NameCensus.

UK surname

Marshall

An occupational surname referring to someone who looked after horses or served as a marshal.

In the 1881 census there were 50,203 people recorded with the Marshall surname, ranking it #57 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 69,693, ranked #63, down from #57 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Halifax and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, Calderdale and Newark and Sherwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Marshall is 71,308 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.8%.

1881 census count

50,203

Ranked #57

Modern count

69,693

2016, ranked #63

Peak year

2010

71,308 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Marshall had 50,203 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #57 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 69,693 in 2016, ranked #63.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 62,744 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Marshall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Marshall surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Marshall 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 32,430 #60
1861 historical 35,294 #58
1881 historical 50,203 #57
1891 historical 55,195 #55
1901 historical 62,744 #57
1911 historical 57,142 #59
1997 modern 68,574 #61
1998 modern 70,729 #62
1999 modern 71,104 #62
2000 modern 70,681 #62
2001 modern 68,998 #62
2002 modern 70,410 #62
2003 modern 68,806 #61
2004 modern 68,799 #61
2005 modern 67,697 #61
2006 modern 67,633 #61
2007 modern 68,168 #61
2008 modern 68,276 #62
2009 modern 69,887 #62
2010 modern 71,308 #62
2011 modern 70,272 #62
2012 modern 68,957 #62
2013 modern 70,188 #62
2014 modern 70,624 #63
2015 modern 70,001 #63
2016 modern 69,693 #63

Geography

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Where Marshalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Halifax, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, Calderdale, Newark and Sherwood, Doncaster and Northumberland. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 011 North Lincolnshire
2 Calderdale 013 Calderdale
3 Newark and Sherwood 007 Newark and Sherwood
4 Doncaster 009 Doncaster
5 Northumberland 006 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Marshall

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Marshall

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

Marshall is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Marshall 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 Marshall 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 Marshall, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Marshall

The surname MARSHALL is of Old French origin, derived from the word "mareschal", meaning "horse servant" or "keeper of horses". It is believed to have emerged in the 11th century during the Norman conquest of England.

The earliest recorded instances of the MARSHALL surname can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Marescallus" and "Marescaldus". These entries likely referred to individuals who held the position of "marshal" within the royal or noble households, responsible for overseeing the stables and horses.

As the surname spread throughout England, it took on various spellings such as Marshale, Marchal, and Marschall. Over time, the spelling MARSHALL became the most widely adopted form.

One of the earliest known bearers of the MARSHALL surname was John Marshall (c. 1165-1235), a prominent English baron and landowner who served as the Marshal of England under King John and King Henry III.

Another notable figure was William Marshall (c. 1147-1219), a celebrated English knight and statesman who served as the Earl of Pembroke and Regent of England. He played a crucial role in the Magna Carta negotiations and is considered one of the greatest knights of the Middle Ages.

In the 16th century, John Marshall (1534-1597) was an influential English Protestant reformer and dean of Christ Church, Oxford. He worked alongside Archbishop Matthew Parker in revising the Book of Common Prayer.

During the American Revolution, John Marshall (1755-1835) was a prominent Founding Father and the fourth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. His influential decisions helped shape the country's legal system and establish the principle of judicial review.

Thomas Riley Marshall (1854-1925) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 28th Vice President of the United States under President Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to 1921.

Throughout history, the MARSHALL surname has been associated with various notable individuals, including military leaders, politicians, lawyers, and religious figures, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of those who have carried this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Marshall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Marshall 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. Yorkshire leads with 9,141 Marshalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.88x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 9,141 1.88x
Lancashire 4,039 0.69x
Middlesex 3,638 0.74x
Lanarkshire 3,048 1.92x
Surrey 2,289 0.96x
Lincolnshire 2,012 2.57x
Durham 1,874 1.29x
Nottinghamshire 1,745 2.64x
Kent 1,370 0.82x
Northumberland 1,314 1.80x
Derbyshire 1,026 1.34x
Staffordshire 961 0.58x
Midlothian 957 1.46x
Warwickshire 913 0.74x
Hampshire 883 0.88x
Essex 850 0.88x
Stirlingshire 805 4.45x
Sussex 781 0.95x
Devon 708 0.69x
Leicestershire 650 1.20x
Cheshire 609 0.56x
Gloucestershire 576 0.60x
Somerset 574 0.73x
Norfolk 561 0.74x
Berkshire 517 1.41x
Cornwall 485 0.87x
Angus 460 1.01x
Fife 460 1.59x
Ayrshire 449 1.22x
Perthshire 443 2.01x
Cambridgeshire 440 1.42x
Renfrewshire 427 1.12x
Worcestershire 385 0.60x
West Lothian 364 4.93x
Northamptonshire 315 0.68x
Suffolk 283 0.47x
Wiltshire 280 0.65x
Aberdeenshire 270 0.60x
Hertfordshire 265 0.78x
Dunbartonshire 252 1.91x
Cumberland 251 0.60x
Bedfordshire 249 0.98x
Glamorgan 198 0.23x
Wigtownshire 149 2.29x
Oxfordshire 140 0.46x
Clackmannanshire 135 3.34x
Buckinghamshire 131 0.44x
Huntingdonshire 126 1.30x
Monmouthshire 107 0.30x
Dumfriesshire 105 0.97x
Berwickshire 103 1.74x
Dorset 93 0.29x
Herefordshire 92 0.46x
Shropshire 73 0.17x
East Lothian 69 1.06x
Roxburghshire 62 0.70x
Kincardineshire 59 0.99x
Kinross-shire 59 4.76x
Argyllshire 55 0.40x
Royal Navy 50 0.86x
Morayshire 45 0.59x
Westmorland 43 0.40x
Channel Islands 42 0.29x
Banffshire 40 0.39x
Kirkcudbrightshire 40 0.56x
Peeblesshire 40 1.74x
Selkirkshire 39 0.88x
Buteshire 36 1.21x
Flintshire 26 0.20x
Carmarthenshire 19 0.09x
Inverness-shire 15 0.10x
Anglesey 14 0.16x
Caernarfonshire 12 0.06x
Isle of Man 12 0.13x
Rutland 12 0.33x
Montgomeryshire 11 0.10x
Brecknockshire 10 0.10x
Orkney 10 0.19x
Caithness 9 0.13x
Pembrokeshire 8 0.05x
Denbighshire 7 0.04x
Shetland 6 0.12x
Sutherland 4 0.11x
Cardiganshire 1 0.01x
Nairnshire 1 0.07x
Ross-shire 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. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 809 Marshalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.02x.

