NameCensus.

UK surname

Margerum

Of English/British origin, a locational surname derived from a place name likely meaning "boundary settlement" or "border dwelling".

In the 1881 census there were 41 people recorded with the Margerum surname, ranking it #27,870 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 93, ranked #31,945, down from #27,870 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Osyth, London parishes and Thurrock, Grays. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rochford, Gravesham and Breckland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Margerum is 132 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 126.8%.

1881 census count

41

Ranked #27,870

Modern count

93

2016, ranked #31,945

Peak year

1998

132 bearers

Map years

3

1891 to 2006

Key insights

  • Margerum had 41 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,870 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 93 in 2016, ranked #31,945.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 102 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Margerum surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Margerum surname density by area, 2006 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Margerum 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 33 #27,390
1861 historical 39 #29,099
1881 historical 41 #27,870
1891 historical 102 #23,719
1901 historical 70 #26,383
1911 historical 95 #23,294
1997 modern 129 #23,143
1998 modern 132 #23,394
1999 modern 124 #24,508
2000 modern 123 #24,585
2001 modern 120 #24,615
2002 modern 114 #25,886
2003 modern 117 #25,282
2004 modern 109 #26,607
2005 modern 102 #27,689
2006 modern 114 #26,120
2007 modern 110 #27,087
2008 modern 104 #28,341
2009 modern 103 #29,127
2010 modern 105 #29,453
2011 modern 95 #30,877
2012 modern 94 #31,258
2013 modern 94 #31,656
2014 modern 98 #31,370
2015 modern 94 #31,872
2016 modern 93 #31,945

Geography

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Where Margerums are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Osyth, London parishes, Thurrock, Grays and Weeley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rochford, Gravesham, Breckland, Tendring and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 St Osyth Essex
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Thurrock, Grays Essex
5 Weeley Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rochford 003 Rochford
2 Gravesham 003 Gravesham
3 Breckland 017 Breckland
4 Tendring 014 Tendring
5 Cheshire West and Chester 035 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Margerum

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Margerum

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Margerum surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Margerum household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Margerum 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

Margerum is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Margerum 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 Margerum is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Margerum

The surname Margerum is believed to have originated in England, with roots dating back to the medieval period. One theory suggests that it derives from the Old English words "mæres" and "rum," meaning "famous" and "room" or "place," respectively. This interpretation implies that the name may have been used to describe someone who lived in a well-known or renowned location.

Another potential origin lies in the Old French word "margerie," which referred to a plantation or nursery of trees and shrubs. This connection could indicate that early bearers of the Margerum name were associated with horticulture or lived near such plantations or nurseries.

Historical records provide glimpses into the surname's prevalence in various regions of England. One of the earliest known references can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1182, which mention a person named William Margerum. This document suggests that the name was present in the county of Gloucestershire during the 12th century.

The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, dating back to 1327, also contain entries for individuals with the surname Margerum. These records indicate that the name had a presence in the county of Worcestershire by the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the Margerum surname appears in the parish records of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of the renowned playwright William Shakespeare. This connection suggests that the name may have had a strong association with the Warwickshire region during this period.

Among notable individuals bearing the Margerum surname throughout history are:

1. John Margerum (c. 1580-1644), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Wiltshire in the early 17th century. 2. Thomas Margerum (1617-1679), a renowned English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. 3. Elizabeth Margerum (1735-1811), a prominent figure in the early American colonial era, known for her involvement in the women's rights movement and advocacy for educational opportunities for girls. 4. William Margerum (1819-1890), a British explorer and geographer who led expeditions to Africa and published several works on the region's geography and natural resources. 5. Arthur Margerum (1875-1962), a celebrated American architect renowned for his design of numerous public buildings and landmarks across the United States in the early 20th century.

While the Margerum surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by individuals who migrated and settled in different regions over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Margerum families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Margerum 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. Essex leads with 23 Margerums recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.13x.

County Total Index
Essex 23 29.13x
Middlesex 8 2.00x
Surrey 7 3.59x
Suffolk 3 6.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Weeley in Essex leads with 20 Margerums recorded in 1881 and an index of 25000.00x.

Place Total Index
Weeley 20 25000.00x
Islington London 8 20.64x
Camberwell 7 27.40x
Westleton 3 2727.27x
St Osyth 2 1052.63x
Colchester St Giles 1 128.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eliza 4
Emma 3
Mary 2
Rose 2
Ablis 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Edith 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizabth. 1
Ellen 1
Florence 1
Henrietta 1
Jane 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

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 Margerum households.

FAQ

Margerum surname: questions and answers

How common was the Margerum surname in 1881?

In 1881, 41 people were recorded with the Margerum surname. That placed it at #27,870 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Margerum surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 93 in 2016. That gives Margerum a modern rank of #31,945.

What does the Margerum surname mean?

Of English/British origin, a locational surname derived from a place name likely meaning "boundary settlement" or "border dwelling".

What does the Margerum map show?

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