NameCensus.

UK surname

Marsland

An English surname derived from a place name combining the elements "marsh" and "land".

In the 1881 census there were 1,750 people recorded with the Marsland surname, ranking it #2,470 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,619, ranked #3,846, down from #2,470 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Glossop and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Trafford, IZ11 and IZ12.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Marsland is 2,193 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 7.5%.

1881 census count

1,750

Ranked #2,470

Modern count

1,619

2016, ranked #3,846

Peak year

1911

2,193 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Marsland had 1,750 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,470 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,619 in 2016, ranked #3,846.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,193 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Marsland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Marsland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Marsland 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 1,141 #2,469
1861 historical 1,218 #2,336
1881 historical 1,750 #2,470
1891 historical 1,943 #2,369
1901 historical 2,138 #2,516
1911 historical 2,193 #2,300
1997 modern 1,730 #3,445
1998 modern 1,766 #3,510
1999 modern 1,791 #3,495
2000 modern 1,770 #3,517
2001 modern 1,718 #3,541
2002 modern 1,740 #3,581
2003 modern 1,717 #3,549
2004 modern 1,725 #3,527
2005 modern 1,717 #3,509
2006 modern 1,678 #3,586
2007 modern 1,668 #3,634
2008 modern 1,688 #3,620
2009 modern 1,690 #3,696
2010 modern 1,738 #3,669
2011 modern 1,722 #3,656
2012 modern 1,658 #3,725
2013 modern 1,683 #3,739
2014 modern 1,673 #3,775
2015 modern 1,645 #3,794
2016 modern 1,619 #3,846

Geography

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Where Marslands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Glossop, Manchester and Ashton-upon-Mersey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Trafford, IZ11, IZ12 and Tameside. 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 Stockport Cheshire
2 Glossop Derbyshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Ashton-upon-Mersey Cheshire
5 Stockport Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Trafford 018 Trafford
2 IZ11 West Dunbartonshire
3 Trafford 022 Trafford
4 IZ12 West Dunbartonshire
5 Tameside 004 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Marsland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Marsland

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Marsland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Marsland household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Marsland is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Marsland is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Marsland

The surname Marsland is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "mere," meaning a lake or pool, and "land," referring to an area of land. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to describe someone who lived near a body of water or in a marshy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Marsland can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Mersland" and "Merseland," indicating its evolution over time.

The name Marsland has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was Sir John Marsland (1578-1642), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire in the early 17th century.

Another prominent figure bearing this surname was William Marsland (1682-1757), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Peterhouse, a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, from 1717 until his death.

In the 19th century, Richard Marsland (1805-1885) was a British architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in the Gothic Revival style. He was particularly active in the county of Lancashire, where he designed numerous structures.

The name Marsland has also been linked to various place names throughout England, such as Marsland Green in Lancashire and Marsland Mouth in Devon. These locations may have derived their names from the surname or vice versa, further emphasizing the connection between the name and geographical features.

It is worth noting that the variant spelling "Marshland" is also found, and while it shares a similar origin, it is considered a distinct surname with its own history and lineage.

