NameCensus.

UK surname

Polson

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Loch Eil in Lochaber, meaning "pool town" in Gaelic.

In the 1881 census there were 695 people recorded with the Polson surname, ranking it #5,215 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 944, ranked #6,077, down from #5,215 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edinburgh, Clyne and Kildonan with Loth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North and East Isles, Caithness North West and Caithness South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Polson is 944 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.8%.

1881 census count

695

Ranked #5,215

Modern count

944

2016, ranked #6,077

Peak year

2016

944 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Polson had 695 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,215 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 944 in 2016, ranked #6,077.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 826 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Polson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Polson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Polson 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 589 #4,340
1861 historical 454 #5,705
1881 historical 695 #5,215
1891 historical 748 #5,323
1901 historical 826 #5,476
1911 historical 199 #15,016
1997 modern 867 #6,143
1998 modern 886 #6,237
1999 modern 920 #6,096
2000 modern 942 #5,970
2001 modern 883 #6,160
2002 modern 928 #6,053
2003 modern 909 #6,037
2004 modern 894 #6,123
2005 modern 906 #5,998
2006 modern 884 #6,119
2007 modern 875 #6,227
2008 modern 879 #6,248
2009 modern 903 #6,247
2010 modern 918 #6,291
2011 modern 921 #6,216
2012 modern 895 #6,274
2013 modern 918 #6,254
2014 modern 935 #6,204
2015 modern 928 #6,188
2016 modern 944 #6,077

Geography

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Where Polsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edinburgh, Clyne, Kildonan with Loth, Latheron and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North and East Isles, Caithness North West, Caithness South, Lerwick South and Lerwick North. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Edinburgh Edinburgh
2 Clyne Sutherland
3 Kildonan with Loth Sutherland
4 Latheron Caithness
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North and East Isles Shetland Islands
2 Caithness North West Highland
3 Caithness South Highland
4 Lerwick South Shetland Islands
5 Lerwick North Shetland Islands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Polson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Polson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Polson, 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 Polson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Polson 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Polson 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

Polson is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Polson

The surname Polson originated in Scotland during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "pol," meaning a pool or creek, and "tun," meaning a farm or settlement. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near a pool or creek on a farm.

The earliest recorded instances of the Polson surname date back to the 13th century in the Scottish Borders region. One notable example is John de Polton, who is mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a document recording homages sworn to King Edward I of England.

During the 16th century, the Polson name appeared in various spellings, such as Poltoune, Poltoun, and Poulton, reflecting the regional dialects and phonetic variations of the time. The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Berwickshire, Roxburghshire, and Peeblesshire.

In the 17th century, records show the Polsons as landowners and farmers in the Scottish Borders region. One notable figure was Robert Polson (1603-1674), a Presbyterian minister and author who served as the minister of Cavers parish in Roxburghshire.

The 18th century saw the Polson name spread across Scotland and into England. John Polson (1736-1804) was a prominent Scottish businessman and merchant in Glasgow, known for his involvement in the tobacco trade and his support for the abolitionist movement.

As the Polson family migrated and settled in different parts of the world, the name took on various spellings, such as Polsen, Poulson, and Paulson. One notable individual was Jeremiah Polson (1788-1867), an American businessman and politician from Pennsylvania who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

Other notable individuals with the Polson surname include:

1. John Polson (1853-1922), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. 2. Archibald Polson (1859-1935), a Scottish-Canadian businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Winnipeg, Manitoba. 3. Wilbur Polson (1890-1976), an American artist and illustrator known for his works in children's literature. 4. Arthur Polson (1894-1980), a Scottish professional footballer who played as a defender for several clubs, including Rangers and Motherwell. 5. Allison Polson (born 1975), a Canadian actress and producer known for her roles in television series such as Da Vinci's Inquest and Battlestar Galactica.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Polson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Polson 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. Sutherland leads with 118 Polsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 226.36x.

