NameCensus.

UK surname

Mabe

Derived from the Old English given name Mægenbeald, meaning "bold strength."

In the 1881 census there were 149 people recorded with the Mabe surname, ranking it #15,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 213, ranked #18,785, down from #15,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Mary, London parishes and Camrose. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pembrokeshire, Newport and Neath Port Talbot.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mabe is 218 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.0%.

1881 census count

149

Ranked #15,551

Modern count

213

2016, ranked #18,785

Peak year

2015

218 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mabe had 149 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 213 in 2016, ranked #18,785.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 201 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Mabe surname distribution map

The map shows where the Mabe surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Mabe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mabe over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 77 #19,998
1861 historical 75 #24,238
1881 historical 149 #15,551
1891 historical 148 #18,506
1901 historical 174 #16,520
1911 historical 201 #14,905
1997 modern 199 #17,668
1998 modern 193 #18,511
1999 modern 181 #19,380
2000 modern 192 #18,683
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 192 #18,767
2003 modern 182 #19,215
2004 modern 190 #18,792
2005 modern 187 #18,924
2006 modern 193 #18,675
2007 modern 189 #19,146
2008 modern 188 #19,387
2009 modern 195 #19,329
2010 modern 193 #19,880
2011 modern 194 #19,662
2012 modern 198 #19,340
2013 modern 214 #18,671
2014 modern 215 #18,764
2015 modern 218 #18,478
2016 modern 213 #18,785

Geography

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Where Mabes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Mary, London parishes, Camrose, St Giles Camberwell and Swansea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pembrokeshire, Newport, Neath Port Talbot and Charnwood. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 St Mary Pembrokeshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Camrose Pembrokeshire
4 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)
5 Swansea Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pembrokeshire 002 Pembrokeshire
2 Newport 003 Newport
3 Newport 013 Newport
4 Neath Port Talbot 020 Neath Port Talbot
5 Charnwood 005 Charnwood

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mabe

These lists show first names that appear often with the Mabe surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mabe

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mabe, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Mabe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Mabe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Mabe is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mabe is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mabe falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mabe is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mabe, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mabe

The surname Mabe has its origins in England, with roots dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "mæbbe," meaning "mab" or "little person," which was likely used as a nickname or descriptive name for someone of small stature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a certain Walter Mabe is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established in the region during that period.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records from different parts of England, such as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which lists a John Mabe in Oxfordshire. This indicates that the name had spread across the country by that time.

Interestingly, the name Mabe is also linked to certain place names, particularly in Cornwall, where it is believed to have originated from the Cornish word "mab," meaning "son." This connection is evident in places like Mabe Burnthouse and Mabe Arworthal, both located in Cornwall.

Among the notable individuals bearing the Mabe surname throughout history are:

1. William Mabe (c. 1490 - 1558), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of Queen Mary I. 2. John Mabe (c. 1602 - 1679), a British merchant and explorer who is credited with being one of the first Europeans to establish trade relations with the Kingdom of Siam (present-day Thailand). 3. Elizabeth Mabe (1670 - 1742), an early settler in the American colonies and one of the founders of the town of Mabetown, which is now part of West Virginia. 4. Robert Mabe (1785 - 1868), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and rose to the rank of Rear Admiral. 5. Jonathan Mabe (1823 - 1901), an American farmer and abolitionist who played a significant role in the Underground Railroad, helping to guide escaped slaves to freedom.

Overall, the surname Mabe has a rich history spanning several centuries, with its roots firmly planted in England and connections to various regions and notable individuals throughout its evolution.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mabe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mabe surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Pembrokeshire leads with 49 Mabes recorded in 1881 and an index of 106.82x.

County Total Index
Pembrokeshire 49 106.82x
Surrey 42 5.97x
Middlesex 13 0.90x
Angus 11 8.23x
Glamorgan 10 3.98x
Leicestershire 8 5.00x
Cheshire 7 2.20x
Kent 4 0.81x
Herefordshire 2 3.38x
Midlothian 1 0.52x
Monmouthshire 1 0.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newington in Surrey leads with 21 Mabes recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.38x.

Place Total Index
Newington 21 39.38x
Liff Benvie 11 54.19x
Camrose 10 2272.73x
Southwark St George Martyr 10 34.42x
Jordanston 9 11250.00x
Lambeth 8 6.36x
Sheepshed 8 365.30x
Tenby St Mary In 8 341.88x
Macclesfield 7 49.44x
Narberth South 7 2058.82x
Prendergast 7 1000.00x
Swansea Town 6 29.11x
St Pancras London 5 4.30x
Islington London 4 2.86x
Minster In Sheppey 4 49.02x
Narberth North 4 487.80x
Swansea Lower 4 312.50x
Camberwell 2 2.17x
Haverfordwest St Mary 2 303.03x
Mile End Old Town 2 8.78x
Ross 2 85.11x
Bedwellty 1 5.43x
Clapham 1 5.54x
Edinburgh Canongate 1 20.33x
Granston 1 1111.11x
Manorowen 1 1000.00x
Shadwell London 1 24.75x
St Marylebone London 1 1.30x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mabe surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 6
Jane 5
Sarah 5
Anne 4
Elizabeth 4
Emma 4
Martha 4
Ann 2
Annie 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Esther 2
Gertrude 2
Louisa 2
Alice 1
Caroline 1
Emily 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Janette 1
Julia 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Leneria 1
Lisetta 1
Louise 1
Minnie 1
Ortensia 1
Phoebe 1
Prescilla 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Wm.James 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mabe surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 9
John 8
James 7
Henry 6
Thomas 6
Joseph 4
Albert 3
Charles 3
George 3
Stephen 3
Alfred 2
Benjamin 1
David 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Laned 1
Louis 1
Mark 1
St.D.Jo. 1
Sydney 1
Tom 1
Wm.Thomas 1

FAQ

Mabe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mabe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 149 people were recorded with the Mabe surname. That placed it at #15,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mabe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 213 in 2016. That gives Mabe a modern rank of #18,785.

What does the Mabe surname mean?

Derived from the Old English given name Mægenbeald, meaning "bold strength."

What does the Mabe map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mabe bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.