The Ison surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 6,697 people carried this name — #5,213 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 44,100 people counted. That is up 10% from 6,110 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Ison surname

As an English and Welsh surname

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

His entry covers Ison and Izen.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 421 · public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 193 people named Ison live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 73
Mendoza 64
Córdoba 34
Santa Fe 12
City of Buenos Aires 10

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 25 people named Ison.

2 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 5 départements, most often Deux-Sèvres.

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

Where they were born

Born outside France 2
Deux-Sèvres 8
Eure-et-Loir 5
Loir-et-Cher 5
Charente 3
Yvelines 2

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In print

Ison in American newspapers,
1913.

Newspaper page from The Madison Daily Leader carrying the name Ison
The Madison Daily Leader 1913-10-09

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Ison in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

17,503 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Ison. The most, 2,828, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 8,254
Victoria 4,733
Queensland 2,461
Tasmania 754
South Australia 626
Western Australia 559
ACT (Canberra) 71
Northern Territory 12

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

Who carried it

People named Ison,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John Ison 1767–1811
  • Frances Hastings Wheyway 1772–1855
  • Leonard Ison 1889–
  • Ada Ison 1891–1972
  • Ernie Ison 1903–1983 · association football player
  • Mary Frances Spencer 1912–1969

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

In the public record

People named Ison,
in the records of 8 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 States335 records

335 records of the Ison name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 217
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 56
  • Other U.S. records 62
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Dewey B. Ison

    Born 1901 in Kentucky. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Thomas Newport; laboratory technician from Harlan County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1967, buried at Dayton National Cemetery, Ohio.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Ison

    Arrived at New York in 1861 aboard the Underwriter from Liverpool, aged 18; dressmaker. From England; bound for Utah.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Arnold E. Ison

    Born 1943; from Viper, Kentucky. U.S. Army, indirect fire infantryman; killed in action 1966 in South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 335 records for Ison in the United States.

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

Australia176 records

176 records of the Ison name in Australia
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 54
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 45
  • Other Australian records 77
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Selina Ison

    Died 1930 in Infirmary, New¿town, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1930.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 George Ison

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Eliza, arriving 1820; ticket of leave 1825. Native of Shropshire.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Homer W. Ison

    Arrived in Queensland in 1883 aboard the Rohilla, aged 4.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 176 records for Ison in Australia.

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

United Kingdom21 records

21 records of the Ison name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 19
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 1
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Emma Ison

    Will proved in 1941; of Barmouth, Merioneth.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. Ison

    King's (Liverpool Regiment). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Ison

    Border Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 21 records for Ison in the United Kingdom.

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

Canada8 records

8 records of the Ison name in Canada
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 6
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 1
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 1
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Minnie Walton Ison

    Buried in 1976 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 82.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Harry Edwin Ison

    Died 1968 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. 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 John Edward Ison

    Died in service in 1915.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 8 records for Ison in Canada.

Counts: City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

France7 records

7 records of the Ison 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 Yvonne Renee Francoise Ison

    Born 1910 in Langey; died 1996 in Courtalain (Eure-et-Loir).

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

    Born 1934 in Chambroutet; died 2000 in Thouars (Deux-Sèvres).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marie Desiree Ison

    Born 1892 in Cloyes-sur-le-Loir; died 1980 in Cloyes-sur-le-Loir (Eure-et-Loir).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Ison in France.

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).

New Zealand1 record

1 record of the Ison name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Ison

    Died 1882, aged 68; buried at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Christchurch City 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).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Ison name in the Netherlands Dutch population registers
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Francis James Ison

    In the population register of Utrecht; born 1896 in Wolverhampton.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Germany1 record

1 record of the Ison name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Gustav Ison

    From Zimpel, Breslau. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 12 February 1918.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Ison.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Ison 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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