NameCensus.

UK surname

Mallet

A French occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of mallets or wooden hammers.

In the 1881 census there were 477 people recorded with the Mallet surname, ranking it #7,014 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 220, ranked #18,376, down from #7,014 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Paddington and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chiltern, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Ashford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mallet is 477 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 53.9%.

1881 census count

477

Ranked #7,014

Modern count

220

2016, ranked #18,376

Peak year

1881

477 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mallet had 477 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,014 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 220 in 2016, ranked #18,376.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 477 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Mallet surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mallet surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mallet 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 411 #5,901
1861 historical 286 #8,793
1881 historical 477 #7,014
1891 historical 374 #9,343
1901 historical 311 #11,363
1911 historical 281 #11,953
1997 modern 196 #17,859
1998 modern 202 #17,991
1999 modern 202 #18,127
2000 modern 215 #17,388
2001 modern 209 #17,469
2002 modern 228 #16,828
2003 modern 214 #17,343
2004 modern 210 #17,644
2005 modern 216 #17,283
2006 modern 203 #18,105
2007 modern 213 #17,744
2008 modern 217 #17,693
2009 modern 224 #17,685
2010 modern 239 #17,280
2011 modern 230 #17,578
2012 modern 224 #17,786
2013 modern 216 #18,543
2014 modern 224 #18,202
2015 modern 217 #18,542
2016 modern 220 #18,376

Geography

Back to top

Where Mallets are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Paddington, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chiltern, King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Ashford, Guildford and Kincardine. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Paddington London (West Districts)
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chiltern 005 Chiltern
2 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 011 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
3 Ashford 014 Ashford
4 Guildford 017 Guildford
5 Kincardine Fife

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mallet

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mallet

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Mallet surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Mallet 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Mallet 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

Mallet is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mallet falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Mallet

The surname Mallet is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "mallet," which means "small mallet" or "hammer." The name can be traced back to the 11th century in the region of Normandy, France.

In the Middle Ages, the name Mallet was likely an occupational surname given to individuals who worked as carpenters, blacksmiths, or other tradesmen who used a small mallet or hammer as part of their profession. It is also possible that the name was given as a nickname to someone with a strong, forceful personality or manner.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mallet can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and their properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Mallet" in various entries, indicating that individuals bearing this surname were present in England shortly after the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name Mallet appeared in various records and manuscripts, such as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which documented the holders of land and their tenants in England. During this time, the name was also associated with several notable individuals, including Sir Walter Mallet (born c. 1265), a prominent English knight and landowner.

The Mallet surname continued to spread throughout England and other parts of Europe in the following centuries. One notable figure was Robert Mallet (c. 1510-1567), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of comets and planetary motion.

Another prominent individual with the Mallet surname was Claude-François de Mallet (1711-1785), a Swiss-born French writer and philosopher who was a member of the French Academy and played a crucial role in the Enlightenment movement.

In the 19th century, the Mallet family was well-established in England, with several members achieving distinction in various fields. One such individual was Sir Louis Mallet (1823-1890), a British civil servant and diplomat who served as Under-Secretary of State for India and later as Ambassador to Turkey.

Another notable figure from this period was Robert Mallet (1810-1881), an Irish physicist and engineer who made significant contributions to the study of earthquakes and seismology. He is considered one of the founders of modern seismological research.

As the centuries passed, the Mallet surname continued to spread across various regions, with individuals bearing this name making their mark in various fields, from literature and the arts to politics and science.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Mallet families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mallet 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. Channel Islands leads with 133 Mallets recorded in 1881 and an index of 75.68x.

County Total Index
Channel Islands 133 75.68x
Middlesex 85 1.43x
Norfolk 51 5.59x
Surrey 40 1.38x
Lancashire 37 0.53x
Nottinghamshire 34 4.25x
Devon 28 2.27x
Cornwall 27 4.02x
Durham 22 1.25x
Suffolk 21 2.91x
Essex 19 1.62x
Gloucestershire 18 1.55x
Glamorgan 13 1.26x
Somerset 8 0.84x
Yorkshire 8 0.14x
Warwickshire 7 0.47x
Buckinghamshire 6 1.67x
Herefordshire 6 2.47x
Kent 6 0.30x
Northumberland 6 0.68x
Brecknockshire 5 4.22x
Hampshire 4 0.33x
Monmouthshire 4 0.93x
Staffordshire 4 0.20x
Derbyshire 3 0.32x
Hertfordshire 3 0.73x
Lincolnshire 3 0.32x
Leicestershire 2 0.30x
Angus 1 0.18x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.27x
Cheshire 1 0.08x
Dorset 1 0.26x
Oxfordshire 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Helier in Channel Islands leads with 39 Mallets recorded in 1881 and an index of 68.16x.

