NameCensus.

UK surname

Morson

A locational surname denoting someone from Morston in Norfolk, England.

In the 1881 census there were 297 people recorded with the Morson surname, ranking it #9,792 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 661, ranked #8,066, up from #9,792 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Lewisham and Bedworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Northamptonshire, Sunderland and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Morson is 696 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 122.6%.

1881 census count

297

Ranked #9,792

Modern count

661

2016, ranked #8,066

Peak year

2010

696 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Morson had 297 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,792 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 661 in 2016, ranked #8,066.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 439 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Morson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Morson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Morson 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 205 #10,223
1861 historical 438 #5,884
1881 historical 297 #9,792
1891 historical 439 #8,224
1901 historical 429 #9,018
1911 historical 411 #9,112
1997 modern 645 #7,704
1998 modern 663 #7,791
1999 modern 678 #7,703
2000 modern 685 #7,618
2001 modern 665 #7,662
2002 modern 680 #7,690
2003 modern 653 #7,809
2004 modern 648 #7,861
2005 modern 644 #7,827
2006 modern 646 #7,844
2007 modern 654 #7,827
2008 modern 664 #7,782
2009 modern 683 #7,791
2010 modern 696 #7,815
2011 modern 692 #7,748
2012 modern 667 #7,907
2013 modern 670 #8,010
2014 modern 676 #8,000
2015 modern 657 #8,121
2016 modern 661 #8,066

Geography

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Where Morsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Lewisham, Bedworth, Darfield and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Northamptonshire, Sunderland, County Durham, Rochdale and High Peak. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Lewisham London (South Districts)
3 Bedworth Warwickshire
4 Darfield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Northamptonshire 003 East Northamptonshire
2 Sunderland 009 Sunderland
3 County Durham 019 County Durham
4 Rochdale 025 Rochdale
5 High Peak 011 High Peak

Forenames

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First names often paired with Morson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Morson

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Morson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Morson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Morson 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

Morson 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

Morson falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Morson

The surname Morson originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the Old English words "mor" meaning "marsh" and "sunu" meaning "son." It was a locational name given to individuals residing near a marsh or fen.

Morson is believed to have first appeared in records from the county of Lancashire in northern England. The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the late 12th century in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, where a William Morson is mentioned.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Morson, Morison, and Morysone. These variations reflect the different ways the name was spelled and pronounced at the time. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a Thomas Morson residing in Oxfordshire.

During the 14th century, the Morson family had established roots in several regions of England, including Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 record a John Morson living in Gloucestershire.

One notable bearer of the Morson name was Thomas Morson (c. 1557-1592), an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for his religious beliefs. He was beatified by the Catholic Church in 1987.

In the 17th century, the Morson family continued to spread across England. John Morson (1620-1676) was a prominent English royalist and landowner from Lincolnshire, known for his support of King Charles I during the English Civil War.

Another member of the Morson family was Robert Morson (1681-1755), an English churchman who served as the Archdeacon of Durham and Rector of Sedgefield in County Durham.

During the 18th century, the Morson surname gained prominence in the field of medicine. Thomas Morson (1714-1785) was an English surgeon and author of several medical treatises. His son, Thomas Morson Jr. (1744-1803), followed in his footsteps and became a renowned physician in London.

In the 19th century, the Morson name was associated with the pharmaceutical industry. Thomas Northmore Morson (1799-1865) was a prominent English chemist and founder of Morson & Son, a successful pharmaceutical company based in London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Morson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Morson 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. Durham leads with 69 Morsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.01x.

County Total Index
Durham 69 8.01x
Kent 38 3.84x
Northamptonshire 30 11.01x
Yorkshire 29 1.01x
Warwickshire 28 3.83x
Middlesex 18 0.62x
Lancashire 16 0.47x
Leicestershire 14 4.36x
Radnorshire 12 51.35x
Lanarkshire 8 0.85x
Wigtownshire 6 15.60x
Nottinghamshire 5 1.28x
Glamorgan 4 0.79x
Stirlingshire 4 3.74x
Staffordshire 3 0.31x
Cumberland 2 0.80x
Sussex 2 0.41x
Ayrshire 1 0.46x
Derbyshire 1 0.22x
Gloucestershire 1 0.18x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.74x
Midlothian 1 0.26x
Monmouthshire 1 0.48x
Renfrewshire 1 0.45x
Surrey 1 0.07x
Wiltshire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lewisham in Kent leads with 27 Morsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.22x.

