NameCensus.

UK surname

Reeson

Of English origin, referring to a person from a small town or settlement.

In the 1881 census there were 291 people recorded with the Reeson surname, ranking it #9,931 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 446, ranked #10,871, down from #9,931 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bennington, Ludford Magna, Ludford Parve and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Boston and East Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Reeson is 471 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.3%.

1881 census count

291

Ranked #9,931

Modern count

446

2016, ranked #10,871

Peak year

1999

471 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Reeson had 291 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,931 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 446 in 2016, ranked #10,871.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 402 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Reeson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Reeson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Reeson 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 199 #10,441
1861 historical 170 #13,763
1881 historical 291 #9,931
1891 historical 314 #10,694
1901 historical 328 #10,943
1911 historical 402 #9,249
1997 modern 450 #10,075
1998 modern 457 #10,279
1999 modern 471 #10,098
2000 modern 449 #10,459
2001 modern 431 #10,606
2002 modern 438 #10,675
2003 modern 421 #10,844
2004 modern 427 #10,749
2005 modern 422 #10,739
2006 modern 411 #10,998
2007 modern 418 #10,976
2008 modern 423 #10,975
2009 modern 446 #10,755
2010 modern 467 #10,570
2011 modern 459 #10,607
2012 modern 444 #10,775
2013 modern 459 #10,682
2014 modern 469 #10,570
2015 modern 463 #10,602
2016 modern 446 #10,871

Geography

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Where Reesons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bennington, Ludford Magna, Ludford Parve, London parishes, Leake and Boston (incl. Boston allotments). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Boston and East Lindsey. 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 Bennington Lincolnshire
2 Ludford Magna, Ludford Parve Lincolnshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Leake Lincolnshire
5 Boston (incl. Boston allotments) Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Boston 001 Boston
2 Boston 003 Boston
3 Boston 002 Boston
4 East Lindsey 008 East Lindsey
5 East Lindsey 018 East Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Reeson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Reeson

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

Reeson is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Reeson falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Reeson

The surname Reeson originated in England, with its earliest known roots tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "rhe" and "sunu," which together mean "the son of the rye-dweller." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a field of rye or was involved in the cultivation of this grain crop.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1190, which mentions a Richard Reysun. Another early reference is in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1285, where a William Reysone is listed. The varied spellings of the name, such as Reysun and Reysone, were common during the Middle Ages due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

The Reeson surname is also tied to several place names in England, including Reaseheath in Cheshire and Reasheath in Staffordshire. These place names likely derived from the Old English words "ryge" (rye) and "hæth" (heath or clearing), further strengthening the connection between the surname and the cultivation of rye.

One notable figure with the surname Reeson was John Reeson, a 17th-century English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Wilts from 1677 until his death in 1693. Another individual of note was Samuel Reeson, a 19th-century English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in Nottinghamshire, including the Nottingham Mechanics' Institution (1837) and the Holy Trinity Church in Lenton (1842).

Other historical figures bearing the Reeson surname include:

1. William Reeson (1771-1849), an English farmer and landowner from Northamptonshire. 2. Thomas Reeson (1805-1877), a British railway engineer who worked on the construction of several early railway lines in England. 3. Eliza Reeson (1824-1905), an English author and poet who published several works, including "Poems" (1850) and "Lyrics of Love and Life" (1873). 4. John Reeson (1850-1924), a British artist known for his landscape paintings and etchings depicting rural scenes in England. 5. Margaret Reeson (1890-1976), a British educator and headmistress of Roedean School, one of the leading independent schools for girls in England.

While the surname Reeson is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and is closely tied to the country's agricultural and linguistic roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Reeson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Reeson 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 195 Reesons recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.97x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 195 42.97x
Yorkshire 21 0.75x
Middlesex 14 0.49x
Surrey 12 0.87x
Norfolk 11 2.52x
Northamptonshire 9 3.37x
Cambridgeshire 6 3.34x
Derbyshire 6 1.35x
Kent 3 0.31x
Argyllshire 2 2.53x
Durham 2 0.24x
Lancashire 2 0.06x
Suffolk 2 0.58x
Bedfordshire 1 0.68x
Berkshire 1 0.47x
Essex 1 0.18x
Fife 1 0.60x
Gloucestershire 1 0.18x
Staffordshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leake in Lincolnshire leads with 30 Reesons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1442.31x.

