NameCensus.

UK surname

Marrs

A variant of Marsh, referring to someone who lived near or worked in a wetland or swamp.

In the 1881 census there were 304 people recorded with the Marrs surname, ranking it #9,637 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 679, ranked #7,896, up from #9,637 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ryton and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale and Carlisle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Marrs is 748 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 123.4%.

1881 census count

304

Ranked #9,637

Modern count

679

2016, ranked #7,896

Peak year

2000

748 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Marrs had 304 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,637 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 679 in 2016, ranked #7,896.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 464 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Marrs surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Marrs surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Marrs 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 183 #11,166
1861 historical 178 #13,202
1881 historical 304 #9,637
1891 historical 386 #9,138
1901 historical 464 #8,512
1911 historical 420 #8,969
1997 modern 687 #7,353
1998 modern 730 #7,253
1999 modern 740 #7,225
2000 modern 748 #7,113
2001 modern 718 #7,222
2002 modern 742 #7,167
2003 modern 705 #7,345
2004 modern 694 #7,456
2005 modern 696 #7,386
2006 modern 691 #7,433
2007 modern 694 #7,478
2008 modern 695 #7,529
2009 modern 710 #7,556
2010 modern 719 #7,619
2011 modern 704 #7,667
2012 modern 681 #7,786
2013 modern 703 #7,697
2014 modern 710 #7,687
2015 modern 682 #7,879
2016 modern 679 #7,896

Geography

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Where Marrs' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ryton, Manchester, Liverpool and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale and Carlisle. 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 Ryton Durham
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 001 Allerdale
2 Allerdale 002 Allerdale
3 Carlisle 013 Carlisle
4 Allerdale 007 Allerdale
5 Allerdale 003 Allerdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Marrs

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Marrs

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Marrs is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Marrs is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Marrs falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Marrs

The surname Marrs has its origins in England and Scotland, where it first emerged in the medieval period as a locational name. It is derived from the Old English word 'mær', meaning 'a boundary' or 'a lake', and the suffix '-s' denoting 'of'. Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived near a boundary or lake.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'de Mares'. This entry suggests that the name was already in use among Norman landowners in England shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

In Scotland, the name is believed to have originated in the county of Roxburghshire, where a place called 'Mers' or 'Merse' existed. The earliest known bearer of the name in Scotland was Adam de Mers, who was recorded in charters from the late 12th century.

The name underwent various spelling variations over the centuries, including Mares, Marres, Merse, and Mersh, before settling on the modern form of Marrs. One notable early bearer was John Marre, who was born in Northumberland, England, around 1490 and served as a member of the Yeomen of the Guard under King Henry VIII.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name spread across England and Scotland, with several notable individuals bearing the surname. These include Sir John Meres (c. 1550-1639), an English poet and writer who was a close friend of William Shakespeare, and Thomas Marrs (c. 1600-1675), a Scottish minister who was a prominent figure in the Covenanter movement.

In the 18th century, the name Marrs appeared in various parts of the British Isles, including the prominent Scottish family of Marrs of Elibank, who held lands in Peeblesshire. Another notable bearer was John Marrs (1711-1796), an English clergyman and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of botany.

As the centuries progressed, the Marrs name continued to spread, with bearers found in various parts of the world, including North America and Australia. Some notable individuals from more recent times include Walter Marrs (1856-1925), an American businessman and founder of the Marrs Department Store chain, and Jim Marrs (1943-2017), an American journalist and author known for his works on conspiracy theories and alternative history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Marrs families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Marrs 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. Cumberland leads with 59 Marrs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.19x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 59 23.19x
Lancashire 35 1.00x
Durham 33 3.75x
Surrey 30 2.08x
Cheshire 14 2.15x
Renfrewshire 14 6.11x
West Lothian 14 31.45x
Kent 12 1.19x
Ayrshire 11 4.97x
Middlesex 11 0.37x
Warwickshire 11 1.48x
Stirlingshire 9 8.26x
Leicestershire 8 2.44x
Yorkshire 8 0.27x
Lanarkshire 7 0.73x
Caernarfonshire 5 4.18x
Northumberland 5 1.14x
Dumfriesshire 3 4.59x
East Lothian 3 7.66x
Midlothian 3 0.76x
Worcestershire 3 0.78x
Flintshire 2 2.52x
Clackmannanshire 1 4.10x
Sussex 1 0.20x
Westmorland 1 1.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dalston in Cumberland leads with 17 Marrs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 862.94x.

