NameCensus.

UK surname

Marsh

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near or worked in a marsh or wetland.

In the 1881 census there were 21,309 people recorded with the Marsh surname, ranking it #165 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 30,628, ranked #178, down from #165 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Sedgley and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley, Shropshire and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Marsh is 32,026 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.7%.

1881 census count

21,309

Ranked #165

Modern count

30,628

2016, ranked #178

Peak year

1999

32,026 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Marsh had 21,309 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #165 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 30,628 in 2016, ranked #178.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 30,732 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Marsh surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Marsh surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Marsh 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 13,203 #182
1861 historical 14,455 #165
1881 historical 21,309 #165
1891 historical 23,094 #160
1901 historical 27,347 #158
1911 historical 30,732 #120
1997 modern 30,880 #165
1998 modern 31,748 #170
1999 modern 32,026 #170
2000 modern 31,864 #170
2001 modern 31,032 #170
2002 modern 31,609 #172
2003 modern 30,896 #172
2004 modern 30,671 #172
2005 modern 29,856 #175
2006 modern 29,876 #177
2007 modern 30,060 #177
2008 modern 30,071 #178
2009 modern 30,735 #179
2010 modern 31,336 #179
2011 modern 31,022 #178
2012 modern 30,370 #178
2013 modern 31,015 #178
2014 modern 31,216 #178
2015 modern 30,817 #178
2016 modern 30,628 #178

Geography

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Where Marshs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Sedgley, London parishes and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley, Shropshire and St. Helens. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Sedgley Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 008 Dudley
2 Dudley 016 Dudley
3 Shropshire 038 Shropshire
4 St. Helens 014 St. Helens
5 St. Helens 020 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Marsh

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Marsh

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Marsh 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

Marsh 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

Marsh falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Marsh

The surname Marsh originates from England, and it is derived from the Old English word "mersc," which means "marsh" or "fen." This name emerged as a topographic surname, given to individuals who lived near marshy or fenny areas.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Marsh can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Mersc" and "Mersche." These entries indicate that the name was already established in various parts of England during the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Marsh was Robert de la Mershe, who lived in Gloucestershire, England, in the late 12th century. Another early bearer of the name was William atte Mersh, recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327.

The name Marsh is also connected to various place names in England, such as Marsh Green in Hertfordshire, Marsh Gibbon in Buckinghamshire, and Marsh Baldon in Oxfordshire. These place names likely influenced the adoption of the surname by families residing in those areas.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Marsh. One of the most prominent was Narcissus Marsh (1638-1713), an influential Anglican clergyman who served as the Archbishop of Armagh and the Primate of All Ireland from 1702 until his death.

Another notable figure was George Perkins Marsh (1801-1882), an American diplomat, scholar, and one of the earliest proponents of environmental conservation. His influential work, "Man and Nature," published in 1864, is considered a seminal text in the field of environmental studies.

Reginald Marsh (1898-1954) was an American painter and printmaker known for his depictions of urban life in New York City during the Great Depression era. His works capture the vibrant energy and diversity of the city's streets and inhabitants.

Sir Edward Marsh (1872-1953) was a British civil servant, private secretary to Winston Churchill, and a patron of the arts. He played a significant role in promoting and supporting writers and artists, including the Bloomsbury Group.

Ngaio Marsh (1895-1982) was a renowned New Zealand crime writer, best known for her detective fiction featuring Inspector Roderick Alleyn. She wrote 32 novels and numerous short stories and is considered one of the "Queens of Crime" alongside Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Marsh families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Marsh 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 4,317 Marshs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.75x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 4,317 1.75x
Kent 2,203 3.10x
Middlesex 2,007 0.96x
Yorkshire 1,593 0.77x
Staffordshire 1,221 1.74x
Surrey 963 0.95x
Hampshire 850 1.99x
Somerset 783 2.33x
Dorset 672 4.91x
Derbyshire 539 1.65x
Gloucestershire 510 1.25x
Essex 502 1.22x
Nottinghamshire 501 1.78x
Sussex 433 1.23x
Cheshire 424 0.92x
Wiltshire 366 1.99x
Suffolk 365 1.44x
Worcestershire 314 1.15x
Cambridgeshire 306 2.32x
Warwickshire 275 0.52x
Durham 227 0.37x
Monmouthshire 216 1.43x
Lincolnshire 212 0.64x
Shropshire 184 1.02x
Devon 180 0.41x
Glamorgan 171 0.47x
Northamptonshire 150 0.77x
Norfolk 131 0.41x
Hertfordshire 80 0.56x
Leicestershire 80 0.35x
Berkshire 79 0.51x
Oxfordshire 68 0.53x
Northumberland 63 0.20x
Cumberland 53 0.30x
Buckinghamshire 52 0.41x
Bedfordshire 36 0.33x
Channel Islands 32 0.52x
Lanarkshire 29 0.04x
Royal Navy 17 0.68x
Carmarthenshire 16 0.18x
Cornwall 15 0.06x
Herefordshire 14 0.16x
Renfrewshire 14 0.09x
Huntingdonshire 11 0.27x
Isle of Man 11 0.28x
Denbighshire 10 0.13x
Flintshire 9 0.16x
Montgomeryshire 9 0.19x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.04x
Merionethshire 6 0.16x
Radnorshire 6 0.36x
Stirlingshire 5 0.07x
Cardiganshire 4 0.08x
Midlothian 4 0.01x
Argyllshire 3 0.05x
Buteshire 3 0.24x
Roxburghshire 3 0.08x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.03x
Perthshire 2 0.02x
Anglesey 1 0.03x
Ayrshire 1 0.01x
Brecknockshire 1 0.02x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.01x
Fife 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sedgley in Staffordshire leads with 463 Marshs recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.72x.

