NameCensus.

UK surname

Rabson

In the 1881 census there were 91 people recorded with the Rabson surname, ranking it #20,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 180, ranked #21,022, down from #20,843 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry), London parishes and Ashford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wealden, Purbeck and Halton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rabson is 219 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 97.8%.

1881 census count

91

Ranked #20,843

Modern count

180

2016, ranked #21,022

Peak year

2000

219 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rabson had 91 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,843 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 180 in 2016, ranked #21,022.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 185 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Rabson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Rabson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rabson 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 68 #21,302
1861 historical 155 #14,881
1881 historical 91 #20,843
1891 historical 185 #15,803
1901 historical 134 #19,288
1911 historical 149 #17,937
1997 modern 212 #16,996
1998 modern 216 #17,257
1999 modern 216 #17,364
2000 modern 219 #17,195
2001 modern 214 #17,211
2002 modern 209 #17,803
2003 modern 202 #18,032
2004 modern 203 #18,061
2005 modern 195 #18,458
2006 modern 178 #19,666
2007 modern 184 #19,485
2008 modern 184 #19,666
2009 modern 189 #19,727
2010 modern 187 #20,309
2011 modern 184 #20,363
2012 modern 177 #20,836
2013 modern 179 #21,028
2014 modern 184 #20,809
2015 modern 185 #20,641
2016 modern 180 #21,022

Geography

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Where Rabsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry), London parishes, Ashford and Romney, New. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wealden, Purbeck, Halton, Cornwall and Hillingdon. 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 Herne (incl. Herne Bay Chapelry) Kent
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ashford Kent
5 Romney, New Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wealden 005 Wealden
2 Purbeck 006 Purbeck
3 Halton 016 Halton
4 Cornwall 004 Cornwall
5 Hillingdon 008 Hillingdon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rabson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rabson

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Rabson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Rabson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Rabson 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

Rabson 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

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

1881 census detail

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Rabson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rabson 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. Kent leads with 36 Rabsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.89x.

County Total Index
Kent 36 11.89x
Sussex 30 20.05x
Essex 7 4.00x
Middlesex 7 0.79x
Devon 5 2.71x
Lancashire 3 0.28x
Banffshire 1 5.43x
Dorset 1 1.72x
Surrey 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wadhurst in Sussex leads with 12 Rabsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1224.49x.

Place Total Index
Wadhurst 12 1224.49x
Ashford 10 338.98x
Salehurst 8 1230.77x
Walton Le Soken 7 1666.67x
Lee 6 136.36x
Meopham 5 1351.35x
Bidborough 4 5000.00x
Bishops Tawton 4 689.66x
Rotherfield 4 303.03x
St Pancras London 4 5.60x
Hampstead London 3 21.71x
Salford 3 9.69x
Ticehurst 3 326.09x
Chevening 2 606.06x
Cobham 2 714.29x
Hurstpierpoint 2 240.96x
Willesborough 2 246.91x
Erith 1 33.56x
Frant 1 94.34x
Ightham 1 263.16x
Lambeth 1 1.29x
Mortlach 1 111.11x
Shaftesbury St Peter 1 370.37x
Speldhurst 1 64.94x
Stoke Damerel 1 7.73x
Tonbridge 1 9.16x
West Malling 1 147.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 5
Emma 4
Emily 3
Ada 2
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Florence 2
Kate 2
Mary 2
Adelaid 1
Almeni 1
Amelia 1
Bertha 1
Catherina 1
Clara 1
Daisy 1
Ellen 1
Ethel 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Jessie 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Naomi 1
Rose 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 5
William 5
Charles 4
John 4
Frederick 3
Joseph 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Dick 1
Edward 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Jabez 1
Jacob 1
James 1
Jason 1
Peter 1
Sam 1
Seth 1
Thomas 1

FAQ

Rabson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rabson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 91 people were recorded with the Rabson surname. That placed it at #20,843 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rabson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 180 in 2016. That gives Rabson a modern rank of #21,022.

What does the Rabson map show?

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