NameCensus.

UK surname

Marson

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "marsh town".

In the 1881 census there were 1,367 people recorded with the Marson surname, ranking it #3,001 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,828, ranked #3,466, down from #3,001 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham, Dudley and Stafford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Marson is 2,078 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.7%.

1881 census count

1,367

Ranked #3,001

Modern count

1,828

2016, ranked #3,466

Peak year

1999

2,078 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Marson had 1,367 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,001 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,828 in 2016, ranked #3,466.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,962 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Marson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Marson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Marson 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 955 #2,906
1861 historical 1,126 #2,491
1881 historical 1,367 #3,001
1891 historical 1,647 #2,724
1901 historical 1,788 #2,925
1911 historical 1,962 #2,531
1997 modern 1,948 #3,120
1998 modern 2,074 #3,070
1999 modern 2,078 #3,087
2000 modern 2,043 #3,112
2001 modern 1,960 #3,160
2002 modern 2,030 #3,134
2003 modern 1,962 #3,167
2004 modern 1,932 #3,202
2005 modern 1,853 #3,278
2006 modern 1,882 #3,257
2007 modern 1,884 #3,277
2008 modern 1,899 #3,276
2009 modern 1,915 #3,322
2010 modern 1,933 #3,368
2011 modern 1,883 #3,405
2012 modern 1,866 #3,382
2013 modern 1,873 #3,413
2014 modern 1,879 #3,431
2015 modern 1,856 #3,434
2016 modern 1,828 #3,466

Geography

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Where Marsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Staveley and Sculcoates. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham, Dudley, Stafford and Leicester. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Stafford St Mary and St Chad, Tillington Staffordshire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Staveley Derbyshire
5 Sculcoates Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 020 Rotherham
2 Dudley 008 Dudley
3 Stafford 003 Stafford
4 Rotherham 018 Rotherham
5 Leicester 026 Leicester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Marson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Marson

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Marson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Marson is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Marson 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 Marson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Marson

The surname Marson is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval era, specifically the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "mersc," which translates to "marsh" or "marshy area." This suggests that the name was initially given as a descriptive term to individuals residing near or associated with marshy lands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Marson surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273. This historical document mentions a Richard de Merston, indicating a potential connection between the name and the place name Merston, derived from "mersc" and "tun" (meaning settlement or enclosure).

The Marson surname also appeared in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings across England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This ancient record mentions individuals with the name Marston, an alternative spelling closely related to Marson.

Notably, in the 14th century, a prominent figure named John Marson rose to prominence as a member of the English Parliament, representing Oxfordshire in 1335. His inclusion in historical records highlights the prevalence and significance of the name during that era.

Another notable individual bearing the Marson surname was Robert Marson, an English Catholic priest and martyr who lived in the late 16th century. He was executed in 1586 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for his involvement in the Catholic resistance against the Protestant Reformation.

In the 17th century, the name Marson appears to have been associated with certain place names, such as Marston Moretaine in Bedfordshire and Marston Trussell in Northamptonshire. These place names likely derived from the Old English words "mersc" and "tun," reflecting the marshy areas where settlements were established.

During the 18th century, a notable figure named William Marson gained recognition as a renowned English landscape gardener. Born in 1672, he designed and constructed several prestigious gardens for the nobility, including the gardens at Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire.

In the 19th century, the Marson surname gained further prominence with individuals like Thomas Marson, an English author and poet born in 1819. His literary works, including numerous poems and essays, contributed to the cultural landscape of the era.

