NameCensus.

UK surname

Urmson

A locational surname derived from a place called Urmston in Greater Manchester, England.

In the 1881 census there were 192 people recorded with the Urmson surname, ranking it #13,185 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 136, ranked #25,377, down from #13,185 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Eccles, Dean and Walsall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Halton, Chorley and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Urmson is 266 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 29.2%.

1881 census count

192

Ranked #13,185

Modern count

136

2016, ranked #25,377

Peak year

1911

266 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Urmson had 192 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,185 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016, ranked #25,377.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 266 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Urmson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Urmson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Urmson 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 115 #15,634
1861 historical 135 #16,651
1881 historical 192 #13,185
1891 historical 231 #13,472
1901 historical 249 #13,172
1911 historical 266 #12,395
1997 modern 163 #20,038
1998 modern 165 #20,423
1999 modern 157 #21,201
2000 modern 146 #22,170
2001 modern 141 #22,344
2002 modern 153 #21,609
2003 modern 149 #21,766
2004 modern 145 #22,289
2005 modern 144 #22,367
2006 modern 138 #23,156
2007 modern 132 #24,166
2008 modern 134 #24,249
2009 modern 142 #23,791
2010 modern 138 #24,801
2011 modern 135 #24,922
2012 modern 139 #24,485
2013 modern 138 #25,020
2014 modern 139 #25,093
2015 modern 137 #25,226
2016 modern 136 #25,377

Geography

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Where Urmsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Eccles, Dean, Walsall, Bolton-le-Moors and Ashton-under-Lyne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Halton, Chorley, Bolton and Oldham. 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 Eccles Lancashire
2 Dean Lancashire
3 Walsall Staffordshire
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Halton 011 Halton
2 Chorley 007 Chorley
3 Bolton 027 Bolton
4 Halton 013 Halton
5 Oldham 017 Oldham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Urmson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Urmson

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Urmson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Urmson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Urmson 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

Urmson 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

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

Meaning and origin of Urmson

The surname Urmson originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English personal name "Ormus" or "Ormr," which means "serpent" or "dragon." This name was likely given to someone with a fierce or brave demeanor.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is a mention of a Richard Urmson in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire from the year 1285.

The name Urmson has its roots in the northern counties of England, particularly Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is closely associated with the area around Urmston, a town located between Manchester and Warrington. This place name likely contributed to the development of the surname over time.

In the Domesday Book, a great survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there are no direct references to the surname Urmson. However, the book does mention several individuals with the first name Ormr or variations thereof, which could have been precursors to the later surname.

Some notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Urmson include:

1. John Urmson (1675-1749), an English theologian and academic who served as the Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge. 2. James Clerk Urmson (1858-1934), a British civil servant and author who wrote extensively on Indian history and culture. 3. J. O. Urmson (1915-2012), a British philosopher and academic known for his work on ethics and the philosophy of language. 4. William Urmson (1913-2001), a British actor and playwright who appeared in numerous stage productions and television shows. 5. Helen Urmson (1912-2005), a Scottish painter and printmaker renowned for her landscapes and still-life works.

While the surname Urmson may have evolved from various place names and older spellings over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the Old English personal name Ormr, reflecting the historical significance and cultural roots of this name in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Urmson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Urmson 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 153 Urmsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.88x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 153 6.88x
Cheshire 15 3.63x
Staffordshire 10 1.58x
Surrey 4 0.44x
Flintshire 3 5.96x
Shropshire 3 1.85x
Hampshire 1 0.26x
Hertfordshire 1 0.77x
Sussex 1 0.32x
Yorkshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 34 Urmsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.40x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 34 47.40x
Little Hulton 20 543.48x
Warrington 16 60.72x
Worsley 16 116.79x
Farnworth 15 112.61x
Ashton Under Lyne 11 22.65x
Chadderton 11 101.29x
Eccleston In Prescot 8 71.68x
Walsall Foreign 7 21.43x
Runcorn 6 62.96x
Toxteth Park 6 7.97x
Liverpool 5 3.70x
Oxton 5 213.68x
Everton 3 4.24x
Lower Bebington 3 121.95x
Shrewsbury St Mary 3 47.02x
Worthenbury 3 1034.48x
Caterham 2 49.63x
Knowsley 2 250.00x
Rushall 2 53.76x
Stretford 2 16.35x
Wimbledon 2 19.51x
Atherton 1 12.36x
Bidston Cum Ford 1 588.24x
Ellerton Priory 1 555.56x
Little Lever 1 35.21x
South Bersted 1 37.17x
St Thomas Winchester 1 36.90x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 1.49x
Tottington Lower End 1 9.47x
Ware 1 27.03x
West Derby 1 1.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 11
Mary 10
Ann 9
Hannah 7
Martha 5
Ellen 4
Margaret 4
Elizabeth 3
Emma 3
Jane 3
Alice 2
Anne 2
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Florence 2
Georgina 2
Agnes 1
Agness 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Hester 1
Ida 1
Isabella 1
Jeanette 1
Leicel 1
Lizzie 1
Margt. 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Nanny 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
John 10
Thomas 10
James 8
Joseph 7
Samuel 7
Henry 4
Moses 4
Ralph 4
George 3
Edward 2
Gilbert 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Ava 1
David 1
Harry 1
Howard 1
Jonathan 1
Jos. 1
Leonard 1
Levi 1
Matthew 1
Miriam 1
Roland 1
Saml. 1
Sarathan 1
Simeon 1
Ssaml. 1
Taylor 1

FAQ

Urmson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Urmson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 192 people were recorded with the Urmson surname. That placed it at #13,185 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Urmson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016. That gives Urmson a modern rank of #25,377.

What does the Urmson surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place called Urmston in Greater Manchester, England.

What does the Urmson map show?

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