NameCensus.

UK surname

Mainey

A surname potentially derived from the French place name Maineville or Mainneville.

In the 1881 census there were 57 people recorded with the Mainey surname, ranking it #25,575 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 98, ranked #31,470, down from #25,575 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Manchester and Llanover. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chorley, Tameside and Sefton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mainey is 114 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 71.9%.

1881 census count

57

Ranked #25,575

Modern count

98

2016, ranked #31,470

Peak year

1998

114 bearers

Map years

3

1911 to 2006

Key insights

  • Mainey had 57 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,575 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 98 in 2016, ranked #31,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 106 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Mainey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mainey surname density by area, 2006 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mainey 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 20 #29,743
1861 historical 34 #29,685
1881 historical 57 #25,575
1891 historical 59 #29,325
1901 historical 86 #24,508
1911 historical 106 #21,948
1997 modern 108 #25,788
1998 modern 114 #25,589
1999 modern 103 #27,305
2000 modern 103 #27,280
2001 modern 99 #27,534
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 112 #25,948
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 97 #28,485
2006 modern 103 #27,785
2007 modern 94 #29,650
2008 modern 96 #29,654
2009 modern 98 #29,906
2010 modern 93 #31,239
2011 modern 96 #30,721
2012 modern 99 #30,442
2013 modern 95 #31,523
2014 modern 95 #31,792
2015 modern 96 #31,624
2016 modern 98 #31,470

Geography

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Where Maineys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Manchester, Llanover, Bedwelty and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chorley, Tameside, Sefton, Wolverhampton and Liverpool. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Llanover Monmouthshire
4 Bedwelty Monmouthshire
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chorley 002 Chorley
2 Tameside 030 Tameside
3 Sefton 030 Sefton
4 Wolverhampton 028 Wolverhampton
5 Liverpool 044 Liverpool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mainey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mainey

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Mainey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Mainey 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Mainey is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mainey is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mainey falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mainey 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 Mainey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mainey

The surname Mainey is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated in the county of Gloucestershire, derived from the Old English word "maene," meaning "common" or "shared."

The name was likely initially used to refer to someone who lived or worked on common land or shared property. Some early variations of the spelling included Maney, Manie, and Maynie. The surname is also possibly linked to the village of Mayne in Somerset, suggesting it may have been a locational name for someone from that area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to 1275, when a Richard Mayne is mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Gloucestershire. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I, providing valuable insights into medieval English society.

In the 14th century, a John Mayny is listed in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire, dated 1379. This record was a tax assessment roll, indicating the widespread use of the name across different regions of England during that time.

Notable individuals bearing the Mainey surname include Robert Mainey, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol in the late 15th century. His legacy is documented in various municipal records from that era.

Another historical figure was Sir John Mainey, a distinguished military commander who served during the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century. He is mentioned in several contemporary chronicles for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.

In the 16th century, Edward Mainey (1522-1587) was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the rector of St. Michael's Church in Bristol. He authored several influential works on religious doctrine and philosophy.

During the 17th century, the name appeared in various parish records across England, highlighting its continued presence. For instance, a William Mainey is recorded in the baptismal register of St. Mary's Church in Warwick in 1654.

The 18th century saw the rise of Samuel Mainey (1723-1798), a successful merchant and philanthropist from London. He was known for his charitable contributions and endowments to various educational institutions and social causes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mainey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mainey 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. Lancashire leads with 30 Maineys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.55x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 30 4.55x
Monmouthshire 14 34.83x
Yorkshire 5 0.91x
Middlesex 3 0.54x
Cheshire 2 1.63x
Glamorgan 1 1.03x
Kent 1 0.53x
Northamptonshire 1 1.91x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 15 Maineys recorded in 1881 and an index of 67.14x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 15 67.14x
St Woollos 8 178.17x
Kirkdale 6 54.05x
Liverpool 6 14.97x
Llanover 5 364.96x
Wombwell 5 310.56x
Paddington London 3 14.68x
West Derby 3 15.54x
Liscard 2 90.50x
Abergavenny 1 66.23x
Deptford St Nicholas 1 66.23x
Islip 1 909.09x
Ystradyfodwg 1 11.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Catherine 3
Emma 3
Kate 3
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Hannah 2
Margaret 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Bridget 1
Clara 1
Esther 1
Florence 1
Harriet 1
Josephina 1
Magdalen 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 4
William 4
George 3
Thomas 3
Henry 2
John 2
Mathew 2
Edward 1
Frederick 1
Mark 1
Patrick 1
Stephen 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 Mainey households.

FAQ

Mainey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mainey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 57 people were recorded with the Mainey surname. That placed it at #25,575 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mainey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 98 in 2016. That gives Mainey a modern rank of #31,470.

What does the Mainey surname mean?

A surname potentially derived from the French place name Maineville or Mainneville.

What does the Mainey map show?

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