NameCensus.

UK surname

Longson

An English surname indicating the person is the son of a man with the personal name Long.

In the 1881 census there were 336 people recorded with the Longson surname, ranking it #8,996 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 393, ranked #12,032, down from #8,996 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Glossop and Chesterfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stockport, High Peak and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Longson is 495 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.0%.

1881 census count

336

Ranked #8,996

Modern count

393

2016, ranked #12,032

Peak year

1911

495 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Longson had 336 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,996 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 393 in 2016, ranked #12,032.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 495 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Longson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Longson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Longson 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 241 #9,037
1861 historical 295 #8,555
1881 historical 336 #8,996
1891 historical 427 #8,391
1901 historical 462 #8,539
1911 historical 495 #7,877
1997 modern 354 #12,060
1998 modern 381 #11,812
1999 modern 378 #11,935
2000 modern 382 #11,792
2001 modern 375 #11,774
2002 modern 393 #11,587
2003 modern 385 #11,570
2004 modern 377 #11,776
2005 modern 381 #11,619
2006 modern 377 #11,743
2007 modern 371 #12,053
2008 modern 377 #12,014
2009 modern 396 #11,815
2010 modern 401 #11,973
2011 modern 405 #11,765
2012 modern 401 #11,699
2013 modern 393 #12,085
2014 modern 403 #11,932
2015 modern 408 #11,737
2016 modern 393 #12,032

Geography

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Where Longsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Glossop, Chesterfield, Chapel-en-le-Frith and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stockport, High Peak and Salford. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Glossop Derbyshire
3 Chesterfield Derbyshire
4 Chapel-en-le-Frith Derbyshire
5 Manchester Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stockport 004 Stockport
2 High Peak 008 High Peak
3 High Peak 004 High Peak
4 High Peak 003 High Peak
5 Salford 030 Salford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Longson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Longson

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Longson is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Longson is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Longson falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Longson

The surname Longson is of English origin, emerging in the late medieval period around the 13th or 14th century. It is derived from the Old English words "lang" meaning long, and "sunu" meaning son, indicating the name's earliest bearers were the sons of a man named Long. The name likely originated in the regions of East Anglia or the West Midlands, where many surnames with similar formations can be found.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Longson appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a Robert Longson as a taxpayer. The Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1279 also mention a William Longessone, suggesting the name may have had slight variations in spelling during its early years.

By the 16th century, the Longson surname had spread across various parts of England, with records indicating families residing in counties like Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Lancashire. The Hearth Tax Rolls of 1674 list a John Longson in the village of Alderley, Cheshire, providing evidence of the name's presence in the northwest region.

Notable historical figures bearing the Longson surname include William Longson (1655-1732), a prominent English lawyer and Member of Parliament for the borough of Truro in Cornwall during the early 18th century. Another notable bearer was Sir Robert Longson (1760-1842), a British naval officer who served with distinction during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a vice-admiral.

Other early examples of the name include Richard Longson (1605-1668), a English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Winwick in Lancashire, and Samuel Longson (1725-1790), a renowned clockmaker from the city of Liverpool whose timepieces were highly prized in his era.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Longson name can be found in the 1790 census, which lists a James Longson residing in Pennsylvania. This suggests that the name may have been brought over by early English settlers in the colonial period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Longson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Longson 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. Derbyshire leads with 131 Longsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.53x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 131 25.53x
Lancashire 98 2.52x
Cheshire 80 11.06x
Staffordshire 8 0.72x
Yorkshire 6 0.18x
Middlesex 5 0.15x
Northamptonshire 5 1.62x
Gloucestershire 2 0.31x
Glamorgan 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chapel En Le Frith in Derbyshire leads with 47 Longsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1002.13x.

Place Total Index
Chapel En Le Frith 47 1002.13x
Glossop Dale 31 129.01x
Stockport 26 69.84x
Heaton Norris 25 112.92x
Chinley Bugsworth 24 1777.78x
Dukinfield 16 47.86x
Ashton Under Lyne 14 16.47x
Manchester 12 6.86x
Hyde 10 46.84x
Ulverston 10 88.26x
Marple 9 181.09x
Chesterfield 8 41.58x
Chorlton Cum Hardy 8 310.08x
Newbold Dunston 8 163.93x
Brampton 6 83.68x
Disley Stanley 6 161.29x
Oldham 6 4.78x
Ludworth 5 206.61x
Runcorn 5 29.98x
St Pancras London 5 1.90x
Weedon Loys 5 980.39x
Bedford 4 49.20x
Burslem 4 12.62x
Newton 4 13.35x
Pownall Fee 4 123.46x
Sheffield 4 3.87x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 3.41x
Atherton 3 21.19x
Little Bolton 3 6.00x
Farnworth 2 8.58x
Horfield 2 30.91x
Stretford 2 9.35x
Baildon 1 16.34x
Beswick 1 10.05x
Bollin Fee 1 31.15x
Bredbury 1 23.87x
Brightside Bierlow 1 1.57x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.62x
Crumpsall 1 10.91x
Kirkham 1 19.46x
Low Oulton 1 2000.00x
Macclesfield 1 3.11x
Margam 1 15.72x
Mellor 1 71.94x
Ollersett 1 100.00x
Salford 1 0.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Sarah 26
Elizabeth 15
Ann 12
Hannah 9
Annie 8
Martha 8
Alice 6
Maria 6
Ellen 4
Jane 4
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Frances 3
Harriet 3
Edith 2
Marcella 2
Margaret 2
Ada 1
Alison 1
Betty 1
Caroline 1
Cora 1
Elisebeth 1
Eliz.H. 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Helena 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Kezia 1
Lillian 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maggie 1
Margret 1
Marina 1
May 1
Milly 1
Nancy 1
Nora 1
O. 1
Pircilla 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 23
James 17
Joseph 16
Samuel 14
Robert 9
William 9
George 8
Thomas 8
Job 5
Edward 4
Matthew 4
Charles 3
Henry 2
Joe 2
W. 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Basil 1
C. 1
Edmund 1
Eli 1
Emanuel 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Herb.Jas. 1
Herbert 1
Hiram 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Jeremiah 1
Luke 1
Mark 1
Phillip 1
Robt. 1
Saml. 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1
Wilfred 1
Wm. 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Longson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Longson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 336 people were recorded with the Longson surname. That placed it at #8,996 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Longson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 393 in 2016. That gives Longson a modern rank of #12,032.

What does the Longson surname mean?

An English surname indicating the person is the son of a man with the personal name Long.

What does the Longson map show?

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