NameCensus.

UK surname

Malvern

A surname derived from the town of Malvern in England.

In the 1881 census there were 97 people recorded with the Malvern surname, ranking it #20,127 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 173, ranked #21,561, down from #20,127 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Great Malvern, Madresfield, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheltenham, Kensington and Chelsea and Daventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Malvern is 189 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 78.4%.

1881 census count

97

Ranked #20,127

Modern count

173

2016, ranked #21,561

Peak year

2013

189 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Malvern had 97 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,127 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 173 in 2016, ranked #21,561.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 132 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Malvern surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Malvern surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Malvern 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 53 #23,739
1861 historical 73 #24,492
1881 historical 97 #20,127
1891 historical 114 #22,006
1901 historical 132 #19,469
1911 historical 132 #19,313
1997 modern 185 #18,506
1998 modern 185 #18,973
1999 modern 180 #19,454
2000 modern 178 #19,570
2001 modern 169 #19,912
2002 modern 176 #19,829
2003 modern 175 #19,690
2004 modern 175 #19,805
2005 modern 166 #20,379
2006 modern 161 #20,972
2007 modern 166 #20,811
2008 modern 168 #20,828
2009 modern 167 #21,383
2010 modern 168 #21,733
2011 modern 173 #21,172
2012 modern 178 #20,758
2013 modern 189 #20,273
2014 modern 183 #20,880
2015 modern 176 #21,291
2016 modern 173 #21,561

Geography

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Where Malverns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Great Malvern, Madresfield, London parishes, Manchester, Cheltenham and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheltenham, Kensington and Chelsea, Daventry, Ceredigion and Sefton. 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 Great Malvern, Madresfield Worcestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Cheltenham Gloucestershire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheltenham 006 Cheltenham
2 Kensington and Chelsea 016 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Daventry 003 Daventry
4 Ceredigion 011 Ceredigion
5 Sefton 029 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Malvern

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Malvern

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Malvern surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Malvern household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Malvern is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Malvern is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Malvern 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 Malvern 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 Malvern, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Malvern

The surname Malvern is of English origin and can be traced back to the town of Malvern in Worcestershire, England. The name is derived from the Old English words "mæl" meaning "cross" and "ærn" meaning "house or dwelling place", suggesting that it was originally a place name referring to a dwelling place with a cross or crucifix.

Malvern is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Malverne", indicating its early usage as a place name and potential origin for the surname. The first recorded instances of the surname Malvern date back to the 13th century, with records showing individuals such as William de Malverne (1275) and John de Malverne (1327) residing in the area.

During the Middle Ages, the town of Malvern became famous for its Benedictine monastery and the production of high-quality wool. This may have contributed to the surname's association with the wool trade and textile industry. Prominent individuals with the surname Malvern during this period include Richard Malvern (c. 1300-1370), a renowned wool merchant and landowner in Malvern.

As people began to migrate from rural areas to cities, the surname Malvern spread across England. Notable individuals include Sir Thomas Malvern (1545-1628), a successful merchant and Lord Mayor of London, and William Malvern (1610-1678), a Puritan minister and author who emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the surname Malvern became associated with the spa town of Malvern in Worcestershire, known for its natural spring waters and hydropathic treatments. This led to the emergence of individuals such as Dr. James Manby Gully (1808-1883), a prominent hydropathist and supporter of the water cure movement, who established a successful practice in Malvern.

Throughout history, the surname Malvern has been linked to various professions, including clergy, merchants, and medical practitioners. Other notable individuals with this surname include Sir Godfrey Malvern (1901-1985), a British diplomat and ambassador to the United States, and George Malvern (1857-1932), an English cricketer who played for Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Malvern families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Malvern 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. Gloucestershire leads with 21 Malverns recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.20x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 21 11.20x
Warwickshire 17 7.05x
Lancashire 16 1.41x
Middlesex 10 1.05x
Yorkshire 7 0.74x
Worcestershire 6 4.81x
Sussex 5 3.10x
Cheshire 4 1.90x
Kent 3 0.92x
Cornwall 2 1.85x
Glamorgan 2 1.20x
Hampshire 1 0.51x
Herefordshire 1 2.55x
Isle of Man 1 5.63x
Staffordshire 1 0.31x
Surrey 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cheltenham in Gloucestershire leads with 16 Malverns recorded in 1881 and an index of 110.65x.

Place Total Index
Cheltenham 16 110.65x
Birmingham 15 18.67x
Toxteth Park 8 20.83x
Otley 7 304.35x
Manchester 6 11.76x
St Pancras London 6 7.80x
Ifield 5 746.27x
Leckhampton 5 431.03x
Leigh 5 328.95x
Runcorn 4 82.30x
Greenwich 3 19.71x
Poplar London 3 16.63x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 8.07x
Gerrans 2 689.66x
Swansea Town 2 14.65x
Aston 1 1.51x
Bonchurch 1 454.55x
Douglas 1 384.62x
Hanley Castle 1 133.33x
Kensington London 1 1.88x
Lambeth 1 1.20x
Ross 1 64.10x
Stratford On Avon 1 74.63x
Wetton 1 909.09x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 8
William 5
Alfred 3
James 3
John 3
Thomas 3
Arthur 2
Ernest 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Hubert 1
Jacob 1
Julian 1
Robbert 1
Samuel 1
Willm.J. 1

FAQ

Malvern surname: questions and answers

How common was the Malvern surname in 1881?

In 1881, 97 people were recorded with the Malvern surname. That placed it at #20,127 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Malvern surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 173 in 2016. That gives Malvern a modern rank of #21,561.

What does the Malvern surname mean?

A surname derived from the town of Malvern in England.

What does the Malvern map show?

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