NameCensus.

UK surname

Jensen

A patronymic surname of Scandinavian origin meaning "son of Jens," a variant of John.

In the 1881 census there were 194 people recorded with the Jensen surname, ranking it #13,097 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,062, ranked #3,136, up from #13,097 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North East Lincolnshire and Shropshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jensen is 2,062 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 962.9%.

1881 census count

194

Ranked #13,097

Modern count

2,062

2016, ranked #3,136

Peak year

2016

2,062 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jensen had 194 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,097 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,062 in 2016, ranked #3,136.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 617 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Jensen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jensen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jensen 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 14 #30,790
1861 historical 15 #31,942
1881 historical 194 #13,097
1891 historical 253 #12,645
1901 historical 416 #9,220
1911 historical 617 #6,692
1997 modern 1,743 #3,422
1998 modern 1,799 #3,448
1999 modern 1,858 #3,383
2000 modern 1,851 #3,380
2001 modern 1,798 #3,393
2002 modern 1,914 #3,293
2003 modern 1,845 #3,323
2004 modern 1,831 #3,345
2005 modern 1,850 #3,284
2006 modern 1,875 #3,266
2007 modern 1,888 #3,271
2008 modern 1,908 #3,265
2009 modern 1,951 #3,281
2010 modern 2,042 #3,218
2011 modern 1,992 #3,245
2012 modern 1,990 #3,207
2013 modern 2,047 #3,183
2014 modern 2,059 #3,188
2015 modern 2,046 #3,164
2016 modern 2,062 #3,136

Geography

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Where Jensens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North East Lincolnshire and Shropshire. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North East Lincolnshire 019 North East Lincolnshire
2 Shropshire 011 Shropshire
3 North East Lincolnshire 002 North East Lincolnshire
4 North East Lincolnshire 003 North East Lincolnshire
5 North East Lincolnshire 015 North East Lincolnshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jensen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jensen

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Jensen, 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 Jensen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Jensen 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Jensen is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Jensen 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

Jensen falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Jensen

The surname Jensen is of Scandinavian origin, primarily found in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It is a patronymic surname, derived from the personal name Jens, which is a Danish and Norwegian form of the biblical name Johannes, meaning "God is gracious."

The earliest known records of the Jensen surname can be traced back to the 13th century in Denmark. It is believed to have emerged as a way to distinguish individuals by their father's name, as was common practice in Scandinavian countries at the time. The suffix "-sen" or "-son" was added to the father's given name to create the patronymic surname.

One of the earliest documented instances of the Jensen surname is found in the Danish Census Book of 1645, which lists several individuals with this name living in various regions of Denmark. One notable early bearer of the Jensen surname was Peder Jensen Resen (1625-1688), a Danish historian and theologian who authored a influential work on Danish history titled "Fuldstændig Dansk Atlas" (Complete Danish Atlas).

In Norway, the Jensen surname can be traced back to the 16th century, with records showing individuals bearing this name in various coastal regions. One famous Norwegian Jensen was the explorer and whaler Svend Foyn Jensen (1809-1894), who is credited with pioneering modern whaling techniques and establishing the first successful whaling station in Antarctica.

Sweden also has a significant population of individuals with the Jensen surname, although its origins in that country are slightly later, dating back to the 17th century. One notable Swedish Jensen was the explorer and cartographer Jöns Jensson Holm (1628-1696), who was instrumental in mapping the Swedish territory of Ingria, located in present-day northwestern Russia.

Other notable individuals with the Jensen surname include:

1. Georg Jensen (1866-1935), a renowned Danish silversmith and sculptor, known for founding the eponymous luxury design company. 2. Johannes V. Jensen (1873-1950), a Danish novelist and essayist who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1944. 3. Viggo Jensen (1874-1923), a Danish painter and artist known for his landscapes and portraits. 4. Alfred Jensen (1903-1981), an American abstract expressionist painter of Danish descent. 5. Niels Kaj Jerne (1911-1994), a Danish immunologist who received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1984 for his work on antibody formation.

