NameCensus.

UK surname

Judson

Derived from the place name Judson, meaning "son of Jordan" or "son of Judd."

In the 1881 census there were 1,373 people recorded with the Judson surname, ranking it #2,995 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,048, ranked #5,561, down from #2,995 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Bingley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford and York.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Judson is 1,610 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 23.7%.

1881 census count

1,373

Ranked #2,995

Modern count

1,048

2016, ranked #5,561

Peak year

1911

1,610 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Judson had 1,373 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,995 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,048 in 2016, ranked #5,561.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,610 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Judson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Judson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Judson 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 897 #3,068
1861 historical 761 #3,595
1881 historical 1,373 #2,995
1891 historical 1,358 #3,198
1901 historical 1,529 #3,369
1911 historical 1,610 #3,017
1997 modern 1,115 #5,008
1998 modern 1,152 #5,047
1999 modern 1,173 #5,026
2000 modern 1,155 #5,063
2001 modern 1,117 #5,104
2002 modern 1,146 #5,104
2003 modern 1,109 #5,143
2004 modern 1,127 #5,080
2005 modern 1,078 #5,219
2006 modern 1,085 #5,193
2007 modern 1,097 #5,199
2008 modern 1,108 #5,186
2009 modern 1,116 #5,257
2010 modern 1,102 #5,427
2011 modern 1,113 #5,323
2012 modern 1,069 #5,415
2013 modern 1,100 #5,369
2014 modern 1,077 #5,514
2015 modern 1,056 #5,550
2016 modern 1,048 #5,561

Geography

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Where Judsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Bingley, Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford and York. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bingley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Newark-on-Trent, East Stoke (East Stoke), Park Leys, Rolleston (Fiskerton), Morton Nottinghamshire
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 031 Bradford
2 Bradford 023 Bradford
3 Bradford 014 Bradford
4 Bradford 008 Bradford
5 York 015 York

Forenames

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First names often paired with Judson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Judson

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Judson 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

Judson is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Judson falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Judson

The surname Judson has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English given name "Judde," a diminutive form of the name "Judocus" or "Jodocus," which was a Latinized version of the Germanic name "Josse." This name was popular among early Christians and was borne by several saints.

The surname Judson likely emerged as a patronymic, meaning "son of Judde." It first appeared in records in the 13th century, with early spellings including "Judson," "Juddeson," and "Judsone." One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, which mentions a "Willelmus Juddesone."

During the medieval period, the Judson family was primarily concentrated in the counties of Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, and Norfolk in eastern England. Some early references to the name can be found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls for these counties, which were tax records compiled between the 13th and 16th centuries.

One notable early bearer of the surname was William Judson, who was born in the late 15th century and served as the Mayor of Norwich, a prominent city in Norfolk, in 1528. Another early figure was Adoniram Judson (1788-1850), an American missionary and influential figure in the establishment of Protestant missions in Burma (now Myanmar).

In the 17th century, the Judson family had connections to several place names in England, such as Judsons Grove in Lincolnshire and Judson's Farm in Hertfordshire. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, indicating areas where members of the Judson family lived or held land.

Other notable individuals with the Judson surname include Edward Judson (1789-1846), an American Baptist minister and writer; Olivia Judson (born 1962), a British evolutionary biologist and author; and Montagu Judson (1892-1963), a British actor and film director.

While the Judson surname has its roots in medieval England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration to North America and other English-speaking countries. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old English given name "Judde" and its subsequent development as a patronymic surname in the eastern counties of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Judson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Judson 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. Yorkshire leads with 577 Judsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.36x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 577 4.36x
Lancashire 209 1.32x
Lincolnshire 88 4.12x
Staffordshire 72 1.60x
Nottinghamshire 68 3.78x
Durham 53 1.34x
Shropshire 43 3.73x
Leicestershire 28 1.89x
Derbyshire 26 1.24x
Cheshire 25 0.85x
Surrey 25 0.38x
Middlesex 24 0.18x
Northumberland 17 0.86x
Warwickshire 13 0.39x
Cambridgeshire 11 1.30x
Dorset 10 1.14x
Huntingdonshire 10 3.77x
Worcestershire 10 0.57x
Kent 9 0.20x
Cumberland 6 0.52x
Hampshire 6 0.22x
Suffolk 6 0.37x
Berkshire 5 0.50x
Northamptonshire 5 0.40x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.37x
Sussex 3 0.13x
Devon 2 0.07x
Essex 2 0.08x
Flintshire 2 0.56x
Roxburghshire 2 0.83x
Somerset 2 0.09x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.19x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.18x
Oxfordshire 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 0.63x
Rutland 1 1.02x
Westmorland 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Keighley in Yorkshire leads with 105 Judsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 74.49x.

