NameCensus.

UK surname

Jonsson

An Old Norse patronymic surname referring to the son of someone named Jon.

In the 1881 census there were 7 people recorded with the Jonsson surname, ranking it #32,765 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 236, ranked #17,470, up from #32,765 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Westminster, Richmond upon Thames and Wandsworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jonsson is 240 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 3271.4%.

1881 census count

7

Ranked #32,765

Modern count

236

2016, ranked #17,470

Peak year

2014

240 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jonsson had 7 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,765 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016, ranked #17,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 47 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Jonsson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jonsson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jonsson 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 2 #33,133
1861 historical 19 #31,470
1881 historical 7 #32,765
1891 historical 22 #32,449
1901 historical 26 #31,152
1911 historical 47 #28,110
1997 modern 121 #24,019
1998 modern 156 #21,144
1999 modern 168 #20,312
2000 modern 180 #19,425
2001 modern 182 #19,039
2002 modern 182 #19,411
2003 modern 181 #19,277
2004 modern 191 #18,723
2005 modern 192 #18,640
2006 modern 192 #18,753
2007 modern 199 #18,542
2008 modern 187 #19,465
2009 modern 193 #19,463
2010 modern 212 #18,726
2011 modern 206 #18,907
2012 modern 228 #17,584
2013 modern 235 #17,515
2014 modern 240 #17,387
2015 modern 234 #17,577
2016 modern 236 #17,470

Geography

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Where Jonssons 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 Westminster, Richmond upon Thames, Wandsworth, St Edmundsbury and South Oxfordshire. 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 Westminster 017 Westminster
2 Richmond upon Thames 001 Richmond upon Thames
3 Wandsworth 017 Wandsworth
4 St Edmundsbury 005 St Edmundsbury
5 South Oxfordshire 008 South Oxfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jonsson

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jonsson

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

Jonsson 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

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

Meaning and origin of Jonsson

The surname Jonsson originated in Sweden and Iceland during the medieval period. It is a patronymic name, meaning "son of Jon" or "son of John." The name is derived from the Old Norse personal name Jón, which is a variant of the biblical name John.

In Sweden, the surname Jonsson first appeared in the 14th century when hereditary surnames became more common among the general population. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval records and documents, such as parish registers and tax rolls.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Jonsson was Jöns Jonsson, a Swedish clergyman and archbishop of Uppsala who lived from around 1280 to 1347. He played a significant role in the political affairs of Sweden during the 14th century.

In Iceland, the surname Jonsson has been in use since the settlement of the island in the 9th and 10th centuries. The Icelandic Sagas, which are literary works written in the 13th and 14th centuries, mention several individuals with the surname Jonsson, including Jón Þorláksson (1133-1193), a renowned chieftain and lawspeaker.

Another notable figure with the surname Jonsson was Jón Jónsson (1624-1679), an Icelandic mathematician and cartographer who is known for creating one of the earliest maps of Iceland. His work significantly contributed to the understanding of Iceland's geography and topography.

In the 17th century, a Swedish noble family with the surname Jonsson von Dellingshausen gained prominence. This family can trace its roots back to Jöns Jonsson, a merchant from the city of Kalmar who lived in the 16th century.

Other notable individuals with the surname Jonsson include Jón Jónsson (1823-1904), an Icelandic poet and translator who played a significant role in the Icelandic cultural renaissance of the 19th century, and Jónas Hallgrímsson (1807-1845), an Icelandic poet and naturalist who is considered one of the founders of Icelandic romantic nationalism.

While the surname Jonsson is most commonly associated with Sweden and Iceland, it can also be found in other Scandinavian countries and regions with historical ties to the Norse culture, such as Denmark, Norway, and the Faroe Islands.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jonsson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jonsson 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 3 Jonssons recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.81x.

County Total Index
Durham 3 14.81x
Northumberland 3 29.62x
Cornwall 1 12.97x

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 3 Jonssons recorded in 1881 and an index of 441.18x.

Place Total Index
Stranton 3 441.18x
Chatton 1 3333.33x
Falmouth 1 370.37x
Newcastle On Tyne 1 10000.00x
North Shields 1 500.00x

Top male names

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

Name Count
Andas 1
J. 1
M. 1
Martin 1
Matts 1
Otto 1
P. 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 Jonsson households.

FAQ

Jonsson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jonsson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7 people were recorded with the Jonsson surname. That placed it at #32,765 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jonsson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016. That gives Jonsson a modern rank of #17,470.

What does the Jonsson surname mean?

An Old Norse patronymic surname referring to the son of someone named Jon.

What does the Jonsson map show?

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