NameCensus.

UK surname

Markham

From an English place name, derived from Old English elements meaning "boundary" and "homestead."

In the 1881 census there were 3,569 people recorded with the Markham surname, ranking it #1,266 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,956, ranked #1,363, down from #1,266 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Kesteven, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Markham is 5,267 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.9%.

1881 census count

3,569

Ranked #1,266

Modern count

4,956

2016, ranked #1,363

Peak year

1998

5,267 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Markham had 3,569 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,266 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,956 in 2016, ranked #1,363.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,089 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Markham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Markham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Markham 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 2,164 #1,349
1861 historical 2,224 #1,326
1881 historical 3,569 #1,266
1891 historical 3,844 #1,247
1901 historical 4,691 #1,205
1911 historical 5,089 #1,034
1997 modern 5,088 #1,284
1998 modern 5,267 #1,289
1999 modern 5,240 #1,304
2000 modern 5,236 #1,298
2001 modern 5,098 #1,302
2002 modern 5,150 #1,315
2003 modern 5,054 #1,308
2004 modern 5,032 #1,313
2005 modern 4,963 #1,316
2006 modern 4,923 #1,328
2007 modern 4,905 #1,345
2008 modern 4,910 #1,355
2009 modern 5,034 #1,353
2010 modern 5,157 #1,349
2011 modern 5,074 #1,350
2012 modern 4,960 #1,350
2013 modern 5,058 #1,347
2014 modern 5,068 #1,351
2015 modern 4,970 #1,365
2016 modern 4,956 #1,363

Geography

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Where Markhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Kesteven, North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire and West Lindsey. 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 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Kesteven 012 North Kesteven
2 North Lincolnshire 003 North Lincolnshire
3 North East Lincolnshire 001 North East Lincolnshire
4 West Lindsey 004 West Lindsey
5 North Kesteven 010 North Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Markham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Markham

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Markham, 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 Markham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Markham 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, Markham 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

Markham 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

Markham falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Markham

The surname Markham is an English toponymic name derived from the place name Markham, which itself is composed of the Old English words "mere" meaning pool or lake, and "ham" meaning homestead or village. This suggests that the name originated from a settlement near a pool or lake.

The name is believed to have originated in the village of Markham in Nottinghamshire, England. It first appeared in written records during the 12th century, with one of the earliest known instances being a William de Markham mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the village of Markham was referred to as "Marcham", which further supports the derivation from the Old English words "mere" and "ham". This spelling variation was common in early records.

One of the earliest prominent individuals with the surname Markham was John Markham (c.1349-1409), an English politician and judge who served as Chief Justice of the King's Bench under King Henry IV.

Another notable figure was Sir John Markham (c.1510-1559), an English soldier and politician who served as Lord Chief Justice of England from 1537 to 1544 during the reign of King Henry VIII.

In the 16th century, the name was also associated with the Markham family of Sedgebrook, Lincolnshire. This family produced several notable individuals, including Sir Griffin Markham (c.1530-1604), an English soldier and writer, and his son Gervase Markham (c.1568-1637), an English poet, author, and husbandry writer.

The surname Markham also has a connection to the American colonies, with Daniel Markham (c.1615-1689) being one of the earliest recorded individuals with the name to settle in Virginia in the 17th century.

Another prominent figure was William Markham (1635-1704), an English colonial administrator who served as the Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania from 1681 to 1682 and later as the fourth Governor of Pennsylvania from 1693 to 1699.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Markham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Markham 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. Lincolnshire leads with 565 Markhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.16x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 565 10.16x
Yorkshire 511 1.48x
Middlesex 496 1.43x
Suffolk 249 5.88x
Buckinghamshire 218 10.37x
Lancashire 197 0.48x
Surrey 165 0.97x
Leicestershire 127 3.29x
Northamptonshire 96 2.93x
Bedfordshire 88 4.89x
Oxfordshire 83 3.86x
Nottinghamshire 73 1.56x
Essex 72 1.05x
Durham 68 0.66x
Staffordshire 64 0.55x
Kent 62 0.52x
Cambridgeshire 57 2.59x
Warwickshire 57 0.65x
Norfolk 56 1.05x
Derbyshire 50 0.92x
Hertfordshire 37 1.54x
Huntingdonshire 34 4.92x
Hampshire 23 0.32x
Cheshire 18 0.23x
Northumberland 17 0.33x
Glamorgan 14 0.23x
Sussex 11 0.19x
Shropshire 8 0.27x
Cornwall 7 0.18x
Westmorland 7 0.92x
Isle of Man 4 0.62x
Berkshire 3 0.11x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.21x
Devon 3 0.04x
Gloucestershire 3 0.04x
Royal Navy 3 0.72x
Somerset 3 0.05x
Ayrshire 2 0.08x
Midlothian 2 0.04x
Worcestershire 2 0.04x
Brecknockshire 1 0.14x
Channel Islands 1 0.10x
Herefordshire 1 0.07x
Monmouthshire 1 0.04x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.09x
Rutland 1 0.39x
Wiltshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mile End Old Town in Middlesex leads with 51 Markhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.29x.

