UK surname
In the 1881 census there were 101 people recorded with the Kensington surname, ranking it #19,636 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 76, ranked #33,304, down from #19,636 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Willesden, St Leonard Shoreditch and Paddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kensington is 113 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 24.8%.
1881 census count
101
Ranked #19,636
Modern count
76
2016, ranked #33,304
Peak year
1911
113 bearers
Map years
2
1881 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Kensington surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Kensington surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 48 | #24,615 |
| 1861 | historical | 83 | #23,189 |
| 1881 | historical | 101 | #19,636 |
| 1891 | historical | 92 | #25,109 |
| 1901 | historical | 90 | #24,021 |
| 1911 | historical | 113 | #21,168 |
| 1997 | modern | 59 | #31,734 |
| 1998 | modern | 64 | #31,562 |
| 1999 | modern | 63 | #31,798 |
| 2000 | modern | 65 | #31,641 |
| 2001 | modern | 66 | #31,394 |
| 2002 | modern | 65 | #31,903 |
| 2003 | modern | 56 | #32,797 |
| 2004 | modern | 56 | #33,067 |
| 2005 | modern | 53 | #33,528 |
| 2006 | modern | 56 | #33,587 |
| 2007 | modern | 60 | #33,539 |
| 2008 | modern | 64 | #33,402 |
| 2009 | modern | 68 | #33,341 |
| 2010 | modern | 64 | #33,946 |
| 2011 | modern | 65 | #33,842 |
| 2012 | modern | 79 | #32,966 |
| 2013 | modern | 75 | #33,409 |
| 2014 | modern | 75 | #33,473 |
| 2015 | modern | 79 | #33,127 |
| 2016 | modern | 76 | #33,304 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Willesden, St Leonard Shoreditch, Paddington, London parishes and St Dunstan Stepney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Willesden | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 2 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 3 | Paddington | London (West Districts) |
| 4 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 5 | St Dunstan Stepney | London (East Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Kensington surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kensington, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Kensington surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Kensington household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Kensington is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kensington is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Kensington, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kensington surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 35 Kensingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.55x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 35 | 3.55x |
| Surrey | 17 | 3.54x |
| Lancashire | 9 | 0.77x |
| Devon | 8 | 3.90x |
| Essex | 8 | 4.11x |
| Nottinghamshire | 7 | 5.27x |
| Hampshire | 6 | 2.97x |
| Berkshire | 5 | 6.76x |
| Sussex | 3 | 1.81x |
| Somerset | 2 | 1.26x |
| Cumberland | 1 | 1.18x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Croydon in Surrey leads with 11 Kensingtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.29x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Croydon | 11 | 41.29x |
| Penwortham | 9 | 1636.36x |
| East Budleigh | 8 | 824.74x |
| Paddington London | 8 | 22.09x |
| West Ham | 8 | 18.64x |
| Nottingham St Mary | 7 | 20.38x |
| St Pancras London | 7 | 8.83x |
| Lambeth | 5 | 5.82x |
| Newbury | 5 | 210.97x |
| St Luke London | 5 | 31.65x |
| Mile End Old Town London | 4 | 19.07x |
| Bow London | 3 | 23.92x |
| Shoreditch London | 3 | 7.03x |
| Hackney London | 2 | 3.62x |
| Hastings St Mary In The | 2 | 56.50x |
| Southampton St Mary | 2 | 15.75x |
| St Faith Winchester | 2 | 212.77x |
| St George Hanover Square | 2 | 11.52x |
| Staplegrove | 2 | 1052.63x |
| Alston | 1 | 64.10x |
| Camberwell | 1 | 1.59x |
| Christchurch | 1 | 22.83x |
| Portsmouth | 1 | 21.51x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 1.90x |
| Subdeanery | 1 | 79.37x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kensington surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kensington surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Kensington households.
FAQ
In 1881, 101 people were recorded with the Kensington surname. That placed it at #19,636 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 76 in 2016. That gives Kensington a modern rank of #33,304.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kensington bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.