherton Anger 5 31.09x
Golspie 5 95.42x
Great Malvern 5 18.68x
Lewisham 5 2.80x
Llandaff 5 8.79x
Norton Bavant 5 561.80x
Pinner 5 58.14x
Puncknowle 5 314.47x
Revelstoke 5 270.27x
Stoke Newington London 5 6.54x
Street 5 58.48x
West Camel 5 526.32x
West Ham 5 1.17x
Woolwich 5 4.04x
Wootton Glanville 5 625.00x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 4 2.35x
Breamore 4 210.53x
Buckland Newton 4 138.89x
Rampisham 4 408.16x
Tonbridge 4 3.31x
Worsley 4 5.57x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 44
William 40
John 37
James 30
Charles 24
Thomas 23
Henry 16
Samuel 13
Frederick 12
Edward 10
Edwin 10
Joseph 10
Walter 9
Albert 8
Alfred 8
Arthur 8
Robert 8
Ernest 6
Frank 5
Herbert 5
Isaac 5
Richard 5
David 4
Harry 4
Alexander 3
Eli 3
Francis 3
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
Christopher 2
Edmond 2
Fred 2
Jacob 2
Job 2
Mark 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Allen 1
Ambrose 1
Bernard 1
Butnell 1
Caleb 1
Edmund 1
Elias 1
Emanuel 1
Ezekiel 1
H.Montague 1
Harold 1
Hugh 1
Wm.M. 1

FAQ

Jeans surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jeans surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,024 people were recorded with the Jeans surname. That placed it at #3,830 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jeans surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,090 in 2016. That gives Jeans a modern rank of #5,370.

What does the Jeans surname mean?

A French surname derived from the given name Jean, a form of John.

What does the Jeans map show?

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