Place Total Index
Mile End Old Town 51 9.29x
St Pancras London 46 1.64x
Lambeth 44 1.45x
Holy Trinity 41 4.95x
Great Grimsby 39 11.05x
Islington London 37 1.10x
West Bromwich 35 5.21x
Hackney London 33 1.69x
Ipswich St Mathew 31 26.11x
Leicester St Mary 30 9.63x
Newbottle 30 489.40x
Camberwell 28 1.26x
Wycombe 28 17.87x
Kensington London 26 1.34x
Sheffield 26 2.37x
Leicester St Margaret 25 2.66x
Southcoates 25 13.07x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 24 7.48x
Eaton Socon 24 84.93x
St Marylebone London 24 1.29x
Blackburn 23 2.09x
Chelsea London 23 2.19x
Buckingham 22 51.45x
Louth 22 17.26x
Bow London 21 4.74x
Peterborough 21 8.87x
Waltham 21 237.56x
Bradwell 20 67.59x
Keelby 20 226.76x
Sculcoates 20 3.66x
West Ham 20 1.32x
Clifton In York 19 26.36x
Fenny Stratford 19 95.53x
Thornhill 19 18.90x
Worksop 18 12.95x
Bromley London 17 2.22x
Smeeton 17 367.17x
Ambrosden 16 187.35x
Brightside Bierlow 16 2.37x
Godmanchester 16 61.26x
Hampstead London 16 2.95x
Luton 16 5.13x
Witton 16 30.82x
Gainsborough 15 11.44x
Helpringham 15 133.93x
Liverpool 15 0.60x
Quainton 15 145.49x
St George In East 15 6.34x
Tingewick 15 158.90x
Bardwell 14 155.21x
Barton St Mary 14 50.20x
Glanford Brigg 14 70.56x
Hedon 14 121.11x
Hornsey 14 3.18x
Manchester 14 0.75x
Newington 14 1.09x
Walton 14 92.29x
Croydon 13 1.38x
Melton Ross 13 619.05x
Paddington London 13 1.02x
Shoreditch London 13 0.86x
West Butterwick With 13 151.52x
Barton St Peter 12 47.08x
Boston 12 7.11x
Deptford St Nicholas 12 12.74x
Dry Drayton 12 269.06x
Hasketon 12 208.33x
Huntingdon St Mary 12 69.48x
Newport Pagnell 12 27.30x
Orford 12 87.91x
Over Darwen 12 3.64x
Watford 12 6.46x
Aston 11 0.46x
Elmdon 11 440.00x
Eston 11 14.65x
Newcastle On Tyne St 11 4.10x
Oadby 11 53.27x
St Luke London 11 1.97x
Tottenham 11 1.99x
Trimley St Martin 11 151.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 236
Elizabeth 153
Sarah 123
Ann 74
Eliza 64
Annie 63
Emma 54
Emily 53
Jane 53
Alice 44
Hannah 41
Ellen 37
Charlotte 32
Fanny 31
Ada 30
Martha 28
Edith 24
Lucy 21
Florence 20
Harriet 20
Anne 18
Clara 18
Louisa 18
Caroline 16
Maria 16
Rebecca 16
Catherine 15
Rose 15
Margaret 14
Frances 13
Susan 13
Amelia 12
Esther 11
Harriett 11
Julia 10
Sophia 10
Susannah 10
Agnes 9
Amy 9
Betsy 9
Gertrude 9
Kate 9
Anna 8
Maud 8
Rosa 8
Ethel 7
Helen 7
Isabella 7
Minnie 7
Matilda 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 243
John 201
Thomas 133
George 125
Charles 104
Henry 76
James 74
Joseph 72
Alfred 52
Edward 38
Robert 38
Frederick 34
Richard 34
Walter 34
Samuel 31
Arthur 30
Albert 26
Harry 25
Herbert 20
Frank 16
Thos. 15
Edwin 12
David 11
Ernest 10
Fred 10
Tom 9
Mark 8
Stephen 7
Wm. 7
Benjamin 6
Martin 6
Fredrick 5
Geo. 5
Francis 4
Jesse 4
Josiah 4
Leonard 4
Sidney 4
Andrew 3
Chas. 3
Fredk. 3
Harley 3
Harold 3
Isaac 3
Jas. 3
Jno. 3
Jonah 3
Richd. 3
Robt. 3
Sydney 3

FAQ

Markham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Markham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,569 people were recorded with the Markham surname. That placed it at #1,266 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Markham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,956 in 2016. That gives Markham a modern rank of #1,363.

What does the Markham surname mean?

From an English place name, derived from Old English elements meaning "boundary" and "homestead."

What does the Markham map show?

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