NameCensus.

UK surname

Raison

A French surname derived from the word for "reason" or "good sense".

In the 1881 census there were 398 people recorded with the Raison surname, ranking it #7,996 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 511, ranked #9,834, down from #7,996 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Milborne Port, Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) and Middle and West Chinnock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Somerset, Colchester and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Raison is 555 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.4%.

1881 census count

398

Ranked #7,996

Modern count

511

2016, ranked #9,834

Peak year

1911

555 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Raison had 398 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,996 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 511 in 2016, ranked #9,834.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 555 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Raison surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Raison surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Raison 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 270 #8,275
1861 historical 407 #6,306
1881 historical 398 #7,996
1891 historical 484 #7,621
1901 historical 487 #8,208
1911 historical 555 #7,231
1997 modern 513 #9,138
1998 modern 539 #9,065
1999 modern 539 #9,116
2000 modern 515 #9,408
2001 modern 512 #9,288
2002 modern 517 #9,418
2003 modern 502 #9,460
2004 modern 511 #9,361
2005 modern 487 #9,621
2006 modern 485 #9,691
2007 modern 489 #9,718
2008 modern 487 #9,840
2009 modern 499 #9,879
2010 modern 505 #9,985
2011 modern 505 #9,884
2012 modern 505 #9,787
2013 modern 528 #9,633
2014 modern 525 #9,745
2015 modern 509 #9,889
2016 modern 511 #9,834

Geography

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Where Raisons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Milborne Port, Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Middle and West Chinnock, Odcombe, Brimpton and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Somerset, Colchester, Kirklees and Babergh. 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 Milborne Port Somerset
2 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
3 Middle and West Chinnock Somerset
4 Odcombe, Brimpton Somerset
5 London parishes London 1

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Somerset 008 South Somerset
2 Colchester 012 Colchester
3 Kirklees 057 Kirklees
4 Babergh 001 Babergh
5 South Somerset 017 South Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Raison

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Raison

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

Raison 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

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

Meaning and origin of Raison

The surname RAISON originated in France during the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "raison," meaning "reason" or "judgment." The name likely referred to someone who was considered wise or rational.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the RAISON surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded landowners in England after the Norman Conquest. The name was spelled "Raisun" at the time.

In medieval France, the RAISON surname was particularly concentrated in the regions of Normandy and Brittany. Some notable historical figures with this surname include Guillaume RAISON, a 13th-century nobleman from Normandy, and Étienne RAISON, a renowned scholar from Paris in the late 15th century.

During the 16th century, the RAISON surname began to spread beyond France as a result of the Protestant Reformation and the persecution of Huguenots. Many RAISON families fled to neighboring countries like England, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

One notable English bearer of the RAISON surname was Sir Thomas RAISON (1553-1627), a merchant and diplomat who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1622. In the Netherlands, the RAISON family established roots in the city of Amsterdam, where they were involved in the textile trade.

Other notable figures with the RAISON surname include Jean-Baptiste RAISON (1689-1762), a French painter and engraver who worked in the Baroque style, and Pierre-Joseph RAISON (1775-1844), a French military officer who served under Napoleon Bonaparte.

In the 19th century, the RAISON surname continued to spread across Europe and beyond, with RAISON families settling in various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Raison families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Raison 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. Somerset leads with 103 Raisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.12x.

County Total Index
Somerset 103 16.12x
Essex 57 7.27x
Middlesex 56 1.41x
Surrey 36 1.86x
Staffordshire 23 1.72x
Nottinghamshire 20 3.74x
Warwickshire 16 1.60x
Yorkshire 14 0.36x
Hampshire 11 1.35x
Glamorgan 10 1.45x
Kent 9 0.66x
Channel Islands 8 6.80x
Lincolnshire 8 1.26x
Derbyshire 5 0.80x
Wiltshire 5 1.42x
Dorset 4 1.54x
Hertfordshire 4 1.46x
Buckinghamshire 3 1.25x
Devon 3 0.36x
Norfolk 3 0.49x
Lancashire 2 0.04x
Suffolk 2 0.41x
Gloucestershire 1 0.13x
Leicestershire 1 0.23x
Merionethshire 1 1.38x
Sussex 1 0.15x
Worcestershire 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. Odcombe in Somerset leads with 16 Raisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1882.35x.

