NameCensus.

UK surname

Penson

An English surname derived from the medieval personal name "Pen", a pet form of "Pendred".

In the 1881 census there were 425 people recorded with the Penson surname, ranking it #7,634 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 509, ranked #9,860, down from #7,634 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ongar, Chipping, Newport and Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rochford, East Hampshire and Broadland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Penson is 626 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.8%.

1881 census count

425

Ranked #7,634

Modern count

509

2016, ranked #9,860

Peak year

1891

626 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Penson had 425 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,634 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 509 in 2016, ranked #9,860.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 626 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Penson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Penson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Penson 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 444 #5,543
1861 historical 551 #4,778
1881 historical 425 #7,634
1891 historical 626 #6,177
1901 historical 583 #7,232
1911 historical 613 #6,725
1997 modern 536 #8,837
1998 modern 560 #8,793
1999 modern 569 #8,746
2000 modern 572 #8,681
2001 modern 560 #8,684
2002 modern 571 #8,734
2003 modern 553 #8,802
2004 modern 540 #8,978
2005 modern 542 #8,887
2006 modern 548 #8,844
2007 modern 538 #9,044
2008 modern 530 #9,219
2009 modern 524 #9,516
2010 modern 546 #9,408
2011 modern 543 #9,373
2012 modern 520 #9,607
2013 modern 539 #9,497
2014 modern 541 #9,517
2015 modern 536 #9,517
2016 modern 509 #9,860

Geography

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Where Pensons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ongar, Chipping, Newport, Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock, London parishes and Lakenheath. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rochford, East Hampshire, Broadland, Chelmsford and Aylesbury Vale. 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 Ongar, Chipping Essex
2 Newport Shropshire
3 Edgmond (Edgmond), Chetwynd, Cheswardine, Hinstock Shropshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lakenheath Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rochford 003 Rochford
2 East Hampshire 011 East Hampshire
3 Broadland 008 Broadland
4 Chelmsford 005 Chelmsford
5 Aylesbury Vale 017 Aylesbury Vale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Penson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Penson

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Penson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Penson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Penson is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Penson is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Penson falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Penson

The surname PENSON is of English origin, derived from a medieval occupational surname referring to someone who collected or received pennies or small payments. It originates from the Old English words "peni" meaning penny and "son" meaning son, suggesting it was initially used to identify the son of a penny collector or tax gatherer.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the late 12th century in various parish records and tax rolls from counties like Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. Variations in spelling such as Penison, Pennison, and Pennyson were common during this period.

In the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no direct mentions of the PENSON surname. However, the name may have derived from occupational titles like "penniger" or "peniger," which referred to penny collectors or tax officials.

One of the earliest documented individuals bearing the PENSON surname was John Penson, recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1202. Another early example is Roger Penson, mentioned in the Court Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1284.

Historically, the PENSON surname was often associated with specific locations, such as Penson Green in Oxfordshire and Penson Leaze in Somerset, which may have been named after individuals with the surname or vice versa.

Notable individuals with the PENSON surname throughout history include:

1. William Penson (c. 1540-1609), an English composer and organist who served at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. 2. Henry Penson (1628-1673), an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works. 3. John Penson (1736-1805), a British merchant and philanthropist who funded the construction of several churches and schools in London. 4. Thomas Penson (1790-1865), a British architect known for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Mint. 5. Lillian Penson (1896-1963), a British historian and academic who specialized in the study of the French Revolution and Napoleonic era.

