NameCensus.

UK surname

Richarson

Son of Richard, a Germanic compound name meaning powerful and hardy.

In the 1881 census there were 108 people recorded with the Richarson surname, ranking it #18,888 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 38, ranked #35,537, down from #18,888 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, St Pancras and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gateshead, County Durham and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Richarson is 357 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 64.8%.

1881 census count

108

Ranked #18,888

Modern count

38

2016, ranked #35,537

Peak year

1997

357 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 1998

Key insights

  • Richarson had 108 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,888 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 38 in 2016, ranked #35,537.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 259 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Richarson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Richarson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Richarson 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 148 #13,028
1861 historical 248 #9,947
1881 historical 108 #18,888
1891 historical 220 #13,937
1901 historical 173 #16,579
1911 historical 259 #12,585
1997 modern 357 #11,998
1998 modern 306 #13,720
1999 modern 272 #14,912
2000 modern 211 #17,603
2001 modern 60 #31,985
2002 modern 58 #32,564
2003 modern 59 #32,530
2004 modern 67 #31,976
2005 modern 71 #31,816
2006 modern 77 #31,510
2007 modern 79 #31,628
2008 modern 69 #32,962
2009 modern 75 #32,733
2010 modern 79 #32,759
2011 modern 74 #33,151
2012 modern 47 #34,992
2013 modern 45 #35,167
2014 modern 47 #35,097
2015 modern 41 #35,383
2016 modern 38 #35,537

Geography

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Where Richarsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, St Pancras, Manchester, St George the Martyr and Tottenham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gateshead, County Durham, Sunderland and Islington. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 St George the Martyr London (South Districts)
5 Tottenham Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gateshead 021 Gateshead
2 County Durham 026 County Durham
3 Sunderland 021 Sunderland
4 Islington 008 Islington
5 Sunderland 009 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Richarson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Richarson

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Richarson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Richarson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Richarson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Richarson is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Richarson falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Richarson

The surname Richarson is of English origin, derived from the given name Richard combined with the suffix "-son," meaning "son of." This naming pattern was common in medieval England, where surnames were often derived from a person's father or ancestor's name. The name Richard itself is of Germanic origin, derived from the elements "ric" (power, rule) and "hard" (brave, hardy).

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Richarson can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This document mentions a landowner named Ricardus filius Ricardi, or Richard, son of Richard, residing in Lincolnshire.

By the 13th century, the surname had evolved into various spellings, including Richerson, Ritcherson, and Richardsone. In 1273, a man named William Richardsone is recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire. Other early records include John Richardeson, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301, and Walter Richardeson, listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1327.

The surname Richarson has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was William Richarson, a member of the Parliament of England who represented Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1335. Another was John Richarson, born around 1475, who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1546.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname was particularly prominent in northern England. Sir Thomas Richarson (1569-1635) was an English judge and Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, while Jonathan Richarson (1667-1745) was a renowned painter and writer on art theory.

In the 18th century, Samuel Richarson (1689-1761) gained fame as a pioneering English novelist, best known for his epistolary novels "Pamela" and "Clarissa." Another notable figure was William Richarson (1743-1814), a renowned naturalist and traveler who explored the Arctic regions and authored numerous works on natural history.

As the surname spread throughout the British Isles and beyond, it took on various spellings and variations, including Richardson, Ritchardson, and Richerson. Despite these variations, the name's origins can be traced back to the medieval English tradition of forming surnames from patronymics, reflecting the enduring legacy of this ancient naming practice.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Richarson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Richarson 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 15 Richarsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.42x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 15 1.42x
Durham 12 3.83x
Sussex 9 5.07x
Lancashire 8 0.64x
Warwickshire 8 3.01x
Cheshire 7 3.01x
Yorkshire 7 0.67x
Cumberland 5 5.51x
Derbyshire 5 3.03x
Lincolnshire 5 2.97x
Norfolk 5 3.09x
Staffordshire 4 1.12x
Essex 3 1.44x
Leicestershire 3 2.57x
Surrey 3 0.58x
Hampshire 2 0.93x
Denbighshire 1 2.51x
Dumfriesshire 1 4.30x
Kent 1 0.28x
Midlothian 1 0.71x
Northumberland 1 0.64x
Perthshire 1 2.12x
Worcestershire 1 0.73x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 8 Richarsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.04x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 8 9.04x
Esh 7 307.02x
Fulshaw 7 1627.91x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 5 458.72x
Brighton 5 13.95x
Great Yarmouth 5 37.26x
Hackney London 5 8.47x
Bowling 4 38.68x
Burton Upon Trent 4 48.08x
Cadney 4 2500.00x
Great Little Marsden 4 69.81x
Islington London 4 3.92x
Lewes St John Southover 4 336.13x
Orrell 4 258.06x
Coundon 3 236.22x
Farlam 3 526.32x
Paddington London 3 7.75x
Aldershot 2 27.66x
Aspatria 2 229.89x
Brightlingsea 2 168.07x
Lambeth 2 2.18x
Syston 2 183.49x
Allington 1 333.33x
Auckland St Andrew 1 120.48x
Byker 1 12.90x
Camberwell 1 1.49x
Chiswick 1 17.36x
Closeburn 1 185.19x
Ealing 1 10.63x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 1.76x
Eston 1 44.05x
Hinckley 1 36.10x
Horncastle 1 57.47x
Leeds 1 1.70x
Northallerton 1 75.19x
Northfield 1 38.31x
Perth West Church 1 44.64x
Romford 1 30.40x
Seaham 1 87.72x
St George Hanover 1 7.27x
Sundridge 1 166.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Elizabeth 6
Jane 5
Ann 3
Martha 3
Sarah 3
Eleanor 2
Fanny 2
Honor 2
Alice 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Cathrine 1
Charlotte 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliz. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Innocent 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Margaret 1
Margarette? 1
Marion 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Nanny 1
Rachel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
John 7
Joseph 4
George 3
Thomas 3
Alfred 2
Peter 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Ezra 1
Geo.Thos. 1
Henry 1
James 1
Job 1
Richard 1
Roland 1
Wilfred 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Richarson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Richarson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 108 people were recorded with the Richarson surname. That placed it at #18,888 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Richarson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 38 in 2016. That gives Richarson a modern rank of #35,537.

What does the Richarson surname mean?

Son of Richard, a Germanic compound name meaning powerful and hardy.

What does the Richarson map show?

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