NameCensus.

UK surname

Johansson

Son of Johan, a Scandinavian form of the name John, meaning "God is gracious" or "Yahweh is gracious."

In the 1881 census there were 23 people recorded with the Johansson surname, ranking it #30,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 526, ranked #9,642, up from #30,339 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster and Redcar and Cleveland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Johansson is 529 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 2187.0%.

1881 census count

23

Ranked #30,339

Modern count

526

2016, ranked #9,642

Peak year

2014

529 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Johansson had 23 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,339 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 526 in 2016, ranked #9,642.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 93 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Johansson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Johansson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Johansson 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
1861 historical 2 #34,135
1881 historical 23 #30,339
1891 historical 23 #32,389
1901 historical 90 #24,021
1911 historical 93 #23,492
1997 modern 250 #15,281
1998 modern 305 #13,753
1999 modern 356 #12,456
2000 modern 350 #12,564
2001 modern 348 #12,419
2002 modern 383 #11,820
2003 modern 362 #12,114
2004 modern 372 #11,886
2005 modern 376 #11,730
2006 modern 402 #11,213
2007 modern 425 #10,837
2008 modern 451 #10,394
2009 modern 461 #10,462
2010 modern 508 #9,929
2011 modern 499 #9,965
2012 modern 512 #9,693
2013 modern 515 #9,804
2014 modern 529 #9,683
2015 modern 512 #9,853
2016 modern 526 #9,642

Geography

Back to top

Where Johanssons 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 Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Redcar and Cleveland and Middlesbrough. 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 Kensington and Chelsea 007 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Westminster 020 Westminster
3 Redcar and Cleveland 004 Redcar and Cleveland
4 Westminster 017 Westminster
5 Middlesbrough 006 Middlesbrough

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Johansson

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Johansson

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Johansson 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

Johansson 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

Johansson 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 Johansson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Johansson

The surname Johansson is of Swedish origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is a patronymic name, derived from the given name Johan, which is the Swedish form of John. The suffix "-sson" means "son of," indicating that the name originally referred to the son of a man named Johan.

The name Johan has its roots in the Hebrew name Yohanan, which means "God is gracious." It was introduced to Scandinavia through Christianity and became a popular name among the Swedish population.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Johansson can be found in the Swedish Census Book of 1540, where a man named Olof Johansson was listed as a resident of Skara, a town in the Swedish province of Västergötland.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Johansson became increasingly common in Sweden, particularly in the rural areas. Many individuals with this surname were farmers or tradesmen, reflecting the agricultural and artisanal nature of Swedish society at the time.

In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the name Johansson was Carl Michael Bellman (1740-1795), a Swedish writer and composer renowned for his satirical works and drinking songs.

Another prominent Johansson was the Swedish botanist and explorer Carl Pehr Thunberg (1743-1828), who traveled extensively in South Africa and Japan, making significant contributions to the field of natural history.

In the 19th century, the industrialization of Sweden led to an influx of Johanssons from rural areas to urban centers. One notable individual from this period was Alfred Nobel (1833-1896), the Swedish chemist and inventor of dynamite, whose mother's maiden name was Johansson.

The name Johansson also gained international recognition through the Swedish filmmaker Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982), whose birth name was Ingrid Johansson.

Throughout history, the surname Johansson has been associated with various occupations, from farmers and artisans to scientists and artists, reflecting the diversity of Swedish society and the widespread nature of this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Johansson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Johansson 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. Durham leads with 8 Johanssons recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.99x.

County Total Index
Durham 8 11.99x
Middlesex 5 2.23x
Kent 3 3.92x
Gloucestershire 2 4.55x
Surrey 2 1.83x
Glamorgan 1 2.56x
Lincolnshire 1 2.79x
Northumberland 1 3.00x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stranton in Durham leads with 5 Johanssons recorded in 1881 and an index of 222.22x.

Place Total Index
Stranton 5 222.22x
Bristol 2 5000.00x
Faversham 2 273.97x
Poplar London 2 47.28x
Rotherhithe 2 72.20x
St George In East London 2 94.79x
Sunderland 2 169.49x
Cardiff St Mary 1 46.51x
Great Grimsby 1 43.86x
Milton In Gravesend 1 86.96x
North Shields 1 149.25x
South Shields 1 169.49x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 103.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Anna 1
Louvisa 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Anders 2
Johan 2
O. 2
A.P. 1
Adolf 1
Anton 1
August 1
Carl 1
Elias 1
Ernst 1
G. 1
Johans 1
Olle 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Ture 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 Johansson households.

FAQ

Johansson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Johansson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 23 people were recorded with the Johansson surname. That placed it at #30,339 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Johansson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 526 in 2016. That gives Johansson a modern rank of #9,642.

What does the Johansson surname mean?

Son of Johan, a Scandinavian form of the name John, meaning "God is gracious" or "Yahweh is gracious."

What does the Johansson map show?

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