UK surname
A Norman French surname referring to someone from the town of Meynard in Normandy, France.
In the 1881 census there were 29 people recorded with the Mainard surname, ranking it #29,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 17, ranked #36,904, down from #29,484 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Paddington, London parishes and Sandhurst. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mainard is 103 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 41.4%.
1881 census count
29
Ranked #29,484
Modern count
17
2016, ranked #36,904
Peak year
1851
103 bearers
Map years
1
1851 to 1851
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Mainard surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Mainard surname density by area, 1851 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 103 | #16,835 |
| 1861 | historical | 81 | #23,431 |
| 1881 | historical | 29 | #29,484 |
| 1891 | historical | 32 | #31,754 |
| 1901 | historical | 25 | #31,259 |
| 1911 | historical | 26 | #30,547 |
| 1997 | modern | 17 | #36,181 |
| 1998 | modern | 17 | #36,240 |
| 1999 | modern | 18 | #36,151 |
| 2000 | modern | 21 | #35,799 |
| 2001 | modern | 19 | #35,866 |
| 2002 | modern | 19 | #35,991 |
| 2003 | modern | 18 | #36,115 |
| 2004 | modern | 20 | #36,053 |
| 2005 | modern | 17 | #36,407 |
| 2006 | modern | 18 | #36,412 |
| 2007 | modern | 15 | #36,793 |
| 2008 | modern | 13 | #37,056 |
| 2009 | modern | 16 | #36,850 |
| 2010 | modern | 16 | #36,937 |
| 2011 | modern | 14 | #37,115 |
| 2012 | modern | 14 | #37,078 |
| 2013 | modern | 15 | #37,046 |
| 2014 | modern | 15 | #37,070 |
| 2015 | modern | 18 | #36,809 |
| 2016 | modern | 17 | #36,904 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Paddington, London parishes, Sandhurst, Hawkhurst, Etchingham and Llanvrechva. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paddington | London (West Districts) |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Sandhurst | Kent |
| 4 | Hawkhurst, Etchingham | Kent |
| 5 | Llanvrechva | Monmouthshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Mainard surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mainard, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Mainard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Mainard household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Mainard is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mainard is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Mainard, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Mainard has its origins in medieval France, specifically in the Normandy region, where it first appeared in the 11th century. The name is believed to derive from the Old French words "meine" and "ard," which together meant "hardy" or "vigorous." This suggests that the name may have originally been a nickname for a particularly strong or robust individual.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Mainard surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Mainardus" in this document, indicating that it had already been established as a surname by the late 11th century.
In the 12th century, the Mainard family held lands in Normandy and was considered part of the nobility. Raoul Mainard, born around 1150, was a prominent knight and crusader who participated in the Third Crusade under Richard the Lionheart.
The name also has connections to various place names in Normandy, such as the village of Mainard-sur-Orne and the hamlet of Mainardière. These place names likely originated from early bearers of the Mainard surname who owned or settled in these areas.
In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the Mainard name was Jacques Mainard, a French scholar and theologian born around 1220. He was known for his extensive writings on theological subjects and served as a professor at the University of Paris.
During the 14th century, the Mainard family continued to hold influence in Normandy, with several members serving as knights and landowners. One such individual was Robert Mainard, born in 1325, who fought alongside the French forces during the Hundred Years' War against England.
In the 15th century, the Mainard surname spread beyond Normandy and can be found in various other regions of France. Jean Mainard, born in 1420 in Burgundy, was a renowned architect and master builder who contributed to the construction of several notable churches and cathedrals in eastern France.
Over the centuries, the Mainard surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Maynard, Maignard, and Mainiard, reflecting regional linguistic differences and evolving spellings. Despite these variations, the core meaning and origins of the name remain rooted in its medieval Norman heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mainard surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Hampshire leads with 9 Mainards recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.02x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Elvetham in Hampshire leads with 9 Mainards recorded in 1881 and an index of 18000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Elvetham | 9 | 18000.00x |
| Paddington London | 5 | 46.51x |
| St Marylebone London | 4 | 25.62x |
| Burstow | 3 | 2500.00x |
| Sandhurst | 2 | 1666.67x |
| Allhallows | 1 | 3333.33x |
| Chertsey | 1 | 108.70x |
| Crowhurst | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Dover St Mary Virgin | 1 | 103.09x |
| Hastings St Leonards | 1 | 138.89x |
| Woodchurch | 1 | 833.33x |
| Worcester St Andrew | 1 | 769.23x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mainard surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mainard surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Mainard households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 6 |
| Ag Labourer | 3 |
| Labourers Wife | 2 |
| (Dom) Housekeeper | 1 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Bricklayers Lab | 1 |
| Domestic Servt | 1 |
| Errand Boy Grocers | 1 |
| Gardener | 1 |
| Gardener N D | 1 |
| General Lab | 1 |
| Kept By Family | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Labourers Daughter | 1 |
| Mantle Maker | 1 |
| Servant | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 29 people were recorded with the Mainard surname. That placed it at #29,484 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 17 in 2016. That gives Mainard a modern rank of #36,904.
A Norman French surname referring to someone from the town of Meynard in Normandy, France.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mainard bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.