NameCensus.

UK surname

Reason

An English occupational surname denoting a skilled worker, such as a reeve, sieve maker, or woodcutter.

In the 1881 census there were 874 people recorded with the Reason surname, ranking it #4,342 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,318, ranked #4,552, down from #4,342 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tysoe with Westcote, London parishes and Freshwater. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tendring, Erewash and South Oxfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Reason is 1,415 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.8%.

1881 census count

874

Ranked #4,342

Modern count

1,318

2016, ranked #4,552

Peak year

1998

1,415 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Reason had 874 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,342 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,318 in 2016, ranked #4,552.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,312 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Reason surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Reason surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Reason 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 622 #4,153
1861 historical 571 #4,609
1881 historical 874 #4,342
1891 historical 999 #4,155
1901 historical 1,204 #4,091
1911 historical 1,312 #3,635
1997 modern 1,315 #4,360
1998 modern 1,415 #4,237
1999 modern 1,397 #4,306
2000 modern 1,380 #4,343
2001 modern 1,366 #4,289
2002 modern 1,371 #4,363
2003 modern 1,355 #4,332
2004 modern 1,348 #4,358
2005 modern 1,308 #4,410
2006 modern 1,299 #4,443
2007 modern 1,316 #4,442
2008 modern 1,302 #4,504
2009 modern 1,368 #4,403
2010 modern 1,386 #4,439
2011 modern 1,370 #4,430
2012 modern 1,349 #4,424
2013 modern 1,373 #4,440
2014 modern 1,372 #4,468
2015 modern 1,346 #4,499
2016 modern 1,318 #4,552

Geography

Back to top

Where Reasons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tysoe with Westcote, London parishes, Freshwater and Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tendring, Erewash, South Oxfordshire and Stratford-on-Avon. 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 Tysoe with Westcote Warwickshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Freshwater Hampshire
5 Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tendring 003 Tendring
2 Erewash 012 Erewash
3 South Oxfordshire 007 South Oxfordshire
4 Erewash 010 Erewash
5 Stratford-on-Avon 015 Stratford-on-Avon

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Reason

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Reason

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

London Fringe

Within London, Reason is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Reason is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Reason

The surname REASON is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a descriptive surname, derived from the Old English word "ræsun," which meant "reason" or "logic." This name was likely bestowed upon individuals who were regarded as wise, rational, or logical in their thinking and decision-making abilities.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the REASON surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like record from the late 13th century. In this document, a person named William Reson is mentioned, which is considered an early variant spelling of the name.

The REASON surname also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a John Reson is listed. This record provides evidence of the surname's presence in different regions of England during the 14th century.

During the 16th century, the REASON surname appears to have been particularly prevalent in the county of Gloucestershire. One notable individual from this period was Richard Reason, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in the town of Cirencester in the late 1500s.

In the 17th century, the REASON surname gained further prominence with the birth of Matthew Reason (1630-1698), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Halton, Buckinghamshire. His works included a treatise on the law of nature and a volume of sermons.

Another notable figure bearing the REASON surname was John Reason (1718-1780), a successful merchant and banker who founded the private banking firm of Reason, Roffey, and Company in London. This institution played a significant role in financing trade and commerce during the 18th century.

Moving into the 19th century, the REASON surname continued to be associated with individuals of note, such as William Reason (1824-1902), an English architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in the city of Bristol.

Throughout its history, the REASON surname has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Reason's Hill in Gloucestershire and Reason's Farm in Oxfordshire, suggesting the presence of families or individuals bearing this name in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Reason families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Reason 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. Middlesex leads with 142 Reasons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.67x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 142 1.67x
Warwickshire 97 4.52x
Lancashire 65 0.64x
Essex 62 3.69x
Surrey 58 1.40x
Hampshire 57 3.27x
Wiltshire 47 6.24x
Berkshire 43 6.73x
Suffolk 34 3.28x
Kent 32 1.10x
Yorkshire 27 0.32x
Hertfordshire 23 3.92x
Nottinghamshire 23 2.00x
Glamorgan 21 1.42x
Dorset 20 3.58x
Oxfordshire 20 3.80x
Staffordshire 16 0.56x
Sussex 16 1.11x
Somerset 10 0.73x
Shropshire 9 1.22x
Cambridgeshire 8 1.48x
Derbyshire 8 0.60x
Gloucestershire 8 0.48x
Huntingdonshire 8 4.73x
Worcestershire 5 0.45x
Lincolnshire 4 0.29x
Bedfordshire 2 0.45x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.58x
Cheshire 2 0.11x
Devon 2 0.11x
Northamptonshire 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 0.99x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Freshwater in Hampshire leads with 46 Reasons recorded in 1881 and an index of 576.44x.

