Novel onium surfactants are described which correspond to the formula X[(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O--.sub.m CH.sub.2 --R--CHR'--Q.sup..sym. A.sup..crclbar. ].sub.n, wherein X is an n-valent hydrophobic radical derived by the removal of n-atoms of active hydrogen from an organic compound; m is one or more; R is a divalent aromatic hydrocarbon radical of from 6 to about 14 carbon atoms, the chain-length of which may be interrupted by oxygen or sulfur atoms; R' is hydrogen or methyl and is methyl only when R is m- or p-phenylene; Q.sup..sym. is a quaternized atom of nitrogen or phosphorus or a tertiary atom of sulfur; A.sup..crclbar. is a compatible anion; and n is from 1 to 5. The following compound is an example C.sub.9 H.sub.19 --C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --O--CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O--.sub.15 CH.sub.2 --C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --CH.sub.2 --S.sup..sym. --CH.sub.3).sub.2 Cl.sup..crclbar.. The novel surfactants are prepared in two steps. In step 1, various nonionic surfactants are reacted with certain chloromethylated aromatics in the presence of a strong base to give novel intermediates which are subsequently reacted in step 2 with tertiary amines, pyridines, tertiary phosphines, sulfides, thiourea etc. to give the onium surfactants.