NameCensus.

UK surname

Jordon

Derived from the name of the River Jordan, which flows between Jordan and Israel.

In the 1881 census there were 1,340 people recorded with the Jordon surname, ranking it #3,059 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 474, ranked #10,385, down from #3,059 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Oxfordshire, Hinckley and Bosworth and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Jordon is 1,568 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 64.6%.

1881 census count

1,340

Ranked #3,059

Modern count

474

2016, ranked #10,385

Peak year

1891

1,568 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Jordon had 1,340 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,059 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 474 in 2016, ranked #10,385.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,568 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Jordon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Jordon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Jordon 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 1,170 #2,416
1861 historical 1,261 #2,262
1881 historical 1,340 #3,059
1891 historical 1,568 #2,833
1901 historical 1,566 #3,289
1911 historical 797 #5,486
1997 modern 500 #9,304
1998 modern 541 #9,044
1999 modern 528 #9,260
2000 modern 546 #9,001
2001 modern 506 #9,382
2002 modern 540 #9,103
2003 modern 504 #9,433
2004 modern 479 #9,811
2005 modern 466 #9,935
2006 modern 491 #9,600
2007 modern 503 #9,524
2008 modern 496 #9,694
2009 modern 513 #9,654
2010 modern 516 #9,808
2011 modern 489 #10,125
2012 modern 476 #10,213
2013 modern 471 #10,464
2014 modern 493 #10,191
2015 modern 480 #10,311
2016 modern 474 #10,385

Geography

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Where Jordons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, St Marylebone, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Oxfordshire, Hinckley and Bosworth and Northumberland. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Oxfordshire 004 West Oxfordshire
2 Hinckley and Bosworth 003 Hinckley and Bosworth
3 Northumberland 036 Northumberland
4 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
5 Northumberland 011 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Jordon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Jordon

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Jordon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Jordon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Jordon is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Jordon 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

Jordon falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Jordon 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 Jordon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Jordon

The surname Jordon originated in England during the 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the River Jordan, a famous river in the Middle East that flows between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. This surname likely belongs to the large category of surnames that were acquired by the bearers after they had been on a pilgrimage or crusade to the Holy Land.

The earliest recorded spelling of the surname in England dates back to the latter part of the 12th century. In the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1273, one Gilbert de Jordon is listed. Later, in the Assize Court Rolls of Essex in 1285, a John de Jordon is recorded. These early spellings suggest that the name was originally rendered as "de Jordon" before eventually evolving into the modern form of Jordon or Jordan.

Notable bearers of the Jordon surname throughout history include Sir Joseph Jordon, a prominent English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1665-1666. Another noteworthy individual was Dorothy Jordon (1762-1816), an Irish actress and courtesan who was the longtime mistress of William IV, then Duke of Clarence.

In the realm of literature, Robert Jordon (1948-2007) was an American novelist best known for his epic fantasy series "The Wheel of Time". The series achieved immense popularity and has been translated into over 20 languages. Another literary figure was Thomas Jordon (1612-1685), an English poet and playwright who was a prominent figure in the English Renaissance.

The surname Jordon has also been associated with several places and landmarks. For instance, the village of Jordon in Buckinghamshire, England, is believed to have derived its name from the surname. Similarly, the Jordon River in Nova Scotia, Canada, was likely named after an early settler bearing the Jordon surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Jordon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Jordon 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. Lancashire leads with 162 Jordons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.04x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 162 1.04x
Middlesex 158 1.20x
Yorkshire 138 1.06x
Durham 120 3.07x
Devon 85 3.11x
Surrey 83 1.30x
Staffordshire 80 1.81x
Kent 68 1.52x
Northumberland 53 2.72x
Leicestershire 52 3.57x
Warwickshire 41 1.24x
Worcestershire 27 1.58x
Norfolk 23 1.14x
Gloucestershire 22 0.85x
Hampshire 21 0.78x
Nottinghamshire 18 1.02x
Shropshire 17 1.50x
Monmouthshire 15 1.58x
Derbyshire 14 0.68x
Oxfordshire 13 1.60x
Sussex 12 0.54x
Cheshire 11 0.38x
Lanarkshire 10 0.24x
Somerset 10 0.47x
Buckinghamshire 9 1.13x
Essex 8 0.31x
Cornwall 7 0.47x
Channel Islands 6 1.54x
Glamorgan 6 0.26x
Hertfordshire 5 0.55x
Lincolnshire 5 0.24x
Northamptonshire 5 0.41x
Anglesey 4 1.72x
Argyllshire 4 1.10x
Berkshire 4 0.41x
Cumberland 4 0.35x
Bedfordshire 3 0.44x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.36x
Fife 3 0.39x
Westmorland 3 1.04x
Flintshire 2 0.57x
Herefordshire 2 0.37x
Suffolk 2 0.13x
Angus 1 0.08x
Ayrshire 1 0.10x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.18x
Midlothian 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 0.64x
Wigtownshire 1 0.57x
Wiltshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Marylebone London in Middlesex leads with 26 Jordons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.71x.