Place Total Index
Sedgley 463 17.72x
Portsea 207 2.47x
Islington London 204 1.01x
Dudley 200 6.05x
St Pancras London 185 1.10x
Kensington London 183 1.58x
Lambeth 162 0.89x
Hindley 152 14.42x
Camberwell 151 1.13x
Birmingham 145 0.83x
Wigan 143 4.14x
Folkestone 138 10.01x
Blackburn 136 2.07x
Great Bolton 131 4.00x
West Ham 126 1.39x
Windle 126 9.06x
Manchester 120 1.08x
Sheffield 116 1.76x
Worsley 109 7.15x
St Marylebone London 108 0.97x
Brightside Bierlow 107 2.64x
Bethnal Green London 105 1.16x
Atherton 103 11.44x
Glastonbury 103 37.62x
Warrington 101 3.45x
Shoreditch London 99 1.10x
Hackney London 94 0.80x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 93 2.42x
Liverpool 93 0.62x
Chelsea London 92 1.47x
Little Bolton 91 2.86x
Battersea 90 1.17x
West Derby 90 1.24x
Brighton 89 1.26x
Deal 89 14.67x
Parr 89 10.06x
Aston 88 0.61x
Paddington London 87 1.14x
Hulme 84 1.63x
Nether Hallam 82 2.94x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 81 11.38x
Poplar London 79 2.01x
Bedminster 78 2.47x
Walsall Foreign 78 2.15x
Dover St Mary Virgin 74 10.75x
Newington 73 0.95x
Charlton 72 15.25x
Salford 71 0.98x
West Bromwich 70 1.74x
Bradfield 69 8.67x
Ashton In Makerfield 64 9.09x
Oldham 64 0.80x
St George Hanover 64 2.35x
Doncaster 63 4.18x
Eccleston In Prescot 62 4.99x
Bermondsey 61 0.98x
Lewisham 60 1.58x
Pilkington 60 6.39x
Preston 59 0.89x
Clarborough 58 27.61x
Stoke Upon Trent 58 0.78x
Deptford St Paul 57 1.04x
Toxteth Park 57 0.68x
Willenhall 56 4.25x
Leeds 55 0.47x
Thurlstone 55 27.01x
Croydon 54 0.96x
Ecclesall Bierlow 54 1.29x
Hougham 54 12.77x
Nottingham St Mary 54 0.74x
Ince In Makerfield 53 4.61x
Brampton 52 11.40x
Pemberton 52 5.27x
Ash Next Sandwich 51 32.42x
Ashton Under Lyne 51 0.94x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 51 2.65x
Street 51 28.10x
Southwark St George Martyr 50 1.19x
Ecclesfield 49 3.24x
Horningsham 49 84.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 1,441
Sarah 814
Elizabeth 798
Ann 423
Jane 411
Eliza 383
Ellen 375
Alice 374
Emma 336
Emily 287
Annie 286
Hannah 220
Margaret 197
Martha 186
Harriet 158
Louisa 141
Edith 135
Charlotte 126
Florence 124
Maria 124
Fanny 122
Ada 114
Caroline 112
Clara 92
Lucy 90
Catherine 88
Agnes 83
Frances 83
Susan 78
Kate 76
Anne 73
Matilda 66
Esther 59
Isabella 56
Rebecca 56
Harriett 54
Amy 47
Elizth. 47
Amelia 46
Minnie 44
Lydia 43
Rose 42
Ethel 41
Rachel 41
Jessie 39
Julia 39
Laura 39
Sophia 39
Betsy 36
Susannah 35

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 1,290
John 1,222
George 753
James 702
Thomas 681
Henry 535
Joseph 418
Charles 416
Edward 266
Robert 256
Alfred 224
Richard 212
Samuel 190
Arthur 179
Frederick 174
Walter 173
Albert 141
Harry 114
Herbert 108
Frank 101
Peter 81
Ernest 73
Edwin 64
Benjamin 61
Wm. 61
Isaac 54
Fred 52
Thos. 52
David 49
Francis 48
Daniel 41
Geo. 31
Stephen 31
Tom 27
Matthew 26
Enoch 24
Fredk. 22
Fredrick 22
Sidney 22
Willm. 21
Abraham 20
Sydney 20
Chas. 17
Edgar 17
Ralph 17
Robt. 17
Oliver 16
Willie 16
Edmund 14
Hugh 14

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Marsh households.

FAQ

Marsh surname: questions and answers

How common was the Marsh surname in 1881?

In 1881, 21,309 people were recorded with the Marsh surname. That placed it at #165 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Marsh surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 30,628 in 2016. That gives Marsh a modern rank of #178.

What does the Marsh surname mean?

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near or worked in a marsh or wetland.

What does the Marsh map show?

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