NameCensus.

UK surname

Marland

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "boundary land".

In the 1881 census there were 1,041 people recorded with the Marland surname, ranking it #3,772 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,203, ranked #4,944, down from #3,772 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Dean and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oldham, Bolton and Tameside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Marland is 1,315 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 15.6%.

1881 census count

1,041

Ranked #3,772

Modern count

1,203

2016, ranked #4,944

Peak year

1911

1,315 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Marland had 1,041 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,772 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,203 in 2016, ranked #4,944.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,315 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Marland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Marland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Marland 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 675 #3,842
1861 historical 844 #3,274
1881 historical 1,041 #3,772
1891 historical 1,172 #3,648
1901 historical 1,307 #3,823
1911 historical 1,315 #3,626
1997 modern 1,229 #4,621
1998 modern 1,260 #4,693
1999 modern 1,303 #4,592
2000 modern 1,290 #4,610
2001 modern 1,268 #4,585
2002 modern 1,273 #4,663
2003 modern 1,247 #4,650
2004 modern 1,254 #4,629
2005 modern 1,206 #4,736
2006 modern 1,216 #4,728
2007 modern 1,216 #4,756
2008 modern 1,216 #4,792
2009 modern 1,274 #4,700
2010 modern 1,289 #4,740
2011 modern 1,245 #4,834
2012 modern 1,226 #4,828
2013 modern 1,224 #4,911
2014 modern 1,233 #4,897
2015 modern 1,214 #4,918
2016 modern 1,203 #4,944

Geography

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Where Marlands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Dean, Preston, Rochdale and Stockport. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Oldham, Bolton and Tameside. 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 Manchester Lancashire
2 Dean Lancashire
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Stockport Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oldham 012 Oldham
2 Bolton 032 Bolton
3 Oldham 011 Oldham
4 Tameside 006 Tameside
5 Tameside 016 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Marland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Marland

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Marland, 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 Marland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Marland household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

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, Marland 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

Marland is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Marland 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 Marland is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Marland

The surname Marland is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest known recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "mere" meaning a lake or a boundary, and "land" referring to an area of land. It was likely a toponymic surname, indicating that the original bearers of the name resided near a lake or a boundary of land.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Marland can be found in the Yorkshire Feet of Fines from 1300, where a Robert de Merland is mentioned. This record suggests that the name may have originated in the Yorkshire region of England.

In the 14th century, the Marland surname appears in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327, which mentions a Thomas Merlond, and the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1333, which lists a William Merland.

The Marland name has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir Nicholas Marland (c. 1330-1409), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Huntingdonshire in the late 14th and early 15th centuries.

Another notable figure was John Marland (c. 1516-1586), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for Coventry during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He played an influential role in the development of the city's woolen trade.

In the 17th century, Ephraim Marland (1635-1709) was a prominent Puritan minister and author in Massachusetts Bay Colony. He is known for his work "A Vindication of the Scripture-Doctrine of the Eternity of Hell Torments," published in 1695.

Moving into the 18th century, Humphrey Marland (1708-1786) was a British merchant and landowner who served as High Sheriff of Derbyshire in 1753. He was also a prominent figure in the development of the coal mining industry in the region.

In more recent times, Ellsworth Marland (1876-1941) was an influential American businessman and politician. He was a pioneer in the oil industry and served as the 10th Governor of Oklahoma from 1935 to 1939.

Throughout its history, the Marland surname has undergone various spellings, including Merland, Merlond, and Marlande, reflecting the regional variations and evolving language over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Marland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Marland 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 849 Marlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.04x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 849 7.04x
Cheshire 56 2.50x
Yorkshire 54 0.54x
Surrey 15 0.30x
Durham 14 0.46x
Middlesex 14 0.14x
Devon 9 0.43x
Staffordshire 7 0.20x
Glamorgan 5 0.28x
Cumberland 4 0.46x
Cornwall 3 0.26x
Hampshire 3 0.14x
Lincolnshire 3 0.18x
Gloucestershire 2 0.10x
Kent 2 0.06x
Renfrewshire 1 0.13x
Shropshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashton Under Lyne in Lancashire leads with 344 Marlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 130.50x.

