NameCensus.

UK surname

Mitson

A surname derived from a medieval personal name comprised of a diminutive form of the name Matthew.

In the 1881 census there were 226 people recorded with the Mitson surname, ranking it #11,889 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 382, ranked #12,292, down from #11,889 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Clare, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chelmsford, St Edmundsbury and Babergh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mitson is 450 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 69.0%.

1881 census count

226

Ranked #11,889

Modern count

382

2016, ranked #12,292

Peak year

1998

450 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mitson had 226 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,889 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 382 in 2016, ranked #12,292.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 432 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Mitson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mitson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mitson 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 152 #12,786
1861 historical 143 #15,906
1881 historical 226 #11,889
1891 historical 313 #10,723
1901 historical 360 #10,212
1911 historical 432 #8,779
1997 modern 430 #10,423
1998 modern 450 #10,409
1999 modern 436 #10,738
2000 modern 423 #10,941
2001 modern 409 #11,032
2002 modern 410 #11,226
2003 modern 390 #11,467
2004 modern 399 #11,297
2005 modern 382 #11,591
2006 modern 381 #11,644
2007 modern 380 #11,820
2008 modern 378 #11,993
2009 modern 402 #11,682
2010 modern 405 #11,874
2011 modern 401 #11,843
2012 modern 386 #12,037
2013 modern 390 #12,151
2014 modern 387 #12,299
2015 modern 390 #12,139
2016 modern 382 #12,292

Geography

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Where Mitsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Clare, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Chesterfield and Yeldham, Little. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chelmsford, St Edmundsbury, Babergh and Braintree. 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 Clare Suffolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Chesterfield Derbyshire
5 Yeldham, Little Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chelmsford 001 Chelmsford
2 St Edmundsbury 010 St Edmundsbury
3 Babergh 002 Babergh
4 St Edmundsbury 007 St Edmundsbury
5 Braintree 007 Braintree

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mitson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mitson

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Mitson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mitson is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mitson falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mitson

The surname Mitson is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval era. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "miht" meaning "might" or "power," and "sunu" meaning "son." This suggests that the name was initially given as a descriptive term, referencing a powerful or mighty son.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mitson can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from 1179, where a person named Robert Mitson is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already in use by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the Mitson surname appeared in various historical records, including the Curia Regis Rolls of 1201, which mention a William Mitson from Oxfordshire. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also reference a John Mitson from Cambridgeshire.

During the medieval period, the name Mitson was primarily concentrated in the counties of Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, and Cambridgeshire, though it also had a presence in other parts of England. Variations in spelling, such as Mytson and Myttson, were common due to the inconsistencies in record-keeping at the time.

One notable historical figure bearing the Mitson surname was Sir John Mitson (c. 1350-1418), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Worcestershire in the early 15th century.

In the 16th century, the Mitson name appeared in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, with the baptism of Thomas Mitson in 1587.

Another influential individual with the Mitson surname was Reverend Thomas Mitson (1636-1704), an English clergyman and author who served as the Vicar of Kidderminster and wrote several theological works.

During the 17th century, the Mitson name was also found in various locations across England, including Oxfordshire, where William Mitson (1621-1688) was a renowned scholar and Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.

In the 18th century, the Mitson surname continued to be present in various parts of England, with records indicating families bearing the name in counties such as Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire.

One notable figure from this period was Sir John Mitson (1706-1772), a successful merchant and landowner from Worcestershire, who served as the High Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1758.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mitson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mitson 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. Essex leads with 71 Mitsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.61x.

County Total Index
Essex 71 16.61x
Norfolk 36 10.81x
Suffolk 29 11.00x
Middlesex 28 1.29x
Lancashire 18 0.70x
Kent 17 2.30x
Surrey 14 1.33x
Cambridgeshire 5 3.65x
Staffordshire 3 0.41x
Yorkshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Little Yeldham in Essex leads with 21 Mitsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 10000.00x.

Place Total Index
Little Yeldham 21 10000.00x
Kenninghall 19 2087.91x
Chelmsford 15 204.64x
Birdbrook 11 2558.14x
Great Little Marsden 9 76.47x
Newmarket St Mary 9 445.54x
Kensington London 8 6.65x
Lee 8 74.56x
Norwich St Julian 8 571.43x
Castleton 7 27.28x
Great Finborough 7 2258.06x
Lewisham 7 17.77x
Newington 7 8.75x
St George In East 7 47.52x
Heigham 6 33.58x
Stanford Rivers 6 833.33x
Ridgwell 5 1020.41x
Barling 4 1481.48x
Great Wratting 4 1379.31x
Shoreditch London 4 4.26x
St George Hanover 4 14.15x
Tillingham 4 533.33x
Lambeth 3 1.59x
Leek Lowe 3 30.86x
Little Wakering 3 1250.00x
Stoke By Clare 3 909.09x
Wisbech St Peter 3 43.60x
Attleborough 2 119.05x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 2 40.40x
Camberwell 2 1.45x
Clare 2 158.73x
Kingston On Thames 2 7.89x
St Luke London 2 5.76x
Whalley 2 53.48x
Bexley 1 15.31x
Bury St Edmunds St James 1 14.20x
Colchester St Peter 1 58.48x
Dartford 1 13.25x
Ealing 1 5.17x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 1 16.72x
Great Langton 1 1000.00x
Haverhill 1 42.74x
Manea 1 116.28x
St Clement Danes 1 28.49x
St Marylebone London 1 0.87x
Walsoken 1 50.00x
West Ham 1 1.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Sarah 9
Emma 6
Alice 5
Edith 4
Elizabeth 4
Ellen 4
Emily 4
Jane 4
Ann 3
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Harriett 3
Ada 2
Flora 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Rachel 2
Susan 2
Amelia 1
Anna 1
Annah 1
Clara 1
E.A. 1
E.M. 1
E.M.M. 1
Elisabeth 1
Ester 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
J. 1
Lilian 1
Lousia 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Milly 1
Ruth 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 15
John 13
George 11
James 8
Arthur 6
Charles 6
Henry 5
Alfred 4
Samuel 4
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Joseph 3
Robert 3
Thomas 3
Albert 2
Elijah 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
J. 2
Willm. 2
Chares 1
Chas. 1
Christie 1
Daniel 1
E.A. 1
Edward 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Horace 1
Ian 1
Major 1
Moses 1
R.C. 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Mitson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mitson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 226 people were recorded with the Mitson surname. That placed it at #11,889 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mitson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 382 in 2016. That gives Mitson a modern rank of #12,292.

What does the Mitson surname mean?

A surname derived from a medieval personal name comprised of a diminutive form of the name Matthew.

What does the Mitson map show?

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