NameCensus.

UK surname

Lemmon

An English surname derived from the Old English word "hlēomonn," meaning a person living near a lemon tree.

In the 1881 census there were 550 people recorded with the Lemmon surname, ranking it #6,274 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 893, ranked #6,336, down from #6,274 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Norwich.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Lemmon is 964 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.4%.

1881 census count

550

Ranked #6,274

Modern count

893

2016, ranked #6,336

Peak year

2002

964 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Lemmon had 550 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,274 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 893 in 2016, ranked #6,336.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 839 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Lemmon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Lemmon surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Lemmon 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 371 #6,410
1861 historical 264 #9,385
1881 historical 550 #6,274
1891 historical 632 #6,123
1901 historical 839 #5,422
1911 historical 798 #5,480
1997 modern 930 #5,815
1998 modern 952 #5,890
1999 modern 937 #6,014
2000 modern 953 #5,912
2001 modern 924 #5,959
2002 modern 964 #5,846
2003 modern 933 #5,922
2004 modern 942 #5,877
2005 modern 947 #5,799
2006 modern 921 #5,931
2007 modern 908 #6,044
2008 modern 911 #6,078
2009 modern 925 #6,128
2010 modern 938 #6,179
2011 modern 923 #6,204
2012 modern 899 #6,253
2013 modern 905 #6,322
2014 modern 913 #6,305
2015 modern 892 #6,363
2016 modern 893 #6,336

Geography

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Where Lemmons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, London parishes, Manchester, St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Norwich. 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 Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth Cambridgeshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a Norfolk
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Norwich 004 Norwich
2 Norwich 005 Norwich
3 Norwich 013 Norwich
4 Norwich 001 Norwich
5 Norwich 006 Norwich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Lemmon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Lemmon

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Lemmon, 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 Lemmon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Lemmon 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Lemmon is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Lemmon is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Lemmon

The surname Lemmon is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval era. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from the Old English words "lemun" or "lemon," meaning a lemon tree or a place where lemon trees grew.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Lemon," referring to a person from a place associated with lemon trees or lemon cultivation. This suggests that the name may have originated in areas where lemon trees were grown, possibly in the southern regions of England.

During the Middle Ages, the name was also spelled in various ways, such as "Lemon," "Lemmon," and "Lemmond." These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling conventions of the time.

Notable individuals with the surname Lemmon include:

1. Jack Lemmon (1925-2001), an American actor and musician, known for his roles in films such as "Some Like It Hot," "The Apartment," and "The Odd Couple."

2. Sir John Lemmon (1608-1665), an English judge and Member of Parliament during the English Civil War.

3. William Lemmon (1839-1917), an English botanist and explorer, known for his expeditions to the Canary Islands and the Mediterranean region.

4. John Lemmon (1914-1988), an American Major League Baseball player who played for the Boston Red Sox and the Philadelphia Athletics.

5. Sarah Lemmon (1836-1923), an American pioneer and author, who documented her experiences as a settler in the American West.