Place Total Index
Dalston 17 862.94x
Southwark St George Martyr 14 23.54x
Bishopwearmouth 13 17.23x
Manchester 9 5.71x
Slamannan 9 150.75x
Abbey 8 22.89x
Battersea 8 7.36x
Leicester St Margaret 8 10.01x
Old Cumnock 8 162.60x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 8 106.67x
St Marylebone London 8 5.07x
Toxteth Park 8 6.74x
Uphall 8 163.60x
Lewisham 7 13.02x
Liverpool 7 3.29x
Medomsley 7 170.73x
Bathgate 6 62.11x
Bermondsey 6 6.82x
Coventry St Michael 6 25.06x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 6 103.27x
Aikton 5 625.00x
Coventry Holy Trinity 5 22.46x
Llanbeblig 5 41.22x
Penrith 5 53.19x
Bowness 4 408.16x
Caldewgate 4 28.69x
Dalston Buckabank 4 769.23x
East Thickley 4 224.72x
Flimby 4 186.05x
Kirkdale 4 6.78x
Maidstone 4 13.32x
Maryhill 4 21.38x
Port Glasgow 4 36.13x
Ryhope 4 65.57x
Wigton 4 104.71x
Workington 4 27.45x
Barony 3 1.24x
Dawdon 3 27.73x
Eston 3 47.02x
Haddington 3 51.90x
Newcastle On Tyne St 3 13.16x
Redditch 3 38.31x
Woodside Quarter 3 500.00x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 7.18x
Hawarden 2 32.05x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 2 5.25x
Holy Trinity 2 2.84x
Kilbirnie 2 37.66x
Middle Greenock 2 32.00x
South Leith 2 4.49x
St Gregory By St Pauls 2 270.27x
Stanwix 2 97.09x
Torthorwald 2 200.00x
Windle 2 10.14x
Byker 1 4.60x
Cheetham 1 3.82x
Corstorphine 1 45.87x
Culgaith 1 285.71x
Cummertrees 1 90.09x
Dollar 1 39.53x
Elswick 1 2.85x
Greenwich 1 2.13x
Keswick 1 30.77x
Littlehampton 1 25.13x
Nether Hallam 1 2.52x
Orton 1 217.39x
Rainford 1 26.39x
Richmond 1 4.96x
Rotherhithe 1 2.74x
Salford 1 0.97x
Sheffield 1 1.07x
South Crosland 1 32.47x
St Giles In Fields 1 9.81x
Symington 1 140.85x
Winton 1 400.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Margaret 12
Elizabeth 11
Jane 8
Sarah 8
Maria 6
Ann 5
Annie 3
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Martha 3
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Phoebe 2
...aret 1
...et 1
...ie 1
...ret 1
...y 1
Ader 1
Alice 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Elen 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Florry 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Hetty 1
Isabella 1
Maggie 1
Margret 1
Marjaram 1
Matilda 1
Ruth 1
Sophia 1
Thomasina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 20
William 15
Thomas 13
George 12
James 12
Henry 7
Robert 7
Joseph 6
Charles 3
Edward 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Walter 2
... 1
...as 1
...es 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Aurther 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Harding 1
Jas. 1
Lennard 1
Michael 1
Nicholas 1
Samuel 1
Theodore 1
Thos.W. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Marrs surname: questions and answers

How common was the Marrs surname in 1881?

In 1881, 304 people were recorded with the Marrs surname. That placed it at #9,637 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Marrs surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 679 in 2016. That gives Marrs a modern rank of #7,896.

What does the Marrs surname mean?

A variant of Marsh, referring to someone who lived near or worked in a wetland or swamp.

What does the Marrs map show?

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