NameCensus.

UK surname

Marshman

An occupational surname for someone who lived and worked in marshy areas.

In the 1881 census there were 405 people recorded with the Marshman surname, ranking it #7,903 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 570, ranked #9,038, down from #7,903 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Trowbridge and Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blaenau Gwent, Mendip and Powys.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Marshman is 612 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.7%.

1881 census count

405

Ranked #7,903

Modern count

570

2016, ranked #9,038

Peak year

2002

612 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Marshman had 405 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,903 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 570 in 2016, ranked #9,038.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 520 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Marshman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Marshman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Marshman 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 306 #7,524
1861 historical 315 #8,071
1881 historical 405 #7,903
1891 historical 456 #7,996
1901 historical 511 #7,936
1911 historical 520 #7,607
1997 modern 595 #8,199
1998 modern 601 #8,384
1999 modern 593 #8,508
2000 modern 601 #8,412
2001 modern 597 #8,321
2002 modern 612 #8,345
2003 modern 592 #8,415
2004 modern 572 #8,618
2005 modern 561 #8,667
2006 modern 546 #8,867
2007 modern 549 #8,916
2008 modern 557 #8,876
2009 modern 575 #8,866
2010 modern 586 #8,946
2011 modern 587 #8,837
2012 modern 569 #8,942
2013 modern 588 #8,867
2014 modern 598 #8,822
2015 modern 593 #8,806
2016 modern 570 #9,038

Geography

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Where Marshmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Trowbridge, Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe, London parishes and Bedwelty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blaenau Gwent, Mendip, Powys and Rhondda Cynon Taf. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Trowbridge Wiltshire
3 Pilton, North Wootton, Shepton Mallet, Croscombe Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 Bedwelty Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blaenau Gwent 005 Blaenau Gwent
2 Mendip 009 Mendip
3 Powys 017 Powys
4 Rhondda Cynon Taf 021 Rhondda Cynon Taf
5 Blaenau Gwent 008 Blaenau Gwent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Marshman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Marshman

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Marshman is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Marshman is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Marshman falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Marshman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Marshman

The surname Marshman is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English words 'mersc', meaning marsh, and 'mann', meaning man. Essentially, the name referred to someone who lived or worked near a marshland area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Merscman' and 'Merschemannes'. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in various parts of England.

During the Middle Ages, the name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire, where marshlands and wetlands were abundant. The surname may have also been influenced by place names such as Marshfield, Marshton, and Marsham, which were derived from similar Old English roots.

Notable historical figures bearing the Marshman surname include John Marshman (1640-1725), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Bath. Another notable individual was Joshua Marshman (1768-1837), a Baptist missionary and orientalist who worked in India and helped establish the Serampore College.

In the 17th century, the name appears in records such as the Parish Registers of St. Mary's Church in Shrewsbury, where a certain William Marshman was baptized in 1634. During the same period, a family by the name of Marshman resided in the village of Marshfield, Gloucestershire, as evidenced by local records.

Another prominent figure was Sir Clements Robert Marshman (1805-1877), an English civil servant and historian who served in India and authored several works on the history of the country. Additionally, William Marshman (1754-1835), a British Baptist missionary and educator, played a significant role in the establishment of the Serampore Mission in India.

While the surname Marshman is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history and can be traced back to the medieval period, reflecting the occupations and locations associated with its bearers throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Marshman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Marshman 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. Wiltshire leads with 116 Marshmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.20x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 116 33.20x
Somerset 73 11.48x
Hampshire 48 5.93x
Glamorgan 32 4.65x
Gloucestershire 27 3.48x
Middlesex 20 0.51x
Surrey 18 0.94x
Dorset 10 3.86x
Lancashire 9 0.19x
Essex 7 0.90x
Kent 6 0.45x
Monmouthshire 6 2.10x
Northamptonshire 6 1.61x
Warwickshire 5 0.50x
Yorkshire 5 0.13x
Brecknockshire 4 5.06x
Berkshire 3 1.01x
Devon 2 0.24x
Durham 2 0.17x
Leicestershire 2 0.46x
Worcestershire 2 0.39x
Anglesey 1 1.43x
Suffolk 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Bradley in Wiltshire leads with 24 Marshmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 941.18x.

