NameCensus.

UK surname

Makinson

An English surname derived from a patronymic meaning "son of Mank" or "son of Matthew."

In the 1881 census there were 858 people recorded with the Makinson surname, ranking it #4,411 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,110, ranked #5,294, down from #4,411 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Standish and Dean. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chorley, Bolton and Preston.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Makinson is 1,327 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.4%.

1881 census count

858

Ranked #4,411

Modern count

1,110

2016, ranked #5,294

Peak year

1911

1,327 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Makinson had 858 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,411 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,110 in 2016, ranked #5,294.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,327 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Makinson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Makinson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Makinson 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 537 #4,693
1861 historical 589 #4,487
1881 historical 858 #4,411
1891 historical 995 #4,170
1901 historical 1,203 #4,095
1911 historical 1,327 #3,602
1997 modern 1,114 #5,011
1998 modern 1,151 #5,053
1999 modern 1,147 #5,122
2000 modern 1,160 #5,048
2001 modern 1,144 #5,014
2002 modern 1,172 #5,005
2003 modern 1,159 #4,948
2004 modern 1,143 #5,027
2005 modern 1,114 #5,083
2006 modern 1,125 #5,044
2007 modern 1,124 #5,088
2008 modern 1,129 #5,112
2009 modern 1,158 #5,105
2010 modern 1,146 #5,261
2011 modern 1,125 #5,268
2012 modern 1,098 #5,297
2013 modern 1,143 #5,203
2014 modern 1,139 #5,242
2015 modern 1,126 #5,244
2016 modern 1,110 #5,294

Geography

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Where Makinsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Standish, Dean, Bolton-le-Moors and Chorley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chorley, Bolton, Preston and Barnsley. 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 Wigan Lancashire
2 Standish Lancashire
3 Dean Lancashire
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Chorley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chorley 014 Chorley
2 Chorley 013 Chorley
3 Bolton 009 Bolton
4 Preston 009 Preston
5 Barnsley 003 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Makinson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Makinson

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Makinson 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

Makinson is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Makinson

The surname Makinson is of English origin, believed to have originated in the county of Lancashire in the northwest of England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational surname derived from the place name "Makinson," which itself is a combination of the Old English words "mæcca" meaning "son" and "inga" meaning "people" or "family."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Makinson can be found in the Lancashire Inquests and Extents from 1311, where a Alan de Makinson is mentioned. This suggests that the name was well-established in the region by the early 14th century.

In the 16th century, the surname appears in various records across Lancashire and neighboring counties. For example, the baptism of John Makinson is recorded in the parish register of Poulton-le-Fylde in 1568, while a Thomas Makinson is mentioned in the Wills and Inventories of the Archdeaconry of Richmond in 1592.

Notable individuals who bore the surname Makinson throughout history include William Makinson (c. 1545-1610), an English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake in 1610 for his religious beliefs. Another notable figure was Robert Makinson (1677-1747), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Waverton in Cheshire.

In the 18th century, the name Makinson appears in various parish records and census documents across Lancashire and neighboring counties. For instance, the marriage of Thomas Makinson and Ann Hodgson is recorded in the parish register of Warton, Lancashire, in 1720.

During the 19th century, the surname Makinson became more widespread across England, with individuals bearing the name appearing in various records and documents. One notable figure from this period was John Makinson (1836-1901), a British architect and surveyor who worked on several notable buildings in Manchester and Liverpool.

Other individuals of note with the surname Makinson include Thomas Makinson (1834-1892), a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the Oldham constituency, and George Makinson (1865-1941), a British trade unionist and Labour Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Prestwich.

Throughout its history, the surname Makinson has been subject to various spelling variations, such as Makynson, Makinsonn, and Makkynson, reflecting the changes in language and regional dialects over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Makinson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Makinson 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 723 Makinsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.29x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 723 7.29x
Yorkshire 37 0.45x
Cheshire 34 1.84x
Durham 13 0.52x
Derbyshire 12 0.92x
Orkney 9 9.79x
Perthshire 6 1.60x
Cumberland 4 0.56x
Worcestershire 4 0.37x
Kent 3 0.11x
Leicestershire 3 0.32x
Selkirkshire 3 3.97x
Staffordshire 2 0.07x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.13x
Monmouthshire 1 0.17x
Shropshire 1 0.14x
Westmorland 1 0.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackrod in Lancashire leads with 66 Makinsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 535.28x.