County Total Index
Sutherland 118 226.36x
Aberdeenshire 79 12.58x
Midlothian 71 7.82x
Caithness 68 73.26x
Lanarkshire 44 2.01x
Middlesex 30 0.44x
Ross-shire 30 16.11x
Fife 24 5.98x
Suffolk 23 2.79x
Lancashire 22 0.27x
Renfrewshire 18 3.43x
Stirlingshire 15 6.00x
Northumberland 11 1.09x
Staffordshire 10 0.44x
Clackmannanshire 9 16.07x
East Lothian 9 10.02x
Nairnshire 9 43.50x
Essex 8 0.60x
Gloucestershire 8 0.60x
Kincardineshire 8 9.69x
Yorkshire 8 0.12x
Dunbartonshire 7 3.84x
Durham 6 0.30x
Kent 6 0.26x
Selkirkshire 6 9.78x
Hampshire 5 0.36x
West Lothian 5 4.90x
Argyllshire 4 2.12x
Cheshire 4 0.27x
Inverness-shire 4 1.98x
Shetland 4 5.78x
Dorset 3 0.67x
Roxburghshire 3 2.44x
Worcestershire 3 0.34x
Angus 2 0.32x
Royal Navy 2 2.48x
Somerset 2 0.18x
Surrey 2 0.06x
Channel Islands 1 0.50x
Cumberland 1 0.17x
Devon 1 0.07x
Perthshire 1 0.33x
Warwickshire 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. Kildonan in Sutherland leads with 65 Polsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1441.24x.

Place Total Index
Kildonan 65 1441.24x
Latheron 33 212.49x
Aberdeen Old Machar 30 22.89x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 30 8.21x
Lavenham 19 439.81x
Govan 18 3.32x
Clyne 17 404.76x
Golspie 17 470.91x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 15 12.77x
Falkirk 14 23.92x
Kincardine 14 408.16x
Glasgow 11 2.83x
South Leith 11 10.76x
Loth 10 735.29x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 9 41.88x
Ellon 9 104.17x
Nairn 9 71.66x
Walsall Foreign 9 7.61x
Rayne 8 268.46x
Thurso 8 55.25x
West Greenock 8 8.48x
Alloa 7 25.78x
Bower 7 187.17x
Creich 7 134.87x
Edinburgh Canongate 7 30.29x
Newburgh 7 137.25x
Old Kilpatrick 7 32.51x
Pencaitland 7 273.44x
Wick 7 23.35x
Blantyre 6 26.28x
Dysart 6 22.20x
Fetteresso 6 46.37x
Halkirk 6 95.54x
Hamilton 6 9.81x
Hammersmith London 6 3.59x
Hexham 6 38.44x
Abbey 5 6.24x
Abbotshall 5 33.33x
Boness 5 35.51x
Doncaster 5 10.19x
East Greenock 5 10.08x
Edinburgh Greenside S 5 151.98x
Fraserburgh 5 28.30x
Great Bromley 5 297.62x
Melrose 5 32.38x
Tain 5 70.92x
Chelsea London 4 1.96x
Fearn 4 80.65x
Heworth 4 10.07x
Kirkdale 4 2.96x
Lerwick Gulberwick 4 37.31x
Newcastle On Tyne St 4 7.65x
Over Darwen 4 6.22x
Poplar London 4 3.13x
Shoreditch London 4 1.36x
Tewkesbury 4 33.70x
Chelsworth 3 526.32x
Deal 3 15.21x
Edmondsham 3 566.04x
Everton 3 1.17x
Inverness 3 5.89x
Jedburgh 3 24.92x
Kilmore Kilbride 3 25.04x
Kinghorn 3 35.21x
Manchester 3 0.83x
Olrig 3 64.66x
Peterhead 3 9.04x
Stoke Prior 3 54.95x
Watten 3 92.02x
West Dean 3 13.89x
Alford 2 58.48x
Bethnal Green London 2 0.68x
Clackmannan 2 18.90x
Dundee 2 0.85x
Monquhitter 2 30.77x
Portsea 2 0.73x
Ryde 2 6.70x
Wemyss 2 11.78x
West Derby 2 0.85x
Woolwich 2 2.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 6
Eliza 5
Ann 4
Sarah 4
Agnes 3
Alice 3
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Jane 3
Maria 3
Amelia 2
Catherine 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Bridget 1
Clara 1
Davina 1
Edith 1
Elizibeth 1
Evelen 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Gordon 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Hester 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Jeanette 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Lettuce 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Milly 1
Minnie 1
Phillis 1
Rose 1
Susannah 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 11
James 8
John 7
Henry 6
William 6
Alexander 5
George 5
Edward 3
Charles 2
Frederick 2
A. 1
Alfred 1
Anthony 1
Archibald 1
Aurther 1
Auther 1
Bennett 1
Caleb 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Henery 1
Hugh 1
Oscard 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Polson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Polson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 695 people were recorded with the Polson surname. That placed it at #5,215 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Polson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 944 in 2016. That gives Polson a modern rank of #6,077.

What does the Polson surname mean?

A Scottish locational surname derived from a place near Loch Eil in Lochaber, meaning "pool town" in Gaelic.

What does the Polson map show?

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