NameCensus.

UK surname

Samuelson

A patronymic surname derived from the Biblical male given name Samuel, meaning "told by God" or "God has heard."

In the 1881 census there were 89 people recorded with the Samuelson surname, ranking it #21,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 200, ranked #19,591, up from #21,091 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch and Dover St James, Dover St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight, East Hampshire and Maidstone.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Samuelson is 225 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 124.7%.

1881 census count

89

Ranked #21,091

Modern count

200

2016, ranked #19,591

Peak year

2012

225 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Samuelson had 89 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,091 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016, ranked #19,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 166 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Samuelson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Samuelson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Samuelson 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 22 #29,378
1861 historical 51 #27,498
1881 historical 89 #21,091
1891 historical 129 #20,285
1901 historical 166 #17,011
1911 historical 133 #19,214
1997 modern 190 #18,199
1998 modern 191 #18,624
1999 modern 203 #18,081
2000 modern 186 #19,055
2001 modern 181 #19,106
2002 modern 181 #19,463
2003 modern 181 #19,277
2004 modern 193 #18,622
2005 modern 198 #18,279
2006 modern 204 #18,051
2007 modern 207 #18,080
2008 modern 203 #18,470
2009 modern 211 #18,377
2010 modern 221 #18,205
2011 modern 221 #18,039
2012 modern 225 #17,733
2013 modern 214 #18,671
2014 modern 217 #18,645
2015 modern 206 #19,208
2016 modern 200 #19,591

Geography

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Where Samuelsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Leonard Shoreditch, Dover St James, Dover St Mary, Gateshead and Monkwearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight, East Hampshire, Maidstone, Powys and North Dorset. 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 London parishes London 1
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Monkwearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 010 Isle of Wight
2 East Hampshire 011 East Hampshire
3 Maidstone 017 Maidstone
4 Powys 017 Powys
5 North Dorset 002 North Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Samuelson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Samuelson

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Samuelson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Samuelson 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Samuelson is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Samuelson is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Samuelson falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Samuelson

The surname Samuelson originated in Sweden and dates back to the 17th century. It is a patronymic name, meaning it was initially derived from the first name of the father, in this case Samuel. The addition of "son" indicates "son of Samuel." The name Samuel itself has Hebrew origins, meaning "name of God" or "God has heard."

During the 17th and 18th centuries, many Swedes adopted surnames based on their father's first name or their place of residence. Samuelson became a common surname in various parts of Sweden, particularly in the regions of Västergötland, Småland, and Östergötland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Samuelson can be found in the Swedish church records from the late 17th century. For example, the birth of Johan Samuelson was registered in Västra Vingåker parish, Södermanland, in 1688.

In the 19th century, some notable individuals with the surname Samuelson emerged. Carl Samuelson (1810-1884) was a Swedish businessman and industrialist who founded the Samuelson engineering works in Linköping. He played a significant role in the industrialization of Sweden.

Another prominent figure was Johan August Samuelson (1831-1919), a Swedish historian and author who wrote extensively about the history of Scandinavia and the Viking Age.

In the United States, the surname Samuelson gained recognition through the work of Paul Samuelson (1915-2009), an American economist who was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1970 for his contributions to economic theory.

Other notable individuals with the surname Samuelson include Richard Samuelson (1923-2017), an American inventor and entrepreneur known for his work on the first-ever self-contained scuba system, and Ralph Samuelson (1904-1977), a Swedish water polo player who competed in the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics.

While the surname Samuelson may have originated in Sweden, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through immigration and migration patterns. However, its roots can be traced back to the Swedish tradition of patronymic naming conventions, reflecting the name of the father and the cultural heritage of the Scandinavian region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Samuelson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Samuelson 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 22 Samuelsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.51x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 22 2.51x
Yorkshire 14 1.61x
Lancashire 13 1.25x
Kent 12 4.01x
Durham 8 3.06x
Devon 6 3.28x
Cheshire 4 2.06x
Warwickshire 4 1.81x
Dorset 1 1.74x
Northumberland 1 0.77x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.85x
Oxfordshire 1 1.84x
Royal Navy 1 9.56x
Surrey 1 0.23x
Sussex 1 0.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kensington London in Middlesex leads with 9 Samuelsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.44x.

Place Total Index
Kensington London 9 18.44x
Dover St Mary Virgin 6 206.90x
Hessle In Sculcoates 6 779.22x
Charlton 5 251.26x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 98.04x
Paddington London 5 15.49x
Brixham 4 188.68x
Claughton With Grange 4 454.55x
Great Driffield 4 223.46x
North Meols 4 39.22x
Toxteth Park 4 11.34x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 25.51x
Cockington 2 1818.18x
Giggleswick 2 689.66x
Kirkleatham 2 170.94x
Liverpool 2 3.16x
Poplar London 2 12.07x
Rugby 2 66.67x
Shoreditch London 2 5.25x
Stranton 2 22.75x
Westminster St 2 61.73x
Aston 1 1.64x
Banbury 1 91.74x
Battersea 1 3.10x
Beeston 1 73.53x
Brighton 1 3.35x
Buckland In Dover 1 101.01x
Kirkdale 1 5.71x
Leamington Priors 1 18.35x
North Shields 1 38.31x
Sherborne 1 58.82x
Shildon 1 47.62x
St Bartholomew Less 1 222.22x
St George In East 1 16.75x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emily 6
Alice 4
Sarah 4
Bertha 3
Mary 3
Catherine 2
Jane 2
Anna 1
Camilla 1
Caroline 1
Constance 1
Ella 1
Emma 1
Emmeline 1
Evangeline 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Hortense 1
Katine 1
M. 1
Marian 1
Miriam 1
Rebecca 1
Sara 1
Sophia 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
Edward 3
James 3
Bernard 2
Joseph 2
A. 1
Andrew 1
Bryan 1
David 1
Elias 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
George 1
Godfrey 1
Gustad 1
Hans 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Henschel 1
Herbert 1
Herman 1
John 1
Jonas 1
Julian 1
Lawrence 1
Llewellyn 1
Martin 1
Newton 1
Oscar 1
Percy 1
Saml. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Samuelson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Samuelson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 89 people were recorded with the Samuelson surname. That placed it at #21,091 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Samuelson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 200 in 2016. That gives Samuelson a modern rank of #19,591.

What does the Samuelson surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the Biblical male given name Samuel, meaning "told by God" or "God has heard."

What does the Samuelson map show?

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