NameCensus.

UK surname

Vanson

A patronymic surname derived from the given name "Evan" or "Ivan".

In the 1881 census there were 94 people recorded with the Vanson surname, ranking it #20,467 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 157, ranked #23,006, down from #20,467 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hackington, Hull Holy Trinity and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Knowsley, West Lancashire and Maldon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Vanson is 157 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 67.0%.

1881 census count

94

Ranked #20,467

Modern count

157

2016, ranked #23,006

Peak year

2016

157 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Vanson had 94 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,467 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016, ranked #23,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 135 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Vanson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Vanson surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Vanson 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 49 #24,448
1861 historical 64 #25,747
1881 historical 94 #20,467
1891 historical 92 #25,109
1901 historical 126 #19,970
1911 historical 135 #19,058
1997 modern 153 #20,868
1998 modern 153 #21,387
1999 modern 154 #21,455
2000 modern 156 #21,235
2001 modern 148 #21,664
2002 modern 149 #22,001
2003 modern 144 #22,270
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 129 #23,963
2006 modern 139 #23,044
2007 modern 140 #23,231
2008 modern 138 #23,763
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 140 #24,569
2011 modern 142 #24,182
2012 modern 143 #24,019
2013 modern 148 #23,884
2014 modern 151 #23,745
2015 modern 155 #23,194
2016 modern 157 #23,006

Geography

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Where Vansons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hackington, Hull Holy Trinity, London parishes, Barham and St Austell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Knowsley, West Lancashire, Maldon and Isle of Wight. 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 Hackington Kent
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Barham Kent
5 St Austell Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Knowsley 020 Knowsley
2 West Lancashire 010 West Lancashire
3 Maldon 001 Maldon
4 West Lancashire 013 West Lancashire
5 Isle of Wight 012 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Vanson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Vanson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Vanson, 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 Vanson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Vanson 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Vanson is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Vanson is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Vanson falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Vanson 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 Vanson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Vanson

The surname VANSON originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the given name "Vane," which itself comes from the Old English word "fana" meaning "banner" or "flag." The name likely referred to someone who carried a banner or standard, perhaps in military service.

The earliest known record of the surname appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where one "William Vaneson" is listed in Suffolk. By the 14th century, the name had spread to various parts of England, appearing in records with spellings like Vanson, Vansun, and Vaneson.

One notable early bearer of the name was John Vanson, a merchant and alderman who lived in London during the late 15th century. He is mentioned in records from the Court of Aldermen in 1486.

In the 16th century, the VANSON surname can be found in the parish records of several English villages, including Brading on the Isle of Wight, where a family by the name of Vanson resided for generations.

During the 17th century, a branch of the Vanson family settled in the village of Exton, Rutland. One of their descendants, William Vanson (1635-1712), became a noted scholar and clergyman, serving as the Rector of Exton and Archdeacon of Leicester.

Another prominent figure was Sir John Vanson (1712-1784), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire. He served as Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1757 and was knighted by King George III in 1761.

In the 19th century, the name VANSON appeared in several literary works, including the novel "The Heir of Redclyffe" by Charlotte M. Yonge, where a character named Mr. Vanson is mentioned.

Despite its English origins, the surname VANSON has also been found in other parts of the world, likely due to migration and intermarriage over the centuries. However, the bulk of historical records and notable bearers of the name can be traced back to England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Vanson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Vanson 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. Kent leads with 40 Vansons recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.79x.

County Total Index
Kent 40 12.79x
Cornwall 11 10.60x
Durham 10 3.67x
Middlesex 9 0.98x
Yorkshire 9 0.99x
Sussex 6 3.88x
Hampshire 2 1.06x
Suffolk 2 1.79x
Hertfordshire 1 1.58x
Norfolk 1 0.71x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.81x
Surrey 1 0.22x
Westmorland 1 4.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Willesborough in Kent leads with 14 Vansons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1666.67x.

Place Total Index
Willesborough 14 1666.67x
Tywardreath 10 1492.54x
Wickhambreux 10 6666.67x
Hook 7 350.00x
North Bedburn 6 789.47x
Barham 5 1562.50x
Brighton 5 16.04x
Cornforth 4 500.00x
Clerkenwell London 3 13.86x
Hanwell 3 184.05x
Sittingbourne 3 121.46x
Bridge 2 740.74x
Goole 2 131.58x
St Pancras London 2 2.71x
Stowmarket 2 155.04x
Woolwich 2 17.30x
Camberwell 1 1.71x
Dogmersfield 1 1111.11x
Great Yarmouth 1 8.56x
Hackington St Stephen 1 500.00x
Lynsted 1 243.90x
Newhaven 1 79.37x
Nottingham St Mary 1 3.13x
Old Hutton Holmescales 1 833.33x
Paddington London 1 2.97x
Portsea 1 2.72x
Ramsgate 1 19.57x
St Blazey 1 109.89x
Tilmanstone 1 909.09x
Welwyn 1 181.82x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Vanson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Vanson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 94 people were recorded with the Vanson surname. That placed it at #20,467 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Vanson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016. That gives Vanson a modern rank of #23,006.

What does the Vanson surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the given name "Evan" or "Ivan".

What does the Vanson map show?

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