NameCensus.

UK surname

Jennison

Of English origin, a patronymic surname derived from the given name Jennings.

In the 1881 census there were 526 people recorded with the Jennison surname, ranking it #6,513 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 856, ranked #6,542, down from #6,513 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Duffield, Hull Holy Trinity and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jennison is 948 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.7%.

1881 census count

526

Ranked #6,513

Modern count

856

2016, ranked #6,542

Peak year

2010

948 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jennison had 526 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,513 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 856 in 2016, ranked #6,542.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 880 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Jennison surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jennison surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jennison 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 290 #7,844
1861 historical 337 #7,564
1881 historical 526 #6,513
1891 historical 655 #5,925
1901 historical 739 #6,003
1911 historical 880 #5,059
1997 modern 869 #6,130
1998 modern 914 #6,080
1999 modern 911 #6,146
2000 modern 884 #6,252
2001 modern 870 #6,219
2002 modern 894 #6,218
2003 modern 874 #6,213
2004 modern 876 #6,220
2005 modern 840 #6,356
2006 modern 838 #6,384
2007 modern 865 #6,293
2008 modern 888 #6,191
2009 modern 912 #6,194
2010 modern 948 #6,133
2011 modern 917 #6,239
2012 modern 897 #6,261
2013 modern 887 #6,400
2014 modern 891 #6,425
2015 modern 870 #6,479
2016 modern 856 #6,542

Geography

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Where Jennisons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Duffield, Hull Holy Trinity, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Bulwell and Keighley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Duffield Derbyshire
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Bulwell Nottinghamshire
5 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 045 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 017 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Kingston upon Hull 023 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 044 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Kingston upon Hull 008 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jennison

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jennison

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Jennison surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Jennison household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Jennison is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Jennison is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Jennison

The surname Jennison has its origins in England, and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the medieval English personal name "Jenyn", which was a diminutive form of the name John. The suffix "-son" was added to indicate "son of", a common practice during that time period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Jennison can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, where a Robert Jenynson was listed. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 13th century in the northern counties of England.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the Jennison family settled in various parts of Yorkshire, particularly in the areas around Doncaster and Rotherham. Records from this period show variations in the spelling of the name, such as Jenyngson, Jenynson, and Jenyngsone.

In the 16th century, the Jennison surname appeared in the Visitation of Yorkshire in 1585, where the family's coat of arms was recorded. This indicates that the Jennisons had achieved a certain level of prominence and status by that time.

One notable figure in the history of the Jennison name was Sir Ralph Jennison (c. 1508-1569), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Yorkshire. He was involved in the Pilgrimage of Grace, a major uprising against Henry VIII's religious reforms in the 1530s.

Another significant individual was Sir Thomas Jennison (c. 1575-1650), a lawyer and Justice of the Peace who played a role in the English Civil War. He initially supported the Royalist cause but later switched allegiances to the Parliamentarians.

In the 17th century, the Jennison family expanded their presence across Yorkshire and into neighboring counties like Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. One notable member from this period was Robert Jennison (1625-1690), a Presbyterian minister and author who wrote several religious texts.

During the 18th century, the Jennisons continued to be influential landowners and gentry in Yorkshire. One notable figure was William Jennison (1705-1783), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist who donated funds for the construction of several churches and schools in the region.

Throughout its history, the Jennison surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Jennison's Farm in Lincolnshire and Jennison's Croft in Yorkshire, reflecting the family's connections to specific locations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jennison families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jennison 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. Yorkshire leads with 298 Jennisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.86x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 298 5.86x
Nottinghamshire 47 6.80x
Derbyshire 43 5.35x
Lancashire 42 0.69x
Middlesex 24 0.47x
Surrey 15 0.60x
Durham 9 0.59x
Cheshire 8 0.71x
Lincolnshire 8 0.98x
Sussex 8 0.92x
Kent 5 0.29x
Northumberland 5 0.66x
Staffordshire 5 0.29x
Worcestershire 4 0.60x
Cornwall 1 0.17x
Cumberland 1 0.23x
Essex 1 0.10x
Hampshire 1 0.10x
Leicestershire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Belper in Derbyshire leads with 36 Jennisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 231.21x.

