NameCensus.

UK surname

Osment

An English surname derived from the Old English words "os" meaning "ox" and "man" possibly indicating a former oxherd or cattle-herder.

In the 1881 census there were 131 people recorded with the Osment surname, ranking it #16,824 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 277, ranked #15,619, up from #16,824 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Caundle Bishop, Caundle Marsh, Folke, St Mary Stoke Newington and Preston (incl. Sutton Poyntz). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Somerset, Wiltshire and West Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Osment is 326 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 111.5%.

1881 census count

131

Ranked #16,824

Modern count

277

2016, ranked #15,619

Peak year

1998

326 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Osment had 131 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,824 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 277 in 2016, ranked #15,619.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 263 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Osment surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Osment surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Osment 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 103 #16,835
1861 historical 109 #19,693
1881 historical 131 #16,824
1891 historical 187 #15,679
1901 historical 251 #13,102
1911 historical 263 #12,473
1997 modern 314 #13,136
1998 modern 326 #13,146
1999 modern 323 #13,315
2000 modern 312 #13,561
2001 modern 302 #13,668
2002 modern 324 #13,305
2003 modern 311 #13,501
2004 modern 323 #13,230
2005 modern 302 #13,788
2006 modern 304 #13,797
2007 modern 296 #14,172
2008 modern 293 #14,364
2009 modern 298 #14,480
2010 modern 304 #14,591
2011 modern 298 #14,666
2012 modern 296 #14,635
2013 modern 305 #14,577
2014 modern 300 #14,839
2015 modern 286 #15,270
2016 modern 277 #15,619

Geography

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Where Osments are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Caundle Bishop, Caundle Marsh, Folke, St Mary Stoke Newington, Preston (incl. Sutton Poyntz), London parishes and Lullington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Somerset, Wiltshire, West Dorset and Gloucester. 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 Caundle Bishop, Caundle Marsh, Folke Dorset
2 St Mary Stoke Newington London (North Districts)
3 Preston (incl. Sutton Poyntz) Dorset
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lullington Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Somerset 003 North Somerset
2 Wiltshire 047 Wiltshire
3 West Dorset 001 West Dorset
4 West Dorset 002 West Dorset
5 Gloucester 001 Gloucester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Osment

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Osment

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Osment is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Osment is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Osment 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 Osment 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 Osment, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Osment

The surname Osment is of English origin, and it can be traced back to the medieval period, specifically the 13th century. It is believed to have originated in the county of Somerset, located in the southwestern region of England.

One theory about the etymology of the name Osment suggests that it derived from the Old English words "os" and "mund," which together mean "divine protection." This implies that the surname may have initially referred to a person who was considered to be under divine protection or guidance.

Another possible origin of the name Osment is that it is a variant spelling of the surname "Osmond," which has its roots in the Old English personal name "Osmund." This name was composed of the elements "os" meaning "god" and "mund" meaning "protection."

Early records of the Osment surname can be found in various historical documents, including the Hundred Rolls of Somersetshire from 1273, where it is spelled as "Osmund." The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England compiled in 1086, does not directly mention the Osment surname, but it does record places that may have influenced the name's development, such as the village of Osmington in Dorset.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Osment was John Osment, who was born in Somerset around 1450. Another notable figure was William Osment, a merchant and landowner from Dorset, who lived in the late 16th century and was involved in the wool trade.

In the 17th century, the Osment surname appeared in various parishes across England, including those in Somerset, Dorset, and Devon. One notable bearer of the name during this period was Robert Osment, a yeoman farmer from Somerset, who was born in 1620 and died in 1685.

In the 18th century, the Osment family had a presence in the town of Bridgwater, Somerset. One member of this family was John Osment, a prominent merchant and ship owner, who was born in 1725 and died in 1802.

Another individual of note was Elizabeth Osment, an English writer and poet who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. She was born in Somerset in 1768 and published several works, including a collection of poems titled "The Village Muse" in 1799.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Osment families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Osment 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 41 Osments recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.07x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 41 3.07x
Dorset 27 30.79x
Hampshire 25 9.13x
Somerset 16 7.44x
Devon 9 3.24x
Surrey 8 1.23x
Channel Islands 6 15.15x
Kent 3 0.66x
Glamorgan 1 0.43x
Lancashire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Newington London in Middlesex leads with 23 Osments recorded in 1881 and an index of 220.94x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Newington London 23 220.94x
Christchurch 22 370.37x
Hackney London 13 17.35x
Preston 13 4062.50x
Beckington 8 1904.76x
St Helier 6 46.55x
Poole St James 5 151.52x
Exeter Heavitree 4 193.24x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 14.88x
Batcombe 3 1071.43x
Folke 3 2500.00x
Sherborne 3 116.28x
Wye 3 422.54x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 2 281.69x
Exeter St Paul 2 363.64x
Islington London 2 1.54x
Milford 2 250.00x
Newington 2 4.05x
Camberwell 1 1.17x
Castle Cary 1 106.38x
Elm 1 625.00x
Exeter Holy Trinity 1 91.74x
Exeter St David 1 42.02x
Fordington 1 52.91x
Greenford 1 400.00x
Hornblotton 1 2000.00x
Kensington London 1 1.35x
Lambeth 1 0.86x
Lullington 1 1666.67x
Portsea 1 1.86x
Road 1 384.62x
Silverton 1 172.41x
St Giles In Fields 1 21.69x
Swansea St Thomas 1 42.74x
West Derby 1 2.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 12
George 7
John 6
James 4
Henry 3
Robert 3
Robt. 3
Albert 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Eli 2
Herbert 2
Israel 2
Arthur 1
Chas. 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Joseph 1
Mark 1
Phillip 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1
Thos.C. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Osment surname: questions and answers

How common was the Osment surname in 1881?

In 1881, 131 people were recorded with the Osment surname. That placed it at #16,824 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Osment surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 277 in 2016. That gives Osment a modern rank of #15,619.

What does the Osment surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English words "os" meaning "ox" and "man" possibly indicating a former oxherd or cattle-herder.

What does the Osment map show?

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