Over time, the Jensen surname has spread beyond Scandinavia and can now be found in various parts of the world, particularly in regions with significant Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish immigrant populations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jensen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jensen 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 42 Jensens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.87x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 42 1.87x
Middlesex 32 1.69x
Yorkshire 22 1.17x
Durham 12 2.13x
Northumberland 11 3.91x
Kent 10 1.55x
Surrey 10 1.08x
Cornwall 8 3.73x
Glamorgan 7 2.12x
Cheshire 6 1.44x
Lincolnshire 5 1.65x
Renfrewshire 5 3.41x
Sussex 5 1.57x
Devon 4 1.02x
Gloucestershire 3 0.81x
Lanarkshire 3 0.49x
Midlothian 2 0.79x
Angus 1 0.57x
Dorset 1 0.81x
Fife 1 0.89x
Monmouthshire 1 0.73x
Northamptonshire 1 0.56x
Royal Navy 1 4.43x
Warwickshire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 21 Jensens recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.40x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 21 15.40x
Islington London 16 8.72x
Toxteth Park 11 14.47x
South Shields 10 199.60x
Rotherhithe 9 38.49x
Lytham 7 204.08x
Sculcoates 7 23.55x
Southcoates 6 57.64x
Falmouth 5 65.96x
Herne 5 174.83x
Horsham 5 80.65x
Renfrew 5 103.31x
Chelsea London 4 7.02x
Great Grimsby 4 20.83x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 4 83.33x
Sutton Stoneferry 4 74.63x
Swansea Town 4 14.81x
Cardiff St Mary 3 16.53x
Chirton 3 47.10x
Limehouse London 3 14.44x
Poplar London 3 8.40x
St Austell 3 40.98x
Wallsend 3 33.59x
Cheriton 2 76.05x
Glasgow 2 1.84x
Kirkdale 2 5.30x
Milton In Gravesend 2 20.66x
North Shields 2 35.59x
St Marylebone London 2 1.98x
St Pancras London 2 1.31x
Westbury On Trym 2 15.91x
Amble 1 78.13x
Barony 1 0.65x
Bedlington 1 10.64x
Berkeley 1 48.54x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.22x
Birkenhead 1 3.00x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 5.61x
Camberwell 1 0.83x
Clee With Weelsby 1 15.11x
Elswick 1 4.45x
Goole 1 31.85x
Holy Trinity 1 2.22x
Inverkeillor 1 91.74x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 66.67x
Leith North 1 204.08x
Lundy Island 1 833.33x
Middlesbrough 1 4.10x
North Leith 1 8.53x
Northampton Priory St 1 9.36x
Plymouth Charles The 1 5.76x
Poole St James 1 21.41x
Shoreditch London 1 1.22x
St Lawrence 1 22.52x
St Woollos 1 6.55x
Stoke Damerel 1 3.63x
Stratford On Avon 1 37.74x
Sunderland 1 10.06x
Wallasey 1 70.42x
Wemyss 1 21.10x
West Teignmouth 1 33.22x
Westoe 1 3.13x
Whitby 1 15.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Sarah 5
Elizabeth 3
Anna 2
Christine 2
Eliza 2
Ellen 2
Hellen 2
Margaret 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Annette 1
Annie 1
Bine 1
Carolin 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Christina 1
Edith 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Hellena 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Johanne 1
Josephine 1
Juliana 1
Juliane 1
Margarethe 1
Mari 1
Maria 1
Marsha 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Rebecca 1
Sabrina 1
Theres 1
Therese 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Hans 8
John 7
Jens 6
Christian 5
Ole 5
Charles 4
Peter 4
George 3
Jacob 3
William 3
Carl 2
Edward 2
Erik 2
Frank 2
Harold 2
Johan 2
L. 2
Martin 2
Niels 2
Paul 2
Thomas 2
Barnard 1
Bendik 1
C. 1
Ernest 1
Evenius 1
Gabriel 1
Harald 1
Harry 1
Henrick 1
Henry 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
J.A. 1
James 1
Johannes 1
Johna 1
Jons 1
Jorgan 1
Jorgen 1
Joseph 1
Kristian 1
Kristinan 1
Lars 1
Laurits 1
Lauritz 1
Lemus 1
Leonard 1
Ludwig 1
N. 1

FAQ

Jensen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jensen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 194 people were recorded with the Jensen surname. That placed it at #13,097 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jensen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,062 in 2016. That gives Jensen a modern rank of #3,136.

What does the Jensen surname mean?

A patronymic surname of Scandinavian origin meaning "son of Jens," a variant of John.

What does the Jensen map show?

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