UK surname
In the 1881 census there were 92 people recorded with the Retson surname, ranking it #20,709 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 79, ranked #33,100, down from #20,709 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Fenwick, Dalton and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Retson is 168 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.1%.
1881 census count
92
Ranked #20,709
Modern count
79
2016, ranked #33,100
Peak year
1891
168 bearers
Map years
3
1861 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Retson surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Retson surname density by area, 1901 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 50 | #24,274 |
| 1861 | historical | 143 | #15,906 |
| 1881 | historical | 92 | #20,709 |
| 1891 | historical | 168 | #16,937 |
| 1901 | historical | 101 | #22,726 |
| 1911 | historical | 17 | #31,675 |
| 1997 | modern | 72 | #30,415 |
| 1998 | modern | 77 | #30,289 |
| 1999 | modern | 76 | #30,546 |
| 2000 | modern | 76 | #30,578 |
| 2001 | modern | 69 | #31,098 |
| 2002 | modern | 67 | #31,723 |
| 2003 | modern | 72 | #31,281 |
| 2004 | modern | 73 | #31,403 |
| 2005 | modern | 75 | #31,400 |
| 2006 | modern | 74 | #31,850 |
| 2007 | modern | 76 | #31,966 |
| 2008 | modern | 81 | #31,713 |
| 2009 | modern | 76 | #32,635 |
| 2010 | modern | 79 | #32,759 |
| 2011 | modern | 75 | #33,071 |
| 2012 | modern | 76 | #33,191 |
| 2013 | modern | 75 | #33,409 |
| 2014 | modern | 77 | #33,336 |
| 2015 | modern | 78 | #33,210 |
| 2016 | modern | 79 | #33,100 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Fenwick, Dalton, Glasgow, St Mary Islington and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fenwick | Ayr |
| 2 | Dalton | Dumfries |
| 3 | Glasgow | Lanark |
| 4 | St Mary Islington | London (North Districts) |
| 5 | Paisley Abbey | Renfrew |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Retson surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Retson, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Retson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Retson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Retson is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Retson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Retson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Retson surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Ayrshire leads with 24 Retsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.74x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Ayrshire | 24 | 35.74x |
| Renfrewshire | 13 | 18.69x |
| Yorkshire | 11 | 1.24x |
| Middlesex | 9 | 1.00x |
| Northumberland | 8 | 5.99x |
| West Lothian | 8 | 59.22x |
| Dunbartonshire | 6 | 24.88x |
| Lanarkshire | 4 | 1.38x |
| Cumberland | 3 | 3.88x |
| Sussex | 2 | 1.32x |
| Buteshire | 1 | 18.38x |
| Inverness-shire | 1 | 3.73x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.33x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 0.91x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sorn in Ayrshire leads with 17 Retsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1287.88x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Sorn | 17 | 1287.88x |
| Paisley Middle Church | 7 | 172.84x |
| Tottenham | 7 | 48.99x |
| Abbey | 6 | 56.55x |
| Fenwick | 6 | 1666.67x |
| Row | 6 | 192.31x |
| Sheffield | 6 | 21.19x |
| Lesbury | 5 | 1724.14x |
| Torphichen | 5 | 1063.83x |
| Roundhay | 4 | 1600.00x |
| Eaglesfield | 3 | 3750.00x |
| Glasgow | 3 | 5.82x |
| Linlithgow | 3 | 173.41x |
| Cramlington | 2 | 113.64x |
| Hastings All Sts | 2 | 139.86x |
| Barony | 1 | 1.36x |
| Framlingham | 1 | 128.21x |
| Fridaythorpe | 1 | 1000.00x |
| Hackney London | 1 | 1.99x |
| Inverness | 1 | 14.84x |
| Kilbirnie | 1 | 62.11x |
| Kingarth | 1 | 256.41x |
| Laleham | 1 | 588.24x |
| Morpeth | 1 | 63.69x |
| Wolverhampton | 1 | 4.29x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Retson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Retson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Retson households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 3 |
| School Mistress | 3 |
| Farm Labourer (Ag Lab) | 2 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Coal Inspector | 1 |
| Dependant On Sons | 1 |
| Dom Serv | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| Groom | 1 |
| Inn Keeper | 1 |
| Interest On Money | 1 |
| Licensed Hawker | 1 |
| Mining Engineer | 1 |
| Post Office Savings Bank Clerk | 1 |
| Railway Clerk | 1 |
| Servant (Unemployed) | 1 |
| Shoemaker | 1 |
| Silver Plater (Smith) | 1 |
| Table Blade Maker | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 92 people were recorded with the Retson surname. That placed it at #20,709 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 79 in 2016. That gives Retson a modern rank of #33,100.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Retson bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.