NameCensus.

UK surname

Svendsen

A patronymic surname meaning "son of Svend," a Scandinavian given name derived from the Old Norse word for "youth" or "boy."

In the 1881 census there were 19 people recorded with the Svendsen surname, ranking it #30,872 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 107, ranked #29,762, up from #30,872 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Winchester, Havant and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Svendsen is 114 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 463.2%.

1881 census count

19

Ranked #30,872

Modern count

107

2016, ranked #29,762

Peak year

2002

114 bearers

Map years

2

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Svendsen had 19 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,872 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 107 in 2016, ranked #29,762.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 49 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Svendsen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Svendsen surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Svendsen 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
1881 historical 19 #30,872
1891 historical 38 #31,330
1901 historical 49 #28,696
1911 historical 38 #29,147
1997 modern 93 #27,932
1998 modern 103 #27,141
1999 modern 105 #27,035
2000 modern 103 #27,280
2001 modern 97 #27,823
2002 modern 114 #25,886
2003 modern 108 #26,486
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 99 #28,177
2006 modern 94 #29,264
2007 modern 96 #29,339
2008 modern 97 #29,527
2009 modern 99 #29,754
2010 modern 110 #28,666
2011 modern 108 #28,811
2012 modern 103 #29,733
2013 modern 105 #29,916
2014 modern 107 #29,827
2015 modern 107 #29,708
2016 modern 107 #29,762

Geography

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Where Svendsens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Winchester, Havant, The Vale of Glamorgan, North East Lincolnshire and East Devon. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Winchester 006 Winchester
2 Havant 017 Havant
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 010 Vale of Glamorgan
4 North East Lincolnshire 012 North East Lincolnshire
5 East Devon 010 East Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Svendsen

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Svendsen

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Svendsen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Svendsen 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Svendsen is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

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

Svendsen 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

Svendsen 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 Svendsen 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
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Svendsen

The surname Svendsen has its origins in Scandinavia, specifically in Denmark and Norway. It is a patronymic name, meaning that it was originally derived from the given name of the father or an ancestor. The name is composed of the Old Norse elements "Svendr" or "Sveinn" meaning "young man" or "boy," and the suffix "-sen" which means "son of."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Svendsen can be traced back to the 13th century in Denmark and Norway. It is believed to have originated in these regions, where it was commonly used as a way to identify individuals by their paternal lineage. The name was often associated with rural areas and farming communities in its early days.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Svendsen can be found in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of Norwegian medieval documents dating back to the 13th century. The name also appears in various church records and census records from the same period in both Denmark and Norway.

In the late 16th century, a notable figure with the surname Svendsen was Hans Svendsen (1563-1634), a Danish clergyman and academic who served as the Bishop of Viborg from 1616 until his death.

During the 17th century, Joachim Svendsen (1607-1673) was a Norwegian merchant and shipowner who played a significant role in the development of the Norwegian merchant fleet and trade with the Netherlands.

In the 19th century, Johan Svendsen (1840-1911) was a Norwegian composer and conductor who is renowned for his contributions to the Romantic era of classical music. He is particularly known for his two symphonies and several orchestral works.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Erik Svendsen (1875-1923), a Norwegian explorer and adventurer who led several expeditions to the Arctic regions and was among the first to explore the islands of Svalbard.

In the 20th century, Gustav Svendsen (1904-1989) was a Norwegian politician and lawyer who served as the Prime Minister of Norway from 1965 to 1971.

Throughout its history, the surname Svendsen has maintained a strong presence in Scandinavia, particularly in Denmark and Norway, where it has been associated with various professions, ranging from clergy and academics to merchants, explorers, and politicians.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Svendsen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Svendsen 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 6 Svendsens recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.24x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 6 3.24x
Northumberland 5 18.14x
Cornwall 2 9.54x
Surrey 2 2.22x
Aberdeenshire 1 5.83x
Hampshire 1 2.63x
Lanarkshire 1 1.67x
Midlothian 1 4.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hampstead London in Middlesex leads with 3 Svendsens recorded in 1881 and an index of 104.17x.

Place Total Index
Hampstead London 3 104.17x
North Shields 3 545.45x
Rotherhithe 2 87.34x
St George In East 2 158.73x
Anderston 1 5000.00x
Falmouth 1 135.14x
Godshill 1 1111.11x
Leith North 1 2000.00x
Maker 1 526.32x
Newcastle On Tyne 1 3333.33x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 60.61x
Peterhead 1 109.89x
Poplar London 1 28.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ida 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Abraham 1
Authon 1
Christian 1
Ferdinand 1
Frants 1
Johan 1
Johannes 1
Louis 1
Mathias 1
Nils 1
O. 1
Olaf 1
P. 1
Simon 1
Svend 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 Svendsen households.

FAQ

Svendsen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Svendsen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 19 people were recorded with the Svendsen surname. That placed it at #30,872 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Svendsen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 107 in 2016. That gives Svendsen a modern rank of #29,762.

What does the Svendsen surname mean?

A patronymic surname meaning "son of Svend," a Scandinavian given name derived from the Old Norse word for "youth" or "boy."

What does the Svendsen map show?

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