NameCensus.

UK surname

Timpson

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Timothy's town".

In the 1881 census there were 545 people recorded with the Timpson surname, ranking it #6,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 541, ranked #9,407, down from #6,339 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Kirkshaws and Drumpellier and Langloan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Timpson is 599 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.7%.

1881 census count

545

Ranked #6,339

Modern count

541

2016, ranked #9,407

Peak year

1998

599 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Timpson had 545 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,339 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 541 in 2016, ranked #9,407.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 579 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Timpson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Timpson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Timpson 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 255 #8,652
1861 historical 445 #5,811
1881 historical 545 #6,339
1891 historical 579 #6,585
1901 historical 475 #8,373
1911 historical 527 #7,533
1997 modern 574 #8,398
1998 modern 599 #8,407
1999 modern 589 #8,548
2000 modern 561 #8,811
2001 modern 555 #8,747
2002 modern 580 #8,639
2003 modern 551 #8,831
2004 modern 549 #8,878
2005 modern 556 #8,720
2006 modern 541 #8,930
2007 modern 557 #8,813
2008 modern 548 #8,993
2009 modern 567 #8,959
2010 modern 538 #9,523
2011 modern 535 #9,480
2012 modern 530 #9,445
2013 modern 548 #9,359
2014 modern 553 #9,343
2015 modern 542 #9,436
2016 modern 541 #9,407

Geography

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Where Timpsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Lambeth, Barnet, East and Bozeat. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester, Kirkshaws, Drumpellier and Langloan, Tameside and South Bucks. 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 3
2 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Barnet, East Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 Bozeat Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 045 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Kirkshaws North Lanarkshire
3 Drumpellier and Langloan North Lanarkshire
4 Tameside 016 Tameside
5 South Bucks 005 South Bucks

Forenames

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First names often paired with Timpson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Timpson

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Timpson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Timpson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Timpson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Timpson is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Timpson 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 Timpson 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 Timpson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Timpson

The surname Timpson is of English origin, primarily found in the county of Lancashire, England, during the 16th and 17th centuries. It is believed to derive from the Old English word "tun," meaning a village or an enclosure, combined with the personal name "Son" or "Sonne," suggesting it was initially a locational name referring to someone who lived in a particular village or enclosure owned or associated with someone named Son or Sonne.

The earliest recorded instance of the Timpson surname dates back to the 16th century. In the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from 1523, a certain Henry Tympson was mentioned as a resident of the parish of Childwall. Another early record from the Lancashire Wills records shows a Thomas Tympson from Burnley, who died in 1599.

During the 17th century, the Timpson surname appeared in various parish records across Lancashire. For example, in the Parish Registers of Eccleston, a John Timpson was recorded as having been buried in 1628, while a William Timpson was baptized in the same parish in 1659. Other early references include a Thomas Timpson, who was listed in the Preston Guild Rolls of 1662, and a James Timpson, who was recorded in the Wigan Parish Registers in 1670.

One notable individual bearing the Timpson surname was John Timpson, a prominent Quaker minister who lived from 1633 to 1713. He was born in Antrim, Ireland, but later settled in Pennsylvania, where he played a significant role in the development of the Quaker community in the American colonies.

Another historically significant figure with the Timpson surname was Sir John Timpson, a 16th-century English politician and landowner. He served as a Member of Parliament for Preston in Lancashire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and was known for his involvement in local affairs and governance.

Other notable individuals with the Timpson surname include Thomas Timpson (1785-1859), an English printer and publisher from London, and William Timpson (1799-1875), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in Lancashire and Cheshire during the 19th century.