While the surname Lemmon is not among the most common surnames, it has a long and intriguing history, reflecting the influence of Old English language and the cultural significance of lemon cultivation in certain regions of England during medieval times.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Lemmon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Lemmon 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. Norfolk leads with 121 Lemmons recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.86x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 121 14.86x
Middlesex 50 0.94x
Hampshire 49 4.51x
Sussex 43 4.82x
Surrey 42 1.63x
Cambridgeshire 32 9.54x
Aberdeenshire 28 5.71x
Lancashire 21 0.33x
Yorkshire 19 0.36x
Kent 18 1.00x
Durham 15 0.95x
Northamptonshire 12 2.41x
Essex 10 0.96x
Midlothian 9 1.27x
Cheshire 8 0.68x
Kincardineshire 8 12.40x
Warwickshire 8 0.60x
Ayrshire 7 1.77x
Lanarkshire 6 0.35x
Northumberland 5 0.63x
Oxfordshire 5 1.53x
Buckinghamshire 4 1.25x
Rutland 4 10.29x
Banffshire 3 2.73x
Renfrewshire 3 0.73x
Derbyshire 2 0.24x
Lincolnshire 2 0.24x
Devon 1 0.09x
Gloucestershire 1 0.10x
Hertfordshire 1 0.27x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.14x
Royal Navy 1 1.58x
Staffordshire 1 0.06x
Stirlingshire 1 0.51x
Suffolk 1 0.16x
Worcestershire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 28 Lemmons recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.16x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 28 13.16x
Salford 15 8.11x
Croydon 14 9.77x
Portsmouth 14 56.00x
Brighton 12 6.66x
Norwich St James 12 187.79x
Norwich St Stephen 12 160.43x
Inverurie 11 198.20x
Islington London 11 2.14x
Newborough 10 787.40x
Camberwell 9 2.66x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 9 61.52x
Norwich St Peter Hungate 9 1285.71x
Norwich St Peter Southgate 9 882.35x
Tottenhill 9 1343.28x
Banchory Ternan 8 143.37x
Birmingham 8 1.80x
Elm 8 243.16x
Thorpe Next Norwich 8 92.70x
Bow London 7 10.38x
Clerkenwell London 7 5.60x
Haswell 7 62.00x
Hooe 7 823.53x
Ninfield 7 642.20x
Norwich St Giles 7 268.20x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 7 141.41x
Rotherhithe 7 10.70x
Whittlesey St Mary St 7 59.73x
Wisbech St Peter 7 41.62x
Birkenhead 6 6.44x
Bosham 6 263.16x
Hythe St Leonard 6 93.90x
Kirkmichael 6 166.21x
Leeds 6 2.02x
Shouldham 6 521.74x
South Lynn 6 65.29x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 5 5.45x
Acle 5 301.20x
Berwick Upon Tweed 5 29.94x
Edinburgh St Georges 5 33.94x
Govan 5 1.18x
Hastings St Leonards 5 38.08x
Hockham 5 543.48x
Kinellar 5 476.19x
Liss 5 226.24x
Norwich St Paul 5 102.46x
Oxford St Thomas 5 32.77x
Ruswarp 5 85.62x
South Walsham St Lawrence 5 1190.48x
St Giles In Fields London 5 19.24x
West Ham 5 2.17x
York St Mary 5 23.00x
Chatham 4 8.05x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 1.40x
Gartly 4 246.91x
Great Marlow 4 46.30x
Icklesham 4 254.78x
Kensington London 4 1.36x
Lambeth 4 0.87x
Rochester St Margaret 4 20.99x
Snettisham 4 176.99x
Stretton 4 1111.11x
Brightside Bierlow 3 2.91x
Chertsey 3 17.99x
Shildon 3 23.70x
Tenterden 3 47.10x
Bishopwearmouth 2 1.48x
Brentwood 2 31.40x
Chelsea London 2 1.25x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.00x
Hillington 2 384.62x
Melbourne 2 35.27x
Mile End Old Town London 2 1.77x
Monks Coppenhall 2 4.53x
Norwich St John 2 273.97x
Shoreditch London 2 0.87x
Southery 2 93.02x
St Marylebone London 2 0.71x
Thames Ditton 2 37.31x
Witton Gilbert 2 32.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 24
Mary 22
Sarah 13
Ann 8
Eliza 8
Emma 8
Alice 7
Jane 7
Edith 6
Kate 6
Hannah 5
Maria 5
Ada 4
Emily 4
Ethel 4
Frances 4
Harriet 4
Martha 4
Nellie 4
Agnes 3
Caroline 3
Ellen 3
Florence 3
Grace 3
Louisa 3
Sophia 3
Amelia 2
Amy 2
Annie 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Elizth. 2
Fanny 2
Harriett 2
Helen 2
Julia 2
Maud 2
Sussana 2
Charlotte 1
Elise 1
Esther 1
Evelyn 1
Fanney 1
Hilda 1
Ida 1
Lilian 1
Lilly 1
Lottie 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Lemmon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Lemmon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 550 people were recorded with the Lemmon surname. That placed it at #6,274 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Lemmon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 893 in 2016. That gives Lemmon a modern rank of #6,336.

What does the Lemmon surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English word "hlēomonn," meaning a person living near a lemon tree.

What does the Lemmon map show?

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