NameCensus.

UK surname

Joss

A Yorkshire surname derived from the nickname Jos meaning "Joseph".

In the 1881 census there were 548 people recorded with the Joss surname, ranking it #6,297 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 575, ranked #8,995, down from #6,297 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingswells, Cults, Bieldside and Milltimber East and Howe of Alford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Joss is 613 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.9%.

1881 census count

548

Ranked #6,297

Modern count

575

2016, ranked #8,995

Peak year

1891

613 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Joss had 548 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,297 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 575 in 2016, ranked #8,995.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 613 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Joss surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Joss surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Joss 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 390 #6,155
1861 historical 436 #5,907
1881 historical 548 #6,297
1891 historical 613 #6,279
1901 historical 608 #7,000
1911 historical 147 #18,104
1997 modern 549 #8,668
1998 modern 583 #8,548
1999 modern 585 #8,587
2000 modern 598 #8,447
2001 modern 587 #8,424
2002 modern 579 #8,649
2003 modern 571 #8,609
2004 modern 561 #8,736
2005 modern 550 #8,784
2006 modern 559 #8,714
2007 modern 567 #8,703
2008 modern 573 #8,700
2009 modern 566 #8,969
2010 modern 575 #9,052
2011 modern 571 #9,002
2012 modern 557 #9,082
2013 modern 554 #9,279
2014 modern 560 #9,258
2015 modern 567 #9,082
2016 modern 575 #8,995

Geography

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Where Joss' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Gateshead, Edinburgh, King Edward and Newhills. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kingswells, Cults, Bieldside and Milltimber East, Howe of Alford, Culter and West End South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 King Edward Aberdeen
5 Newhills Aberdeen

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingswells Aberdeen City
2 Cults, Bieldside and Milltimber East Aberdeen City
3 Howe of Alford Aberdeenshire
4 Culter Aberdeen City
5 West End South Aberdeen City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Joss

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Joss

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Joss, 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 Joss surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Joss 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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Joss 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

Joss 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

Joss falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Joss

The surname Joss has its origins in the medieval Scottish Borders region. It derives from an old Scots nickname for a popular medieval pet form of the personal name Joseph. The earliest recorded example comes from the 13th century Ragman Rolls of 1296, which record a John Josse swearing fealty to King Edward I of England.

An early spelling variant Jossop is found in records from Perthshire, Scotland in the 15th century. By the 16th century, the surname was well-established in England's West Midlands county of Staffordshire, with church registers showing a John Joss baptized in 1577 in Rowley Regis. Around this time, the name was sometimes Anglicized to Josse.

One notable bearer was John Joss (c.1562-1624), an English Puritan minister and writer who served as rector of Eastwell in Kent. Another early example is William Joss (1602-1683), an English Presbyterian minister ejected from his living in Hartlebury, Worcestershire after the Restoration for non-conformity.

In the 18th century, the surname spread into northern England. Records show John Joss (1718-1797), born in Alnwick, Northumberland, was a weaver by trade. Moving into the 19th century, we find Margaret Joss (1781-1846) of Banffshire, Scotland, who is listed in local censuses as a farmer.