Place Total Index
Blackrod 66 535.28x
Hindley 53 125.33x
Horwich 43 397.41x
Aspull 34 145.74x
Wigan 33 23.81x
Chorley 32 57.49x
Preston 25 9.42x
Pendleton In Salford 20 16.92x
Adlington 19 204.52x
Coppull 18 340.26x
Little Bolton 18 14.11x
Great Bolton 17 12.94x
Birkdale 16 63.75x
Charnock Richard 16 816.33x
Manchester 14 3.14x
Whiston 13 167.96x
Over Kellet 12 851.06x
Hulme 11 5.31x
Lancaster 11 18.64x
Everton 10 3.16x
Orrell 10 81.10x
Toxteth Park 10 2.98x
Bolton Le Sands 9 400.00x
Habergham Eaves 9 9.93x
Halliwell 9 24.93x
Heaton 9 215.31x
Monks Coppenhall 9 12.93x
South Ronaldshay 9 94.54x
Auckland St Helen 8 305.34x
Barrow In Furness 8 5.93x
Broughton In Salford 8 8.82x
Great Lever 8 76.05x
West Derby 8 2.76x
Barton Upon Irwell 7 9.37x
Billinge Higher End 7 174.13x
Cheadle 7 19.86x
Heeley 7 27.81x
Liverpool 7 1.16x
Ashton Under Lyne 6 2.77x
Astley 6 78.43x
Barnsley 6 7.02x
Ellel 6 117.19x
Elton 6 17.51x
Glossop Dale 6 9.79x
Kinnoull 6 60.85x
Moston 6 60.30x
Pennington In Leigh 6 31.53x
Ardwick 5 5.59x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 5 6.48x
Cockerham 5 197.63x
North Bedburn 5 71.94x
Salford 5 1.71x
Standish With Langtree 5 40.92x
Taddington 5 427.35x
Warrington 5 4.25x
Warton With Lindeth 5 120.19x
Windle 5 8.96x
Abram 4 52.56x
Blackburn 4 1.52x
Dinnington 4 540.54x
Haigh 4 115.61x
High Leigh 4 164.61x
Newton In Makerfield 4 13.17x
Runcorn 4 9.40x
Sheffield 4 1.52x
Stretford 4 7.33x
Thornton In Lonsdale 4 434.78x
Worcester St Martin 4 27.16x
Workington 4 9.71x
Wrightington 4 92.38x
Bedford 3 14.46x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 1.90x
Gillingham 3 5.10x
Halifax 3 2.47x
Huyton With Roby 3 25.82x
Melrose 3 15.76x
Melton Mowbray 3 18.00x
Rainford 3 27.96x
Brightside Bierlow 2 1.23x
North Meols 2 2.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 65
Elizabeth 48
Ellen 31
Margaret 28
Jane 25
Alice 24
Ann 24
Sarah 19
Hannah 14
Emma 10
Martha 8
Harriet 7
Isabella 7
Lucy 7
Annie 6
Catherine 6
Eliza 6
Emily 5
Esther 5
Ada 4
Edith 4
Florence 4
Eleanor 3
Louisa 3
Margret 3
Selina 3
Amelia 2
Betsy 2
Elenor 2
Ethel 2
Jessie 2
Margeret 2
Nancy 2
Rachel 2
Rebecca 2
Anne 1
Cathrine 1
Christina 1
Clara 1
Dora 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth.Hannah 1
Euphemia 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
James 1
Janie 1
Johannah 1
Mabel 1
Margery 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 65
John 46
Thomas 38
James 35
Richard 19
Joseph 17
George 13
Robert 12
Henry 11
Peter 11
Evan 10
Edward 7
Samuel 7
Charles 6
Albert 5
Alfred 5
Daniel 4
Gerrard 4
Nicholas 4
David 3
Edwin 3
Frederick 3
Herbert 3
Hugh 3
Jonathan 3
Thos. 3
Chas. 2
Ernest 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Moses 2
Nathan 2
Ralph 2
Roderick 2
Roger 2
Seth 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Adam 1
Andrew 1
Benjamin 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Geoffrey 1
Gerard 1
Handel 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1

FAQ

Makinson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Makinson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 858 people were recorded with the Makinson surname. That placed it at #4,411 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Makinson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,110 in 2016. That gives Makinson a modern rank of #5,294.

What does the Makinson surname mean?

An English surname derived from a patronymic meaning "son of Mank" or "son of Matthew."

What does the Makinson map show?

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