NameCensus.

UK surname

Maben

A variant of the surname Mabin, originating from a Scottish place name.

In the 1881 census there were 131 people recorded with the Maben surname, ranking it #16,824 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 133, ranked #25,765, down from #16,824 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hawick and Wilton, Govan Combination and Kirkcudbright. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shawfair, Paisley South West and Peebles North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Maben is 202 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.5%.

1881 census count

131

Ranked #16,824

Modern count

133

2016, ranked #25,765

Peak year

1901

202 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Maben had 131 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,824 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016, ranked #25,765.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 202 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Maben surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Maben surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Maben 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 84 #19,067
1861 historical 106 #20,147
1881 historical 131 #16,824
1891 historical 182 #15,983
1901 historical 202 #15,010
1911 historical 76 #25,221
1997 modern 130 #23,021
1998 modern 139 #22,720
1999 modern 140 #22,789
2000 modern 138 #22,960
2001 modern 135 #22,945
2002 modern 147 #22,197
2003 modern 131 #23,553
2004 modern 133 #23,528
2005 modern 127 #24,178
2006 modern 126 #24,493
2007 modern 125 #24,987
2008 modern 127 #25,020
2009 modern 131 #25,056
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 139 #24,507
2012 modern 138 #24,614
2013 modern 142 #24,547
2014 modern 135 #25,581
2015 modern 136 #25,352
2016 modern 133 #25,765

Geography

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Where Mabens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hawick and Wilton, Govan Combination, Kirkcudbright, Glasgow and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shawfair, Paisley South West, Peebles North, Easthouses and Peebles South. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Kirkcudbright Kirkcudbright
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Manchester Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shawfair Midlothian
2 Paisley South West Renfrewshire
3 Peebles North Scottish Borders
4 Easthouses Midlothian
5 Peebles South Scottish Borders

Forenames

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First names often paired with Maben

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Maben

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Maben, 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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Maben surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Maben household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Maben is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Maben is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

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

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Maben falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Maben is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Maben

The surname Maben is of Scottish origin, believed to have originated in the Highlands region of Scotland during the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic word "maban," which means "little bald one" or "little tonsured one," suggesting that the name may have originally been a nickname given to a monk or someone with a tonsured head.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maben can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a series of parchment rolls that documented the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England after his conquest of Scotland. The name appears as "Mabane," which is likely an early spelling variation.

During the 16th century, the name Maben was particularly prevalent in the Scottish counties of Argyll and Inverness, where it is believed to have originated. In the parish records of Kilmallie, Inverness-shire, there are several references to individuals with the surname Maben, including John Maben, who was recorded as a tenant farmer in 1596.

One notable individual with the surname Maben was Sir William Maben (1615-1682), a Scottish lawyer and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland from 1677 to 1682. He was also a member of the Convention of Estates, which played a crucial role in the Glorious Revolution of 1688.

Another significant figure was Alexander Maben (1766-1842), a Scottish merchant and banker who co-founded the British Linen Bank in 1746. He was also involved in the establishment of the Royal Bank of Scotland and served as its first governor from 1727 to 1729.

In the 18th century, the name Maben was also found in parts of Ireland, particularly in County Antrim, where it is believed that some Scottish families with the surname had settled during the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th century. One notable individual from this region was Robert Maben (1780-1857), an Irish-born merchant and shipowner who made his fortune in the West Indies trade.

Another notable figure was John Maben (1872-1946), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1913 to 1922, representing the Labor Party.

While the surname Maben is relatively uncommon today, it continues to be found in various parts of the world, particularly in Scotland, Ireland, England, and Australia, where families with this surname have established roots over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Maben families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Maben 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. Kirkcudbrightshire leads with 19 Mabens recorded in 1881 and an index of 101.93x.

County Total Index
Kirkcudbrightshire 19 101.93x
Lanarkshire 18 4.32x
Roxburghshire 15 64.32x
Ayrshire 13 13.49x
Devon 11 4.10x
Lancashire 11 0.72x
Durham 10 2.61x
Selkirkshire 9 77.25x
Glamorgan 7 3.12x
Middlesex 5 0.39x
Ross-shire 5 14.14x
Kent 4 0.91x
Wigtownshire 2 11.70x
Berwickshire 1 6.41x
Cheshire 1 0.35x
Hampshire 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 17 Mabens recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.51x.

Place Total Index
Govan 17 16.51x
Stoke Damerel 10 53.30x
Galashiels 9 208.82x
Kirkcudbright 9 584.42x
Bishopwearmouth 8 24.33x
Riccarton Hurlford 8 473.37x
Hownam 7 5833.33x
Hulme 7 21.95x
Llandaff 7 93.83x
Kintail 5 1666.67x
Largs 5 220.26x
Anwoth 4 1250.00x
Jedburgh 4 174.67x
Hawick 3 57.47x
Rochester St Margaret 3 64.79x
Twickenham 3 54.35x
Dalry 2 454.55x
Darlington 2 13.52x
Kells 2 465.12x
Stanwell 2 210.53x
Wigtown 2 204.08x
Barony 1 0.95x
Chatham 1 8.28x
Devonport 1 32.47x
Eckford 1 250.00x
Heaton Norris 1 11.49x
Higher Bebington 1 54.95x
Longformacus 1 588.24x
Maghull 1 158.73x
Rerrick 1 125.00x
Southampton Holy Rood 1 370.37x
Toxteth Park 1 1.93x
Troqueer 1 40.82x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 1 22.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 3
Anne 2
Elizabeth 2
Isabella 2
Margaret 2
Mary 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Cecilia 1
Eliza 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
M.J. 1
Maud 1
Rebecca 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 7
George 5
Robert 3
David 2
James 2
Andrew 1
Benj. 1
Charles 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Herbert 1
J.T. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Maben households.

FAQ

Maben surname: questions and answers

How common was the Maben surname in 1881?

In 1881, 131 people were recorded with the Maben surname. That placed it at #16,824 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Maben surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 133 in 2016. That gives Maben a modern rank of #25,765.

What does the Maben surname mean?

A variant of the surname Mabin, originating from a Scottish place name.

What does the Maben map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Maben 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.