Place Total Index
Ashton Under Lyne 344 130.50x
Oldham 104 26.71x
Kearsley 58 228.53x
Preston 56 17.35x
Dukinfield 42 40.51x
Chadderton 41 69.53x
Saddleworth 33 42.47x
Leyland 28 133.46x
Farnworth 26 35.98x
Failsworth 25 90.58x
Manchester 16 2.95x
Westhoughton 14 43.49x
Upholland 12 77.62x
Blatchinworth 11 40.06x
Hulme 10 3.97x
Blackley 9 42.57x
Bradford 9 15.94x
Salford 9 2.54x
Barmbrough 7 189.70x
Barnstaple 7 21.08x
Castle Church 7 33.95x
Crompton 7 20.38x
Denton 7 26.19x
Evenwood Barony 7 68.09x
Shadforth 7 119.25x
Burnley 6 5.91x
Chorley 6 8.87x
Haughton 6 34.09x
Langfield 6 34.05x
Newton 6 6.45x
Shoreditch London 6 1.36x
Llandaff 5 8.49x
Newton In Ashton Under 5 22.58x
Cheetham 4 4.45x
Dearham 4 34.66x
Northenden 4 97.80x
Prestwich 4 13.29x
Sowerby In Halifax 4 12.14x
St Pancras London 4 0.49x
Haugham 3 652.17x
Lambeth 3 0.34x
Little Hulton 3 15.02x
North Meols 3 2.54x
Skelmersdale 3 14.93x
Southwark St Olave 3 38.66x
Todmorden Walsden 3 9.29x
Astley 2 21.51x
Beswick 2 6.49x
Brinnington 2 9.54x
Castleton 2 1.66x
Cheltenham 2 1.30x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 1.04x
Clapham 2 1.57x
Croydon 2 0.73x
Deptford St Paul 2 0.75x
Madron Penzance 2 4.78x
Pendleton In Salford 2 1.39x
Portsea 2 0.49x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 2 4.27x
Stayley 2 7.80x
Sutton 2 5.58x
Abbey 1 0.83x
Bideford 1 4.41x
Braunton 1 13.95x
Brightside Bierlow 1 0.51x
Camberwell 1 0.15x
Enfield 1 1.50x
Fulwood 1 7.67x
Great Little Marsden 1 1.81x
Heaton Norris 1 1.46x
Islington London 1 0.10x
Mile End Old Town 1 0.62x
Newington 1 0.27x
Orell Ford 1 45.05x
Oswestry Town 1 3.56x
Pilkington 1 2.18x
Southwark Christchurch 1 2.10x
Toxteth Park 1 0.24x
West Derby 1 0.28x
Westminster St 1 2.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 93
Sarah 60
Elizabeth 41
Ann 28
Jane 27
Alice 25
Martha 23
Hannah 22
Betty 14
Ellen 13
Emma 13
Ada 11
Margaret 11
Annie 9
Nancy 9
Eliza 8
Harriet 8
Clara 7
Edith 7
Fanny 6
Emily 5
Louisa 5
Agnes 4
Catherine 4
Ruth 4
Amy 3
Jessie 3
Kate 3
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Bertha 2
Betsy 2
Clarinda 2
Clarissa 2
Esther 2
Gertrude 2
Harriott 2
Kitty 2
Lucy 2
Rachel 2
Sophia 2
Susannah 2
Ardielin 1
Betsey 1
Doratha 1
E. 1
Easter 1
Georgina 1
Hanna 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 73
James 61
William 47
George 31
Joseph 21
Thomas 17
Samuel 14
Henry 12
Robert 12
Alfred 11
Edward 10
Joshua 9
Caleb 8
Fred 7
Wm. 7
Albert 6
Charles 6
Frank 6
Harry 6
Peter 6
Robt. 6
Silas 5
Edwin 3
Enos 3
Geo. 3
Jas. 3
Jno. 3
Joel 3
Walter 3
Abraham 2
Amos 2
Ben 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Jacob 2
Jonas 2
Jonathan 2
Mark 2
Mathew 2
Nathaniel 2
Richard 2
Saml. 2
Septimus 2
Stephen 2
Clement 1
Emanuel 1
Enoch 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Marland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Marland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,041 people were recorded with the Marland surname. That placed it at #3,772 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Marland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,203 in 2016. That gives Marland a modern rank of #4,944.

What does the Marland surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "boundary land".

What does the Marland map show?

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