Place Total Index
Lewisham 27 51.22x
Hemington 18 11250.00x
Glascomb 12 3076.92x
Kirkby Mallory Earl 12 779.22x
Worsbrough 12 142.69x
Witton Le Wear 10 409.84x
Kyo 9 221.67x
Witton Gilbert 9 264.71x
Crook Billy Row 8 72.46x
Dartford 8 79.13x
St Pancras London 8 3.43x
Bulkington 7 443.04x
Hamilton 7 26.79x
Barnsley 6 20.26x
Kirkcolm 6 326.09x
Monks Kirby 6 372.67x
Newton Cap 6 447.76x
Stranton 6 20.68x
Ardwick 5 16.12x
Drypool 5 113.64x
Layton With Warbreck 5 39.62x
Luddington 5 5555.56x
Toxteth Park 5 4.30x
Bedworth 4 75.05x
Campsie 4 68.26x
Cowbridge 4 327.87x
Hammersmith London 4 5.60x
Rugby 4 40.49x
Trimdon 4 131.15x
Chester Le Street 3 45.32x
Coventry Holy Trinity 3 13.75x
Framwellgate 3 58.71x
Fulwell 3 576.92x
Hampstead London 3 6.65x
Oundle 3 98.36x
Selston 3 68.81x
Birmingham 2 0.82x
Bromley 2 13.27x
Drayton Bassett 2 454.55x
Earl Shilton 2 285.71x
Pocklington 2 73.80x
Standard Hill 2 215.05x
Sunderland 2 13.14x
Thrapston 2 145.99x
Whitehaven 2 15.05x
Willington 2 40.16x
Arley 1 476.19x
Ballantrae 1 69.93x
Brighton 1 1.01x
Cadder 1 14.45x
Chellaston 1 204.08x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.31x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.71x
Edinburgh St Johns 1 40.82x
Edmonton 1 4.28x
Hackney London 1 0.62x
Hastings St Mary 1 8.22x
Holmside 1 47.17x
Houghton Le Spring 1 16.78x
Hunwick Helmington 1 48.31x
Masham 1 94.34x
Osmotherley 1 212.77x
Over Whitacre 1 344.83x
Polebrook 1 222.22x
Renfrew 1 13.50x
Ripon 1 15.02x
Sawtry All Sts 1 149.25x
Sheffield 1 1.09x
Southwark St Saviour 1 6.72x
Southwick 1 384.62x
St George Martyr 1 20.49x
St Woollos 1 4.28x
Thornbury 1 25.77x
Trowbridge 1 8.83x
Westerton 1 217.39x
Wolverhampton 1 1.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Jane 9
Sarah 9
Elizabeth 7
Annie 5
Margaret 5
Clara 4
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Isabella 4
Martha 4
Eliza 3
Lucy 3
Ada 2
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Emily 2
Julia 2
Matilda 2
Mercy 2
Rose 2
Selina 2
Alice 1
Annabella 1
Catherine 1
Christina 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Georgina 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriott 1
Kezia 1
Laura 1
Leah 1
Louisa 1
Luisa 1
M.A. 1
Mabel 1
Margt. 1
Margt.J. 1
Maud 1
May 1
Polly 1
Theresa 1
Thomason 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 24
William 17
George 14
Thomas 13
Joseph 7
Edward 6
Cuthbert 5
Samuel 5
Frederick 4
Henry 4
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Charles 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Elija 2
Farrer 2
Frears 2
Harry 2
James 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Alexander 1
Alice 1
Ambrose 1
Arthur 1
Charlie 1
Chas.Fredk. 1
Christopher 1
Cuth. 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Fredk. 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Jno. 1
Leonard 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Patrick 1
Richard 1
Sam 1
Stanley 1
Tom 1
Watson 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Morson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Morson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 297 people were recorded with the Morson surname. That placed it at #9,792 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Morson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 661 in 2016. That gives Morson a modern rank of #8,066.

What does the Morson surname mean?

A locational surname denoting someone from Morston in Norfolk, England.

What does the Morson map show?

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