Place Total Index
St Marylebone London 26 3.71x
Westoe 21 9.49x
Surlingham 19 871.56x
Aston 18 1.98x
Exeter St Sidwell 18 28.78x
Leicester St Margaret 18 5.07x
Liverpool 17 1.80x
Birmingham 16 1.45x
Wolverhampton 16 4.70x
Kirkdale 15 5.73x
Dawdon 14 29.16x
Lambeth 14 1.22x
Islington London 13 1.02x
Paddington London 13 2.69x
Tipton 13 9.59x
Bishopwearmouth 12 3.58x
Chelsea London 12 3.04x
Leeds 12 1.63x
Kingston On Thames 11 7.16x
Wednesbury 11 9.94x
Aberystruth 10 11.96x
Clawton 10 500.00x
Great Bolton 10 4.85x
Heworth 10 13.00x
Kensington London 10 1.37x
Markfield 10 138.70x
Stockton On Tees 10 5.31x
Trimdon 10 72.46x
Westbury On Severn East 10 17.19x
Greenwich 9 4.31x
Horton In Bradford 9 4.43x
Linthorpe 9 11.60x
Lubenham 9 339.62x
Mile End Old Town London 9 3.22x
Pontefract 9 32.13x
St George Hanover Square 9 3.89x
Tottenham 9 4.31x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 8 62.26x
Clerkenwell London 8 2.58x
Egg Buckland 8 171.67x
Elswick 8 5.13x
Ipsden 8 250.78x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 8 17.23x
Spotland 8 4.62x
St Luke London 8 3.80x
Toxteth Park 8 1.52x
Wormington 8 1904.76x
Bedlington 7 10.74x
Betchworth 7 88.72x
Bethnal Green London 7 1.23x
Cheetham 7 6.03x
Clapham 7 4.27x
Goole 7 32.12x
Hackney London 7 0.95x
Kilham 7 128.21x
Middlesbrough 7 4.13x
Pinxton 7 67.05x
Portsea 7 1.33x
Southampton St Mary 7 4.14x
Willenhall 7 8.44x
Worcester St Martin 7 30.28x
Benfieldside 6 23.37x
Bowling 6 4.66x
Chatham 6 4.87x
Chorley 6 6.87x
Cowpen 6 13.35x
Dudley 6 2.88x
Failsworth 6 16.84x
Hunslet 6 2.96x
Iveston 6 33.37x
Manchester 6 0.86x
Middlestone 6 76.63x
Milton Damerel 6 280.37x
Newington 6 16.76x
Nottingham St Mary 6 1.31x
Oldham 6 1.19x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 2.27x
Stoke Hammond 6 365.85x
Ulgham 6 185.19x
Upper Penn 6 54.10x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 111
Sarah 54
Elizabeth 47
Ann 35
Ellen 28
Emily 27
Emma 22
Jane 22
Margaret 22
Annie 20
Eliza 17
Alice 12
Hannah 12
Harriet 12
Maria 12
Charlotte 10
Clara 10
Fanny 9
Isabella 9
Martha 9
Louisa 8
Kate 6
Rose 6
Bridget 5
Edith 5
Catherine 4
Florence 4
Lizzie 4
Lucy 4
Susan 4
Beatrice 3
Bertha 3
Gertrude 3
Sophia 3
Anna 2
Betsey 2
Betsy 2
Caroline 2
E. 2
Elsie 2
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Hariot 2
Helen 2
Jessie 2
Lydia 2
Matilda 2
Minnie 2
Rebecca 2
Winifred 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 89
William 73
Thomas 59
James 58
George 35
Henry 24
Joseph 24
Alfred 16
Charles 15
Samuel 15
Richard 14
Robert 13
Frederick 12
Edward 10
Patrick 10
Albert 8
Benjamin 8
Michael 8
Arthur 7
Edwin 7
Daniel 5
Walter 5
Francis 4
Harry 4
Peter 4
Alexander 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Solomon 3
Thos. 3
Andrew 2
David 2
Edmund 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Martin 2
Mathew 2
Ralph 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Abraham 1
Augustus 1
Benjemain 1
Davis 1
Denis 1
Ed. 1
Edwd. 1
Eli 1
Harland 1

FAQ

Jordon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Jordon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,340 people were recorded with the Jordon surname. That placed it at #3,059 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Jordon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 474 in 2016. That gives Jordon a modern rank of #10,385.

What does the Jordon surname mean?

Derived from the name of the River Jordan, which flows between Jordan and Israel.

What does the Jordon map show?

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