NameCensus.

UK surname

Jessiman

A Lowland Scottish surname derived from the given name Jessamine.

In the 1881 census there were 209 people recorded with the Jessiman surname, ranking it #12,475 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 324, ranked #13,966, down from #12,475 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Leslie, Culsamond and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Northamptonshire, Inverurie North and Chichester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jessiman is 362 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.0%.

1881 census count

209

Ranked #12,475

Modern count

324

2016, ranked #13,966

Peak year

2010

362 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jessiman had 209 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,475 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 324 in 2016, ranked #13,966.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 267 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Jessiman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jessiman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jessiman 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 139 #13,659
1861 historical 154 #14,963
1881 historical 209 #12,475
1891 historical 261 #12,337
1901 historical 267 #12,587
1911 historical 41 #28,802
1997 modern 338 #12,489
1998 modern 348 #12,585
1999 modern 355 #12,478
2000 modern 343 #12,746
2001 modern 339 #12,641
2002 modern 350 #12,620
2003 modern 346 #12,511
2004 modern 334 #12,897
2005 modern 341 #12,605
2006 modern 338 #12,779
2007 modern 350 #12,600
2008 modern 356 #12,534
2009 modern 360 #12,688
2010 modern 362 #12,914
2011 modern 358 #12,883
2012 modern 348 #13,020
2013 modern 332 #13,713
2014 modern 344 #13,426
2015 modern 329 #13,800
2016 modern 324 #13,966

Geography

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Where Jessimans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Leslie, Culsamond, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Fyvie. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Northamptonshire, Inverurie North, Chichester, Mosstodloch, Portgordon and seaward and Hilton. 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 Leslie Aberdeen
2 Culsamond Aberdeen
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Fyvie Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Northamptonshire 003 East Northamptonshire
2 Inverurie North Aberdeenshire
3 Chichester 013 Chichester
4 Mosstodloch, Portgordon and seaward Moray
5 Hilton Aberdeen City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jessiman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jessiman

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Jessiman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Jessiman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Jessiman 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

Jessiman 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

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

Meaning and origin of Jessiman

The surname Jessiman has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the late 16th century. It is believed to be a variant of the name Jessieman, which was derived from the Old Scots word "jesy" meaning "a guiser or masker." The suffix "-man" was commonly added to occupational surnames during that time period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Jessiman can be found in the records of the Burgh of Canongate, Edinburgh, in 1587, where a William Jessiman is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already established in the Edinburgh area by the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Jessiman surname appears in various Scottish records, including the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland in 1628, where a John Jessiman is mentioned as a resident of Linlithgow. Additionally, a William Jessiman is recorded in the Parish of St. Cuthbert's, Edinburgh, in 1655.

During the 18th century, the Jessiman surname continued to be prevalent in Scotland, with notable individuals such as James Jessiman (1736-1804), a Scottish minister and author, and Robert Jessiman (1784-1862), a Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings in Edinburgh.

In the 19th century, the Jessiman surname began to spread beyond Scotland, with individuals bearing this name appearing in various parts of the British Empire. For example, John Jessiman (1826-1899) was a prominent businessman and politician in Victoria, Australia, serving as a member of the Legislative Council of Victoria.

Another notable figure was William Jessiman (1825-1903), a Scottish-born engineer who played a significant role in the construction of the Suez Canal in Egypt. He later became the Chief Inspector of Public Works in India, where he oversaw the construction of several important infrastructure projects.

As the Jessiman family dispersed throughout the world, variations in the spelling of the surname emerged, such as Jessaman, Jessamen, and Jessamine. However, the predominant spelling remained Jessiman, particularly in areas with strong Scottish heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jessiman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jessiman 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 126 Jessimans recorded in 1881 and an index of 69.04x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 126 69.04x
Angus 15 8.22x
Banffshire 11 26.91x
Roxburghshire 9 25.22x
Peeblesshire 7 75.51x
Fife 5 4.29x
Lanarkshire 5 0.78x
Midlothian 5 1.89x
Morayshire 5 16.33x
Durham 4 0.68x
Inverness-shire 3 5.10x
Dumfriesshire 2 4.59x
Berwickshire 1 4.19x
Essex 1 0.26x
Glamorgan 1 0.29x
Perthshire 1 1.13x
Selkirkshire 1 5.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Huntly in Aberdeenshire leads with 56 Jessimans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1885.52x.

Place Total Index
Huntly 56 1885.52x
Dundee 14 20.54x
Aberdeen Old Machar 10 26.25x
Leslie 9 2571.43x
Maxton 9 2903.23x
Fyvie 8 268.46x
Chapel Of Garioch 7 538.46x
Kennethmont 7 1029.41x
Peebles 7 255.47x
Rhynie 7 921.05x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 6 17.57x
Govan 5 3.17x
Insch 5 480.77x
Keith 5 114.68x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 15.75x
Boharm 3 375.00x
Dunfermline 3 16.72x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 3 48.08x
Kiltarlity 3 208.33x
Mortlach 3 150.00x
Alvah 2 217.39x
Culsalmond 2 357.14x
Dumfries 2 46.62x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 1.88x
Forgan 2 89.69x
Strathdon 2 224.72x
Auchterless 1 68.97x
Cairney 1 94.34x
Cardiff St Mary 1 5.29x
Chadwell St Mary 1 250.00x
Cullen 1 66.23x
Dunse 1 44.25x
Dyce 1 126.58x
Elgin 1 16.78x
Gartly 1 166.67x
Liff Benvie 1 3.61x
Melrose 1 22.27x
New Spynie 1 90.91x
Perth West Church 1 23.81x
St Nicholas 1 909.09x
Tullynessle Forbes 1 149.25x
Turriff 1 33.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 1
Mary 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 1
Robert 1
William 1

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 Jessiman households.

FAQ

Jessiman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jessiman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 209 people were recorded with the Jessiman surname. That placed it at #12,475 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jessiman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 324 in 2016. That gives Jessiman a modern rank of #13,966.

What does the Jessiman surname mean?

A Lowland Scottish surname derived from the given name Jessamine.

What does the Jessiman map show?

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