While the PENSON surname is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has a rich history deeply rooted in medieval occupational titles and early records from various regions of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Penson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Penson 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. Lincolnshire leads with 61 Pensons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.18x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 61 9.18x
Shropshire 38 10.59x
Middlesex 35 0.84x
Staffordshire 35 2.50x
Worcestershire 33 6.08x
Essex 29 3.54x
Kent 25 1.76x
Gloucestershire 24 2.94x
Surrey 24 1.19x
Oxfordshire 16 6.24x
Warwickshire 14 1.34x
Cheshire 13 1.42x
Lancashire 11 0.22x
Hampshire 10 1.17x
Herefordshire 9 5.28x
Yorkshire 7 0.17x
Suffolk 6 1.19x
Berkshire 5 1.60x
Durham 5 0.40x
Brecknockshire 4 4.81x
Devon 4 0.46x
Cambridgeshire 3 1.14x
Glamorgan 3 0.41x
Norfolk 3 0.47x
Carmarthenshire 2 1.14x
Somerset 2 0.30x
Hertfordshire 1 0.35x
Leicestershire 1 0.22x
Monmouthshire 1 0.33x
Royal Navy 1 2.02x
Wiltshire 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 14 Pensons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.41x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 14 9.41x
Wainfleet All Sts 13 673.58x
Deptford St Paul 12 10.97x
Brentwood 11 220.00x
Chipping Ongar 11 780.14x
Mile End Old Town 10 15.25x
Bodenham 9 720.00x
Macclesfield 9 22.08x
Evesham St Lawrence 8 277.78x
Kidderminster Borough 8 25.19x
Louth 8 52.53x
Raithby In Spilsby 8 3636.36x
Beddington 7 89.40x
Donington 7 1250.00x
Newport 7 161.66x
Portsea 7 4.19x
Tidmington 7 10000.00x
Aston 6 2.08x
Birmingham 6 1.72x
Edgmond 6 151.90x
Idbury 6 2222.22x
Lakenheath 6 224.72x
Newington 6 3.91x
Plumstead 6 12.70x
Quenington 6 1111.11x
St Pancras London 6 1.79x
Stoke 6 62.83x
Trentham 6 50.29x
Wrockwardine 6 76.05x
Ascott Under Wychwood 5 877.19x
Brancepeth 5 222.22x
High Ongar 5 331.13x
Hulme 5 4.86x
Hundleby 5 555.56x
Kirkby Green 5 2941.18x
Leake 5 164.47x
Rowley Regis 5 12.79x
Sculcoates 5 7.66x
Shifnal 5 51.28x
Bilston 4 14.72x
Blockley 4 130.29x
Burgh In Marsh 4 246.91x
Eastleach Turville 4 645.16x
Lower Bebington 4 73.39x
New Sealford 4 291.97x
Shipston On Stour 4 161.94x
Bentworth 3 375.00x
Bicker 3 291.26x
Canterbury All Sts 3 588.24x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 3 26.13x
Enstone 3 191.08x
Great Faringdon 3 66.96x
Islington London 3 0.74x
Leckhampton 3 59.76x
Llanelly 3 30.18x
Moreton In Marsh 3 147.06x
Neath 3 20.38x
St Stephen Coleman 3 270.27x
Wigan 3 4.35x
Albrighton 2 115.61x
Bermondsey 2 1.62x
Clifton 2 4.85x
Hackney London 2 0.86x
Hampstead London 2 3.09x
Hunstanton 2 92.59x
Llandebie 2 39.37x
Margate St John Baptist 2 7.70x
Paddington London 2 1.31x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 3.00x
St Maryle Wigford 2 38.76x
St Nicholas Acons 2 2857.14x
Stone 2 11.15x
Stourbridge 2 14.33x
Greenwich 1 1.51x
Lilleshall 1 18.21x
Lower Swell 1 172.41x
Potter Hanworth 1 161.29x
Sundridge 1 42.37x
Trull 1 72.99x
Winthorpe 1 208.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 18
Mary 16
Elizabeth 15
Maria 9
Jane 8
Lucy 8
Ann 7
Edith 7
Emma 7
Eliza 6
Agnes 5
Annie 5
Ellen 5
Martha 5
Emily 4
Hannah 4
Ada 3
Alice 3
Catherine 3
Ethel 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Anne 2
Betsy 2
Clara 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Jessie 2
Laura 2
Lilian 2
Louisa 2
Louise 2
Mabel 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Bertha 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Drusilla 1
E.M. 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth.M. 1
Enid 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Honour 1
Isabel 1
Jennie 1
Kathlene 1
Winniefred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 23
Thomas 18
George 15
James 15
Charles 14
John 14
Frederick 10
Henry 10
Richard 10
Edward 8
Robert 7
Walter 6
Joseph 5
Albert 3
Frank 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Peter 2
Sargeant 2
Stephen 2
Will 2
Andrew 1
Anthony 1
Bertram 1
Cornelius 1
Cyril 1
Ebenezer 1
Elijah 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.M. 1
Godwin 1
H.A. 1
Horace 1
Hy. 1
Isaac 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1
Leonard 1
Lionel 1
Low 1
Major 1
Martin 1
Owen 1
Robt.J.A. 1
Samuel 1
Weightson 1

FAQ

Penson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Penson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 425 people were recorded with the Penson surname. That placed it at #7,634 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Penson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 509 in 2016. That gives Penson a modern rank of #9,860.

What does the Penson surname mean?

An English surname derived from the medieval personal name "Pen", a pet form of "Pendred".

What does the Penson map show?

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