NameCensus.

UK surname

Paulson

Son of Paul, an English patronymic surname derived from the given name Paul.

In the 1881 census there were 332 people recorded with the Paulson surname, ranking it #9,058 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 514, ranked #9,806, down from #9,058 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Werburgh and Hucknall Torkard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derby, Lincoln and Leicester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Paulson is 514 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.8%.

1881 census count

332

Ranked #9,058

Modern count

514

2016, ranked #9,806

Peak year

2016

514 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Paulson had 332 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,058 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 514 in 2016, ranked #9,806.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 480 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Paulson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Paulson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Paulson 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 258 #8,568
1861 historical 461 #5,634
1881 historical 332 #9,058
1891 historical 423 #8,465
1901 historical 446 #8,767
1911 historical 480 #8,076
1997 modern 449 #10,094
1998 modern 462 #10,201
1999 modern 464 #10,216
2000 modern 479 #9,951
2001 modern 457 #10,113
2002 modern 475 #10,014
2003 modern 455 #10,201
2004 modern 453 #10,251
2005 modern 445 #10,295
2006 modern 442 #10,388
2007 modern 440 #10,533
2008 modern 450 #10,416
2009 modern 454 #10,590
2010 modern 474 #10,461
2011 modern 476 #10,333
2012 modern 475 #10,232
2013 modern 491 #10,158
2014 modern 504 #10,023
2015 modern 503 #9,956
2016 modern 514 #9,806

Geography

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Where Paulsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Werburgh, Hucknall Torkard, Manchester and Nottingham St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derby, Lincoln, Leicester, Erewash and West Lindsey. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 St Werburgh Derbyshire
3 Hucknall Torkard Nottinghamshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derby 020 Derby
2 Lincoln 004 Lincoln
3 Leicester 028 Leicester
4 Erewash 011 Erewash
5 West Lindsey 011 West Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Paulson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Paulson

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Paulson 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

Paulson 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

Paulson 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 Paulson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Paulson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Paulson

The surname Paulson has its roots in Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden and Norway. It originated from a patronymic naming system, where "son" was added to the father's first name to indicate lineage. In this case, "Paulson" means "son of Paul."

The name Paul itself has its origins in the Latin name Paulus, which was derived from the Roman family name Paulli. It was a common practice among early Christians to adopt the name Paul in honor of the apostle Paul, who played a significant role in spreading Christianity throughout the Roman Empire.

Paulson is believed to have first appeared in written records during the medieval period, particularly in Scandinavian chronicles and parish registers. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of Norwegian medieval documents, dating back to the 13th century.

In England, the name Paulson appeared in various forms, such as Paulinson and Paullinson, reflecting the influence of Scandinavian settlers in the region. The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Paulson, but it does include entries for individuals with the given name Paul.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Paulson was Hans Paulson, a Swedish clergyman who lived in the 16th century. Another notable figure was Jöns Paulson, a Swedish politician and landowner who served as a member of the Riksdag (Swedish parliament) in the 17th century.

In the United States, the name Paulson can be traced back to the early waves of Scandinavian immigration in the 19th century. One of the most famous individuals bearing this surname was Henry Paulson, an American banker and politician who served as the 74th United States Secretary of the Treasury from 2006 to 2009 under President George W. Bush.

Other notable individuals with the surname Paulson include:

1. Gunnar Paulson (1919-2009), a Swedish chess grandmaster. 2. Sarah Paulson (born 1974), an American actress known for her roles in films and television series such as "American Horror Story" and "Ratched." 3. Terry Paulson (born 1949), an American motivational speaker and author. 4. Heikki Paulson (1922-2011), a Finnish writer and journalist. 5. Björn Paulson (born 1953), a Swedish businessman and professional poker player.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Paulson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Paulson 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 128 Paulsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.32x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 128 29.32x
Derbyshire 40 7.89x
Middlesex 39 1.20x
Lancashire 27 0.70x
Lincolnshire 26 5.02x
Leicestershire 12 3.34x
Cheshire 10 1.40x
Sussex 9 1.65x
Warwickshire 7 0.86x
Yorkshire 7 0.22x
Surrey 6 0.38x
Kent 5 0.45x
Northumberland 5 1.04x
Staffordshire 4 0.37x
Lanarkshire 2 0.19x
Cornwall 1 0.27x
Gloucestershire 1 0.16x
Hampshire 1 0.15x
Renfrewshire 1 0.40x
Somerset 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Radford in Nottinghamshire leads with 26 Paulsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 117.22x.

