NameCensus.

UK surname

Kinson

A surname derived from a place name often ending in -ington or -ton, denoting one's ancestral home.

In the 1881 census there were 231 people recorded with the Kinson surname, ranking it #11,722 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 449, ranked #10,816, up from #11,722 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Shareshill, Burton-on-Trent and Tamworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Derbyshire, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Tamworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kinson is 493 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 94.4%.

1881 census count

231

Ranked #11,722

Modern count

449

2016, ranked #10,816

Peak year

1998

493 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kinson had 231 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,722 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 449 in 2016, ranked #10,816.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 421 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Kinson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kinson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kinson 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 217 #9,784
1861 historical 421 #6,096
1881 historical 231 #11,722
1891 historical 355 #9,721
1901 historical 330 #10,899
1911 historical 345 #10,358
1997 modern 462 #9,869
1998 modern 493 #9,702
1999 modern 486 #9,883
2000 modern 467 #10,144
2001 modern 467 #9,965
2002 modern 467 #10,136
2003 modern 448 #10,325
2004 modern 447 #10,369
2005 modern 429 #10,597
2006 modern 435 #10,525
2007 modern 444 #10,445
2008 modern 450 #10,416
2009 modern 472 #10,286
2010 modern 476 #10,434
2011 modern 463 #10,551
2012 modern 432 #11,015
2013 modern 445 #10,928
2014 modern 449 #10,926
2015 modern 446 #10,898
2016 modern 449 #10,816

Geography

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Where Kinsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Shareshill, Burton-on-Trent, Tamworth, Measham and Wakefield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Derbyshire, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Tamworth and North West Leicestershire. 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 Shareshill Staffordshire
2 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
3 Tamworth Staffordshire
4 Measham Leicestershire
5 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Derbyshire 011 South Derbyshire
2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 009 Rhondda Cynon Taf
3 Tamworth 009 Tamworth
4 South Derbyshire 008 South Derbyshire
5 North West Leicestershire 012 North West Leicestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kinson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kinson

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Kinson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Kinson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Kinson is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kinson 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

Kinson falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kinson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Kinson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kinson

The surname "KINSON" is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages, with its roots tracing back to the Old English words "cyning" (king) and "tun" (town or village). The name likely referred to someone who lived in a town or village associated with a king or royal authority.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Chingestun," referring to a settlement in Warwickshire. This suggests that the name may have originally been a place name before becoming a surname.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms such as "Kyngeston," "Kingeston," and "Kyngston" in historical records from counties like Hampshire, Wiltshire, and Somerset. These variations reflect the evolution of the name over time and the differences in regional dialects.

Notable individuals bearing the "KINSON" surname include:

1. William Kinson (c. 1515-1587), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Bishop of Ely from 1580 until his death. 2. John Kinson (1640-1718), a prominent merchant and landowner in colonial Virginia, known for his involvement in the tobacco trade. 3. Mary Kinson (1773-1842), a British novelist and poet who published several works, including "The Sylvan Wanderer" and "Poetical Effusions." 4. Thomas Kinson (1804-1876), an English architect renowned for his work on several churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas. 5. Elizabeth Kinson (1857-1929), a British suffragist and activist who campaigned for women's rights and played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement.

Throughout its history, the "KINSON" surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Kinstonbury in Somerset and Kinstanton in Wiltshire, further reinforcing its connection to the Old English word "tun."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kinson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kinson 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. Staffordshire leads with 62 Kinsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.12x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 62 8.12x
Derbyshire 35 9.88x
Monmouthshire 20 12.23x
Yorkshire 19 0.85x
Warwickshire 17 2.98x
Gloucestershire 13 2.93x
Surrey 13 1.18x
Wiltshire 10 5.00x
Middlesex 9 0.40x
Lancashire 6 0.22x
Cheshire 4 0.80x
Glamorgan 4 1.02x
Lincolnshire 4 1.11x
Berkshire 3 1.77x
Northumberland 3 0.89x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 6.11x
Devon 1 0.21x
Durham 1 0.15x
Essex 1 0.22x
Hampshire 1 0.22x
Leicestershire 1 0.40x
Northamptonshire 1 0.47x
Somerset 1 0.27x
Westmorland 1 2.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tamworth in Staffordshire leads with 19 Kinsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 465.69x.

Place Total Index
Tamworth 19 465.69x
Rosliston 15 4166.67x
Aberystruth 13 90.15x
Burslem 12 54.84x
Measham 12 923.08x
Edingale 10 7142.86x
Wolstanton Oldcott 10 361.01x
Newington 8 9.57x
Tormarton 8 2424.24x
Wilnecote 8 487.80x
Risca 7 227.27x
Bowling 6 27.01x
Shoreditch London 6 6.12x
Wakefield 6 34.86x
West Kington 6 2500.00x
Battersea 5 6.00x
Stapenhill 5 94.88x
Amington Stonydelph 4 800.00x
Nantwich 4 68.97x
Roath 4 22.35x
Sheffield 4 5.60x
Bolehall Glascote 3 123.97x
Burringham 3 714.29x
Chirton 3 39.37x
Church Gresley 3 53.19x
Corsham 3 102.74x
Tatenhill 3 576.92x
Tipton 3 12.83x
Chipping Sodbury 2 240.96x
Kintbury 2 152.67x
Meltham 2 57.31x
Pemberton 2 18.67x
South Hamlet 2 72.73x
Stafford St Mary 2 18.50x
Turton 2 45.45x
Urr 2 46.95x
Alverstoke 1 5.96x
Ambleside 1 64.94x
Ardwick 1 4.13x
Belgrave 1 17.67x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.02x
Bilston 1 6.76x
Burton Extra 1 22.83x
Chippenham 1 23.81x
Coventry St Michael 1 5.46x
Doncaster 1 6.11x
Edgbaston 1 5.65x
Elford 1 303.03x
Hackney London 1 0.79x
New Sleaford 1 43.10x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 2.76x
Rusholme 1 13.97x
St Botolph Bishopsgate 1 31.25x
Twywell 1 256.41x
Walcot 1 5.15x
Wanstead 1 12.79x
Whitworth 1 20.28x
Winkfield 1 35.46x
Wotton Under Edge 1 38.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Elizabeth 9
Jane 7
Sarah 6
Emma 5
Catherine 4
Fanny 4
Margaret 4
Charlotte 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Rebecca 2
Rhoda 2
Ada 1
Agness 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Eva 1
Flora 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Hellen 1
Jessie 1
Lizzie 1
Lydia 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Rosa 1
Rosannah 1
Rose 1
Ruth 1
Selina 1
Silie 1
Susan 1
Susanah 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
John 13
Thomas 11
James 10
George 9
Charles 5
Joseph 5
Albert 4
Henry 4
Samuel 4
Frederick 3
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Alan 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Amos 1
Edwin 1
Enoch 1
Francis 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
Mark 1
Simon 1
Thos.A. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Kinson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kinson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 231 people were recorded with the Kinson surname. That placed it at #11,722 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kinson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 449 in 2016. That gives Kinson a modern rank of #10,816.

What does the Kinson surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name often ending in -ington or -ton, denoting one's ancestral home.

What does the Kinson map show?

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