NameCensus.

UK surname

Mars

A surname derived from the Roman god of war or referring to someone from the French city of Mars.

In the 1881 census there were 286 people recorded with the Mars surname, ranking it #10,036 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 362, ranked #12,810, down from #10,036 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Greenwich, Hawick and Wilton and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, East Riding of Yorkshire and Monmouthshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mars is 372 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.6%.

1881 census count

286

Ranked #10,036

Modern count

362

2016, ranked #12,810

Peak year

1861

372 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mars had 286 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,036 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 362 in 2016, ranked #12,810.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 372 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Mars surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mars surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mars 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 241 #9,037
1861 historical 372 #6,857
1881 historical 286 #10,036
1891 historical 321 #10,520
1901 historical 286 #12,029
1911 historical 238 #13,356
1997 modern 269 #14,543
1998 modern 295 #14,029
1999 modern 285 #14,438
2000 modern 283 #14,488
2001 modern 270 #14,734
2002 modern 276 #14,794
2003 modern 283 #14,368
2004 modern 283 #14,418
2005 modern 275 #14,624
2006 modern 272 #14,834
2007 modern 273 #14,959
2008 modern 268 #15,311
2009 modern 272 #15,475
2010 modern 299 #14,769
2011 modern 298 #14,666
2012 modern 320 #13,868
2013 modern 324 #13,961
2014 modern 334 #13,749
2015 modern 350 #13,159
2016 modern 362 #12,810

Geography

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Where Mars' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Greenwich, Hawick and Wilton, London parishes, Govan Combination and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, Monmouthshire and Newton Stewart. 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 Greenwich London (South Districts)
2 Hawick and Wilton Roxburgh
3 London parishes London 3
4 Govan Combination Lanark
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 029 Shropshire
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 021 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Monmouthshire 005 Monmouthshire
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 012 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 Newton Stewart Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mars

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mars

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Mars surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Mars 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mars 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

Mars is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mars falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mars 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Mars

The surname MARS is of English origin, deriving from the surname March, which itself originated from the Norman French word "march" meaning a borderland or frontier region. The name likely referred to someone who lived near the borderlands.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname MARS date back to the 13th century. It was a variant spelling of the more common March surname, which appeared in records such as the Hundred Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1273, where a William de la Marche was listed.

In the 14th century, the name MARS appeared in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379, recording a John Mars. The surname was also found in various Medieval manuscripts and records, such as the Calendars of Wills for London, where a John Mars was mentioned in 1392.

The name MARS was sometimes associated with places like Marshwood in Dorset, or derived from the Old English word "mære" meaning a boundary or border. This connection to borderlands or frontier regions likely contributed to the surname's origins.

Notable individuals with the surname MARS throughout history include:

1. John Mars (c. 1350 - 1415), an English landowner and Lord of the Manor of Dunston in Norfolk. 2. William Mars (1594 - 1667), an English clergyman and author of several religious works. 3. Thomas Mars (1717 - 1804), a British army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. 4. Richard Marsden Mars (1795 - 1868), an English industrialist and founder of the Mars confectionery company. 5. Forrest Mars Sr. (1904 - 1999), an American business magnate and the son of Frank C. Mars, who helped build the Mars confectionery empire.

