NameCensus.

UK surname

Timson

An English surname derived from the personal name Timothy or from the occupational term for a thatcher.

In the 1881 census there were 938 people recorded with the Timson surname, ranking it #4,107 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,345, ranked #4,479, down from #4,107 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hinckley and Bosworth, Harborough and North West Leicestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Timson is 1,459 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.4%.

1881 census count

938

Ranked #4,107

Modern count

1,345

2016, ranked #4,479

Peak year

2010

1,459 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Timson had 938 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,107 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,345 in 2016, ranked #4,479.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,372 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Timson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Timson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Timson 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 439 #5,600
1861 historical 418 #6,146
1881 historical 938 #4,107
1891 historical 951 #4,353
1901 historical 1,250 #3,961
1911 historical 1,372 #3,503
1997 modern 1,361 #4,230
1998 modern 1,423 #4,220
1999 modern 1,432 #4,226
2000 modern 1,433 #4,217
2001 modern 1,420 #4,172
2002 modern 1,447 #4,186
2003 modern 1,402 #4,227
2004 modern 1,421 #4,172
2005 modern 1,398 #4,192
2006 modern 1,418 #4,153
2007 modern 1,413 #4,199
2008 modern 1,388 #4,285
2009 modern 1,436 #4,249
2010 modern 1,459 #4,274
2011 modern 1,424 #4,310
2012 modern 1,379 #4,355
2013 modern 1,389 #4,404
2014 modern 1,373 #4,463
2015 modern 1,349 #4,486
2016 modern 1,345 #4,479

Geography

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Where Timsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Glenfield, Leicester Forest. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hinckley and Bosworth, Harborough and North West Leicestershire. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Glenfield, Leicester Forest Leicestershire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hinckley and Bosworth 003 Hinckley and Bosworth
2 Hinckley and Bosworth 007 Hinckley and Bosworth
3 Harborough 010 Harborough
4 Hinckley and Bosworth 002 Hinckley and Bosworth
5 North West Leicestershire 009 North West Leicestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Timson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Timson

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Timson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Timson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Timson is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Timson is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Timson 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 Timson 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Timson

The surname Timson originated in England during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English personal name "Timma," which itself is a pet form of the name "Timotheus." This name likely referred to one's ancestor who bore the personal name Timma.

Early recordings of the name can be found in various historical documents, such as the Pipe Rolls of Sussex from 1230, where it appears as "Tymme." The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also mention a "Tymmeson" in Oxfordshire.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of this surname was John Tymson, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1327. Another early example is William Tymson, recorded in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1396.

The spelling variations of the name were numerous, including Tymson, Timson, Tympson, Tympsone, and Timpson. These variations often reflected local dialects and the way scribes interpreted the pronunciation of the name.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name was particularly prominent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire. One notable bearer was Sir John Tymson (1525-1597), a member of Parliament for Huntingdonshire.

Another individual of note was William Timson (1592-1670), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge. Thomas Timson (1638-1697) was a prolific English writer and editor who published works on history, philosophy, and religion.

In the 18th century, John Timson (1700-1768) was a renowned English clockmaker from Lincolnshire, whose clocks are still highly prized by collectors today. Edward Timson (1778-1847) was a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament.

