NameCensus.

UK surname

Malia

A surname derived from the Greek word "mallos" meaning "lock of wool".

In the 1881 census there were 205 people recorded with the Malia surname, ranking it #12,643 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 415, ranked #11,550, up from #12,643 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Newcastle All Saints and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside and High Peak.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Malia is 443 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 102.4%.

1881 census count

205

Ranked #12,643

Modern count

415

2016, ranked #11,550

Peak year

2014

443 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Malia had 205 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,643 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 415 in 2016, ranked #11,550.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 329 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Malia surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Malia surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Malia 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 43 #25,518
1861 historical 76 #24,114
1881 historical 205 #12,643
1891 historical 179 #16,198
1901 historical 254 #13,005
1911 historical 329 #10,688
1997 modern 395 #11,106
1998 modern 385 #11,698
1999 modern 385 #11,771
2000 modern 386 #11,718
2001 modern 391 #11,404
2002 modern 413 #11,170
2003 modern 404 #11,191
2004 modern 417 #10,943
2005 modern 439 #10,401
2006 modern 420 #10,816
2007 modern 427 #10,782
2008 modern 421 #11,010
2009 modern 429 #11,094
2010 modern 438 #11,140
2011 modern 434 #11,096
2012 modern 433 #10,996
2013 modern 441 #11,016
2014 modern 443 #11,038
2015 modern 430 #11,226
2016 modern 415 #11,550

Geography

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Where Malias are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Newcastle All Saints, Gateshead, Liverpool and Rotherham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, High Peak, Rotherham and Blackpool. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Rotherham Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newcastle upon Tyne 026 Newcastle upon Tyne
2 North Tyneside 026 North Tyneside
3 High Peak 013 High Peak
4 Rotherham 014 Rotherham
5 Blackpool 010 Blackpool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Malia

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Malia

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Malia is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Malia 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

Malia falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Malia is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Malia

The surname "Malia" has its origins in the Middle Ages, tracing back to the medieval regions of northern Italy. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "malus," meaning "apple tree," or "malius," referring to an apple orchard or grove. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive surname, given to someone who lived near or worked with apple orchards.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Malia" can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Benedictine monastery in Cava de' Tirreni, Campania, Italy. The name appears in a document dated around 1150, referring to a landowner named "Petrus de Malia."

In the 13th century, the name "Malia" is documented in the Liber Censuum, a papal record of properties and incomes from various regions. This record mentions a family with the surname "Malia" residing in the town of Montefiascone, in the province of Viterbo, Lazio, Italy.

As the surname spread throughout Italy, variations in spelling emerged, such as "Malia," "Mallia," and "Malea." These variations can be found in various historical records, including birth, marriage, and death registers from different regions of Italy.

One notable individual bearing the surname "Malia" was Niccolò Malia, a 14th-century Venetian merchant and diplomat. He served as a representative of the Republic of Venice in various negotiations with other Italian city-states and foreign powers.

Another historical figure with the surname "Malia" was Giovan Battista Malia, a 16th-century Italian painter and architect from Genoa. He is known for his frescoes and architectural works in churches and palaces throughout northern Italy.

In the 17th century, the name "Malia" appeared in the records of the Spanish Inquisition, which had jurisdiction over parts of southern Italy at the time. These records mention a family with the surname "Malia" from the town of Bari, in the region of Apulia.

During the 18th century, the surname "Malia" can be found in the records of the Kingdom of Naples, which included the regions of Campania, Calabria, and Apulia. One notable figure from this period was Antonio Malia, a lawyer and judge who served in the courts of Naples.

In the 19th century, the surname "Malia" gained prominence in the literary world with the Italian writer and poet Gian Battista Malia, born in 1825 in the town of Cosenza, Calabria. His works, which often explored themes of nature and rural life, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Malia families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Malia 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. Northumberland leads with 47 Malias recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.03x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 47 16.03x
Lancashire 41 1.75x
Yorkshire 32 1.64x
Cheshire 26 5.98x
Shropshire 12 7.05x
Durham 11 1.88x
Staffordshire 9 1.35x
Lanarkshire 7 1.10x
Denbighshire 5 6.72x
Derbyshire 4 1.30x
Dunbartonshire 3 5.67x
Middlesex 2 0.10x
Warwickshire 2 0.40x
Midlothian 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. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 19 Malias recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.23x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 19 17.23x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 18 102.80x
North Shields 16 273.50x
Newport 12 585.37x
Liverpool 11 7.75x
Northwich 11 1594.20x
Warrington 9 32.47x
Royton 8 111.89x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 8 206.72x
Govan 7 4.44x
Sheffield 7 11.26x
Rotherham 6 54.50x
West Derby 5 7.31x
Wolverhampton 5 9.78x
Wrexham Abbot 5 267.38x
Chesterfield 4 34.60x
Crossgate 4 156.25x
Heaton 4 412.37x
Newcastle On Tyne St 4 26.32x
Stockport 4 17.87x
Birkenhead 3 8.65x
Cardross 3 47.17x
Castle Church 3 75.00x
Crompton 3 45.05x
Framwellgate 3 86.46x
Longbenton 3 24.15x
Shincliffe 3 461.54x
Birmingham 2 1.21x
Huyton With Roby 2 72.99x
St Andrew Holborn 2 29.94x
Burnley 1 5.08x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.94x
Elswick 1 4.27x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 3.94x
Manchester 1 0.95x
Stannington 1 142.86x
West Bromwich 1 2.63x
Windle 1 7.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Catherine 12
Margaret 10
Ann 7
Annie 7
Bridget 6
Sarah 3
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Harrit 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Kate 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
James 14
Patrick 14
Edward 10
Michael 8
Thomas 8
William 4
Martin 3
Peter 3
Henry 2
Jno. 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Edwd. 1
Giovanne 1
Hugh 1
Malachi 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1
Michal 1
Micheal 1
Owen 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Malia surname: questions and answers

How common was the Malia surname in 1881?

In 1881, 205 people were recorded with the Malia surname. That placed it at #12,643 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Malia surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 415 in 2016. That gives Malia a modern rank of #11,550.

What does the Malia surname mean?

A surname derived from the Greek word "mallos" meaning "lock of wool".

What does the Malia map show?

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