NameCensus.

UK surname

Newson

A patronymic surname meaning "son of the new man," referring to a newcomer or stranger to a village.

In the 1881 census there were 1,888 people recorded with the Newson surname, ranking it #2,308 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,287, ranked #2,837, down from #2,308 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and Gorleston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Suffolk Coastal and Waveney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Newson is 2,642 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.1%.

1881 census count

1,888

Ranked #2,308

Modern count

2,287

2016, ranked #2,837

Peak year

1911

2,642 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Newson had 1,888 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,308 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,287 in 2016, ranked #2,837.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,642 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Newson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Newson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Newson 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 1,508 #1,901
1861 historical 1,794 #1,615
1881 historical 1,888 #2,308
1891 historical 2,173 #2,152
1901 historical 2,329 #2,335
1911 historical 2,642 #1,950
1997 modern 2,443 #2,573
1998 modern 2,501 #2,614
1999 modern 2,491 #2,644
2000 modern 2,484 #2,632
2001 modern 2,427 #2,630
2002 modern 2,457 #2,664
2003 modern 2,410 #2,647
2004 modern 2,385 #2,673
2005 modern 2,303 #2,719
2006 modern 2,304 #2,718
2007 modern 2,259 #2,784
2008 modern 2,298 #2,773
2009 modern 2,342 #2,788
2010 modern 2,388 #2,795
2011 modern 2,330 #2,827
2012 modern 2,303 #2,805
2013 modern 2,356 #2,793
2014 modern 2,349 #2,821
2015 modern 2,318 #2,820
2016 modern 2,287 #2,837

Geography

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Where Newsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, Gorleston and Ipswich St Mary Stoke. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Suffolk Coastal and Waveney. 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gorleston Suffolk
4 Ipswich St Mary Stoke Suffolk
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Suffolk Coastal 003 Suffolk Coastal
2 Suffolk Coastal 004 Suffolk Coastal
3 Suffolk Coastal 001 Suffolk Coastal
4 Suffolk Coastal 002 Suffolk Coastal
5 Waveney 010 Waveney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Newson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Newson

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

Newson is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Newson falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Newson

The surname Newson is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "neowe" meaning "new" and "sunu" meaning "son." It likely originated in the late 12th or early 13th century as a descriptive name given to someone who was considered the "new son" or newcomer to a particular area or community.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1211, where it is listed as Newesun. Other early variations include Newsone (1275) and Newson (1327). These variations suggest that the name was initially pronounced as "New-sun" before evolving into its modern form.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are no direct references to the surname Newson, but there are mentions of places that may have contributed to its development, such as Newtown in Wiltshire and Newhall in Derbyshire.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was John Newson, who was born in Northamptonshire in 1456. He was a prominent landowner and served as a magistrate in the county. Another notable figure was Thomas Newson (1542-1617), a clergyman who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham.

During the English Civil War (1642-1651), a Captain Newson is mentioned in historical records as serving in the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. Additionally, in the 18th century, a wealthy merchant named Edward Newson (1698-1774) established a successful trading company in Bristol, England.

Another significant bearer of the name was Sir Henry Newson (1820-1892), a British naval officer and explorer who served in the Royal Navy. He was instrumental in mapping and surveying various parts of the world, including the Pacific Islands and the Arctic regions.

Throughout history, the Newson surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, from clergymen and landowners to merchants and military personnel. While initially concentrated in the English counties of Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, and Nottinghamshire, the name has since spread to other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Newson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Newson 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. Suffolk leads with 680 Newsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.26x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 680 30.26x
Middlesex 371 2.01x
Norfolk 202 7.12x
Surrey 198 2.20x
Kent 84 1.33x
Essex 70 1.92x
Yorkshire 59 0.32x
Lancashire 42 0.19x
Devon 26 0.68x
Durham 22 0.40x
Lincolnshire 18 0.61x
Warwickshire 18 0.39x
Hertfordshire 14 1.10x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.48x
Cheshire 11 0.27x
Cambridgeshire 10 0.86x
Berkshire 7 0.51x
Leicestershire 7 0.34x
Sussex 7 0.23x
Cornwall 4 0.19x
Hampshire 4 0.11x
Derbyshire 3 0.10x
Glamorgan 3 0.09x
Northamptonshire 3 0.17x
Oxfordshire 3 0.26x
Staffordshire 3 0.05x
Northumberland 2 0.07x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.06x
Bedfordshire 1 0.10x
Dorset 1 0.08x
Gloucestershire 1 0.03x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.17x
Royal Navy 1 0.45x
Somerset 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lowestoft in Suffolk leads with 76 Newsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 71.60x.