Place Total Index
Belper 36 231.21x
Hutton Cranswick 30 1401.87x
Holy Trinity 26 21.26x
Sculcoates 20 24.81x
Nottingham St Mary 18 10.06x
Bulwell 17 113.03x
Leeds 16 5.57x
Rotherham 16 55.83x
Gorton 12 20.97x
Linby 10 1785.71x
Scarborough 10 21.65x
Garston 9 50.08x
Kildwick 9 194.38x
Battersea 8 4.24x
Eastbourne 8 20.10x
Great Driffield 8 76.70x
Manchester 8 2.92x
Snainton 8 588.24x
Bowling 7 13.90x
Clee With Weelsby 7 38.98x
Dewsbury 7 13.43x
Haisthorpe 7 3181.82x
Middlesbrough 7 10.57x
Sheffield 7 4.32x
Southcoates 7 24.80x
St Mary 7 205.88x
Stoke Newington London 7 17.52x
Bridlington 6 51.55x
Doncaster 6 16.15x
East Thickley 6 194.17x
Lambeth 6 1.34x
Newington 6 42.86x
St George In East London 6 12.43x
Suffield Cum Everley 6 2500.00x
Sunderlandwick 6 4615.38x
Watton 6 1071.43x
Bramley In Bramley 5 25.69x
Deptford St Paul 5 3.70x
Shadwell London 5 34.82x
Silsden 5 333.33x
Sutton Stoneferry 5 34.36x
Tynemouth 5 12.23x
Brompton In Scarborough 4 330.58x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 3.87x
Garton On Wolds 4 439.56x
Nafferton 4 184.33x
Pedmore 4 454.55x
St Giles Cripplegate 4 58.74x
Sutton 4 69.08x
York St Mary 4 18.99x
Ardwick 3 5.46x
Burton Upon Trent 3 7.40x
Heaton Norris 3 8.66x
Litchurch 3 9.28x
Macclesfield 3 5.96x
Sledmere Cum Croom 3 337.08x
Beeford 2 160.00x
Beverley St Mary 2 26.92x
Broughton In Salford 2 3.59x
Derby St Werburgh 2 4.31x
Fulshaw 2 96.15x
Knutsford Nether 2 29.20x
Muston 2 289.86x
North Frodingham 2 166.67x
Ottringham 2 198.02x
Spitalfields London 2 5.18x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 0.75x
Carnaby 1 312.50x
Cheetham 1 2.20x
Chorlton Cum Hardy 1 24.75x
Flamborough 1 40.65x
Hilston 1 1428.57x
Keighley 1 1.85x
Kilham 1 46.95x
Longeaton 1 294.12x
Molescroft 1 322.58x
Southburn 1 588.24x
Streatham 1 2.63x
Thornton In Pocklington 1 357.14x
Walton On Hill 1 3.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Elizabeth 20
Annie 19
Sarah 15
Jane 14
Ann 13
Hannah 12
Eliza 10
Ellen 7
Fanny 7
Edith 6
Margaret 6
Clara 5
Emily 5
Emma 5
Harriett 5
Martha 5
Ada 4
Louisa 4
Lucy 4
Alice 3
Anne 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Harriet 3
Maria 3
Rachel 3
Rebecca 3
Ruth 3
Amelia 2
Betsy 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Kate 2
Susannah 2
Ana 1
Belinda 1
Catharine 1
Elinor 1
Emley 1
Esther 1
Flora 1
Janet 1
Jannie 1
Jemima 1
Leonarah 1
Lilly 1
Liz. 1
Lydia 1
Tomisine 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 37
William 30
George 27
Thomas 22
Charles 12
James 10
Robert 10
Samuel 8
Henry 6
Richard 6
Albert 5
Arthur 5
Frederick 5
Walter 4
Alfred 3
Christopher 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Joseph 3
Abraham 2
Alexander 2
Ernest 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Huddleston 2
Jacob 2
Mathew 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Angelo 1
Benjamin 1
C. 1
Chas.Hy. 1
Clarence 1
Elizabeth 1
Fredk 1
Geo.Harry 1
Hargreaves 1
Herb. 1
Isiah 1
Jno.Wm. 1
Johnson 1
Josh. 1
Lionel 1
Marmaduke 1
Matthew 1
Percy 1
Richd. 1
Sam 1

FAQ

Jennison surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jennison surname in 1881?

In 1881, 526 people were recorded with the Jennison surname. That placed it at #6,513 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jennison surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 856 in 2016. That gives Jennison a modern rank of #6,542.

What does the Jennison surname mean?

Of English origin, a patronymic surname derived from the given name Jennings.

What does the Jennison map show?

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