Find out how popular the last name Ison is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Ison.

Ison, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Ison surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ison in America

Ison is the 5213th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ison surname appeared 6,697 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Ison.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ison to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Ison

The surname Ison has its origins in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "isen," meaning "iron," suggesting that the name's earliest bearers may have been blacksmiths or workers in the iron trade.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire from 1219, which mentions a person named William Ison. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also record several individuals with the surname Ison in various counties across England.

During the Middle Ages, the name Ison appeared in various spellings, such as Ison, Isoun, and Isun, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and regional dialects. Some sources suggest that the name may have also been associated with place names like Isondon (now Islington) in London or Isenhurst (now Isenhurst) in Kent.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Ison include Sir John Ison (1518-1596), a prominent English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths in London. Another figure was William Ison (1695-1783), a renowned clockmaker from Lincolnshire, whose works are still highly regarded by collectors.

In the literary realm, Thomas Ison (1770-1848) was an English poet and schoolmaster, known for his collection of poems titled "Poems, Descriptive and Miscellaneous." Additionally, Richard Ison (1797-1871) was a notable English composer and organist who served as the organist of St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

Moving into the 19th century, we find John Ison (1824-1888), a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Bethnal Green Museum. Another figure from this period was Mary Ison (1860-1938), a British educator and philanthropist who founded several schools for underprivileged children in London.

These examples illustrate the rich history and diverse backgrounds of individuals bearing the surname Ison, which has its roots firmly planted in the English heritage and traditions of the past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ison

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ison.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ison was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Ison has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Ison was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ison, please contact us.

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