NameCensus.

UK surname

Madsen

A Danish patronymic surname meaning "son of Mads," a shortened form of the given name Matthias.

In the 1881 census there were 39 people recorded with the Madsen surname, ranking it #28,137 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 407, ranked #11,735, up from #28,137 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Wrexham and Rothesay Town.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Madsen is 407 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 943.6%.

1881 census count

39

Ranked #28,137

Modern count

407

2016, ranked #11,735

Peak year

2016

407 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Madsen had 39 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,137 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 407 in 2016, ranked #11,735.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 123 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Madsen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Madsen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Madsen 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
1861 historical 2 #34,135
1881 historical 39 #28,137
1891 historical 35 #31,540
1901 historical 65 #26,917
1911 historical 123 #20,128
1997 modern 296 #13,646
1998 modern 320 #13,299
1999 modern 340 #12,870
2000 modern 353 #12,480
2001 modern 330 #12,893
2002 modern 369 #12,144
2003 modern 339 #12,714
2004 modern 354 #12,358
2005 modern 362 #12,066
2006 modern 357 #12,253
2007 modern 370 #12,073
2008 modern 366 #12,285
2009 modern 355 #12,832
2010 modern 372 #12,651
2011 modern 362 #12,773
2012 modern 391 #11,923
2013 modern 392 #12,100
2014 modern 395 #12,125
2015 modern 396 #11,994
2016 modern 407 #11,735

Geography

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Where Madsens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Edinburgh and Merthyr Dovan, Highlight. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Wrexham, Rothesay Town, North East Lincolnshire and Brighton and Hove. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Merthyr Dovan, Highlight Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 012 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Wrexham 017 Wrexham
3 Rothesay Town Argyll and Bute
4 North East Lincolnshire 002 North East Lincolnshire
5 Brighton and Hove 029 Brighton and Hove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Madsen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Madsen

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Madsen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Madsen 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Madsen 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

Madsen 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

Madsen falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Madsen 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Madsen

The surname Madsen originated in Denmark during the medieval period, deriving from the personal name Mads, which was a Danish form of the biblical name Matthew. The name Madsen literally means "son of Mads" and was a patronymic name, indicating the individual was the son of someone named Mads.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Madsen date back to the 13th century in various Danish records and chronicles. One notable early bearer of the name was Peder Madsen, a Danish clergyman who lived in the late 15th century and served as the Bishop of Roskilde from 1494 to 1509.

During the medieval and Renaissance periods, the name Madsen appeared in various forms and spellings, including Mathsen, Mathisson, and Matthisson, reflecting regional variations and spelling conventions of the time.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname Madsen was Peder Madsen Bille, a Danish nobleman and military commander who played a significant role in the Scandinavian Seven Years' War against Sweden from 1563 to 1570.

Another prominent individual with the Madsen surname was Christian Madsen, a Danish astronomer and mathematician who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was known for his work in improving the accuracy of astronomical observations and calculations.

In the 19th century, Jens Madsen, a Danish inventor and entrepreneur, gained recognition for his contributions to the development of early machine guns. He patented the Madsen light machine gun in 1902, which was widely used by various militaries during World War I and World War II.

A more recent figure with the Madsen surname was Viggo Madsen, a Danish-American actor born in 1904. He had a successful career in Hollywood, appearing in numerous films throughout the 1930s and 1940s, including "The Grapes of Wrath" and "Casablanca."

While the name Madsen has Danish origins, it has spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration and cultural exchange. Today, the surname Madsen can be found in various countries, with notable bearers contributing to various fields such as science, arts, and literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Madsen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Madsen 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. Lancashire leads with 12 Madsens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.96x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 12 2.96x
Midlothian 7 15.31x
Northumberland 4 7.88x
Cheshire 3 3.98x
Argyllshire 2 21.05x
Kent 2 1.72x
Durham 1 0.99x
Lincolnshire 1 1.83x
Middlesex 1 0.29x
Sussex 1 1.74x
Yorkshire 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 5 Madsens recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.19x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 27.19x
Liverpool 5 20.33x
Everton 4 31.01x
Campbeltown 2 173.91x
Deptford St Paul 2 22.27x
Leith North 2 2222.22x
Newcastle On Tyne 2 4000.00x
West Derby 2 16.88x
Amble 1 434.78x
Birkenhead 1 16.67x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 31.06x
Elswick 1 24.69x
Great Grimsby 1 28.90x
Holy Trinity 1 12.30x
Islington London 1 3.02x
New Shoreham 1 294.12x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 1 114.94x
Stranton 1 29.24x
Wallasey 1 384.62x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 2
Emilie 1
Emma 1
Ida 1
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Christian 3
Peter 2
Rasonies 2
Bjorn 1
Frederick 1
Hans 1
J. 1
Jans 1
Jens 1
Louis 1
Martin 1
Neils 1
Ole 1
Paul 1
Petu 1
Wilhelm 1

Top occupations

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 Madsen households.

FAQ

Madsen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Madsen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 39 people were recorded with the Madsen surname. That placed it at #28,137 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Madsen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 407 in 2016. That gives Madsen a modern rank of #11,735.

What does the Madsen surname mean?

A Danish patronymic surname meaning "son of Mads," a shortened form of the given name Matthias.

What does the Madsen map show?

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