Place Total Index
Freshwater 46 576.44x
Tysoe 25 859.11x
Hackney London 24 5.03x
Great Faringdon 21 228.51x
Chelsea London 20 7.79x
Coedfrank 20 194.74x
Creeting St Peter 17 2428.57x
Swindon 17 29.10x
Mansfield 15 37.76x
Bradford On Avon 14 58.07x
Brighton 14 4.83x
Folkestone 13 23.07x
Ware 13 77.24x
Aston 12 2.03x
Old Stratford 12 98.68x
Solihull 12 77.72x
Kearsley 11 51.74x
Newington 11 3.50x
Wortley In Bramley 11 16.46x
Halliwell 10 27.19x
Mendlesham 10 304.88x
St Pancras London 10 1.46x
Woodford 10 52.55x
Bridport 9 78.19x
Dedham 9 176.47x
Kensington London 9 1.90x
Rotherhithe 9 8.55x
Bothenhampton 8 512.82x
Buckden 8 263.16x
Chipping Norton 8 65.79x
Clerkenwell London 8 3.98x
Grays Thurrock 8 51.22x
Portsea 8 2.34x
Sharples 8 72.99x
Stratford On Avon 8 67.17x
Whittlesey St Mary St 8 42.46x
Battersea 7 2.23x
Cheetham 7 9.29x
Great Barr 7 212.77x
Islington London 7 0.85x
Paddington London 7 2.24x
Ramsbury 7 102.64x
Reigate Foreign 7 15.58x
Shoreditch London 7 1.90x
Birmingham 6 0.84x
Burntwood Edial 6 32.68x
Colchester St Giles 6 36.12x
Croydon 6 2.61x
Diddlebury 6 246.91x
Dovercourt 6 101.52x
Little Bromley 6 545.45x
Nottingham St Mary 6 2.02x
Skinningrove 6 115.83x
Westminster St John 6 5.79x
Woodford St Mary 6 315.79x
Blackburn 5 1.86x
Bow London 5 4.61x
Brailes 5 151.52x
Camberwell 5 0.92x
Cheltenham 5 3.88x
Cheshunt 5 24.37x
Erith 5 17.46x
Harefield 5 114.16x
Headingley Cum Burley 5 9.20x
Minster In Sheppey 5 10.39x
Sawley 5 124.38x
Shrivenham 5 157.73x
Stratford St Mary 5 337.84x
Stratton St Margaret 5 43.29x
Swalcliffe 5 274.73x
Toxteth Park 5 1.46x
Walton On Hill 5 9.13x
Wandsworth 5 6.10x
Bromley London 4 2.14x
Budbrooke 4 182.65x
Enfield 4 7.16x
Lambeth 4 0.54x
Layton With Warbreck 4 10.79x
Reading St Giles 4 6.38x
St George Hanover 4 3.60x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 67
George 41
John 37
Charles 25
Alfred 20
Thomas 20
Henry 18
Robert 17
James 12
Arthur 10
Harry 9
Edward 8
Walter 8
Albert 6
Frank 6
Frederick 6
Richard 6
Francis 5
Joseph 5
Samuel 5
Edwin 4
Isaac 4
Daniel 3
Christopher 2
Fred. 2
Herbert 2
Jacob 2
Mark 2
Thorney 2
Thos. 2
Willm. 2
Benjamin 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Fr. 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Geo.F. 1
Gus 1
Jas.Isherwood 1
Jesse 1
Joe 1
Levi 1
Matthew 1
Maurice 1
Moses 1
Nathaniel 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Reason surname: questions and answers

How common was the Reason surname in 1881?

In 1881, 874 people were recorded with the Reason surname. That placed it at #4,342 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Reason surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,318 in 2016. That gives Reason a modern rank of #4,552.

What does the Reason surname mean?

An English occupational surname denoting a skilled worker, such as a reeve, sieve maker, or woodcutter.

What does the Reason map show?

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