NameCensus.

UK surname

Margetts

An English nickname surname derived from the medieval personal name Margerie or Margery.

In the 1881 census there were 724 people recorded with the Margetts surname, ranking it #5,039 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,181, ranked #5,032, up from #5,039 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Sherborne and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, Elmbridge and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Margetts is 1,303 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.1%.

1881 census count

724

Ranked #5,039

Modern count

1,181

2016, ranked #5,032

Peak year

1999

1,303 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Margetts had 724 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,039 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,181 in 2016, ranked #5,032.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,116 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Margetts surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Margetts surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Margetts 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 500 #5,001
1861 historical 405 #6,337
1881 historical 724 #5,039
1891 historical 823 #4,929
1901 historical 1,040 #4,604
1911 historical 1,116 #4,165
1997 modern 1,233 #4,606
1998 modern 1,282 #4,630
1999 modern 1,303 #4,592
2000 modern 1,278 #4,649
2001 modern 1,248 #4,648
2002 modern 1,246 #4,740
2003 modern 1,219 #4,743
2004 modern 1,223 #4,733
2005 modern 1,186 #4,814
2006 modern 1,162 #4,898
2007 modern 1,173 #4,906
2008 modern 1,180 #4,900
2009 modern 1,213 #4,896
2010 modern 1,242 #4,901
2011 modern 1,237 #4,865
2012 modern 1,197 #4,925
2013 modern 1,225 #4,908
2014 modern 1,221 #4,944
2015 modern 1,201 #4,969
2016 modern 1,181 #5,032

Geography

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Where Margetts' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Sherborne, Lambeth and Wootton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, Elmbridge, South Somerset and Cornwall. 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 3
2 Sherborne Gloucestershire
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Wootton Oxfordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 005 East Devon
2 Elmbridge 017 Elmbridge
3 South Somerset 017 South Somerset
4 Cornwall 024 Cornwall
5 South Somerset 003 South Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Margetts

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Margetts

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Margetts surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Margetts 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Margetts is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Margetts 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

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

Meaning and origin of Margetts

The surname MARGETTS originates from England and dates back to the late medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the place name "Margets" or "Margate" in Kent. The name itself is thought to stem from the Old English words "mær" meaning "boundary" and "geat" meaning "gate" or "opening," suggesting it may have referred to a gate or opening in a boundary.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MARGETTS can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which lists a John de Margate. This suggests the name was already in use by the 13th century. Other early spellings of the name include Marget, Mergate, and Mergett, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common in medieval times.

In the 14th century, the MARGETTS name appears in the Poll Tax records of Yorkshire in 1379, with a John Merget listed as a taxpayer. This indicates the spread of the name beyond its original Kent roots.

Notable individuals bearing the MARGETTS surname include John Margetts (1610-1677), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works. Another notable figure is Richard Margetts (1755-1834), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

In the 19th century, Thomas Margetts (1808-1891) was a prominent architect in Gloucester, England, responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in the area. William Margetts (1824-1898) was a British engineer who made significant contributions to the development of steam engines.

Another noteworthy individual was Alice Margetts (1855-1932), a pioneering educator and suffragist who campaigned for women's right to vote in Britain. She founded the Roedean School for Girls in Brighton, which became one of the leading girls' schools in the country.

While the MARGETTS surname is relatively uncommon, it has a rich history and can be traced back to its English origins in the medieval period. Its connection to place names and historical records provides insights into the lives of those who bore this name throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Margetts families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Margetts 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. Oxfordshire leads with 182 Margetts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.73x.