The name Timson has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout its long history, reflecting its enduring presence in English society over several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Timson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Timson 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. Leicestershire leads with 358 Timsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.48x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 358 35.48x
Hertfordshire 109 17.37x
Northamptonshire 90 10.51x
Middlesex 84 0.92x
Nottinghamshire 40 3.26x
Kent 39 1.26x
Surrey 37 0.83x
Lancashire 29 0.27x
Lincolnshire 28 1.92x
Hampshire 17 0.91x
Yorkshire 16 0.18x
Derbyshire 14 0.98x
Sussex 12 0.78x
Staffordshire 10 0.33x
Worcestershire 9 0.76x
Bedfordshire 7 1.49x
Cheshire 5 0.25x
Norfolk 5 0.36x
Rutland 5 7.48x
Warwickshire 4 0.17x
Essex 3 0.17x
Glamorgan 3 0.19x
Huntingdonshire 2 1.11x
Cornwall 1 0.10x
Dorset 1 0.17x
Durham 1 0.04x
Lanarkshire 1 0.03x
Midlothian 1 0.08x
Monmouthshire 1 0.15x
Somerset 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 111 Timsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 45.11x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 111 45.11x
Glenfield 38 1938.78x
Leicester St Mary 29 35.57x
Berkhampstead 28 198.58x
Ashley 27 2934.78x
Nottingham St Mary 25 7.88x
Great Amwell 20 317.97x
Islington London 16 1.81x
Mile End Old Town 15 10.44x
St Albans St Stephen 15 273.72x
Kensington London 14 2.77x
Lutterworth 14 227.64x
Portsea 14 3.83x
Great Bowden 13 141.61x
Peckleton 13 1566.27x
Theddingworth 13 1688.31x
Cottingham 12 406.78x
Cranoe 12 3636.36x
Liverpool 12 1.83x
St Albans St Michael 12 171.18x
Northampton Priory St 10 19.47x
Tenterden 9 82.19x
Whitwick 9 70.15x
Corby 8 338.98x
Derby St Alkmund 8 18.74x
Leicester St Nicholas 8 140.11x
Minster In Sheppey 8 15.55x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 2.97x
Bromley London 7 3.50x
Burton Upon Trent 7 9.74x
Cransley 7 686.27x
Hinckley 7 29.24x
Hipperholme Cum 7 17.66x
Hucknall Torkard 7 22.50x
Hugglescote 7 47.17x
Nottingham St Peter 7 51.17x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 3.82x
Stoke Golding 7 406.98x
Tring 7 41.79x
Wandsworth 7 7.99x
Abbots Langley 6 64.38x
Chelsea London 6 2.19x
Croft 6 335.20x
Desford 6 214.29x
Folkestone 6 9.96x
Kings Norton 6 5.63x
Willingdon 6 154.24x
Brighton 5 1.62x
Burbage 5 94.88x
Great Casterton 5 495.05x
Kidbrooke 5 285.71x
Kingston On Thames 5 4.69x
Lambeth 5 0.63x
Leicester St Martin 5 73.75x
Louth 5 14.99x
Stoke Albany 5 500.00x
Welwyn 5 92.08x
Wilbarston In Market 5 314.47x
Wymington 5 324.68x
Camberwell 4 0.69x
Chertsey 4 13.96x
Dronfield 4 21.91x
Great Bolton 4 2.80x
Kettering 4 11.55x
Kibworth Beauchamp 4 114.29x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 4 9.52x
Knighton 4 70.30x
Mavis Enderby 4 909.09x
Sutton St Edmunds 4 194.17x
Tur Langton 4 459.77x
Willesborough 4 47.90x
Aston 3 0.47x
Barwell 3 56.18x
Bradford 3 5.93x
Feckenham 3 22.06x
Limehouse London 3 3.00x
Northchurch 3 44.78x
Rothwell 3 34.88x
St Pancras London 3 0.41x
Westville 3 750.00x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 67
William 50
George 40
Thomas 37
Charles 25
Henry 23
Joseph 22
James 19
Samuel 18
Alfred 14
Frederick 13
Arthur 11
Edward 10
Walter 9
Ernest 8
Albert 7
Robert 7
Harry 6
Fredrick 5
Benjamin 4
Daniel 4
Richard 4
Wm. 4
Francis 3
David 2
Harold 2
Horace 2
Lewis 2
Reuben 2
Sam 2
Aurther 1
Bejamin 1
Bryam 1
Cecil 1
Chas.Jas. 1
Chas.W. 1
Edwin 1
Eliza 1
Elmer 1
Everitt 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Isaac 1
Israel 1
Jabez 1
Joe 1
Johns 1
Lenord 1
Zaceheus 1

FAQ

Timson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Timson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 938 people were recorded with the Timson surname. That placed it at #4,107 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Timson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,345 in 2016. That gives Timson a modern rank of #4,479.

What does the Timson surname mean?

An English surname derived from the personal name Timothy or from the occupational term for a thatcher.

What does the Timson map show?

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