In summary, the surname Marsland has deep roots in English history, originating from Old English words and appearing in records as early as the Domesday Book. It has been associated with notable individuals and places throughout the centuries, reflecting its enduring presence in various regions of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Marsland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Marsland 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 591 Marslands recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.93x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 591 2.93x
Cheshire 491 13.07x
Yorkshire 357 2.12x
Derbyshire 93 3.49x
Surrey 45 0.54x
Kent 30 0.52x
Staffordshire 23 0.40x
Warwickshire 21 0.49x
Hampshire 15 0.43x
Berkshire 11 0.86x
Middlesex 11 0.06x
Lincolnshire 8 0.29x
Dunbartonshire 7 1.53x
Devon 6 0.17x
Shropshire 5 0.34x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.17x
Cumberland 3 0.20x
Isle of Man 3 0.95x
Leicestershire 3 0.16x
Somerset 3 0.11x
Worcestershire 3 0.14x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.53x
Gloucestershire 2 0.06x
Hertfordshire 2 0.17x
Lanarkshire 2 0.04x
Cornwall 1 0.05x
Northumberland 1 0.04x
Oxfordshire 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 0.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 93 Marslands recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.27x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 93 14.27x
Ashton Under Lyne 79 17.90x
Stockport 75 38.79x
Sale 73 158.35x
Norbury 62 708.57x
Barnsley 42 24.14x
Hayfield 36 220.18x
Dukinfield 35 20.16x
Leeds 28 2.94x
Chadderton 27 27.34x
Church 26 91.16x
Heaton Norris 24 20.88x
Mottram 24 141.01x
Newton In Ashton Under 24 64.72x
Ardwick 23 12.62x
Salford 23 3.87x
Marple 22 85.27x
Newington 22 3.50x
Clayton Le Moors 20 51.03x
Disley Stanley 20 103.41x
Huddersfield 20 8.14x
Bosden 19 164.79x
Halifax 17 6.86x
Manchester 17 1.87x
Droylsden 16 24.28x
Heptonstall 16 67.60x
Stayley 16 37.25x
Aston 15 1.27x
Baguley 15 349.65x
Bowling 15 8.98x
Brightside Bierlow 15 4.53x
Clitheroe 15 25.23x
Mellor 15 207.18x
Gorton 14 7.37x
Bramhall 13 83.55x
Cleckheaton 13 20.92x
Midgley 13 72.30x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 12 7.64x
Lymm 12 43.92x
Warley 12 24.62x
Habergham Eaves 11 5.96x
Lee 11 13.04x
Withington 11 16.90x
Brinnington 10 28.49x
Deptford St Nicholas 10 21.70x
Didsbury 10 37.29x
Hulme 10 2.37x
Timperley 10 76.57x
Altrincham 9 13.71x
Burnage 9 181.82x
Caverswall 9 30.13x
Crompton 9 15.65x
Headingley Cum Burley 9 8.29x
Mexborough 9 26.88x
Rotherham 9 9.46x
Aldershot 8 6.84x
Bradford 8 8.46x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 8 18.80x
Morley 8 9.12x
Stretford 8 7.20x
Tonge 8 18.88x
Wadsworth 8 29.13x
Wakefield 8 6.18x
Worsbrough 8 16.19x
Altham 7 304.35x
Bashall Eaves 7 457.52x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 7 39.93x
Camberwell 7 0.64x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 2.18x
Dunham Massey 7 60.82x
Dutton 7 463.58x
Failsworth 7 15.15x
Glossop Dale 7 5.61x
Normanton 7 31.10x
Row 7 11.83x
Accrington 6 3.27x
Ashton On Mersey 6 30.88x
Hampstead Norris 6 74.72x
Millbrook 6 6.83x
Nether Hallam 6 2.63x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 113
William 79
James 71
Thomas 56
Joseph 43
George 42
Robert 26
Charles 24
Samuel 24
Henry 20
Alfred 16
Edward 15
Harry 15
Herbert 14
Arthur 13
David 12
Ernest 12
Walter 10
Albert 9
Tom 9
Edwin 7
Peter 7
Richard 7
Wm. 7
Frank 6
Fred 6
Ezekiel 5
Frederick 5
Benjamin 4
Edmund 4
Harold 4
Joshua 4
Abel 3
Clement 3
E. 3
Eli 3
Ellis 3
Isaac 3
Isaiah 3
J. 3
Joe 3
Moses 3
Squire 3
Ambrose 2
Amos 2
Daniel 2
Josiah 2
Mark 2
Matthew 2
Noah 2

FAQ

Marsland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Marsland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,750 people were recorded with the Marsland surname. That placed it at #2,470 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Marsland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,619 in 2016. That gives Marsland a modern rank of #3,846.

What does the Marsland surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name combining the elements "marsh" and "land".

What does the Marsland map show?

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