The surname MARS has a rich history, stemming from its origins in the borderlands and frontier regions of England. Throughout the centuries, individuals with this surname have left their mark in various fields, from landownership and military service to business and religious writings.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mars families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mars 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. Lanarkshire leads with 35 Mars' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.91x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 35 3.91x
Lancashire 35 1.06x
Middlesex 28 1.01x
Surrey 24 1.78x
Roxburghshire 23 45.84x
Durham 19 2.31x
Kent 18 1.90x
Devon 16 2.77x
Dumfriesshire 13 21.24x
Cumberland 11 4.61x
Yorkshire 10 0.36x
Sussex 9 1.93x
Ayrshire 6 2.89x
Nottinghamshire 6 1.61x
Leicestershire 4 1.30x
Renfrewshire 4 1.86x
Staffordshire 4 0.43x
Essex 3 0.55x
Glamorgan 2 0.41x
Gloucestershire 2 0.37x
Hampshire 2 0.35x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.57x
Channel Islands 1 1.22x
Cheshire 1 0.16x
Cornwall 1 0.32x
Derbyshire 1 0.23x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.34x
Midlothian 1 0.27x
Perthshire 1 0.80x
Royal Navy 1 3.03x
Wigtownshire 1 2.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 23 Mars' recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.56x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 23 15.56x
Barony 17 7.50x
Govan 16 7.22x
Hawick 11 97.95x
Ryton 11 379.31x
Applegarth 9 967.74x
Greenwich 9 20.41x
Burgh By Sands 8 1038.96x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 14.35x
Wilton 8 145.19x
Bethnal Green London 7 5.82x
St George In East 7 37.16x
Auckinleck 6 93.46x
Bermondsey 6 7.27x
Deptford St Paul 6 8.23x
Sutton Bonnington 6 631.58x
Croydon 5 6.67x
Littlehampton 5 134.05x
Liverpool 5 2.50x
West Teignmouth 5 113.38x
Abbey 4 12.21x
Hoddam 4 272.11x
Holy Trinity 4 6.06x
Lamesley 4 90.09x
Leicester St Mary 4 16.12x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 9.01x
Seaton 4 180.18x
St Pancras London 4 1.79x
Chelsea London 3 3.59x
Lambeth 3 1.24x
Leominster 3 200.00x
Ryhope 3 52.45x
Yarm 3 212.77x
Arthuret 2 80.32x
Cardiff St Mary 2 7.53x
Leeds 2 1.29x
Melrose 2 46.08x
Mile End Old Town 2 4.57x
Portsea 2 1.80x
Strood 2 37.11x
Toxteth Park 2 1.80x
West Derby 2 2.08x
Wolverhampton 2 2.78x
Bilston 1 5.52x
Blackburn 1 1.14x
Bradford 1 6.50x
Brighton 1 1.06x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 5.52x
Carshalton 1 19.34x
East Stonehouse 1 8.80x
East Thickley 1 59.88x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.67x
Forest Gate 1 131.58x
Glasgow 1 0.63x
Glossop Dale 1 4.92x
Hammersmith London 1 1.47x
Hulme 1 1.46x
Inchture 1 161.29x
Kelso 1 20.00x
Kirkintilloch 1 9.89x
Kirklinton Middle 1 256.41x
March 1 17.01x
Minster In Sheppey 1 6.39x
Newton Abbot St Mary 1 20.66x
North Hamlet 1 204.08x
Penninghame 1 26.67x
Royal Navy 1 3.54x
Shoreditch London 1 0.83x
Shotts 1 9.33x
Southwark Christchurch 1 7.70x
Spitalfields London 1 4.80x
St Helier 1 3.74x
St Marylebone London 1 0.68x
Tormoham 1 4.10x
Wakefield 1 4.74x
Wanstead 1 10.44x
West Ham 1 0.83x
Westminster St John 1 2.96x
Whittington 1 52.36x
Yetholm 1 101.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Ellen 8
Elizabeth 7
Eliza 6
Margaret 6
Catherine 5
Annie 4
Hannah 3
Agnes 2
Ann 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Isabella 2
Jane 2
Louisa 2
Minnie 2
Sarah 2
Susan 2
Alice 1
Alma 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Bridget 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Ellan 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Flossy 1
H.Maria 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Janet 1
Jessie 1
Leah 1
Litey 1
Margret 1
Marian 1
Matilda 1
Rosanna 1
Rosey 1
Sabina 1
Sophie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
James 14
William 13
Henry 8
George 6
Thomas 5
Arthur 2
Charles 2
David 2
Edward 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Joseph 2
Michael 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Chrisr. 1
Daniel 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
Jas. 1
Lawrence 1
Richard 1
Roberts 1
Robt. 1
Stephen 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Mars surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mars surname in 1881?

In 1881, 286 people were recorded with the Mars surname. That placed it at #10,036 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mars surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 362 in 2016. That gives Mars a modern rank of #12,810.

What does the Mars surname mean?

A surname derived from the Roman god of war or referring to someone from the French city of Mars.

What does the Mars map show?

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