Throughout its history, the Marson surname has maintained its English roots, reflecting the rich linguistic heritage and geographic influences that shaped its origins and development over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Marson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Marson 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. Staffordshire leads with 282 Marsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.28x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 282 6.28x
Yorkshire 225 1.71x
Derbyshire 138 6.63x
Warwickshire 132 3.94x
Leicestershire 128 8.68x
Nottinghamshire 127 7.09x
Middlesex 124 0.93x
Lancashire 32 0.20x
Surrey 30 0.46x
Worcestershire 17 0.98x
Lincolnshire 16 0.75x
Durham 14 0.35x
Northamptonshire 14 1.12x
Somerset 11 0.51x
Buckinghamshire 9 1.12x
Cheshire 8 0.27x
Shropshire 7 0.61x
Bedfordshire 6 0.87x
Berkshire 4 0.40x
Devon 4 0.14x
Huntingdonshire 4 1.52x
Kent 4 0.09x
Norfolk 4 0.20x
Brecknockshire 2 0.75x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.24x
Cumberland 2 0.17x
Midlothian 2 0.11x
Royal Navy 2 1.26x
Wiltshire 2 0.17x
Essex 1 0.04x
Glamorgan 1 0.04x
Hampshire 1 0.04x
Hertfordshire 1 0.11x
Kincardineshire 1 0.62x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Monmouthshire 1 0.10x
Northumberland 1 0.05x
Perthshire 1 0.17x
Stirlingshire 1 0.20x
Sussex 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 79 Marsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.07x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 79 7.07x
Staveley 29 78.48x
Sedgley 27 16.20x
Stone 19 33.10x
Aston 18 1.95x
Caverswall 18 77.15x
Darlaston 18 29.02x
Wednesbury 18 16.05x
Derby St Werburgh 16 13.31x
Leicester All Sts 16 55.27x
Nottingham St Mary 16 3.45x
Stafford St Mary 16 25.19x
Kinoulton 15 993.38x
Loughborough 15 22.42x
Islington London 14 1.09x
Quorndon 14 169.29x
St Luke London 14 6.56x
Uttoxeter 13 56.60x
Barrow Upon Soar 12 98.60x
Bridlington 12 39.77x
Great Driffield 12 44.38x
Leicester St Mary 12 10.08x
Aston Cum Aughton 11 102.04x
Handsworth 11 9.94x
Ilkeston 11 18.85x
Shoreditch London 11 1.91x
St Marylebone London 11 1.55x
Bethnal Green London 10 1.73x
Burton Upon Trent 10 9.52x
Greasley 10 24.73x
Lilbourne 10 826.45x
Radford 10 10.98x
St Pancras London 10 0.93x
Battersea 9 1.84x
Clevedon 9 40.43x
Dunstall 9 725.81x
Garton On Wolds 9 381.36x
Gilling 9 227.27x
Higham On The Hill 9 439.02x
Sheffield 9 2.15x
Snenton 9 12.78x
Streatham 9 9.12x
Thwing 9 450.00x
Wigginton Hopwas Hays 9 604.03x
Wirksworth 9 47.57x
Wolverhampton 9 2.61x
Bulkington 8 110.34x
Clerkenwell London 8 2.55x
Heaton 8 120.30x
Horninglow 8 37.84x
Kensington London 8 1.08x
Kingswinford 8 4.91x
Melton Mowbray 8 30.18x
Olney 8 72.01x
Skipsea 8 439.56x
Smalley 8 215.63x
Ackworth 7 69.17x
Bonsall 7 113.45x
Burton Extra 7 27.21x
Cole Orton 7 257.35x
Derby St Peter 7 10.56x
Eastwood 7 43.70x
Heanor 7 22.49x
Hinderwell 7 62.22x
Hucknall Under 7 75.76x
Leeds 7 0.94x
Long Eaton 7 25.47x
St George Martyr 7 31.24x
Thurgarton 7 466.67x
Tillington 7 569.11x
Worsbrough 7 18.13x
Castle Church 6 22.25x
Hartlepool 6 10.67x
Hathern 6 100.50x
Leigh 6 201.34x
Leigh Field 6 468.75x
Paddington London 6 1.23x
Pendleton In Salford 6 3.19x
Shifnal 6 19.24x
Wakefield 6 5.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 87
Elizabeth 63
Sarah 60
Ann 32
Eliza 31
Annie 26
Jane 26
Emma 22
Alice 17
Ellen 16
Emily 16
Hannah 15
Margaret 14
Lucy 12
Charlotte 11
Edith 11
Florence 10
Harriet 10
Kate 9
Louisa 9
Martha 9
Clara 7
Fanny 7
Maria 7
Caroline 6
Frances 6
Ada 5
Agnes 5
Amelia 5
Betsy 5
Catherine 5
Ruth 5
Anne 4
Elizth. 4
Susan 4
Adelaide 3
Gertrude 3
Harriett 3
Helen 3
Lydia 3
Rebecca 3
Rose 3
Selina 3
Susanah 3
Amy 2
Anna 2
Jessie 2
Joanna 2
Lily 2
Mabel 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 95
John 78
Thomas 57
Charles 45
George 39
Henry 36
Joseph 26
James 23
Samuel 18
Edward 15
Frederick 14
Richard 12
Robert 12
Francis 9
Harry 9
Alfred 7
Herbert 7
Albert 6
Arthur 6
Ernest 6
Peter 6
Wm. 6
Frank 5
Gervase 5
Isaac 5
Tom 5
Benjamin 4
Josiah 4
Thos. 4
Andrew 3
Daniel 3
David 3
Harold 3
Job 3
Walter 3
Abel 2
Edwin 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Jabez 2
Leonard 2
Manuel 2
Paul 2
Philip 2
Stephen 2
Willm. 2
Cecil 1
Enoch 1
Enos 1
Woodall 1

FAQ

Marson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Marson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,367 people were recorded with the Marson surname. That placed it at #3,001 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Marson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,828 in 2016. That gives Marson a modern rank of #3,466.

What does the Marson surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "marsh town".

What does the Marson map show?

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