The Victorian era had its share of Josses too, such as the mathematician Ralph Anstruther Joss (1828-1890), who taught at Cheltenham College and authored mathematical textbooks. Another was William Joss (1852-1927), a Scottish football player and manager who played for Rangers F.C. in the 1870s and later managed several clubs.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Joss families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Joss 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 299 Joss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.62x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 299 60.62x
Angus 38 7.70x
Lancashire 33 0.52x
Banffshire 23 20.82x
Morayshire 19 22.96x
Kent 18 0.99x
Kincardineshire 16 24.67x
Renfrewshire 16 3.88x
Yorkshire 13 0.25x
Midlothian 12 1.68x
Hampshire 8 0.73x
Lanarkshire 8 0.46x
Durham 7 0.44x
Fife 7 2.22x
Surrey 7 0.27x
Argyllshire 3 2.02x
Essex 3 0.29x
Nairnshire 3 18.45x
Perthshire 3 1.26x
Ross-shire 3 2.05x
Sussex 2 0.22x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Cornwall 1 0.17x
Glamorgan 1 0.11x
Middlesex 1 0.02x
Northumberland 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 69 Joss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 67.00x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 69 67.00x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 59 63.93x
Peterhead 25 95.86x
St Vigeans 21 78.86x
Elgin 16 99.38x
Newhills 16 158.42x
Fyvie 14 173.91x
Turriff 14 175.88x
Inverurie 13 232.97x
Skerton 13 250.48x
King Edward 11 193.66x
Banchory Devenick 10 165.02x
Gamrie 10 81.10x
Cathcart 9 40.30x
Drumblade 8 459.77x
Portsea 8 3.74x
Banff 7 72.99x
Keithhall 7 434.78x
Kennethmont 7 382.51x
Monymusk 7 331.75x
North Elmshall 7 1346.15x
Plumstead 7 11.56x
Westoe 7 7.79x
Barony 6 1.38x
Dunfermline 6 12.38x
Fintray 6 319.15x
Laurencekirk 6 159.57x
Montrose 6 20.07x
Old Deer 6 64.17x
West Greenock 6 8.10x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 1.74x
Auchindoir Kearn 4 144.40x
Chapel Of Garioch 4 113.96x
Crumpsall 4 26.86x
Deptford St Paul 4 2.85x
Fordyce 4 50.31x
Lee 4 15.16x
Liff Benvie 4 5.34x
Rhynie 4 195.12x
Tatham 4 412.37x
Bowmore 3 87.98x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 2.99x
Coupar Angus 3 64.24x
Dundee 3 1.63x
Edderton 3 208.33x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 3 17.77x
Edinburgh Tolbooth 3 72.29x
Erith 3 16.76x
Horton In Bradford 3 3.64x
Kintore 3 69.93x
Leeds 3 1.01x
Liverpool 3 0.78x
Monquhitter 3 58.71x
West Ham 3 1.29x
Cawdor 2 101.01x
Hulme 2 1.52x
Lambeth 2 0.43x
Logie Coldstone 2 120.48x
New Machar 2 72.20x
Newington 2 1.02x
Udny 2 66.89x
Wandsworth 2 3.90x
Boharm 1 46.08x
Brighton 1 0.55x
Crieff 1 11.25x
Edinburgh Canongate 1 5.51x
Forglen 1 73.53x
Glenmuick Tullich 1 28.09x
Insch 1 35.59x
Keith 1 8.49x
Lancaster 1 2.66x
Logierait 1 23.75x
Manchester 1 0.35x
Meigle 1 56.18x
Nairn 1 10.14x
Port Glasgow 1 5.01x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.07x
Strathmartine 1 45.66x
Tarves 1 21.41x
West Derby 1 0.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Margaret 4
Alice 3
Elizabeth 3
Barbara 2
Isabella 2
Jane 2
Rachel 2
Ada 1
Agness 1
Bessie 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Ellenor 1
Elsie 1
Emilie 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Helen 1
Jenny 1
Jessie 1
Louisa 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Maud 1
Mercy 1
Nellie 1
Phillis 1
Rebecca 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
William 8
Edward 4
James 4
Alexander 3
George 3
Wm. 3
Charles 2
Joseph 2
Albert 1
Domnick 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
Lewis 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1
Wm.R. 1

FAQ

Joss surname: questions and answers

How common was the Joss surname in 1881?

In 1881, 548 people were recorded with the Joss surname. That placed it at #6,297 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Joss surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 575 in 2016. That gives Joss a modern rank of #8,995.

What does the Joss surname mean?

A Yorkshire surname derived from the nickname Jos meaning "Joseph".

What does the Joss map show?

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