Place Total Index
Lowestoft 76 71.60x
Camberwell 55 4.67x
Great Yarmouth 53 22.56x
Shoreditch London 50 6.25x
Gorleston 44 77.08x
Mile End Old Town 33 11.33x
Framlingham 28 175.55x
Tottenham 28 9.53x
Hackney London 27 2.61x
Islington London 27 1.51x
Woodbridge 25 87.05x
Deptford St Paul 24 4.94x
Bethnal Green London 23 2.87x
West Ham 22 2.74x
Felixstow 20 365.63x
Aldeby 19 467.98x
Carbrooke 18 466.32x
Lambeth 18 1.12x
Worlingworth 18 443.35x
Rotherhithe 17 7.46x
Newington 16 2.35x
Peasenhall 16 293.04x
Yoxford 16 238.81x
Ipswich St Clement 15 26.27x
Southwold 15 112.78x
Southwark St George Martyr 14 3.77x
Wickhampton 14 1505.38x
Clapham 13 5.64x
Darsham 13 474.45x
Great Crosby 13 21.78x
Plympton Maurice 13 179.06x
Bow London 12 5.11x
Halesworth 12 75.33x
Hingham 12 122.20x
Ipswich St Margaret 12 15.74x
Ipswich St Mathew 12 19.06x
Ipswich St Peter 12 39.67x
Lewisham 12 3.58x
St George Hanover 12 4.98x
Westleton 12 227.70x
Beccles 11 30.42x
Benhall 11 279.90x
Middleton 11 345.91x
Sutton In Ashfield 11 20.39x
Enfield 10 8.26x
Little Glemham 10 584.80x
North Lopham 10 226.24x
St Pancras London 10 0.67x
Barnes 9 23.68x
Campsea Ash 9 371.90x
Cliffe 9 63.38x
East Harling 9 133.73x
Hampstead London 9 3.13x
Kensington London 9 0.88x
Rushmere 9 184.05x
St Marylebone London 9 0.91x
Weston 9 532.54x
Wickham Market 9 96.88x
Battersea 8 1.18x
Debenham 8 107.24x
Diss 8 32.91x
East Molesey 8 38.37x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 8 15.70x
Farnham 8 683.76x
Flamstead 8 68.32x
Great Grimsby 8 4.27x
Hadleigh 8 36.70x
Kingston On Thames 8 3.71x
Knodishall 8 282.69x
Saffron Walden 8 20.80x
Scoulton 8 388.35x
St George Bloomsbury 8 7.56x
Berners Roothing 7 1296.30x
Clare 7 65.06x
Limehouse London 7 3.46x
Melton 7 79.10x
Oulton 7 92.23x
Plumstead 7 3.34x
St Luke London 7 2.37x
Wargrave 7 58.82x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 133
John 93
George 69
James 57
Henry 55
Thomas 41
Charles 39
Robert 35
Alfred 30
Frederick 28
Samuel 26
Walter 21
Arthur 20
Edward 19
Benjamin 15
Richard 14
Albert 12
Joseph 12
Harry 11
Ernest 10
Herbert 9
David 8
Stephen 7
Francis 6
Fred 5
Frank 4
Willm. 4
Wm. 4
Chas. 3
Fredrick 3
Isaac 3
Jesse 3
Joshua 3
Mathew 3
Robt. 3
Abel 2
Allan 2
Amos 2
Auther 2
Cornelius 2
Geo. 2
H. 2
Jas. 2
Jonathan 2
Leonard 2
Mark 2
Reginald 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Willain 2

FAQ

Newson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Newson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,888 people were recorded with the Newson surname. That placed it at #2,308 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Newson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,287 in 2016. That gives Newson a modern rank of #2,837.

What does the Newson surname mean?

A patronymic surname meaning "son of the new man," referring to a newcomer or stranger to a village.

What does the Newson map show?

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