NameCensus.

UK surname

Larson

A patronymic surname of Scandinavian origin, meaning "son of Lars" or "son of Laurence."

In the 1881 census there were 132 people recorded with the Larson surname, ranking it #16,744 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 378, ranked #12,393, up from #16,744 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Plymouth, Northumberland and Hart.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Larson is 378 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 186.4%.

1881 census count

132

Ranked #16,744

Modern count

378

2016, ranked #12,393

Peak year

2016

378 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Larson had 132 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,744 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 378 in 2016, ranked #12,393.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 194 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Larson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Larson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Larson 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 34 #27,194
1861 historical 115 #18,880
1881 historical 132 #16,744
1891 historical 113 #22,162
1901 historical 167 #16,943
1911 historical 194 #15,250
1997 modern 230 #16,109
1998 modern 246 #15,864
1999 modern 243 #16,094
2000 modern 230 #16,644
2001 modern 231 #16,365
2002 modern 245 #16,041
2003 modern 242 #15,960
2004 modern 249 #15,739
2005 modern 240 #16,092
2006 modern 243 #16,052
2007 modern 243 #16,243
2008 modern 244 #16,346
2009 modern 262 #15,888
2010 modern 278 #15,567
2011 modern 294 #14,798
2012 modern 332 #13,501
2013 modern 335 #13,604
2014 modern 363 #12,908
2015 modern 358 #12,942
2016 modern 378 #12,393

Geography

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Where Larsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Mary Whitechapel, London parishes, Gateshead, Cardiff St John and St Mary and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Plymouth, Northumberland, Hart, Sedgemoor and Hammersmith and Fulham. 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 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Plymouth 031 Plymouth
2 Northumberland 004 Northumberland
3 Hart 002 Hart
4 Sedgemoor 008 Sedgemoor
5 Hammersmith and Fulham 011 Hammersmith and Fulham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Larson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Larson

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Larson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Larson 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

Larson 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 Larson 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 Larson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Larson

The surname Larson originated in Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden and Norway. It is a patronymic name, meaning it was derived from the father's given name, Lars. Lars is an ancient Scandinavian name that can be traced back to the Old Norse name Laurits or Laurence, which means "from Laurentum" or "laurel plant."

Larson is a common surname in Sweden and Norway, where it first emerged in the late Middle Ages. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in Swedish parish records from the 16th and 17th centuries. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Nils Larson, a Swedish farmer who lived in the village of Södra Råda in the late 16th century.

The name Larson is also found in historical records from other parts of Scandinavia, such as Denmark and Iceland. In Iceland, the name is often spelled Laurusson or Laursson, reflecting the Old Norse influence on Icelandic naming traditions.

One notable historical figure with the surname Larson was Carl Larsson (1853-1919), a Swedish painter and interior designer who is renowned for his depictions of domestic life and Swedish folklore. His works, such as the frescoes in the National Museum of Fine Arts in Stockholm, are considered iconic representations of Swedish culture.

Another famous Larson was Johan Alfred Larsson (1887-1965), a Swedish entrepreneur and businessman who founded the Larsons Confectionery Company, which became one of the largest producers of candies and chocolates in Scandinavia.

In the field of literature, Stieg Larsson (1954-2004) was a Swedish author and journalist best known for his Millennium crime novel trilogy, which includes the international bestseller "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." His books have been translated into numerous languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide.

Hjalmar Larsson (1865-1917) was a Swedish-American painter and illustrator who is known for his depictions of rural life in Sweden and the American West. He was a member of the Scandinavian-American artists' colony in Lindsborg, Kansas.

Lastly, Eskil Larsson (1825-1887) was a Swedish-American pioneer and settler who helped establish the Swedish colony of Bishop Hill in Illinois, which became an important center of Swedish culture and traditions in the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Larson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Larson 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. Middlesex leads with 22 Larsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.78x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 22 1.78x
Lancashire 19 1.29x
Leicestershire 19 13.83x
Yorkshire 14 1.14x
Devon 9 3.49x
Cheshire 6 2.19x
Somerset 6 3.01x
Lanarkshire 4 1.00x
Northumberland 4 2.17x
Warwickshire 4 1.28x
Lincolnshire 3 1.51x
Surrey 3 0.50x
Cornwall 2 1.43x
Cumberland 2 1.88x
Bedfordshire 1 1.56x
Berkshire 1 1.08x
Carmarthenshire 1 1.92x
Derbyshire 1 0.52x
Durham 1 0.27x
Hampshire 1 0.39x
Kent 1 0.24x
Midlothian 1 0.60x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.60x
Staffordshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. South Croxton in Leicestershire leads with 10 Larsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9090.91x.

Place Total Index
South Croxton 10 9090.91x
Plymouth Charles The 7 61.62x
Upper Hallam 7 654.21x
North Petherton 6 372.67x
St George In East London 6 51.50x
Toxteth Park 6 12.06x
Tranmere 6 59.70x
Liverpool 5 5.60x
St Luke London 5 25.16x
Birmingham 4 3.84x
Eccleston In Prescot 4 54.20x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 25.71x
Great Grimsby 3 23.87x
Melton Mowbray 3 121.46x
North Shields 3 81.52x
Ormesby 3 90.91x
Paddington London 3 6.59x
Barony 2 1.97x
Chelsea London 2 5.36x
Cockermouth 2 88.89x
Ilfracombe 2 75.47x
Leicester St Leonard 2 153.85x
Ratcliffe On The Wreake 2 5000.00x
Southcoates 2 29.37x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 8.02x
St Blazey 2 162.60x
St Marylebone London 2 3.02x
Battersea 1 2.19x
Derby St Alkmund 1 17.21x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.50x
Evington 1 526.32x
Glasgow 1 1.41x
Govan 1 1.01x
Hackney London 1 1.44x
Heaton Norris 1 11.95x
Hendon 1 22.42x
Holy Trinity St Mary 1 53.48x
Houghton Regis 1 98.04x
Kingswinford 1 6.59x
Llanelly 1 8.50x
New Windsor 1 31.95x
Newcastle On Tyne 1 500.00x
Northfleet 1 26.88x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.32x
Pollington 1 625.00x
Ratcliffe London 1 14.62x
Sileby 1 114.94x
South Shields 1 30.49x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.58x
St Mary Extra 1 49.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Sarah 7
Ann 5
Elizabeth 3
Harriet 3
Eliza 2
Jane 2
Katherine 2
Maria 2
Ada 1
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Carreline 1
Dorethea 1
Dorothy 1
Elize 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Ermina 1
Florence 1
Ingrid 1
Jorine 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Margretta 1
Martha 1
Naomi 1
Pauline 1
Rosetta 1
Ruth 1
Tilda 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
William 5
Thomas 4
Carl 3
Charles 3
Benjamin 2
David 2
Ezra 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Lars 2
Albert 1
Alex 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Anders 1
Christopher 1
Chs. 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Erik 1
Finnes 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Goseph 1
Halvn 1
Hans 1
Harold 1
Henry 1
Malisay 1
Oken 1
Olaf 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Samual 1
Samuel 1
Uenes 1
Walter 1
Yan 1

FAQ

Larson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Larson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 132 people were recorded with the Larson surname. That placed it at #16,744 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Larson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 378 in 2016. That gives Larson a modern rank of #12,393.

What does the Larson surname mean?

A patronymic surname of Scandinavian origin, meaning "son of Lars" or "son of Laurence."

What does the Larson map show?

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