The Allison surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 52,701 people carried this name — #646 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 5,600 people counted. That is up 2% from 51,504 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Allison surname

A surname originating as a patronymic.

From a Middle English diminutive form of Alan, Alexander or Alice + -son.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Allison» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Alice’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: Richard fil. Alice, Oxfordshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls. Fil. is Latin for “son of”.

His entry covers Alison and Allison.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 46 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 5 births for the Allison name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 200 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Antrim.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 4
Leinster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

66 people named Allison are counted in Sweden and Finland.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 46
Finland (2026) 20

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Allison was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Yorkshire, North and East Ridings: 25 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 400. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent. His list gives one count for the spellings Allinson and Allison.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Yorkshire, North and East Ridings 25
Durham 20

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Allison was recorded 111 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 225th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 167. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

175 families named Allison, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 962 people lived in those households, 5.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 9 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 66
North Carolina 32
New York 24
South Carolina 21
Maryland 18
Virginia 10
New Hampshire 4

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 227 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Allison in American newspapers,
1897–1898.

Newspaper page from The Portland Daily Press carrying the name Allison
The Portland Daily Press 1897-06-23
Newspaper page from The Portland Daily Press carrying the name Allison
The Portland Daily Press 1898-05-17
Newspaper page from The Portland Daily Press carrying the name Allison
The Portland Daily Press 1897-07-05

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 29,409 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Allison in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2010s.

89,340 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Allison. The most, 12,045, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 2.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 27,087
Victoria 19,105
Tasmania 15,896
Queensland 11,531
South Australia 11,216
Western Australia 3,932
ACT (Canberra) 348
Northern Territory 26

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Allison.

Who carried it

People named Allison,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Susan Blair Athol Allison d. 1951
  • Kate Allison d. 1928
  • Elizabeth Lucy Allison d. 1934
  • Elizabeth Allison d. 1787
  • William Dalziell Mungall Allison d. 1957
  • Richard Allison 1560–1600 · composer

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Allison,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States4,168 records

4,168 records of the Allison name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,781
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 757
  • Other U.S. records 1,630
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record August W. Allison

    Born 1908 in Sweden. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Jay Governors Island, New York; machine shop worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1962, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record John Williams Allison

    Born 1930; from Long Island City, New York. U.S. Marine Corps; killed in action 1950 in Korea. Buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record William Allison

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Chicago from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 25; laborer. From Glasgow, Scotland; bound for Illinois.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 4,168 records for Allison in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,923 records

1,923 records of the Allison name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 775
  • Tasmanian Names Index 453
  • Other Australian records 695
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Benjamin Allison

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Lady East, sailing from Falmouth in 1824. Native of London, Middlesex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1838.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Allison

    Died 1856 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 67. Will registered in Tasmania in 1856.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Arthur Allison

    Arrived in Victoria in 1887 aboard the Garonne, aged 20; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,923 records for Allison in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada742 records

742 records of the Allison name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 590
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 40
  • Other Canadian records 112
  1. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Walter Roland Allison

    Served in the No. 2 Construction Battalion in the First World War, private; of Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Allison

    Came to Ontario in 1873 aboard the Corinthian, landing at Quebec, bound for Cobourg, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Kenneth Robert Kerr Allison

    Buried in 1993 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 57.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 742 records for Allison in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom125 records

125 records of the Allison name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 50
  • Stirling Council burial records 49
  • Other British records 26
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Walter Langmuir Allison

    Born 1888 at Greenock; architect. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Catherine Allison

    Died 1908, aged 76; buried at Strathblane Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Apollos Allison

    Will proved in 1932; of Llandudno, Caernarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 125 records for Allison in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand48 records

48 records of the Allison name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 36
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 5
  • Other New Zealand records 7
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Robert Sherlock Allison

    Died 1898, aged 63; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Isaiah Allison

    Buried in 1931 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 76.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Anna Mary Allison

    Died 1960; ashes interred at Kaiapoi Anglican Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 48 records for Allison in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France2 records

2 records of the Allison name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Cleve Leigm Allison

    Born 1970 in Great Britain; died 1998 in La Mulatière (Rhône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Laura Allison

    Born 1913 in Great Britain; died 1995 in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Allison name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record John Allison

    Died 1836 in Hellevoetsluis, aged 50; captain.

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Voorne-Putten (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Alf Allison

    Died 1915 in Rotterdam, aged 43.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Allison.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Allison is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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