NameCensus.

UK surname

Meason

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a meadow or grassy field.

In the 1881 census there were 143 people recorded with the Meason surname, ranking it #15,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 86, ranked #32,570, down from #15,955 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kirkwall and St.Ola, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isles, Powys and Leicester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Meason is 279 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 39.9%.

1881 census count

143

Ranked #15,955

Modern count

86

2016, ranked #32,570

Peak year

1891

279 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 1998

Key insights

  • Meason had 143 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,955 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 86 in 2016, ranked #32,570.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 279 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Meason surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Meason surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Meason 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 130 #14,314
1861 historical 246 #10,010
1881 historical 143 #15,955
1891 historical 279 #11,698
1901 historical 157 #17,577
1911 historical 169 #16,564
1997 modern 111 #25,394
1998 modern 109 #26,273
1999 modern 114 #25,766
2000 modern 102 #27,425
2001 modern 100 #27,402
2002 modern 103 #27,443
2003 modern 95 #28,536
2004 modern 91 #29,345
2005 modern 94 #28,973
2006 modern 93 #29,411
2007 modern 97 #29,156
2008 modern 97 #29,527
2009 modern 88 #31,352
2010 modern 92 #31,366
2011 modern 92 #31,301
2012 modern 86 #32,297
2013 modern 86 #32,557
2014 modern 92 #32,132
2015 modern 87 #32,514
2016 modern 86 #32,570

Geography

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Where Measons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kirkwall and St.Ola, London parishes, St Pancras, Hartlepool and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isles, Powys, Leicester and Thurrock. 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 Kirkwall and St.Ola Orkney
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Hartlepool Durham
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isles Orkney Islands
2 Powys 002 Powys
3 Leicester 003 Leicester
4 Leicester 039 Leicester
5 Thurrock 015 Thurrock

Forenames

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First names often paired with Meason

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Meason

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Meason is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Meason 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

Meason 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 Meason is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Meason

The surname MEASON is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period. The name is thought to be derived from the Old French word "maison," which means "house" or "dwelling." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived in a particular house or was responsible for managing a household or estate.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MEASON can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname may have been present in England during the Norman conquest of the 11th century.

The MEASON name appears to have been particularly prevalent in the regions of Normandy and Brittany in northern France. Some variations of the spelling include Mayson, Meyson, and Meison, which reflects the regional dialects and linguistic evolution of the name over time.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named Robert MEASON (c. 1220-1285) was a prominent landowner and knight who participated in the Seventh Crusade to the Holy Land. His name is recorded in several chronicles and historical accounts from that period.

During the 16th century, a merchant named William MEASON (c. 1510-1578) was a successful trader based in London, England. He was known for his involvement in the export of wool and other textiles to continental Europe.

In the 18th century, a French philosopher and writer named Jean-Baptiste MEASON (1715-1793) gained recognition for his work on political theory and his criticism of the French monarchy before the Revolution.

Another notable individual with the MEASON surname was Sir Thomas MEASON (1792-1872), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became an influential member of Parliament.

The place name "Meason" can also be found in various locations across France and England, potentially reflecting the geographic origins or properties once associated with individuals bearing this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Meason families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Meason 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. Middlesex leads with 38 Measons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.72x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 38 2.72x
Sussex 21 8.93x
Orkney 19 123.86x
Durham 14 3.37x
Staffordshire 12 2.55x
Yorkshire 12 0.87x
Lancashire 5 0.30x
Derbyshire 4 1.83x
Leicestershire 4 2.59x
Cumberland 3 2.50x
Kent 2 0.42x
Northumberland 2 0.96x
Nottinghamshire 2 1.06x
Surrey 2 0.29x
Warwickshire 2 0.57x
Worcestershire 1 0.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Andrews Deerness in Orkney leads with 14 Measons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1728.40x.

Place Total Index
St Andrews Deerness 14 1728.40x
Brighton 13 27.40x
Kensington London 13 16.77x
Handsworth 11 94.83x
Barnsley 10 70.13x
Paddington London 8 15.60x
Stockton On Tees 8 40.00x
Enfield 7 76.50x
Hart 6 594.06x
Crawley 5 2272.73x
Liverpool 5 4.97x
Brimington 4 240.96x
Bromley London 4 13.04x
Poplar London 4 15.20x
Birsay Harray 3 270.27x
Basford 2 23.09x
Birmingham 2 1.71x
Chirton 2 42.55x
Hunsonby Winskill 2 1428.57x
Kirkwall St Ola 2 86.96x
Leicester Newarke 2 246.91x
Leicester St Margaret 2 5.30x
Ramsgate 2 25.74x
Arlington 1 357.14x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.65x
Chelsea London 1 2.38x
Cuckfield 1 42.02x
Denaby 1 128.21x
East Molesey 1 63.29x
Glassonby 1 1250.00x
Kingswinford 1 5.85x
Lewes St John Under 1 312.50x
Newington 1 1.94x
Sheffield 1 2.27x
Yardley 1 21.46x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
George 7
James 6
Thomas 4
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Robert 3
Francis 2
John 2
Abel 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Char. 1
Charles 1
Frank 1
Friend 1
Harry 1
Isaac 1
Jabez 1
Leonard 1
Paul 1
Philip 1
R. 1
Stanley 1
W. 1

FAQ

Meason surname: questions and answers

How common was the Meason surname in 1881?

In 1881, 143 people were recorded with the Meason surname. That placed it at #15,955 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Meason surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 86 in 2016. That gives Meason a modern rank of #32,570.

What does the Meason surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a meadow or grassy field.

What does the Meason map show?

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