NameCensus.

UK surname

Munson

Derived from the Old Norse personal name Magnússon, meaning "son of Magnus."

In the 1881 census there were 664 people recorded with the Munson surname, ranking it #5,418 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,062, ranked #5,497, down from #5,418 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Great and Little Horksley, Wivenhoe and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, South Holland and Colchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Munson is 1,125 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 59.9%.

1881 census count

664

Ranked #5,418

Modern count

1,062

2016, ranked #5,497

Peak year

1999

1,125 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Munson had 664 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,418 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,062 in 2016, ranked #5,497.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,003 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Munson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Munson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Munson 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 447 #5,511
1861 historical 304 #8,340
1881 historical 664 #5,418
1891 historical 707 #5,553
1901 historical 936 #4,988
1911 historical 1,003 #4,537
1997 modern 1,062 #5,227
1998 modern 1,102 #5,255
1999 modern 1,125 #5,202
2000 modern 1,125 #5,175
2001 modern 1,084 #5,234
2002 modern 1,084 #5,339
2003 modern 1,078 #5,269
2004 modern 1,071 #5,300
2005 modern 1,033 #5,399
2006 modern 1,058 #5,302
2007 modern 1,053 #5,378
2008 modern 1,055 #5,407
2009 modern 1,090 #5,359
2010 modern 1,102 #5,427
2011 modern 1,078 #5,465
2012 modern 1,047 #5,510
2013 modern 1,050 #5,601
2014 modern 1,051 #5,618
2015 modern 1,048 #5,587
2016 modern 1,062 #5,497

Geography

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Where Munsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Great and Little Horksley, Wivenhoe, London parishes and Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, South Holland and Colchester. 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 Great and Little Horksley Essex
2 Wivenhoe Essex
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 004 Babergh
2 South Holland 002 South Holland
3 Colchester 011 Colchester
4 Colchester 016 Colchester
5 Colchester 001 Colchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Munson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Munson

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Munson is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Munson 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

Munson falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Munson

The surname Munson has its roots in the Old English language and is derived from the words "mun" meaning "man" and "sunu" meaning "son". This suggests that the name originally referred to someone's son. The name is believed to have originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period, sometime between the 5th and 11th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Munson can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Munessune" in records from the county of Yorkshire.

In the 13th century, the name was also recorded in various forms such as "Munessone" and "Munsone" in medieval charters and legal documents from various regions of England.

The Munson surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir John Munson (c. 1330-1390), a prominent English landowner and military commander who served in the Hundred Years' War under King Edward III.

Another notable bearer of the name was Robert Munson (1541-1612), an English Puritan clergyman who played a significant role in the early years of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in America. He served as one of the first ministers of the First Church in New Haven, Connecticut.

In the 17th century, the Munson surname was also found in various place names, such as Munson's Hill in Virginia, which was named after a settler named Thomas Munson.

During the 18th century, Lester Munson (1712-1788), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Vermont, contributed to the establishment of the town of Munson in that state.

Another notable figure was Benjamin Munson (1822-1887), an American physician and politician who served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and the Wisconsin State Senate in the mid-19th century.

Over the centuries, the Munson surname has been associated with various occupations and fields, including agriculture, military service, religion, politics, and medicine, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have borne this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Munson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Munson 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 354 Munsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.40x.

County Total Index
Essex 354 27.40x
Middlesex 66 1.01x
Suffolk 55 6.90x
Lincolnshire 45 4.30x
Surrey 31 0.97x
Kent 30 1.34x
Norfolk 19 1.89x
Hampshire 11 0.82x
Cambridgeshire 10 2.41x
Durham 8 0.41x
Hertfordshire 7 1.55x
Yorkshire 7 0.11x
Channel Islands 6 3.09x
Lancashire 5 0.06x
Gloucestershire 4 0.31x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.49x
Midlothian 2 0.23x
Berkshire 1 0.20x
Devon 1 0.07x
Leicestershire 1 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.11x
Orkney 1 1.39x
Oxfordshire 1 0.25x
Royal Navy 1 1.28x
Staffordshire 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. Langham in Essex leads with 26 Munsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1721.85x.