Place Total Index
Leake 30 1442.31x
Boston 28 203.34x
Frieston 13 1203.70x
Fishtoft 11 1235.96x
Friskney 11 763.89x
Kirton Simon Weir 10 2173.91x
Kensington London 9 5.70x
Leverton 9 1551.72x
Skirbeck 9 354.33x
Rotherhithe 8 22.81x
York St Nicholas In 8 506.33x
Ludford Parva 7 2121.21x
Normanby 7 5000.00x
Derby St Werburgh 6 23.38x
Dunsby 6 2727.27x
Wrangle 6 530.97x
Cleethorpes 5 187.27x
Frampton 5 581.40x
Hardingstone 5 196.08x
Northwold 5 427.35x
Frithville Fishtoft 4 1212.12x
North Carlton 4 2500.00x
Sheffield 4 4.47x
Peterborough 3 15.52x
Stokesley 3 171.43x
Walsoken 3 114.50x
Woodhall 3 1111.11x
Wyberton 3 476.19x
Bennington By Boston 2 377.36x
Denver 2 246.91x
Deptford St Nicholas 2 26.01x
Fotherby 2 869.57x
Grimoldby 2 571.43x
Horncastle 2 42.74x
Keddington 2 1176.47x
Langton By Horncastle 2 714.29x
Lismore Appin 2 76.05x
Mile End Old Town 2 4.46x
South Carlton 2 1176.47x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 3.50x
Stoke By Clare 2 465.12x
Wath On Dearne 2 35.65x
Willington 2 40.98x
Wimblington 2 188.68x
Wisbech St Peter 2 22.17x
Beechamwell 1 322.58x
Bottisham 1 65.36x
Carrington 1 344.83x
Cheltenham 1 2.33x
Cudworth 1 99.01x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.34x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 1 12.76x
Great Grimsby 1 3.47x
Hackney London 1 0.63x
Heckington 1 57.80x
Islington London 1 0.36x
Liverpool 1 0.49x
Luton 1 3.93x
Manchester 1 0.66x
Newington 1 0.95x
Rushden 1 28.01x
Scampton 1 434.78x
Somerby In Caistor 1 1000.00x
Speen 1 28.65x
St Andrews 1 13.07x
St Martin Lincoln 1 23.75x
St Nicholas Lincoln 1 23.04x
St Pancras London 1 0.44x
St Peterin Eastgate 1 71.43x
Stickney 1 149.25x
Tankersley 1 47.62x
Thoresway 1 400.00x
Trentham 1 12.27x
Wandsworth 1 3.66x
West Ham 1 0.81x
York Marygate St Olave 1 92.59x
York St Martin Le Grand 1 263.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Sarah 12
Eliza 10
Elizabeth 10
Annie 8
Ann 6
Emily 6
Martha 5
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Jane 4
Fanny 3
Gertrude 3
Hannah 3
Susan 3
Betsy 2
Charlotte 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Helen 2
Kate 2
Mildred 2
Minnie 2
Selina 2
Althea 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Catherine 1
Cathleen 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Grace 1
Harriot 1
Henrietta 1
Jinney 1
John 1
Julia 1
Lavina 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lucile 1
Lydia 1
Matilda 1
Maude 1
Miriam 1
Nellie 1
Winfrey 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 20
George 12
Joseph 9
William 9
Harry 5
Thomas 5
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Frank 3
James 3
Benjamin 2
Fred 2
Gilbert 2
Jacob 2
Job 2
Samuel 2
Thos. 2
Alf. 1
Allen 1
Andrew 1
Bielly 1
Brown 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Frances 1
Franciss 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Geo.W. 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jabeth 1
Jabez 1
Jesse 1
Joshua 1
Maurice 1
Reynolds 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Walter 1
Waltham 1
Will 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Reeson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Reeson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 291 people were recorded with the Reeson surname. That placed it at #9,931 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Reeson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 446 in 2016. That gives Reeson a modern rank of #10,871.

What does the Reeson surname mean?

Of English origin, referring to a person from a small town or settlement.

What does the Reeson map show?

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