NameCensus.

UK surname

Marchbank

A surname derived from a topographic name for someone living near a boundary bank or march.

In the 1881 census there were 433 people recorded with the Marchbank surname, ranking it #7,531 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 439, ranked #11,007, down from #7,531 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Morton, Hawick and Wilton and Moffat. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Thornhill, Cheshire East and Barlanark.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Marchbank is 551 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.4%.

1881 census count

433

Ranked #7,531

Modern count

439

2016, ranked #11,007

Peak year

1901

551 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Marchbank had 433 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,531 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 439 in 2016, ranked #11,007.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 551 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Marchbank surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Marchbank surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Marchbank 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 379 #6,300
1861 historical 401 #6,399
1881 historical 433 #7,531
1891 historical 448 #8,099
1901 historical 551 #7,524
1911 historical 280 #11,982
1997 modern 438 #10,282
1998 modern 437 #10,637
1999 modern 438 #10,695
2000 modern 434 #10,730
2001 modern 425 #10,716
2002 modern 434 #10,751
2003 modern 429 #10,684
2004 modern 422 #10,838
2005 modern 425 #10,667
2006 modern 434 #10,543
2007 modern 431 #10,703
2008 modern 428 #10,869
2009 modern 449 #10,690
2010 modern 440 #11,101
2011 modern 442 #10,942
2012 modern 445 #10,753
2013 modern 445 #10,928
2014 modern 445 #11,002
2015 modern 441 #10,994
2016 modern 439 #11,007

Geography

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Where Marchbanks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Morton, Hawick and Wilton, Moffat, Preston and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Thornhill, Cheshire East, Barlanark, Rushcliffe and Lochside and Lincluden. 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 Morton Dumfries
2 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
3 Moffat Dumfries
4 Preston Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Thornhill Dumfries and Galloway
2 Cheshire East 004 Cheshire East
3 Barlanark Glasgow City
4 Rushcliffe 013 Rushcliffe
5 Lochside and Lincluden Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Marchbank

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Marchbank

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Marchbank, 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 Marchbank surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Marchbank 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Marchbank is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Marchbank is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Marchbank falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Marchbank

The surname Marchbank is of English origin, derived from a locational name associated with a place near a boundary or border. The name is believed to have originated in the northern counties of England, particularly in areas along the border regions with Scotland.

The surname is thought to be derived from the Old English words "mærc" meaning "boundary" or "march," and "banc" meaning "bank" or "ridge." This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a boundary bank or ridge, possibly along the border between England and Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1195, where it is spelled "Marchebancke." This indicates that the surname was already in use by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name is found in various records from the northern counties of England, including the Hundred Rolls of Northumberland (1273) and the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire (1297).

Notable individuals bearing the surname Marchbank include William Marchbank, a merchant from Newcastle upon Tyne who was recorded in the Freemen's Rolls of the city in 1587. John Marchbank, born in 1612, was a landowner and farmer in Northumberland, mentioned in local records.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various parish records from Cumbria and Durham, such as the baptism of Elizabeth Marchbank in Kendal, Cumbria, in 1669, and the marriage of Thomas Marchbank and Mary Stott in Durham in 1682.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname in Scotland was James Marchbank, a merchant from Edinburgh who was recorded in the city's Burgess Rolls in 1715.

In the 19th century, notable individuals with the surname include William Marchbank (1818-1892), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist from Edinburgh, and John Marchbank (1845-1921), a renowned architect from Newcastle upon Tyne who designed several notable buildings in the city.