Place Total Index
Langham 26 1721.85x
Mile End 26 1101.69x
Boxted 25 1351.35x
Lexden 23 443.16x
Wivenhoe 22 428.85x
Gedney 19 444.96x
Great Horkesley 18 1011.24x
Colchester St Peter 17 328.82x
Bromley London 15 10.42x
Colchester St Mary At 15 327.51x
Layer De La Hay 15 974.03x
Woolwich 15 18.18x
Bermondsey 14 7.18x
Little Horkesley 13 2888.89x
Colchester St Leonard 12 288.46x
Barking 11 29.10x
Mildenhall 11 129.87x
West Mersea 11 443.55x
Great Grimsby 10 15.06x
Islington London 10 1.58x
Stutton 10 826.45x
Dovercourt 9 198.24x
Greenstead 9 478.72x
Rettendon 9 559.01x
Colchester St Giles 8 62.65x
Minster In Sheppey 8 21.62x
Poplar London 8 6.48x
Southampton St Michael 8 181.00x
Walsoken 8 132.23x
Ardleigh 7 195.53x
Bentley 7 769.23x
Brightlingsea 7 94.85x
Chelmsford 7 31.57x
Colchester Holy Trinity 7 243.90x
Eston 7 49.54x
Great Wigborough 7 1166.67x
Hemel Hempstead 7 34.43x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 7 155.56x
Little Bentley 7 985.92x
Little Clacton 7 510.95x
Colchester St Botolph 6 54.60x
Colne Engaine 6 512.82x
Felstead 6 135.44x
St Helier 6 9.50x
St Marylebone London 6 1.72x
Chelsea London 5 2.54x
Hadleigh 5 64.68x
Sutton St Mary 5 50.51x
Clapham 4 4.89x
Escomb 4 44.69x
Great Yarmouth 4 4.80x
Hackney London 4 1.09x
Kingston On Thames 4 5.22x
Leigh 4 136.99x
Lutton 4 231.21x
Tattingstone 4 325.20x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 3 2.65x
Camberwell 3 0.72x
Dedham 3 76.53x
Fulham London 3 3.16x
Paddington London 3 1.25x
St Pancras London 3 0.57x
Sudbury All Sts 3 123.46x
Westoe 3 2.72x
Battersea 2 0.83x
Bourton On The Hill 2 196.08x
Boxford 2 135.14x
Broughton In Salford 2 2.82x
Bury St Edmunds St James 2 9.39x
Cheltenham 2 2.02x
Clee With Weelsby 2 8.73x
Grantham 2 14.66x
Ipswich St Clement 2 9.87x
Nayland 2 99.01x
North Leith 2 4.93x
Oldham 2 0.80x
Polstead 2 107.53x
Tilney St Lawrence 2 123.46x
Walpole St Peter 2 78.43x
West Ham 2 0.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 40
George 29
James 26
John 23
Robert 23
Henry 20
Arthur 18
Joseph 17
Benjamin 12
Charles 11
Thomas 10
Walter 10
Albert 7
Richard 7
Harry 6
Daniel 5
David 5
Edward 5
Alfred 4
Frederick 3
Fredk. 3
Herbert 3
Abel 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Fredrick 2
Isaac 2
Alexander 1
Alferd 1
Archibald 1
Bertie 1
C. 1
Chas. 1
Danl. 1
Elias 1
Elijah 1
Ephraim 1
Fredric 1
G. 1
Hector 1
Infant 1
Joshua 1
Mury 1
Oscar 1
Philip 1
Rbt. 1
Roswell 1
Sidney 1
Simon 1
Wm.Jas. 1

FAQ

Munson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Munson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 664 people were recorded with the Munson surname. That placed it at #5,418 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Munson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,062 in 2016. That gives Munson a modern rank of #5,497.

What does the Munson surname mean?

Derived from the Old Norse personal name Magnússon, meaning "son of Magnus."

What does the Munson map show?

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