U.S.

The United States are the forth geographic area to have lots of folks with the surname JONES.  Each state varies as to the absolute numbers and distribution of this surname among the population.  On a national level, some of the earliest data is the 1790 census.

In 1909, there was a booklet published by the U.S. Government that listed all the surnames and their variations which were represented by at least 100 white persons in the U.S. in 1790.  There were approximately 5700 surnames plus variations of the spellings.  The average size of each family, the total number of heads of families, the total number of all other members, and a breakdown of the number of families per state was given.

For the JONES surname, the total number of "Heads of Family" was 2,561.  The average family size for these JONES families were 5.6.  All other members were found to be 11,739.

North Carolina and Virginia headed the list with 558 and 345 respectively for the states given.  Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Maryland had similar numbers at 289, 287, and 239.  A third group of states;  New York, South Carolina, and Connecticut followed at 210, 190, and 173.  New Hampshire and Maine were at 104 and 87.   Vermont and Rhode Island brought of the rear at 59 and 20.

So, to North Carolina and Virginia you would come to find your JONES surname at this point in history. 

The data were first analyzed at "U.S. Census of 1790 and The Jones Surname", Monday, Sept. 12, 2011, @ my blog http://thejonessurname.blogspot.com.  Anyone wish to join me in this topic please comment below.