Place Total Index
St Helier 39 68.16x
Grouville 29 591.84x
Lambeth 22 4.25x
Islington London 18 3.13x
St Martin 17 157.85x
Thurgarton 17 3541.67x
St Lawrence 16 333.33x
St Pancras London 16 3.35x
Westoe 16 16.00x
St Saviour 14 144.18x
Nottingham St Mary 13 6.29x
Basford 12 32.56x
St George Hanover 10 12.92x
St Gluvias 10 265.96x
Bristol St George 9 16.73x
St Peter Port 9 27.68x
Warrington 9 10.79x
Bethnal Green London 8 3.11x
Clase 8 20.83x
Liverpool 8 1.87x
Oulton 8 327.87x
Peldon 8 860.22x
Exeter Bedford Circus 7 2413.79x
Havering 7 777.78x
Ashcott 6 410.96x
Clapham 6 8.09x
Great Horwood 6 413.79x
Great Yarmouth 6 7.94x
Hackney London 6 1.80x
Heigham 6 12.26x
Ipswich St Margaret 6 24.48x
Preston 6 3.19x
Barningham Winter 5 2380.95x
Bishopwearmouth 5 3.30x
Chorlton Cum Hardy 5 107.07x
Churston Ferrers 5 384.62x
East Looe 5 183.82x
Llanvigan 5 450.45x
Paddington London 5 2.29x
Snenton 5 15.92x
St John 5 149.25x
Swansea St Thomas 5 48.22x
Bolehall Glascote 4 63.09x
Madron Penzance 4 16.38x
Norwich St Giles 4 136.99x
Rogerstone 4 151.52x
Ross 4 41.37x
Shipley 4 13.11x
Southampton All Sts 4 19.18x
St Botolph Aldersgate 4 58.82x
Bakewell 3 59.06x
Bermondsey 3 1.70x
East Wickham 3 125.00x
Horfield 3 25.62x
Kensington London 3 0.91x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 3 5.69x
Radford 3 7.39x
St Neot 3 113.21x
Tring 3 27.50x
Westbury On Trym 3 7.61x
Acton 2 5.75x
Barrow In Furness 2 2.09x
Battersea 2 0.92x
Belgrave 2 13.48x
Berechurch 2 869.57x
Blakeney 2 122.70x
East Bergholt 2 82.99x
Eaton St Andrew 2 79.05x
Great Torrington 2 28.57x
Hatherleigh 2 65.15x
Much Dewchurch 2 173.91x
Newton Flotman 2 344.83x
Pendleton In Salford 2 2.39x
Richmond 2 4.94x
St Luke London 2 2.10x
St Owen 2 43.29x
Tiverton 2 9.40x
Tynemouth 2 4.23x
Tysoe 2 98.52x
Westminster St 2 9.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 39
Elizabeth 28
Sarah 15
Emma 12
Alice 11
Eliza 10
Jane 10
Ann 9
Ellen 9
Annie 8
Clara 6
Hannah 6
Catherine 5
Gertrude 5
Louisa 5
Susan 5
Florence 4
Harriet 4
Harriett 4
Matilda 4
Caroline 3
Ethel 3
Fanny 3
Henrietta 3
Julia 3
Lucy 3
Margaret 3
Rosanna 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Bridget 2
Charlotte 2
Frances 2
Grace 2
Helena 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Marie 2
Maud 2
Sophia 2
Susannah 2
Betrix 1
Blanch 1
Blithe 1
Edith 1
Eitten 1
Eleanor 1
Elise 1
Eliz. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 37
William 35
George 22
Thomas 18
Charles 15
James 15
Henry 14
Frederick 9
Arthur 8
Joseph 8
Edward 6
Philip 6
Robert 6
Walter 6
Clement 5
Francis 5
Ernest 4
Edwin 3
Elias 3
Isaac 3
Phillip 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
E. 2
Frank 2
Frederic 2
Herbert 2
Hubert 2
Jas. 2
Patrick 2
Percy 2
Samuel 2
Ar.H. 1
Clara 1
Cuth. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Eli 1
Emmanuel 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Jean 1
Jesse 1
Jn.C. 1
Jno. 1
Jno.T. 1
Jonathan 1
Joshua 1
Marice 1
Willm.E. 1

FAQ

Mallet surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mallet surname in 1881?

In 1881, 477 people were recorded with the Mallet surname. That placed it at #7,014 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mallet surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 220 in 2016. That gives Mallet a modern rank of #18,376.

What does the Mallet surname mean?

A French occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of mallets or wooden hammers.

What does the Mallet map show?

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