County Total Index
Oxfordshire 182 41.73x
Middlesex 127 1.80x
Warwickshire 67 3.76x
Gloucestershire 64 4.62x
Surrey 50 1.45x
Berkshire 25 4.72x
Norfolk 25 2.30x
Huntingdonshire 21 14.98x
Worcestershire 21 2.28x
Northamptonshire 18 2.71x
Kent 14 0.58x
Staffordshire 12 0.50x
Cheshire 11 0.71x
Derbyshire 10 0.90x
Essex 10 0.72x
Glamorgan 10 0.81x
Lincolnshire 8 0.71x
Wiltshire 8 1.28x
Hampshire 7 0.48x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.63x
Buckinghamshire 5 1.17x
Yorkshire 4 0.06x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.67x
Sussex 3 0.25x
Herefordshire 2 0.69x
Lancashire 2 0.02x
Merionethshire 2 1.55x
Somerset 2 0.18x
Devon 1 0.07x
Hertfordshire 1 0.21x
Midlothian 1 0.11x
Shropshire 1 0.16x
Suffolk 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 35 Margetts' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.90x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 35 5.90x
Chipping Norton 29 287.70x
Wootton 26 996.17x
Lambeth 23 3.73x
Woodstock 23 839.42x
Sherborne 20 1438.85x
Combe 18 1374.05x
Oxford St Ebbe 16 124.61x
Cowley 13 95.52x
Hackney London 13 3.28x
Rushden 13 146.23x
Cheltenham 12 11.23x
Hornsey 11 12.32x
Islington London 11 1.61x
Poplar London 11 8.25x
Bethnal Green London 10 3.26x
Aston 9 1.84x
Derby St Peter 9 25.55x
Great Faringdon 9 118.11x
Huntingdon St Mary 9 256.41x
Tredington 9 357.14x
West Ham 9 2.92x
Churchill 8 655.74x
Hillingdon 8 35.52x
Mickleton 8 439.56x
Richmond 8 16.59x
Swansea St Thomas 8 64.78x
Willesden 8 12.02x
Blyborough 7 1166.67x
Chedworth 7 351.76x
Kingswinford 7 8.09x
Lower Heyford 7 551.18x
Norwich St James 7 82.16x
Ringstead 7 630.63x
St Pancras London 7 1.23x
Acton 6 14.49x
Cumnor 6 245.90x
Hallow 6 132.74x
Martley 6 227.27x
Shoreditch London 6 1.96x
Snettisham 6 199.34x
Swindon 6 12.38x
Bermondsey 5 2.38x
Fulham London 5 4.88x
Hemingford Grey 5 232.56x
Kensington London 5 1.27x
Kimbolton 5 169.49x
Tintwistle 5 60.02x
Watlington 5 111.86x
Withington 5 331.13x
Buckingham 4 46.08x
Deptford St Paul 4 2.15x
Isleworth 4 12.74x
Kettering 4 14.89x
Mile End Old Town 4 3.59x
Neithrop 4 27.29x
Newington 4 1.53x
Old Stratford 4 39.68x
Oxford St Clement 4 36.33x
Oxford St Giles 4 19.22x
Salford 4 439.56x
Shanklin 4 92.81x
Tipton 4 5.48x
Warwick St Nicholas 4 30.63x
West Kirby 4 147.60x
Westbury On Severn East 4 12.78x
Witney 4 54.87x
Abingdon St Helen 3 19.35x
Ashford 3 53.76x
Chatham 3 4.53x
Chatteris 3 26.29x
Fakenham 3 56.07x
Finstock Fawler 3 206.90x
Hazleton 3 638.30x
Quenington 3 326.09x
Rotherhithe 3 3.44x
Sandford 3 256.41x
Spelsbury 3 227.27x
St Andrew Holborn 3 12.53x
Woking 3 14.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 55
John 44
Thomas 31
George 24
Henry 17
James 12
Charles 9
Frederick 9
Arthur 7
Edward 7
Joseph 7
Philip 7
Harry 6
Richard 6
Robert 5
Stephen 5
Albert 4
Daniel 4
Francis 4
Frank 4
Fredrick 4
Alfred 3
Edwin 3
Fred 3
Jesse 3
Percy 3
Walter 3
Benjamin 2
Cyril 2
Ernest 2
Frederic 2
Horace 2
Nathan 2
Peck 2
Phillip 2
Reuben 2
Sampson 2
Samuel 2
Sydney 2
Tom 2
Willm. 2
Wm. 2
Algernon 1
C. 1
Cornelius 1
Fred. 1
Fred.W. 1
Fredk. 1
Leonard 1
Lionel 1

FAQ

Margetts surname: questions and answers

How common was the Margetts surname in 1881?

In 1881, 724 people were recorded with the Margetts surname. That placed it at #5,039 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Margetts surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,181 in 2016. That gives Margetts a modern rank of #5,032.

What does the Margetts surname mean?

An English nickname surname derived from the medieval personal name Margerie or Margery.

What does the Margetts map show?

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