Place Total Index
Radford 26 117.22x
Mansfield 20 132.36x
Nottingham St Mary 20 17.71x
Hucknall Torkard 17 153.57x
Bethnal Green London 12 8.53x
Rusholme 10 97.56x
Chesterfield 9 47.34x
Belper 8 81.38x
Derby St Werburgh 8 27.32x
Birmingham 7 2.57x
Eakring 7 1458.33x
Gosberton 7 304.35x
Oxton 7 1228.07x
Chester St Bridget 6 491.80x
Edwinstowe 6 576.92x
Frisby On The Wreake 6 1363.64x
Kirton 6 289.86x
North Collingham 6 582.52x
Barrow Upon Soar 5 168.35x
Heaton 5 312.50x
Mile End Old Town 5 9.78x
Ore 5 123.15x
Bow London 4 9.70x
Brighton 4 3.63x
Chelsea London 4 4.10x
Chilwell 4 344.83x
Cuckney 4 645.16x
Greenwich 4 7.76x
Ilkeston 4 28.13x
Staveley 4 44.44x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 3.45x
Swinderby 4 714.29x
Thelwall 4 727.27x
Widnes 4 14.43x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 4.60x
Newark Upon Trent 3 19.12x
Paddington London 3 2.52x
South Normanton 3 84.27x
Baumber 2 526.32x
Boulton 2 869.57x
Clipstone 2 606.06x
Darcy Lever 2 90.50x
Horncastle 2 37.45x
Liverpool 2 0.86x
Newington 2 1.67x
Oldham 2 1.61x
Shoreditch London 2 1.42x
St Luke London 2 3.85x
West Derby 2 1.78x
Wingfield South 2 147.06x
Bath St James 1 18.38x
Beswick 1 10.17x
Bleasby 1 303.03x
Bourn 1 23.92x
Bristol St Paul In 1 5.91x
Camberwell 1 0.48x
Christchurch 1 6.95x
Coningsby 1 67.11x
Crumpsall 1 11.04x
Dunston 1 116.28x
East Farleigh 1 54.05x
Goole 1 18.59x
Harthill Cum Woodall 1 81.30x
Heston 1 9.29x
Kirkby In Ashfield 1 21.41x
Lambeth 1 0.35x
Limehouse London 1 2.81x
Manchester 1 0.58x
Melton Mowbray 1 15.48x
New Monkland 1 3.23x
Otley 1 12.84x
Padstow 1 40.98x
Radford Lenton 1 91.74x
Renfrew 1 12.06x
Rotherhithe 1 2.50x
St Pancras London 1 0.38x
Stoke Bardolph 1 500.00x
Wimbledon 1 5.64x
Woodborough 1 101.01x
Worksop 1 7.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Ann 14
Sarah 12
Elizabeth 9
Annie 8
Eliza 8
Emma 5
Elizth. 4
Ellen 4
Harriet 4
Alice 3
Edith 3
Emily 3
Hannah 3
Jane 3
Ada 2
Angelina 2
Charlotte 2
Fanny 2
Jessie 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Priscilla 2
Bessie 1
Clara 1
Clemence 1
Elinor 1
Elvey 1
Emilie 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Etten 1
Eva 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Isabella 1
Jennie 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Marian 1
Marion 1
Marrian 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 25
John 19
George 13
Henry 12
Thomas 8
Charles 7
James 7
Frederick 5
Arthur 4
Samuel 4
Thos. 4
Joseph 3
Richard 3
Sam 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Frank 2
Hy. 2
Vessey 2
Alfd. 1
Christian 1
Cyril 1
Edo. 1
Edwin 1
Eliezer 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
F. 1
Fk. 1
Florence 1
Fredk.S. 1
Geo.G. 1
Harry 1
Jas. 1
Jno.Milligan 1
Jobey 1
Josh. 1
Kurd 1
Ludolph 1
Newman 1
Oliver 1
Paul 1
Peter 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Selby 1
W. 1
Walt. 1
Willm 1

FAQ

Paulson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Paulson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 332 people were recorded with the Paulson surname. That placed it at #9,058 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Paulson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 514 in 2016. That gives Paulson a modern rank of #9,806.

What does the Paulson surname mean?

Son of Paul, an English patronymic surname derived from the given name Paul.

What does the Paulson map show?

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