# Allison (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/allison/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname originating as a patronymic.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | English |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 52,701 |
| US rank (2010) | 646 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 5,858 people |
| Change since 2000 | +2.3% (51,504 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈælɪsən/, 3 syllables |
| Variant spellings | Alison, Alyson, Allyson |

## Etymology

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

## Who carries it

Share of people named Allison in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 81% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 13% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.3% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.3% |
| Two or more races | 2.0% |

## Where

Wikidata records people named Allison in the United States.

## People named Allison

- James P. Allison, American immunologist and Nobel laureate (born 1948)
- Dorothy Allison, American writer, poet, novelist, critic (1949–2024)
- Graham T. Allison, American political scientist (1940-)
- Luther Allison, American blues guitarist (1939–1997)
- Mose Allison, American jazz blues pianist and singer (1927–2016)
- May Allison, American actress (1890–1989)
- Bobby Allison, American racecar driver (1937–2024)
- Jerry Allison, American rock drummer (1939–2022)
- William B. Allison, American politician and Iowa Senator (1829-1908)
- Davey Allison, American racecar driver (1961–1993)
- Fran Allison, American television and radio comedian, personality and singer (1907-1989)
- Rebecca Allison, American cardiologist

and 7 more on Wikidata.

## Similar surnames

Alison, Alcon, Alexander, Alcantar, Alcantara, Alejandro, Alexandre, Alejandre.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.