Overall, the surname Marchbank has a long and rich history, with its roots firmly planted in the border regions of northern England and southern Scotland. While not a particularly common name, it has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Marchbank families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Marchbank 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 77 Marchbanks recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.58x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 77 1.58x
Lanarkshire 71 5.33x
Dumfriesshire 58 63.79x
Yorkshire 46 1.13x
Roxburghshire 31 41.58x
Midlothian 24 4.35x
Middlesex 19 0.46x
Kirkcudbrightshire 15 25.17x
Cheshire 14 1.54x
Durham 14 1.14x
Surrey 12 0.60x
Glamorgan 9 1.26x
Northumberland 7 1.14x
Peeblesshire 7 36.16x
Cumberland 6 1.69x
Leicestershire 6 1.31x
Ayrshire 1 0.32x
Lincolnshire 1 0.15x
Morayshire 1 1.56x
Norfolk 1 0.16x
Renfrewshire 1 0.31x
Suffolk 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 24 Marchbanks recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.36x.

Place Total Index
Preston 24 18.36x
Moffat 22 530.12x
Dalserf 18 135.54x
Wilton 18 220.05x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 16 7.21x
Hawick 13 77.89x
Govan 12 3.64x
Shoreditch London 12 6.72x
Barony 11 3.26x
Battersea 11 7.26x
Lesmahagow 11 78.13x
Morton 11 364.24x
Bradford 9 9.11x
Merthyr Tydfil 9 13.06x
Middlesbrough 9 16.94x
Oldham 9 5.71x
Bothwell 8 22.16x
Birkenhead 7 9.66x
Bishopwearmouth 7 6.66x
Cowling 7 265.15x
Elswick 7 14.32x
Glasgow 7 2.96x
Ashton Under Lyne 6 5.62x
Buittle 6 428.57x
Kelton 6 122.45x
Kilbucho 6 2000.00x
Loughborough 6 28.97x
Clitheroe 5 34.77x
Closeburn 5 235.85x
Dalton 5 609.76x
Hyde 5 18.65x
Salford 5 3.48x
Barrow In Furness 4 6.02x
Huncoat 4 305.34x
Otley 4 40.40x
Penpont 4 239.52x
Rickergate 4 53.33x
Stow 4 140.85x
Westoe 4 5.76x
Accrington 3 6.76x
Currie 3 88.76x
Manningham 3 5.97x
North Bierley 3 13.62x
North Meols 3 6.27x
St Pancras London 3 0.91x
Troqueer 3 38.36x
Barrowford Booth 2 36.97x
Blackburn 2 1.54x
Burnley 2 4.86x
Clerkenwell London 2 2.06x
Horton In Bradford 2 3.14x
Kirkconnell 2 138.89x
Kirkpatrick Juxta 2 134.23x
Liverpool 2 0.67x
Ruswarp Hawsker Cum 2 198.02x
Sculcoates 2 3.09x
Willington 2 28.25x
Biggar 1 33.22x
Bury 1 1.79x
Carstairs 1 36.23x
Cathcart 1 5.79x
Conside Knitsley 1 10.50x
Dukinfield 1 2.38x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 1 7.66x
Eye 1 30.86x
Hamilton 1 2.69x
Hutton 1 86.96x
Kirkdale 1 1.22x
Kirkmichael 1 83.33x
Lochmaben 1 25.13x
Loudoun 1 13.50x
New Spynie 1 43.48x
Over 1 10.82x
Paddington London 1 0.66x
Rutherglen 1 5.12x
Sheffield 1 0.77x
Tilney St Lawrence 1 98.04x
Torthorwald 1 71.43x
Traquair 1 93.46x
Witton 1 16.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 15
William 15
James 14
Thomas 8
George 5
Robert 5
Walter 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Frank 2
Joseph 2
Louis 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Adam 1
Albert 1
Baxter 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
David 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Gerald 1
Hahn. 1
Henry 1
Isabella 1
Isaiah 1
Larence 1
Marshall 1
Matthew 1
Ralph 1
Russell 1
Sargeant 1
Thos.G. 1

FAQ

Marchbank surname: questions and answers

How common was the Marchbank surname in 1881?

In 1881, 433 people were recorded with the Marchbank surname. That placed it at #7,531 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Marchbank surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 439 in 2016. That gives Marchbank a modern rank of #11,007.

What does the Marchbank surname mean?

A surname derived from a topographic name for someone living near a boundary bank or march.

What does the Marchbank map show?

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