While the Timpson surname has evolved over time, with various spellings such as Tympson, Tymson, and Tymesonne appearing in historical records, it has maintained a strong connection to its Lancashire roots and the English language's Old English origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Timpson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Timpson 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. Northamptonshire leads with 104 Timpsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.55x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 104 21.55x
Surrey 48 1.92x
Lancashire 46 0.76x
Middlesex 41 0.80x
Hampshire 40 3.80x
Hertfordshire 30 8.48x
Kent 30 1.71x
Buckinghamshire 27 8.70x
Yorkshire 24 0.47x
Staffordshire 17 0.98x
Warwickshire 15 1.16x
Cumberland 14 3.17x
Leicestershire 14 2.46x
Sussex 11 1.27x
Cheshire 8 0.71x
Derbyshire 8 1.00x
Midlothian 7 1.02x
Norfolk 7 0.89x
Argyllshire 6 4.20x
Bedfordshire 4 1.51x
Renfrewshire 4 1.01x
Ayrshire 3 0.78x
Berkshire 3 0.78x
Lanarkshire 2 0.12x
Lincolnshire 2 0.24x
Royal Navy 2 3.27x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.21x
Durham 1 0.07x
Essex 1 0.10x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 1.35x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.14x
Oxfordshire 1 0.32x
Somerset 1 0.12x
Sutherland 1 2.53x
Worcestershire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 26 Timpsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.61x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 26 12.61x
Northampton Priory St 21 72.51x
East Barnet 18 256.78x
Birmingham 15 3.48x
Northampton St Sepulchre 15 61.10x
Lambeth 13 2.91x
Bozeat 12 574.16x
Clifton Reynes 10 2702.70x
Kettering 10 51.23x
Mears Ashby 10 1123.60x
Olney 10 233.10x
Deptford St Nicholas 9 64.79x
Dukinfield 8 15.28x
Ealing 8 17.45x
Liverpool 8 2.16x
Luddington 8 5333.33x
Warblington 8 191.85x
Battersea 7 3.71x
Corstorphine 7 184.70x
Greenwich 7 8.57x
Mortlake 7 62.84x
Openshaw 7 24.55x
Rushden 7 108.36x
Wellingborough 7 28.84x
Wolverhampton 7 5.26x
Blackfordby 6 329.67x
Crosscanonby 6 41.07x
Dunoon 6 204.08x
Great Bolton 6 7.44x
Hopwood 6 75.38x
Islington London 6 1.21x
Lewisham 6 6.43x
Newton Blossomville 6 1304.35x
Rye 6 72.99x
St Marylebone London 6 2.19x
Aylestone 5 111.36x
Chinley Bugsworth 5 236.97x
Dundraw Kelsick 5 1041.67x
East Molesey 5 86.21x
Holy Trinity 5 4.09x
Hoveton St John 5 961.54x
Lockwood 5 27.34x
Pendleton In Salford 5 6.89x
Stoke Bruern 5 337.84x
Uttoxeter 5 56.37x
Abbey 4 6.59x
Broxbourne 4 57.06x
Chelsea London 4 2.59x
Cottingham 4 240.96x
Foots Cray 4 119.40x
Kempston 4 66.34x
Kimberworth 4 14.17x
Kingston On Thames 4 6.66x
Paddington London 4 2.12x
St Pancras London 4 0.97x
Aldenham 3 93.17x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 3 16.25x
Basingstoke 3 24.79x
Billingshurst 3 106.01x
Brandesburton 3 225.56x
Derby St Alkmund 3 12.46x
Hulme 3 2.36x
Leek Lowe 3 13.02x
Leicester St Margaret 3 2.16x
Sutton 3 16.58x
West Derby 3 1.68x
West Kilbride 3 81.97x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 2.07x
Clapham 2 3.12x
Easthampstead 2 97.09x
Hackney London 2 0.70x
Harrington 2 37.52x
Kensington London 2 0.70x
Newchurch 2 4.02x
Northampton St Giles 2 10.88x
Norwich St George Tombland 2 143.88x
Oxted 2 66.45x
Putney 2 8.55x
Stoughton 2 181.82x
Weston 2 134.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Sarah 20
Elizabeth 13
Ann 9
Eliza 9
Annie 8
Emma 7
Alice 6
Anne 6
Emily 6
Jane 6
Susan 6
Ada 5
Edith 5
Florence 5
Louisa 5
Ellen 4
Kate 4
Maria 4
Martha 4
Agnes 3
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Elizath. 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 3
Margaret 3
Beatrice 2
Caroline 2
Hannah 2
Laura 2
Lilly 2
Lizzie 2
Mabel 2
Ruth 2
Cathrine 1
Christiana 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Evelyn 1
Florrie 1
Hester 1
Infant 1
Isabel 1
Kerzia 1
Lavina 1
Leah 1
Lilian 1
Lillian 1
Zilpah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 31
William 29
James 20
Thomas 19
Henry 14
Charles 10
George 9
Harry 8
Arthur 7
Joseph 7
Samuel 7
Edward 6
Robert 6
Alfred 5
Frederick 5
Albert 4
Ernest 4
Frank 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Abraham 2
David 2
Isaac 2
Michael 2
Richard 2
W. 2
Augustus 1
Christopher 1
Conrad 1
Edwin 1
Fred. 1
Fred.E. 1
Fredk. 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Howard 1
Jabez 1
Jacob 1
Jesse 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Levi 1
Mary 1
Michale 1
Mortimer 1
Peter 1
Reuben 1
Robt. 1
Spencer 1
Zacharey 1

FAQ

Timpson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Timpson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 545 people were recorded with the Timpson surname. That placed it at #6,339 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Timpson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 541 in 2016. That gives Timpson a modern rank of #9,407.

What does the Timpson surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Timothy's town".

What does the Timpson map show?

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