NameCensus.

UK surname

Tuson

An English surname thought to derive from the Old French for "tawny" or "brownish-colored."

In the 1881 census there were 358 people recorded with the Tuson surname, ranking it #8,638 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 620, ranked #8,494, up from #8,638 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Childwall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Ribble, Bromley and Chorley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tuson is 704 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.2%.

1881 census count

358

Ranked #8,638

Modern count

620

2016, ranked #8,494

Peak year

2002

704 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tuson had 358 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,638 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 620 in 2016, ranked #8,494.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 602 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Tuson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tuson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tuson 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 221 #9,630
1861 historical 218 #11,175
1881 historical 358 #8,638
1891 historical 409 #8,712
1901 historical 485 #8,235
1911 historical 602 #6,820
1997 modern 650 #7,655
1998 modern 680 #7,648
1999 modern 684 #7,651
2000 modern 663 #7,816
2001 modern 666 #7,652
2002 modern 704 #7,474
2003 modern 662 #7,728
2004 modern 659 #7,755
2005 modern 639 #7,879
2006 modern 617 #8,111
2007 modern 631 #8,050
2008 modern 633 #8,071
2009 modern 641 #8,158
2010 modern 641 #8,336
2011 modern 638 #8,281
2012 modern 605 #8,550
2013 modern 608 #8,651
2014 modern 615 #8,628
2015 modern 614 #8,573
2016 modern 620 #8,494

Geography

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Where Tusons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Childwall and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Ribble, Bromley, Chorley and North 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Childwall Lancashire
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Ribble 016 South Ribble
2 Bromley 008 Bromley
3 Chorley 004 Chorley
4 Chorley 011 Chorley
5 North Devon 005 North Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tuson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tuson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tuson, 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 Tuson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Tuson 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Tuson is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tuson is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tuson falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tuson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Tuson

The surname Tuson has its origins in England, tracing back to the 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old French word "tousoun," which means "a shorn person" or "a shaven-headed person." This likely referred to someone who had taken religious vows and had their head shaved as a symbol of their devotion.

In the early records, the name appears with various spellings, such as Touson, Towson, and Tuson. One of the earliest known mentions of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk from 1275, which reference a person named William Tousun.

The Tuson surname has been linked to several historical figures throughout the centuries. One notable example is Sir John Tuson, an English merchant and politician who lived from 1608 to 1677. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1664 and played a significant role in the rebuilding efforts after the Great Fire of London in 1666.

Another prominent individual with this surname was William Tuson, a renowned English painter and engraver who lived from 1838 to 1935. His works, which often depicted rural landscapes and scenes from everyday life, earned him recognition and acclaim during his lifetime.

In the 16th century, the Tuson family held land in the village of Rivenhall in Essex, England. Records from this time mention a Richard Tuson, who was born around 1520 and served as the rector of the local church.

Moving forward in time, the 19th century saw the birth of Charles Tuson, a notable English architect who lived from 1854 to 1923. He designed several notable buildings, including the Horniman Museum in London and the Royal Masonic Hospital in Hammersmith.

Another figure of note is Evelyn Tuson, an English actress and writer who lived from 1890 to 1963. She was known for her performances on stage and in films, as well as her contributions to various literary works.

While the origins of the Tuson surname can be traced back to England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, as a result of migration and immigration patterns over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tuson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tuson 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. Lancashire leads with 204 Tusons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.88x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 204 4.88x
Middlesex 42 1.19x
Surrey 26 1.52x
Kent 15 1.25x
Yorkshire 15 0.43x
Berkshire 11 4.16x
Hampshire 9 1.25x
Cheshire 7 0.90x
Somerset 7 1.23x
Leicestershire 6 1.54x
Suffolk 4 0.93x
Durham 3 0.29x
Oxfordshire 3 1.38x
Essex 2 0.29x
Sussex 2 0.34x
Herefordshire 1 0.69x
Hertfordshire 1 0.41x
Midlothian 1 0.21x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.89x
Royal Navy 1 2.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 61 Tusons recorded in 1881 and an index of 54.56x.

Place Total Index
Preston 61 54.56x
Much Woolton 21 370.37x
Longton 17 965.91x
Pendleton In Salford 15 30.13x
Limehouse London 12 31.04x
Mile End Old Town 11 19.79x
Brindle 10 694.44x
Camberwell 10 4.45x
Lambeth 10 3.26x
Oldham 10 7.41x
Walton Le Dale 9 80.14x
Great Lever 8 180.59x
Erith 7 59.12x
Hyde 7 30.51x
Ilchester 7 853.66x
Portsea 7 4.95x
Croston 6 277.78x
Lea Ashton Ingol 6 216.61x
Leicester St Margaret 6 6.30x
Leyland 6 82.53x
Sheffield 6 5.40x
Woodplumpton 6 402.68x
Clayton Le Woods 5 1282.05x
Halifax 5 9.76x
Newington 5 3.84x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 12.06x
Bow London 4 8.92x
Clerkenwell London 4 4.81x
Greenwich 4 7.14x
Reading St Mary 4 18.89x
East Ilsley 3 428.57x
Ecclesall Bierlow 3 4.23x
Fulwood 3 66.37x
Halliwell 3 19.72x
Kyo 3 60.85x
Lt Milton 3 681.82x
South Elmham St James 3 1071.43x
St Pancras London 3 1.06x
Elswick 2 666.67x
Faversham 2 17.45x
Newbury 2 23.61x
North Meols 2 4.89x
Shoreditch London 2 1.31x
St Helens 2 38.10x
Wantage 2 47.51x
Aldeburgh 1 39.37x
Brackenholme Cum 1 1000.00x
Brighton 1 0.83x
Clifton Cum Salwick 1 200.00x
Croydon 1 1.05x
East Ham 1 7.75x
East Malling 1 34.84x
Garstang 1 106.38x
Gillingham 1 4.04x
Glencorse 1 55.25x
Hastings St Mary 1 6.77x
Hertford St John 1 27.62x
Hutton 1 212.77x
Inskip With Sowerby 1 151.52x
Islington London 1 0.29x
Kensington London 1 0.51x
Leominster 1 16.72x
Much Hoole 1 142.86x
Newton With Scales 1 312.50x
Paddington London 1 0.77x
Penally 1 135.14x
Penwortham 1 50.51x
Prittlewell 1 10.38x
Royal Navy 1 2.79x
Skelmersdale 1 14.37x
St George Hanover 1 2.18x
St Luke London 1 1.77x
St Marylebone London 1 0.53x
Thornton In Fylde 1 10.94x
Toxteth Park 1 0.71x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Tuson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tuson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 358 people were recorded with the Tuson surname. That placed it at #8,638 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tuson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 620 in 2016. That gives Tuson a modern rank of #8,494.

What does the Tuson surname mean?

An English surname thought to derive from the Old French for "tawny" or "brownish-colored."

What does the Tuson map show?

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