Place Total Index
Keighley 105 74.49x
Ashton Under Lyne 32 9.25x
Bingley 30 35.63x
Newark Upon Trent 29 44.86x
Wolverhampton 29 8.37x
Haworth 26 82.72x
Hovingham 26 948.91x
Leeds 24 3.21x
Stansfield 23 47.27x
Heptonstall 22 118.60x
Wellington 22 33.95x
Bradford 21 6.56x
Langfield 20 86.43x
Newchurch 20 15.44x
Pocklington 19 152.24x
Foulridge 17 421.84x
Great Little Marsden 16 22.06x
Alfreton 13 20.48x
Prudhoe 13 94.13x
Sowerby In Halifax 13 30.06x
Stranton 13 9.73x
Hulme 12 3.63x
Leadenham 12 1428.57x
Dawdon 11 22.53x
Sculcoates 11 5.25x
Guisbrough 10 34.60x
Hampstead London 10 4.81x
Morley 10 14.55x
Oldham 10 1.96x
Skirbeck Quarter 10 256.41x
Upleatham 10 448.43x
Birmingham 9 0.80x
Burnley 9 6.75x
Colne 9 19.08x
Dry Doddington 9 873.79x
Manningham 9 5.52x
Old Laund Booth 9 592.11x
St Maryle Wigford 9 54.28x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 9 29.99x
Stockport 9 5.94x
Camberwell 8 0.94x
Castle Church 8 29.55x
Easingwold 8 85.65x
Eastwell 8 1081.08x
Ecclesall Bierlow 8 2.97x
Hilton 8 496.89x
Kilton 8 404.04x
Carlton 7 34.11x
Chadderton 7 9.04x
Cotgrave 7 186.67x
Darlington 7 4.57x
Elsworth 7 228.01x
Habergham Eaves 7 4.84x
Shenstone 7 61.14x
Skelton In Guisbrough 7 19.57x
Wuerdle Wardle 7 14.56x
York St Michael 7 366.49x
Bilston 6 6.87x
Bottesford 6 98.68x
Bow London 6 3.53x
Clifton 6 50.51x
Cliviger 6 67.26x
Goldshaw Booth 6 370.37x
Lambeth 6 0.52x
Mansfield 6 9.64x
Melcombe Regis 6 16.53x
North Frodingham 6 192.31x
Parr 6 10.59x
Ripon 6 19.56x
Rothwell 6 22.46x
Shipley 6 8.74x
Thurlby Obthorpe 6 209.79x
Todmorden Walsden 6 14.14x
Tupton 6 95.54x
Gate Fulford 5 16.19x
Skipton 5 12.02x
Stafford St Mary 5 7.84x
Sunderland 5 7.13x
York All Sts North 5 76.34x
York St Sampson 5 176.68x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 108
William 74
Thomas 57
James 44
George 31
Joseph 30
Henry 29
Charles 20
Robert 17
Edward 16
Frederick 11
Arthur 10
Fred 9
Richard 8
Benjamin 7
Ernest 7
Tom 6
Albert 5
Alfred 5
Herbert 5
Jonas 5
Samuel 5
Willie 5
Frank 4
Fred. 4
Harry 4
Mark 4
Amos 3
Chas. 3
Edwin 3
Matthew 3
Ralph 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Aaron 2
Abraham 2
Cornelius 2
David 2
Geo. 2
Greenwood 2
Lawrence 2
Michael 2
Moses 2
Oates 2
Peter 2
Robt. 2
Stephen 2
Timothy 2
Wilfred 2
Wm. 1

FAQ

Judson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Judson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,373 people were recorded with the Judson surname. That placed it at #2,995 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Judson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,048 in 2016. That gives Judson a modern rank of #5,561.

What does the Judson surname mean?

Derived from the place name Judson, meaning "son of Jordan" or "son of Judd."

What does the Judson map show?

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