Place Total Index
Barony 809 2.02x
Govan 569 1.45x
Leeds 447 1.63x
Glasgow 426 1.51x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 425 1.61x
Lambeth 395 0.92x
Sheffield 355 2.30x
Islington London 352 0.74x
Nottingham St Mary 332 1.94x
St Pancras London 322 0.82x
Stansfield 295 16.51x
Birmingham 292 0.71x
Camberwell 281 0.90x
Holy Trinity 277 2.37x
Aston 260 0.76x
Ecclesall Bierlow 259 2.62x
Nether Hallam 254 3.87x
Bradford 239 2.03x
Westoe 221 2.67x
Birkdale 217 14.75x
Newington 217 1.20x
Bishopwearmouth 216 1.73x
North Meols 212 3.72x
St Marylebone London 206 0.79x
Sculcoates 203 2.64x
Portsea 194 0.99x
Falkirk 193 4.56x
Kensington London 192 0.70x
Bethnal Green London 186 0.87x
Yeadon 182 16.60x
Oldham 181 0.96x
Hackney London 174 0.63x
Dundee 171 1.01x
Manchester 168 0.64x
Liverpool 167 0.47x
Brighton 161 0.97x
Shoreditch London 156 0.73x
West Ham 153 0.72x
Gateshead 147 1.35x
Dunfermline 141 3.16x
Bermondsey 140 0.96x
Leicester St Margaret 140 1.06x
Brightside Bierlow 138 1.45x
Todmorden Walsden 138 8.86x
Chelsea London 133 0.90x
Bothwell 130 3.03x
Mile End Old Town 129 1.67x
Walsall Foreign 128 1.50x
Old Monkland 127 2.02x
Battersea 126 0.70x
Halifax 126 1.77x
Wortley In Bramley 126 3.28x
Horton In Bradford 124 1.64x
Cambusnethan 123 3.49x
Elswick 119 2.05x
Huddersfield 115 1.63x
Toxteth Park 113 0.57x
Barnsley 112 2.24x
St George Hanover 111 1.74x
New Monkland 110 2.35x
Paddington London 109 0.61x
Shotts 109 5.75x
Calverley Cum Farsley 108 7.83x
South Leith 108 1.46x
Hammersmith London 107 0.89x
Deptford St Paul 106 0.82x
Morley 106 4.20x
Preston 106 0.68x
Westgate 106 2.35x
Croydon 105 0.79x
Bathgate 103 6.43x
Ashton Under Lyne 101 0.79x
Plymouth St Andrew 100 1.27x
Rastrick 100 7.41x
Kilsyth 99 8.59x
Great Grimsby 96 1.93x
Chorlton On Medlock 95 1.03x
Cadder 94 8.03x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 94 2.16x
Carluke 93 6.46x
Aberdeen Old Machar 91 0.96x
Bromley London 91 0.84x
Hamilton 91 2.06x
Hucknall Under 90 26.42x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 89 1.97x
Liff Benvie 88 1.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2,888
Elizabeth 1,597
Sarah 1,483
Jane 854
Ann 838
Alice 626
Eliza 623
Annie 622
Emma 604
Ellen 597
Hannah 535
Margaret 437
Emily 427
Martha 355
Ada 267
Edith 258
Maria 257
Florence 256
Charlotte 245
Harriet 245
Louisa 234
Fanny 225
Clara 204
Caroline 197
Catherine 194
Kate 192
Isabella 189
Lucy 168
Agnes 166
Frances 143
Harriett 141
Susan 130
Anne 122
Amelia 106
Rose 106
Esther 102
Rebecca 101
Eleanor 88
Amy 85
Betsy 83
Matilda 83
Gertrude 81
Elizth. 80
Jessie 77
Julia 77
Susannah 77
Ruth 73
Grace 70
Lydia 65
Sophia 63

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 2,645
John 2,594
George 1,495
Thomas 1,403
James 1,167
Charles 815
Henry 780
Joseph 715
Robert 620
Edward 396
Alfred 376
Arthur 366
Samuel 347
Frederick 333
Richard 306
Walter 283
Albert 251
Harry 241
Herbert 210
Frank 160
Ernest 152
David 147
Francis 145
Wm. 136
Fred 121
Edwin 116
Benjamin 114
Thos. 82
Geo. 81
Tom 80
Abraham 74
Isaac 64
Stephen 61
Matthew 60
Andrew 53
Daniel 53
Peter 52
Alexander 48
Fredrick 48
Chas. 46
Mark 41
Christopher 39
Fredk. 39
Percy 39
Edmund 36
Sidney 35
Willie 35
Hugh 34
Jno. 33
Sam 33

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 Marshall households.

FAQ

Marshall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Marshall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 50,203 people were recorded with the Marshall surname. That placed it at #57 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Marshall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 69,693 in 2016. That gives Marshall a modern rank of #63.

What does the Marshall surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who looked after horses or served as a marshal.

What does the Marshall map show?

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