Place Total Index
North Bradley 24 941.18x
Shepton Mallet 19 266.48x
Westbury 19 233.13x
Portsea 18 11.34x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 15 20.56x
Trowbridge 15 97.15x
Swindon 14 51.66x
Merthyr Tydfil 13 19.66x
Ystradyfodwg 13 21.54x
Over Wallop 11 1506.85x
Croydon 10 9.36x
Warminster 9 117.49x
Hilperton 8 720.72x
Bathwick 7 99.43x
Ealing 7 19.82x
Walthamstow 7 24.94x
Wareham Holy Trinity 7 619.47x
Weston Super Mare 7 43.59x
Croscombe 6 769.23x
Llantwit Vairdre 6 77.62x
Northampton St Giles 6 42.40x
Salford 6 4.35x
Calne 5 69.54x
Churchill 5 495.05x
Coventry Holy Trinity 5 16.81x
Devizes St James 5 107.76x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 6.28x
Lyncombe Widcombe 5 30.03x
Preston 5 1351.35x
Winkfield With Rowley 5 1020.41x
Bradford On Avon 4 35.78x
Guildford St Nicholas 4 117.65x
Hammersmith London 4 4.11x
Lewisham 4 5.56x
Micheldever 4 283.69x
Panteg 4 88.89x
Road 4 519.48x
Twerton 4 60.98x
Walcot 4 11.81x
Lymington 3 50.42x
Rowde 3 186.34x
Southampton St Mary 3 5.89x
Whitchurch 3 116.73x
Worle 3 229.01x
Aldershot 2 7.37x
Alverstoke 2 6.82x
Camberwell 2 0.79x
Claines 2 14.12x
Devizes St Mary 2 56.66x
Exeter Holy Trinity 2 62.11x
Frome 2 13.15x
Horsley 2 58.31x
Islington London 2 0.52x
Leicester St Margaret 2 1.87x
Llanelly 2 21.16x
Llangattock 2 31.10x
Martock 2 48.43x
Toxteth Park 2 1.26x
Wareham Lady St Mary 2 100.00x
Westoe 2 3.00x
Bath St James 1 15.08x
Bedwellty 1 1.98x
Blandford Forum 1 19.53x
Canterbury St Mary 1 11.05x
Cholsey 1 42.55x
Christchurch 1 5.69x
Finchley 1 6.60x
Flaxley 1 57.47x
Hackney London 1 0.45x
Hornsey 1 2.00x
Llandegfan 1 69.93x
Manchester 1 0.47x
New Windsor 1 10.03x
Pilton 1 65.79x
Salisbury St Thomas 1 36.10x
Sandhurst 1 17.42x
St Pancras London 1 0.31x
Thornbury 1 18.87x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 1 19.53x
Weston 1 20.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Sarah 19
Elizabeth 14
Annie 9
Emily 9
Ellen 8
Emma 8
Eliza 7
Alice 6
Ann 6
Jane 6
Esther 5
Kate 4
Maria 4
Anna 3
Florence 3
Harriett 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Susan 3
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Laura 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Rosanna 2
Tabitha 2
Alace 1
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Dora 1
Elizath. 1
Elsea 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Harriet 1
Harriott 1
Hero 1
Hettie 1
Jannie 1
Jemminia 1
Leah 1
Lois 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 28
John 17
Thomas 13
George 12
James 10
Frederick 7
Henry 7
Samuel 7
Harry 6
Walter 6
Albert 5
Joseph 5
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Robert 4
Wm. 4
Edward 3
Frank 3
Fredk. 3
Benjamin 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Job 2
Oliver 2
Richard 2
Simon 2
Tom 2
Willie 2
Eli 1
Fred 1
Fredk.J. 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Herbert 1
Hubert 1
Hugh 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
Lionel 1
Morse 1
Reginald 1
Rolland 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Marshman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Marshman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 405 people were recorded with the Marshman surname. That placed it at #7,903 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Marshman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 570 in 2016. That gives Marshman a modern rank of #9,038.

What does the Marshman surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who lived and worked in marshy areas.

What does the Marshman map show?

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