NameCensus.

UK surname

Johannesen

A patronymic surname derived from the personal name John, meaning "Yahweh is gracious."

In the 1881 census there were 19 people recorded with the Johannesen surname, ranking it #30,872 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 107, ranked #29,762, up from #30,872 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Darnley East, Central Bedfordshire and Kinning Park and Festival Park.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Johannesen is 114 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 463.2%.

1881 census count

19

Ranked #30,872

Modern count

107

2016, ranked #29,762

Peak year

2010

114 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Johannesen had 19 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,872 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 107 in 2016, ranked #29,762.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 64 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Johannesen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Johannesen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Johannesen 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 19 #30,872
1891 historical 57 #29,533
1901 historical 64 #27,010
1911 historical 30 #30,073
1997 modern 90 #28,360
1998 modern 94 #28,435
1999 modern 102 #27,468
2000 modern 111 #26,111
2001 modern 110 #25,900
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 105 #26,940
2004 modern 110 #26,451
2005 modern 105 #27,203
2006 modern 103 #27,785
2007 modern 106 #27,722
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 108 #28,311
2010 modern 114 #28,017
2011 modern 104 #29,424
2012 modern 111 #28,332
2013 modern 108 #29,379
2014 modern 111 #29,113
2015 modern 112 #28,809
2016 modern 107 #29,762

Geography

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Where Johannesens 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 Darnley East, Central Bedfordshire, Kinning Park and Festival Park and Carmyle and Mount Vernon South. 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 Darnley East Glasgow City
2 Central Bedfordshire 001 Central Bedfordshire
3 Kinning Park and Festival Park Glasgow City
4 Central Bedfordshire 006 Central Bedfordshire
5 Carmyle and Mount Vernon South Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Johannesen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Johannesen

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Johannesen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Johannesen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Johannesen is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Johannesen is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Johannesen 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 Johannesen is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Johannesen

The surname Johannesen originated in Norway during the early medieval period. It is a patronymic surname, derived from the personal name Johan or Johannes, which was a Scandinavian form of the Biblical name John. The name Johannesen essentially means "son of Johan" or "son of Johannes."

In Norway, patronymic surnames were commonly used until the 19th century, when fixed hereditary surnames became more prevalent. The name Johannesen would have initially been used to identify a person as the son of someone named Johan or Johannes, but over time, it became a hereditary surname passed down through generations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Johannesen can be found in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of medieval Norwegian documents dating back to the 13th century. In this collection, there are references to individuals with the name Johannesen, indicating that the surname was already in use during that time.

In the 14th century, a Norwegian landowner and nobleman named Svein Johannesen is mentioned in historical records. He was a prominent figure in the region of Trøndelag and is believed to have played a role in the political affairs of the time.

During the 16th century, a Lutheran minister named Hans Johannesen served as a parish priest in the town of Skien, in the county of Telemark. He is known for his contributions to the religious life of the community and his efforts in promoting education.

In the 17th century, a Norwegian explorer and whaler named Jens Johannesen led several expeditions to the Arctic regions. He is credited with discovering and mapping several islands in the Svalbard archipelago, which were later named after him.

Another notable figure with the surname Johannesen was Johan Johannesen, a Norwegian poet and playwright who lived in the 19th century. He was born in 1837 and is remembered for his works that explored themes of love, nature, and the human experience.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Johannesen who have left their mark on Norwegian history and culture over the centuries. The name's origins can be traced back to the early medieval period, and it has been carried on through generations, reflecting the rich heritage and traditions of Norway.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Johannesen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Johannesen 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. Cheshire leads with 3 Johannesens recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.34x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 3 7.34x
Surrey 3 3.32x
Devon 2 5.19x
Fife 2 18.25x
Northumberland 2 7.26x
Dorset 1 8.22x
Durham 1 1.81x
Hampshire 1 2.63x
Kent 1 1.58x
Lincolnshire 1 3.38x
Midlothian 1 4.03x
Yorkshire 1 0.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rotherhithe in Surrey leads with 3 Johannesens recorded in 1881 and an index of 131.00x.

Place Total Index
Rotherhithe 3 131.00x
North Shields 2 363.64x
Plymouth Charles The 2 117.65x
Wallasey 2 1428.57x
Birkenhead 1 30.67x
Burntisland 1 322.58x
Deptford St Paul 1 20.53x
Goole 1 322.58x
Great Grimsby 1 53.19x
Portland 1 153.85x
Portsmouth 1 114.94x
Scoonie 1 416.67x
South Leith 1 35.84x
Stranton 1 53.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elise 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Carl 2
Lars 2
Andreas 1
Atle. 1
Elias 1
J. 1
Johannes 1
Nores 1
Ole 1
Oscar 1
Svend 1
Toren 1
Tugoold 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 Johannesen households.

FAQ

Johannesen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Johannesen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 19 people were recorded with the Johannesen surname. That placed it at #30,872 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Johannesen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 107 in 2016. That gives Johannesen a modern rank of #29,762.

What does the Johannesen surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the personal name John, meaning "Yahweh is gracious."

What does the Johannesen map show?

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