NameCensus.

UK surname

Jon

An English surname derived from the Hebrew given name meaning "God is gracious".

In the 1881 census there were 111 people recorded with the Jon surname, ranking it #18,597 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 248, ranked #16,910, up from #18,597 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bentham, St Bees and Hull Holy Trinity. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mendip, Hounslow and Barking and Dagenham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jon is 248 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 123.4%.

1881 census count

111

Ranked #18,597

Modern count

248

2016, ranked #16,910

Peak year

2016

248 bearers

Map years

3

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jon had 111 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,597 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 248 in 2016, ranked #16,910.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 111 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Jon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jon surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jon 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 108 #16,308
1881 historical 111 #18,597
1891 historical 8 #33,550
1901 historical 76 #25,734
1997 modern 9 #37,214
1998 modern 16 #36,361
1999 modern 24 #35,514
2000 modern 22 #35,684
2001 modern 21 #35,646
2002 modern 27 #35,243
2003 modern 27 #35,279
2004 modern 31 #35,105
2005 modern 42 #34,395
2006 modern 49 #34,152
2007 modern 59 #33,634
2008 modern 75 #32,373
2009 modern 87 #31,489
2010 modern 99 #30,397
2011 modern 102 #29,759
2012 modern 153 #22,963
2013 modern 175 #21,320
2014 modern 212 #18,945
2015 modern 222 #18,225
2016 modern 248 #16,910

Geography

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Where Jons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bentham, St Bees, Hull Holy Trinity, Gateshead and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mendip, Hounslow, Barking and Dagenham and Cornwall. 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 Bentham Yorkshire, West Riding
2 St Bees Cumberland
3 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mendip 011 Mendip
2 Hounslow 021 Hounslow
3 Barking and Dagenham 021 Barking and Dagenham
4 Hounslow 024 Hounslow
5 Cornwall 003 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jon

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Jon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Jon 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Jon is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Jon 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

Jon falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Jon 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Jon

The surname JON is of English origin, derived from the personal name John. It first appeared as a surname in the late 12th century, when it became common practice for people to adopt hereditary surnames. The name John itself is derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious" or "God is gracious."

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname JON can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a person named Jon is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were financial records kept by the English Exchequer, and they provide valuable insights into the names and occupations of people living in various parts of the country during that time.

In the 13th century, the surname JON appeared in various spellings, such as Jon, Jone, and Joon, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling. One notable example is Reginald Jon, a landowner in Gloucestershire who is mentioned in the Inquisitiones Post Mortem records of 1279.

The surname JON is also associated with certain place names in England. For instance, there is a village called Jonesville in Warwickshire, and it is possible that some individuals with the surname JON may have originated from or lived in this area.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname JON. One of the earliest was John Jon, a Welsh clergyman and scholar who lived in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. He is known for his work as a translator and for his contributions to the development of the Welsh language.

Another notable figure was Sir William Jon, a 16th-century English politician and diplomat who served as a Member of Parliament and as an ambassador to France during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was born around 1530 and played a significant role in the negotiations that led to the Treaty of Blois in 1572.

In the 17th century, Edward Jon was an English mathematician and astronomer who made important contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. He was born in 1617 and is best known for his work on the motion of the moon and the calculation of lunar eclipses.

During the 18th century, Thomas Jon was a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Radcliffe Camera in Oxford, which was completed in 1749. He was born in 1687 and was highly regarded for his skill in designing buildings in the Palladian style.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname JON was the 19th-century English novelist and poet, George Jon. Born in 1819, he is best known for his novel "The Mill on the Floss" and his collection of poems entitled "Silas Marner." His works explored themes of industrialization, social class, and the struggles of rural life in Victorian England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jon 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. Westmorland leads with 24 Jons recorded in 1881 and an index of 102.74x.

County Total Index
Westmorland 24 102.74x
Lancashire 22 1.74x
Yorkshire 18 1.71x
Surrey 9 1.74x
Durham 7 2.21x
Monmouthshire 7 9.11x
Cheshire 5 2.13x
Middlesex 5 0.47x
Ayrshire 3 3.77x
Cumberland 3 3.28x
Merionethshire 2 10.28x
Cornwall 1 0.83x
Flintshire 1 3.50x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 6.50x
Shropshire 1 1.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kendal in Westmorland leads with 20 Jons recorded in 1881 and an index of 467.29x.

Place Total Index
Kendal 20 467.29x
Burnley 10 94.16x
Everton 10 24.87x
Gateshead 7 29.56x
Lambeth 7 7.55x
Barnoldswick 6 408.16x
Horton In Ribblesdale 5 2631.58x
Liscard 5 118.20x
St Woollos 5 58.28x
Shap 4 769.23x
Colmonell 3 375.00x
Islington London 3 2.91x
Settle 3 370.37x
Tunstall In Patrington 3 7500.00x
Clapham 2 15.05x
Wetheral 2 165.29x
Corwen Dolaberalwen 1 1000.00x
Corwen Mwstwr 1 1250.00x
Dalston 1 140.85x
Hope 1 70.42x
Huyton With Roby 1 67.57x
Liskeard 1 49.75x
Mile End Old Town London 1 4.42x
Minnigaff 1 172.41x
Nash 1 476.19x
Oxton 1 5000.00x
Paddington London 1 2.56x
Toxteth Park 1 2.34x
Trevethin 1 13.77x
Usk 1 156.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 7
Mary 7
Annie 5
Margaret 4
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Jane 3
Agnes 2
Ann 2
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Edith 1
Ella 1
Helen 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Isbella 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
John 8
Thomas 8
Joseph 6
Frederick 4
James 3
Robert 2
Adam 1
Alexander 1
Alf. 1
Alfred 1
Augustus 1
Ben 1
Benjamin 1
Earnest 1
Francis 1
George 1
Henry 1
Richard 1
Robart 1

FAQ

Jon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 111 people were recorded with the Jon surname. That placed it at #18,597 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 248 in 2016. That gives Jon a modern rank of #16,910.

What does the Jon surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Hebrew given name meaning "God is gracious".

What does the Jon map show?

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