NameCensus.

UK surname

Son

A patronymic surname of Scandinavian origin meaning "son of," indicating the father's name preceded the suffix.

In the 1881 census there were 51 people recorded with the Son surname, ranking it #26,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 230, ranked #17,812, up from #26,428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Monifieth, Llanguick and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kingston upon Thames, Portlethen and Harrow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Son is 253 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 351.0%.

1881 census count

51

Ranked #26,428

Modern count

230

2016, ranked #17,812

Peak year

1851

253 bearers

Map years

2

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Son had 51 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016, ranked #17,812.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 253 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Son surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Son surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Son 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 253 #8,709
1881 historical 51 #26,428
1891 historical 22 #32,449
1901 historical 49 #28,696
1997 modern 53 #32,329
1998 modern 47 #33,197
1999 modern 51 #32,940
2000 modern 44 #33,602
2001 modern 40 #33,842
2002 modern 45 #33,712
2003 modern 52 #33,160
2004 modern 63 #32,380
2005 modern 70 #31,912
2006 modern 67 #32,532
2007 modern 71 #32,484
2008 modern 70 #32,856
2009 modern 77 #32,553
2010 modern 106 #29,305
2011 modern 104 #29,424
2012 modern 169 #21,437
2013 modern 172 #21,575
2014 modern 181 #21,033
2015 modern 193 #20,056
2016 modern 230 #17,812

Geography

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Where Sons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Monifieth, Llanguick, Eccles, Manchester and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kingston upon Thames, Portlethen, Harrow, Hertsmere and Greenwich. 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 Monifieth Forfar
2 Llanguick Glamorganshire
3 Eccles Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kingston upon Thames 012 Kingston upon Thames
2 Portlethen Aberdeenshire
3 Harrow 002 Harrow
4 Hertsmere 013 Hertsmere
5 Greenwich 011 Greenwich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Son

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Son

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Son surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Son household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Son is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Son 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

Son 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 Son is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

This describes the area pattern most associated with Son, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Son

The surname "Son" is believed to have originated in Scandinavia and Iceland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old Norse word "sonr," which means "son." In these regions, surnames were often patronymic, meaning they were derived from the father's first name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Son" can be found in the Icelandic Landnámabók, a medieval manuscript detailing the settlement of Iceland. The manuscript mentions individuals with the patronymic "Sonr" or "Son" as early as the 9th century.

In England, the surname "Son" can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have been brought over by Scandinavian settlers during the Viking era. One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Willelmus filius Sone, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1202.

The surname "Son" was also prevalent in Scotland, particularly in the Orkney and Shetland Islands, which were under Norse influence for several centuries. Historical records from the 16th century, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, mention individuals with the surname "Son" from these regions.

Notable individuals with the surname "Son" throughout history include:

1. Ingólfur Arnarson (c. 850 - c. 930), an Icelandic Norse explorer credited with being the first permanent settler of Iceland. 2. Jón Loftsson (c. 1124 - 1197), a powerful Icelandic chieftain and one of the most influential figures in the Sturlung era. 3. William Sonner (fl. 1500s), an English poet and playwright active during the reign of Henry VIII. 4. Robert Sone (c. 1550 - 1609), a Scottish poet and writer from Perth. 5. Christian Sonne (1622 - 1669), a Danish astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of the solar system.

The surname "Son" has also been associated with various place names, such as Sonning in Berkshire, England, which is derived from the Old English words "sunninga" and "tun," meaning "sunny place."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Son families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Son 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. Derbyshire leads with 2 Sons recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.86x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 2 21.86x
Surrey 2 7.02x
Middlesex 1 1.71x
Warwickshire 1 6.78x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crich in Derbyshire leads with 2 Sons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3333.33x.

Place Total Index
Crich 2 3333.33x
Birmingham 1 20.37x
Lambeth 1 19.65x
Shadwell London 1 625.00x
Thames Ditton 1 1666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Arthur 1
John 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
William 1
YAW 1

Top occupations

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 Son households.

FAQ

Son surname: questions and answers

How common was the Son surname in 1881?

In 1881, 51 people were recorded with the Son surname. That placed it at #26,428 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Son surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016. That gives Son a modern rank of #17,812.

What does the Son surname mean?

A patronymic surname of Scandinavian origin meaning "son of," indicating the father's name preceded the suffix.

What does the Son map show?

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