Place Total Index
Odcombe 16 1882.35x
West Chinnock 15 2631.58x
Bushbury 11 456.43x
Milborne Port 11 429.69x
St Pancras London 11 3.44x
Aberdare 10 21.07x
Kensington London 9 4.08x
Radford 9 33.10x
Southwark St Saviour 9 44.12x
Balderton 8 547.95x
Battersea 8 5.48x
Broadway 8 1290.32x
Crewkerne 8 117.82x
Middle Chinnock 8 4000.00x
Wakes Colne 8 1176.47x
Aston 7 2.54x
Burton Upon Trent 7 22.33x
Islington London 7 1.82x
Montacute 7 598.29x
St George Hanover 7 13.51x
Yeovil 7 53.89x
Hadleigh 6 952.38x
Lambeth 6 1.73x
Barrington 5 877.19x
Colchester St Giles 5 64.60x
Dedham 5 210.08x
Penkridge 5 144.51x
South Stoneham 5 28.33x
St John 5 222.22x
Wyberton 5 568.18x
Aldershot 4 14.67x
Ashdon 4 350.88x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 4 10.91x
Blackmore 4 512.82x
Camberwell 4 1.58x
Croydon 4 3.73x
Damerham 4 476.19x
Derby St Alkmund 4 21.47x
Fobbing 4 689.66x
Leyton 4 29.63x
Mile End Old Town 4 6.38x
Sherborne 4 52.15x
Willesden 4 10.69x
Clapham 3 6.04x
Clerkenwell London 3 3.20x
Hemel Hempstead 3 24.33x
Kineton 3 209.79x
Mudford 3 576.92x
Nether Hallam 3 5.64x
South Lynn 3 43.54x
St Marylebone London 3 1.42x
St Sepulchre London 3 51.64x
Stoke Damerel 3 5.19x
Trinity 3 110.29x
West Bergholt 3 205.48x
Wolverton 3 60.36x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 2 14.00x
Beckenham 2 11.29x
Birmingham 2 0.60x
Chelsea London 2 1.67x
Ilminster 2 44.84x
Liversedge 2 11.42x
Lowdham 2 200.00x
North Perrott 2 454.55x
Paglesham 2 285.71x
Sheffield 2 1.60x
Snitterfield 2 180.18x
South Elkington 2 416.67x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 2.50x
West Ham 2 1.16x
Boxford 1 111.11x
Charlton Horethorne 1 153.85x
Fenton 1 208.33x
Hinckley 1 9.58x
Holdenhurst 1 4.69x
Manchester 1 0.47x
Normanby In 1 9.51x
Purleigh 1 85.47x
Towyn 1 21.88x
Westminster St John 1 2.07x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 17
Sarah 16
Mary 15
Eliza 13
Ellen 11
Ann 9
Alice 7
Emily 7
Emma 7
Annie 5
Caroline 5
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Jane 4
Maria 4
Martha 4
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Margaret 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Bessie 2
Clara 2
Emilyn 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Anna 1
Beatrice 1
C. 1
Catherine 1
Constance 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Elvina 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Flora 1
Hanah 1
Harriott 1
Henriette 1
Ida 1
Infant 1
Isabella 1
Janette 1
Jemima 1
Laura 1
Lavnia 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 32
John 20
George 19
Henry 14
Charles 10
James 10
Arthur 8
Joseph 8
Alfred 7
Harry 6
Thomas 6
Robert 5
Frederick 4
Herbert 4
Albert 3
Ernest 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Frank 2
Fred 2
Levi 2
Walter 2
Artha 1
Bardick 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Elias 1
Elijah 1
Enoch 1
Fanny 1
Fredk.S. 1
Fredrick 1
Gill 1
Hy. 1
Hy.T. 1
Jabez 1
Jos. 1
Mark 1
Mary 1
Roger 1
Sidney 1
Simeon 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 1
Tom 1
W. 1
Willian 1

FAQ

Raison surname: questions and answers

How common was the Raison surname in 1881?

In 1881, 398 people were recorded with the Raison surname. That placed it at #7,996 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Raison surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 511 in 2016. That gives Raison a modern rank of #9,834.

What does the Raison surname mean?

A French surname derived from the word for "reason" or "good sense".

What does the Raison map show?

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